About LPOC
Our Vision
We envision a feature where health equity is achieved with optimal health and well being assured for all Californians.
Our Mission
To support Latinx physicians and mentees through education, advocacy, and health policy for health equity, optimal health and quality of life for all Californians.
Our History & Purpose
LPOC was established in 2011 to address concerns that, while Latinxs represent the largest ethnic group in California, access to the positive social determinants in life have continued to elude them.
LPOC noticed a pattern of inequity across income and poverty; health status and disparity; and educational access, attainment and dropout rates—all measurements of well-being and social standing of Latinxs.
While LPOC’s core purpose is rooted, governed and influenced by the needs of Latinx physicians, making a difference requires considering what has made them successful, imparting those keys to success to future Latinx physicians, and finding ways to support all Latinx physicians and their affiliates in the effort to eliminate health disparity, promote and optimize health, and the quality of life for Latinxs.
The Latinx Physicians of California is a member organization. The base funding of the organization is derived from physician annual dues. Grants and/or donations support LPOC projects. It is our belief we can help Latinx physicians to complete the myriad of activities they must accomplish in the health care setting, at home and in their efforts to be supportive to their communities.
The health environment is changing rapidly and to the extent that we support Latinx physicians we will continue to assure a loyal following and create and maintain a network of support for Latinx communities.
A Message from the Chairman
Healthcare delivery is at a crossroads with new mandates, new research, and new technology – all designed to help people live a fuller and healthier life.
At the same time, the number of Latinx in California has increased and remains at almost 40 percent of the population. And more than half of elementary school students in California are Latinxs.
In 2011, the California Medical Board reported that 3,765 physicians of the 96,000 licensed physicians in California self reported as Latinx, indicating a major disparity between the size of the Latinx population and the makeup of the physician workforce.
Physicians dedicated to the quality of healthcare service for all Californians joined together in 2011 to form Latinx Physicians of California (LPOC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our goal is to support Latinx physicians, improve Latinx health, and help solve major healthcare challenges facing our State.
We invite everyone interested in improving the health of Californians to become a member of LPOC.
Sincerely,
José A. Arévalo, M.D.
Chair, LPOC
Sacramento, CA