STRIVING FOR
HEALTH EQUITY A FIVE-PILLAR EFFORT TACKLES DISPARITIES TO BETTER SERVE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
I
n honoring its mission of improving the health of the diverse communities it serves, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is well positioned as an anchor institution to address various disparities in care and outcomes. As an example, consider the fact that late-stage cancer is found twice as often in Middlesex County’s Black community as in some other groups. Health Equity has been operationally embedded as a strategic priority to ensure the delivery of high-quality, person-centered care to the hospital’s diverse populations. “Organizationally, we are steadfast in our commitment to create an inclusive and engaging workforce, focusing on supporting our patients and communities in reaching their full health potential,” says Franck Nelson, MSN, RN, Assistant Vice President, Health Equity, at RWJUH. “This requires intentionality along with the dedication to understand various determinants of health that affect those whom we serve.” RWJUH’s efforts to connect diverse communities with healthcare are being built on several pillars: • ACCESS OF CARE. This initiative includes but is not limited to increasing access of care to underserved populations through a partnership with the Eric B. Chandler Health Center, a federally qualified health center at Rutgers Robert
Wood Johnson Medical School. This collaboration aids in connecting the underserved population with primary care providers. • CARE OPTIMIZATION through population-specific efforts that focus on ensuring equitable outcomes among various communities, including initiatives for Black, Asian and Hispanic populations. To ensure equitable outcomes, the Health Equity team uses multilingual patient navigators who offer translation and help connect people to health services. • COMMUNITY ALLIANCE. RWJUH is working with community partners to connect with local populations. Partners include faith-based organizations such as First Baptist Church, the Chamber of Commerce and a Health Equity Advisory Council with representation from sectors such as education, business and law enforcement. • OPERATIONAL ALIGNMENT. “Internally, our goal is to ensure health equity is embedded in every strategic priority within our organization,” Nelson says. “Through our navigation services, we collect meaningful data that helps us better understand the social determinants of health such as access to transportation, employment and environmental needs that are present in our communities as we
identify opportunities for improvement.” The hospital further provides training through its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to educate staff on providing care to harness an inclusive culture of humility and sensitivity. “We’re intentional about providing culturally sensitive services so everyone is treated the way they want to be treated,” Nelson says. • TEAM ENGAGEMENT. Affinity groups through RWJUH’s nationally recognized Office of Diversity and Inclusion help create an inclusive environment for workers. Examples include Asian Society for Impact and Advocacy Network (ASIAN); Advancing Women through Advocacy, Recognition, and Empowerment (AWARE); Black Professionals Network (BPN); Promoting Respect, Outreach, Understanding, and Dignity (PROUD); Service and Advocacy for Latinos United for Development (SALUD); and Veterans Engaging Through Service (VETS). “As a health organization and hospital, we want to understand each patient as a whole and create an inclusive environment where people feel treated with respect and dignity as we meet their needs,” Nelson says. “Having equitable care is paramount to our entire community, and we remain committed to our goal of removing any disparities in care, treatment and outcomes among those we’re serving.”
To learn more about health equity at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, visit www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-new-brunswick/about/health-equity.
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