Opportunities for transforming pediatric care

Children and families require a health care system that serves their unique needs and supports life-long health and well-being. Knowing that the nation’s pediatric medical system fails so many children, particularly from Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities, it is imperative to rethink how children and families receive care. During a recent discussion with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) on the urgent need for racial justice in the pediatric health care system, Ben Danielson, MD, a pediatrician and advocate for improving outcomes for all kids, noted: “We need to redesign the spaces and places where we go, where we live, where we play, where we find joy, and where we work every day. And we are the ones to do it.” We — including every one of us, whether we are policymakers, pediatricians, public and private payers, philanthropic funders, community health workers, advocates, or families — all have a role to play in reimagining how we care for children and provide opportunities for them to thrive.