MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
1. Top 10 Disparities
The following table lists the ten largest health equity disparities identified for this reporting period.
Disparities for each hospital equity measure are identified by comparing the rate ratios by stratification groups. Rate ratios are calculated differently for measures with preferred low rates and those with preferred high rates. Rate ratios are calculated after applying the California Health and Human Services Agency's "Data De-Identification Guidelines (DDG)," dated September 23, 2016.
The table below highlights the ten widest health equity disparities identified by hospitals and hospital systems during this reporting period. Measure names have been shortened for display purposes. To view each measure in full, please download the complete Hospital Equity Report using the link below.
| Measure | Stratification | Stratification Group | Stratification Group Rate | Reference Group | Reference Rate | Rate Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Age (excluding maternal measures) | 35 to 49 | 20.9% | 18 to 34 | 10.1% | 2.10 |
|
2.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Race and/or Ethnicity | Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 26.7% | Hispanic or Latino | 13.4% | 2.00 |
|
3.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Expected Payor | Medicare | 19.6% | Private | 10.0% | 2.00 |
|
4.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Age (excluding maternal measures) | 65 and older | 18.9% | 18 to 34 | 10.1% | 1.90 |
|
5.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Age (excluding maternal measures) | 50 to 64 | 18.8% | 18 to 34 | 10.1% | 1.90 |
|
6.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Expected Payor | Medicaid | 17.3% | Private | 10.0% | 1.70 |
|
7.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Race and/or Ethnicity | Black or African American | 21.1% | Hispanic or Latino | 13.4% | 1.60 |
|
8.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Preferred Language | English Language | 18.1% | Spanish Language | 14.8% | 1.20 |
|
9.
HCAI 30-Day readmission
|
Race and/or Ethnicity | White | 15.8% | Hispanic or Latino | 13.4% | 1.20 |
|
10.
HCAI 30-Day readmission NOBH
|
Sex Assigned at Birth | Male | 15.3% | Female | 14.3% | 1.10 |
2. Equity Plan
MLK Community Healthcare (MLKCH), a 131-bed hospital opened in 2015 in South Los Angeles, was created to address deep health disparities in a community that is over 90% Hispanic and African American. Home to more than 1.3 million people, the service area faces high rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, along with poverty and limited access to care. To meet growing needs, MLKCH has expanded services with new clinics, a Wound Healing Center, and programs like Integrated Behavioral Health and Street Medicine. With Emergency Department demand tripling, MLKCH remains a vital and trusted healthcare provider in one of LA County’s most underserved regions.
MLKCH is committed to advancing equity by addressing the disparities identified in our readmission data. The following plan outlines ways we are improving health outcomes for disproportionately affected groups.
High Readmission Rates Among Adults 35–49 and 50–64 (Disparities 1, 5, 9)
- Planned Actions: Through use of our Transitional Care Navigators expand care transition programs with age-specific support (i.e., West Alondra Medical Pharmacy bedside medication delivery and adherence education, navigation to follow-up care, social service referrals). Enhance chronic disease management education for middle-aged patients through our GetWell platform for disease-specific education during hospital stay.
- Population Impact: Reduces avoidable readmissions in a high-burden age group managing multiple conditions.
Older Adults (65+) Readmission (Disparity 2, 6, 7)
- Planned Actions: Strengthen post-discharge follow-up (in collaboration with MLKCH’s post-discharge clinics and specialty services) with senior population-focused care coordination, use CMS-required Age-Friendly 4M Model in care planning for patients ages 65 and older, home health referrals through care navigation, and pharmacist-led medication reconciliation. Integrate ONclick program for Medicare Part B patients to help patients navigate 30-day period following discharge.
- Population Impact: Improves continuity of care for seniors, addressing medication-focused and mobility barriers.
Race/Ethnicity Disparities in Readmission (Disparities 3, 4, 8)
- Planned Actions: Implement culturally tailored discharge education and expand access to behavioral health services identified in specific racial groups, creating referral pathways. Ensure there is a cultural alignment of care model at MLKCH.
- Population Impact: Addresses structural inequities and improves culturally responsive care for Black/African American and White patients with higher readmission rates compared to Latino patients.
Behavioral Health Readmission Disparities (Disparity 8)
- Planned Actions: Expand our Integrated Behavioral Health Program in primary care, increase psychiatry/therapy access through telehealth, and provide peer support programs. Improve emergency department acute psychiatric crisis response, clinical management, and outcomes of behavioral health patients with the integration of a 20-chair EmPATH unit.
- Population Impact: Improves access and reduces repeat admissions for Black patients disproportionately impacted by mental health-related readmissions.
Payor-Related Readmission Disparities (Disparities 6, 7, 10)
- Planned Actions: Implement enhanced care coordination for Medicare and Medicaid populations, including proactive scheduling of follow-ups, transportation assistance, and care management partnerships with health plans.
- Population Impact: Supports historically underserved, high-risk populations with limited access to primary and specialty care.
MLKCH Strategies
- Objectives: We aim to create as much parity in readmission rates that are independent of race/ethnicity, age, and payor. This applies to all of the above disparities. We serve a safety net population that is the most under-resourced in LA County and essentially our entire population is vulnerable. We will continue our commitment of making the variety of programs addressing disparities more accessible and that current programs are ensured to be maintained, such as program availability.
- Timeframe: For all of the above-mentioned disparities, ongoing evaluation and implementation, assessing needs, setting measurable goals, defining timelines, and planning community outreach will continue into calendar year 2026.
By embedding this plan into our practices MLKCH will ensure equitable outcomes and improved health for our community.
3. Structural Measures
| Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Commitment to Health Equity Structural (HCHE) Measure | Yes/No |
|---|---|
Our hospital system strategic plan identifies priority populations who currently experience health disparities |
Yes |
Our hospital system strategic plan identifies healthcare equity goals and discrete action steps to achieve these goals |
Yes |
Our hospital system strategic plan outlines specific resources that have been dedicated to achieving our equity goals |
Yes |
Our hospital system strategic plan describes our approach for engaging key stakeholders, such as community-based organizations |
Yes |
Our hospital strategic plan identifies healthcare equity goals and discrete action steps to achieve these goals |
Yes |
Our hospital system has training for staff in culturally sensitive collection of demographics and/or social determinant of health information |
Yes |
Our hospital system inputs demographic and/or social determinant of health information collected from patients into structured, interoperable data elements using a certified EHR technology |
Yes |
Our hospital system stratifies key performance indicators by demographic and/or social determinants of health variables to identify equity gaps and includes this information in hospital performance dashboards |
Yes |
Our hospital system participates in local, regional or national quality improvement activities focused on reducing health disparities |
Yes |
Our hospital system senior leadership, including chief executives and the entire hospital board of trustees, annually reviews our strategic plan for achieving health equity |
Yes |
Our hospital system senior leadership, including chief executives and the entire hospital board of trustees, annually reviews key performance indicators stratified by demographic and/or social factors |
Yes |
4. Web Address for Equity Report
5. Download Equity Measures Report
Click on the link below to download the equity measures report.
Click on the link below to download all equity measures reports.