Healthcare tech + lasting partnerships + insightful data
Health equity is defined as the state in which every person can achieve their full health potential. But for many people around the world, this is not a reality. At Medtronic, we are working to improve health equity outcomes by combining groundbreaking technology with community partnerships to improve access to quality healthcare.
The problem: Heart disease is regularly undetected, misdiagnosed, and undertreated in women. Part of the reason is that historically, clinical heart research mainly studied men. So detection, treatment and standards of care often favor men over women. It should also be said that lack of representation in clinical trials goes far beyond just heart research.
Our approach: A groundbreaking SMART clinical trial focused on women with aortic stenosis, a potentially deadly heart condition.
The impact: For the first time, this trial gives physicians data from a clinical trial that tells them which transcatheter heart valve performs better, specifically in women with aortic stenosis.
The problem: Health inequities are pervasive and impact people around the world. Partnership and collaboration are key to finding sustainable solutions.
Our approach: The Medtronic Health Equity Advisory Committee (HEAC), launched in 2021, brings together leaders from across the company to determine how Medtronic can best address health disparities and advance equity in patient communities. More specifically, the HEAC provides companywide guidance to align language, share best practices, and inform operating units and functions on health equity policies. The HEAC also taps national experts in the field to share new insights and best practices with our business leaders, working with innovative thinkers to solve for these complex challenges.
The impact: HEAC membership tripled over the course of its first year, and the leadership team established a Medtronic Health Equity Framework for Medtronic employees to develop external programs and resources that effectively address health inequities in underserved populations. Our health equity resources are being used with our businesses, industry associations, health system customers, and global partners.
The problem: There is a global gap of 18 million health professionals.
Our approach: Training and education empowers doctors to deliver quality care, which leads to innovation in their countries, strengthening public health system resilience.
The impact: Medtronic has trained over 1.3 million healthcare professionals over the past three years.
