Health disparities in the District have long been defined by what neighborhood a resident dwells in. Studies throughout the years have consistently revealed that residents who reside in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River, predominantly in Wards 7 and 8, tend to suffer higher rates of such ailments as obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attacks than their neighbors who live west of the river.
The debate in the District on health disparities focuses on issues such as the number of full-service grocery stores and medical/pharmaceutical facilities in a ward. While these issues contribute to health disparities, one issue that is not discussed as much is the availability of medical professionals practicing in a ward. Studies have shown Wards 7 and 8 have a dearth of medical practitioners and it is reasonable to infer this contributes to health disparities. There is no reason a Ward 8 resident should have to travel across the river or into another state to seek medical attention while their Ward 3 neighbor can just walk down the street.
One way the D.C. Council can address the lack of medical practitioners, is to pass legislation designating Wards 7 and 8 Health Enterprise Zones.
Health Enterprise Zones are areas defined by a state-level government that offer tax and financial incentives to medical professionals to set up in underserved communities. In a Health Enterprise Zone, medical professionals will be able to purchase equipment, hire staff and utilize office space at below market rate to set up a practice with the assistance of tax credits, grants, and low-interest loans.
Plus, assistance in paying off a medical professionals’ student loans can be made available if they practice in a Health Enterprise Zone.
The District needs to formally set up a Health Enterprise Zone program for its underserved areas, which in this case is Wards 7 and 8. The program will help provide health care services to residents who badly need them.