Equity, NOT equality

I went to a really informative meeting last night.  A group of 6 doctors sat around a table to discuss equity and what that means for our patients.  Though I've known that there's a difference between equity and equality, I haven't processed through it before this meeting.
Here's a helpful illustration:

Equality = sameness.  Equity = fairness.

I think most of us are really thinking about equity when we say equality, especially when it relates to health care.  As humans, we all need a bit of help, some need more than others.  Providing the same care for everyone won't help each individual reach their goal.  If we can't recognize this discrepancy, we'll miss the mark most of the time.
So, medicine is not one size fits all.  Again, I've known that.  But somehow, I still try to treat people "the same".  I really want every hypertensive patient to understand their disease and take the steps to get it under control.  But not all high blood pressure is equal.  Some patients just need to calm down and overcome "White Coat Hypertension".  Others need to eat better and exercise (I would argue all need this).  Others do great on medication.  So what looks like a simple diagnosis can involve a myriad of factors that aren't easily addressed in the 15 minutes allotted.
Of course, we can't always address all of the problems a complex patient may bring in during their visit.  That doesn't mean their symptoms aren't all important.  But it's often helpful to see patients back regularly and chip away at the problems, rather than tackling everything all at once and leaving each problem incomplete.
I have struggled with the idea of healthcare disparities.  I've thought that if patient A and B both live near a clinic, they both have equal access to care.  However, because of the disparities that exist, there are barriers to access beyond just location.  If we don't acknowledge things like education, income and culture, we're missing the bigger picture.  Some patients have problems they would rather see a particular gender for.  Some had a bad experience last time and don't want to be treated that way again.  Others can't afford their copay and choose to tough it out instead.  Healthcare is tricky business!
I still plan on trying to offer "equal" care, but will hopefully be more cognizant of offering a fair opportunity to attain each patient's health goals.