Advancing Health Equity for Black Communities

Uzima Health & Wellness/Black Health Collective serves as a bridge for healthcare organizations to reach Black health consumers. We are a resource for culturally competent education and advocacy, and an independent research partner for healthcare organizations striving toward equity in healthcare access and health outcomes. Uzima is the vision of Dr. Kendra Outler for creating a healthier future for underserved communities.

Meet Dr. K: Bridging the Health Equity Gap

A board-certified anesthesiologist and public health activist, Kendra Outler, MD, is a distinguished medical expert and thought leader in the field of race and medicine.

Dr. K has worked in America’s busiest trauma centers, from J.H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County to Grady Hospital in Atlanta. After years of seeing the effects of systemic racism on health, Dr. K founded Uzima Health & Wellness to address the 3E’s—Environment, Education, and Economics. By focusing on shifting these key social determinants of health, she believes we can create meaningful strategies to improve health and wellness for everyone. 

Host of the popular “What the Doctor Say?” podcast, Dr. K has appeared on other influential platforms including FUSION Film Festival, Sirius XM Leon Hour, Blackdoctor.org, and DMV Links Go Red For Heart Health, as well as in articles for Medium, Health Line, Ebony Magazine, N’Digo, and CNBC’s Make It.

Addressing Racial Health Disparities by Improving the 3E’s

Structural racism has profoundly impacted the 3E’s—Environment, Education, and Economics—for Black communities. Uzima recognizes the 3E’s as key factors in racial health disparities and is dedicated to collaborating with healthcare organizations to measure and manipulate the 3E’s, working toward optimal healthcare for all.

Education, Environment, Economics Icons

The Black Health Collective: Changing the Narrative, Leading the Conversation

Uzima’s mission is to be an expansive Black Health Collective that connects everyday Black life to critical public health issues, from gun violence to maternal health. We want to engage with the community most affected by heart disease, environmental illnesses, trauma, food insecurity, and other challenges. In every discussion we connect the 3E’s to the goal of making health equity a reality.

Dr. K's Voice

Dr. K shares her invaluable expertise and broad connections through thought-provoking interviews, reviews, scholarly articles, essays, and more. She is your guide to advancing health equity for Black communities.

Reviews

Uzima summarizes and reviews contemporary literature aimed at promoting health equity for Black communities, as well as books that review the history of systemic racism and focus on current social determinants of health.

Podcasts

Listen in on Dr. K’s conversations with a roster of smart and savvy guests discussing the most pressing health and social justice issues for Black communities today.

Videos

Uzima’s collection of video interviews and conversations with Black medical experts, authors, and thought leaders will guide viewers toward empowerment and action in addressing the national challenge of health equity.

Articles

Access a variety of timely, accurate, relevant articles on healthcare topics that are critical to Black communities. Gain the knowledge and insight that leads to better health outcomes.

Empowering Black Communities to Take Charge of Their Health

Uzima engages our communities through educational resources and conversations that empower them to take ownership of their health. We share reliable, science-backed information about critical health issues while counteracting harmful messaging from sources that may seek to undermine our health. We also celebrate the lives of our neighbors and families as we work to secure their healthiest future.  

The Risk of Inaction

NOW is the time to act. The more we wait and deliberate, the more Black patients are put at risk. Together we can ensure a healthy future for our Black communities and begin to reverse the staggering health disparities revealed in statistics* like the ones below, which show that Black patients are:

40%
less likely than white patients to receive an accurate diagnosis of hypertension
30%
less likely to receive an accurate diagnosis of diabetes
50%
less likely to receive an accurate diagnosis of kidney disease.

*Cooper LA, Marsteller JA, Noronha GJ, et al. “A Multilevel Quality Improvement Intervention to Improve Racial Concordance and Quality of Care for Black Patients.” Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2019; 34(10): 1968-1974.

Join the Uzima Health Equity Directory to Make a Difference

If you are a healthcare organization seeking to help close the gap in healthcare access and quality for Black communities, Uzima can help you expand your reach and impact.

Joining the Uzima Health Equity Directory gives your organization a unique platform for sharing the details and offerings of your health equity programs through our extensive reach in Black communities. The trust and connections Uzima has developed also may help to differentiate your organization to payors, employees, and government agencies.

Contact us to find out how to be included.

Together We Have the Power to Make a Positive Impact. Connect With Us and Start the Conversation.

The enormous issue of racial health equity can only be addressed through partnership and collaboration. By connecting you with Black communities, Uzima can be your key strategic partner in the mission to create equitable and fair health outcomes for all. Contact us to start the conversation.

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