In 2020, Rochester Regional Health formalized its work of building and taking action on its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by launching the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office. Our emphasis on the pillars of patients, employees, community and data drives our efforts to continually make healthcare better for all.
By building a strong foundation focused on patients, our staff, our community and the role that data all have to play in ensuring equity and inclusion, the vision of the DEI team’s work has come into sharper focus and taken root through a variety of projects, initiatives, events, and conversations.
Nearly three years later, our efforts are transforming again as we intentionally couple our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion with another key element: Justice. The journey to our envisioned future will strengthen our foundation in wellness & engagement, quality & safety, operational excellence, and financial health, and be leveraged by expanding our current efforts and embarking on new ones to transform our health system.
Our current DEI vision
As a health system, Rochester Regional Health is conscious of the need to include, value, and respect diverse voices in all aspects of health care.
We have several established partnerships that align with our commitment to DEI and health equity. These help us better understand the needs of our communities and reach out further into them.
Our partners and community leaders are critical to meeting our education and awareness initiatives, particularly with health literacy efforts.
We offer education and awareness opportunities in various ways at multiple stages, taking every opportunity to build community among employees with cultural/social awareness and engagement initiatives. One of our primary enterprises in this space is our Awareness Calendar – which highlights Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Pride Month for the health system.
Expanding our horizons
Justice is the next logical step in advancing the Rochester Regional Health mission and transformational efforts as we build on our work to directly dismantle barriers to resources and opportunities in society to ensure all individuals and communities enjoy full, healthy lives.
Bringing justice to the forefront of our work at Rochester Regional Health means we will work to create a fair and equitable distribution of health resources for all. Understanding each person’s social determinants of health (e.g., access to food, education, transportation, housing, etc.) and applying it to how we care for their health and well-being is key to making our community strong and well.
“Sitting in this interim role provides me with a unique perspective to reflect on our historical efforts, sustain our initiatives over the last two years, and lead with hope to support the work moving forward,” said Ebony Caldwell, MA, EdD, Interim Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer.
The DEIJ Department is now located in the Riedman Campus on Kings Highway South in Rochester.
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