What is digital health equity?

Have you ever tried helping a patient download a health app—only to find out they don’t have a smartphone? Or witnessed someone get stuck on a “simple” telehealth portal because it was in English… and they weren’t fluent?

If so, you’ve already seen digital health equity in action—or rather, the lack of it.

So, what is digital health equity?

Digital health equity is about ensuring everyone—regardless of zip code, skin color, income level, age, ability, or internet connection—has real access to the benefits of digital healthcare.

Not just the existence of tools like telemedicine, mobile health apps, or AI diagnostics. But actual, usable, human-centered access. The kind that accounts for:

Tech literacy (not everyone is fluent in “app”)
Language and cultural relevance
Disability accommodations
Affordable devices and reliable broadband

Put simply, digital health equity means we’re not building cool tech for a few—we’re designing healthcare that works for all.

Why it’s more than a buzzword

Let’s not sugarcoat it: healthcare has an equity problem. And digital health has the potential to either fix it…or make it worse.

On one hand, we’ve seen incredible advances:

Rural patients accessing specialists via telehealth
AI tools flagging high-risk conditions earlier
Remote monitoring for chronic diseases that reduces ER visits

But here’s the catch: those benefits only reach people who have the tech, the literacy, and the trust to use them. Otherwise, we’re just creating shiny new tools that deepen the very disparities we say we want to close.

A 2024 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article cited a study conducted within the Department of Veterans Affairs where nearly one-quarter of respondents (23.2%) reported inconsistent or unaffordable broadband access. Additionally, 16.9% did not have a smartphone or computer, highlighting the digital divide's impact on healthcare access. The article noted that "digital health developments far outpace efforts to bridge the digital divide".

5 big barriers driving digital health inequity

Let’s get into the messy middle of it all. Here are the core culprits behind digital exclusion:

The digital divide
Think spotty Wi-Fi, no computer, or a shared family device. In some rural and low-income areas, even getting online is a luxury.
Low health literacy + complex UX
When apps use jargon, confusing interfaces, or assume tech fluency, people get left behind—especially older adults and non-native English speakers.
Language limitations
Most health platforms are English-first, sometimes English-only. That leaves non-English speakers fumbling through Google Translate… or just giving up.
Cultural disconnects
If a tool doesn’t reflect a user’s values, beliefs, or health practices, it might as well not exist. One-size-fits-all doesn’t cut it in a multicultural world.
Inaccessibility by design
Many digital platforms overlook the needs of people with vision, hearing, or cognitive impairments. If it’s not usable by everyone, it’s not truly accessible.

How do we start fixing it?

Now, here’s the good news: these aren’t unsolvable problems. But they are systemic, and they require intentional effort from both tech and healthcare.

Here’s how we start:

🛠️ Inclusive design

Build with, not just for, your users. Co-create with patients from diverse backgrounds.
Apply universal design principles—tools should be intuitive, flexible, and forgiving.

🗣️ Community partnership

Hire community liaisons or create advisory panels.
Conduct user testing with actual patients from the communities you want to serve.

📜 Policy advocacy

Support public policies that fund broadband access, device distribution, and digital literacy programs.
Push for regulations requiring accessibility standards in health tech.

🔍 Equitable data practices

Ensure your datasets are diverse and representative.
Be transparent about how AI models are trained and validated.

💼 Diverse teams

A tech team that reflects the population it serves is more likely to build empathetic, effective tools.
Equity isn’t a department—it’s a mindset that should be baked into every sprint and every roadmap.

Clinicians are the missing link (and the secret sauce)

Digital health equity isn’t just a tech problem—it’s a clinical one too. And this is where you come in.

As someone who’s been at the bedside, you understand nuance in a way most engineers and product managers don’t. You’ve seen firsthand what works, what breaks trust, and what gets lost in translation.

When clinicians enter digital health conversation, they bring:

Contextual wisdom that shapes real-world usability
Cultural competence from caring for diverse populations
Clinical relevance to ensure tech solves the right problems

Because those barriers that you encounter at the bedside? Language, comprehension, economic – they don’t just magically go away with tech. They could very well get worse. Not only do we need clinicians working on these tech solutions, we also need clinicians at the bedside that are familiar with them so that they can support patients.

Clinician roles that drive equity

Remember, you don’t have to leave your clinical role to make a meaningful difference in the health equity space. But if you’re looking to make a pivot into digital health and make a difference, here are a few roles where your impact can be huge:

📱 Clinical Product Manager

Guide features that reduce health disparities. Your clinical lens can flag what others miss.

🔍 UX Researcher

Run usability tests with diverse patients. Advocate for design that meets people where they are.

🧭 Digital Health Strategist

Shape long-term roadmaps with inclusion baked in—not tacked on.

📊 Health Equity Consultant

Help startups audit their products for equity—and advise on how to fix the gaps.

Is It Worth It? Let’s Talk Pros and Cons

✅ Pros:

Impact lives at scale—not just one patient at a time
Rising demand in policy, tech, and public health
Work cross-functionally and creatively
Mission-driven work with long-term significance

⚠️ Cons:

Progress can be slow or face pushback
Equity isn’t always a business priority (yet)
“Impact” can be hard to quantify or track

But for many clinicians, it’s the first time they’ve felt their work aligns with both their skills and their values—and that’s worth chasing.

Bigger than a career move

Let’s be real: health tech isn’t going anywhere. But who it works for—and how well—is still to be determined. That’s where digital health equity becomes more than a checkbox. It becomes a strategy. A differentiator. A north star.

And if you’re a clinician? You’re not just welcome in these conversations, you’re essential.

So if this post got you thinking, dreaming, or even a little fired up… that’s a sign.

👉 Ready to lead the charge? Head over to the Hey Health Tech Job Board to find roles where you can turn intention into impact.