Congratulations to the new health equity manager to HCA, Dr. DoQuyen Huynh

The following announcement describes  ARNP Dr. DoQuyen Huynh and her appointment as the new health equity manager to the Health Care Authority:

A political refugee from Vietnam, Dr. DoQuyen Huynh, who goes by “Quyen,” came to Seattle at age 11 with her parents and four siblings.

She found herself acting as the family’s translator, and helping her parents navigate a complex and unfamiliar public health care system at a time when resources for interpreters were limited, and social determinants of health were not a focus in health care delivery. This childhood experience defined her life’s work to help immigrant and minority groups access culturally sensitive health care.

Quyen is a family nurse practitioner and spent a decade as a leader at a community health center in Seattle’s International District — one of the most diverse zip codes in the country. She also is a national leader on nurse practitioner post-graduate education, training the next generation of clinicians to better meet the health care needs of underserved and diverse populations. She teaches at Seattle University and directs the College of Nursing’s Family Practice Program, which focuses on social justice and health equity. Her goal is to break down barriers to care and promote evidence-based health care through education, clinical practice, and policies.

HCA strives for continuous improvement throughout the agency. Being the first health equity manager for HCA, Quyen will help make tremendous impact in peoples’ lives by making health equity actionable and sustainable with the support of HCA staff, community partners, and stakeholders.

“HCA already has a good foundation to build upon, and I look forward to working with staff across the agency to integrate equity in a strategic and systematic way,” said Quyen.

Through the agency Health Equity Workgroup, HCA has drafted a strategy for incorporating health equity principles into operations, programs, and initiatives. This effort supports Governor Jay Inslee’s mission of a healthier Washington.

“I’m really proud of HCA for seeing the need for this important work,” said Quyen. “Every policy and action HCA is involved in directly impacts health outcomes of individuals, and with an equitable approach, low income and disadvantaged populations have a better chance at living a healthy life.”