Levelling the playing field: Putting equity at the centre of the discussion

Avoidable, unfair and systemic inequity in health has been a part of the system since it began. From socioeconomic status to ethnicity, gender to geography, who we are can create disproportionate health challenges. By emphasising equity, this approach strives to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, has equal opportunities to attain good health. Technology offers us the best chance to bridge this gap, but can also be a wedge between the privileged and the underserved. From telehealth offering remote consultations for underserved areas, to apps providing health education and self-monitoring. Or, how about the use of data analytics to identify and tackle inequalities, and AI aids in diagnosis and personalised treatments? From wearables, to language tools, VR to AR, we have a wealth of technology at our fingertips that could eradicate inequality - if used well. We all know that we have to identify and rectify the biases within our healthcare systems, but all too often this falls to the bottom of the pile of priorities. If we're ever to reshape systems to guarantee that no one is disadvantaged or overlooked, the debate must be reframed so that every conversation starts with equity in mind. Technology might just be the lever with which to do so. Enter the techquity conversation in healthcare.