Advancing health equity: A conversation with Earl Stewart Jr., MD, FACP

At the American College of Physicians (ACP) Internal Medicine Meeting 2025 in New Orleans, Earl Stewart Jr., MD, FACP, internal medicine physician and medical director of health equity at Wellstar Health System in Atlanta, sat down with Medical Economics to share his insights on what it takes to truly embed equity into clinical practice.

In this multi-part video interview, Stewart covers:

1. How physicians can recognize and mitigate implicit bias
2. Real-world examples of systemic inequities in primary care
3. The role of continuing education in advancing culturally competent care
4. The economic rationale for investing in health equity
5. Community partnerships that make a difference — even in small practices
6. What "success" really looks like in equitable health care delivery

"This isn't just a moral crusade," Stewart says. "It's a quality issue."

From frontline outreach to structural reform, Stewart’s message is clear: health equity requires humility, partnership, and persistence. Watch the full series to hear his take on where we’ve made progress — and where the work must continue.

For more, read our coverage of his session alongside Jamar Slocum, MD, MBA, MPH, MACP, and Kevin Fiori, MD, MPH, MS, titled "High-Value Care Strategies to Advance Health Equity," at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting 2025.