This week the National Council of Asian and Pacific Islander Physicians is in Hawaii to study health disparities and to advance initiatives that remove barriers to healthy communities. The council believes that quality, access and cost containment are critical to health and wellness of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific islanders.

Dr. Ho Tran, president of the council, explains that this varied group has to work together to "ensure our voice is heard." When thinking about the American population, too many policymakers think of white, black and Hispanic and "other."

"The rest of us can get lumped together," he said.

If each group of Asian immigrants, each Pacific island community and Native Hawaiians work independently, progress will be slower.

"We’ve learned not to speak for each other, but to focus on collaboration and synergy," he said.

The council works to identify communities and populations that can easily be overlooked. Tran gives examples: Although Koreans have among the highest per capita income in the islands, they also have among the highest rate of uninsured. This is because so many are self-employed in their own small businesses. Surveys have shown that as a group, Asians in the U.S. smoke less than most other populations. While this is true, 67 percent of the Laotian community smokes.

The Economist this week touted the benefits of immigrant populations against a backdrop of calls to "electrify the border fence with Mexico rather than educate the children of illegal immigrants."

The journal argues that immigrants facilitate business across borders, help spread ideas and information and do much to support a healthy economy.

Tran adds that in their first five years, immigrants provide tremendous benefit to the society and economy but have poor access to health care. Immigration is good for America, but we are not doing a good job of caring for the health of new immigrant populations. The council is intent on finding solutions for this problem.

The council is studying the effects of health reform and information technology on health disparities. The organization is learning about physician attitudes and trying to understand whether the current changes in health care are benefiting Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific islanders in Hawaii.

Clearly, each population has unique needs. Native Hawaiian issues, in particular, must be articulated and pursued in a distinct manner. Nevertheless, collaborative efforts such as those offered by the council, if culturally sensitive, have the potential to resolve health disparities for many diverse communities.

Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.