Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity
WMCHealth’s mission is to provide the highest -quality care for all residents of the Hudson Valley. We believe the work we do in equity, inclusion, and diversity will not only reinforce our ability as an academic medical center-led network to provide the highest quality, patient-centered care in a respectful and compassionate environment but also lead the transformation of health care in the Hudson Valley to continuously respond to the needs of its diverse population.
The Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Strategic Plan represents WMCHealth’s commitment to:
- Improve access to equitable care and advance health equity;
- Foster a strong culture of inclusion in the workplace;
- Optimize employee diversity to better reflect the communities we serve; and
- Promote economic equity and a more inclusive supplier base.
The Equity, Inclusion and Diversity (EID) Strategic Plan, offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to embed EID principles into the way we operate, and outlines the specific goals and action we believe will address key areas of opportunity identified in the 2022 current state assessment.
These goals are ambitious and will take time to achieve, but WMCHealth is committed to the success of the Plan as we see this as an investment in our future that will yield long term benefits for our patients, valued members of our workforce, and communities across the Hudson Valley.
Vision and Approach
WMCHealth embraces the multiple identities and experiences of all those who work, provide and receive healthcare services. Our organization is committed to promoting equity, inclusion and diversity best practices to support an inclusive workplace, diverse workforce, and deliver equitable care that leads to improved health for patients and communities across the Hudson Valley.
Vision
In advancing equity, inclusion and diversity, we elevate the standard of care for others and each other through efforts to:
- Build a culture of equity that leads to better care delivery and health outcomes.
- Inspire a culture of belonging to create a welcoming and affirming environment.
- Promote diversity to ensure we reflect the communities we serve.
Our Approach
Make equity, inclusion and diversity everyone’s responsibility by involving business partners and leaders to help drive implementation and results. Through our collective action, we work to build a more equitable and inclusive organization where everyone recognizes the importance of equity, inclusion and diversity in their work, and strives to integrate best practices to support the organization’s equity, inclusion and diversity priorities and goals.
Members of the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity team are seen and serve a consultative role to support successful implementation and alignment across the network.
Definitions
- Equity: Fairness in the way people are treated.
- Inclusion: Action and behavior that encourages participation and creates environments that honor individual uniqueness and fosters a sense of belonging for everyone.
- Diversity: Similarities and differences in the range of human identities in socioecological, historical, and cultural contexts.
- Cultural Competency: Ability to provide care to patients with diverse values, beliefs and behaviors, that includes tailoring health care delivery to meet patients’ social, cultural and linguistic needs.
- Social Determinants of Health: Conditions in the environment where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affects a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.