At Providence, our vision – health for a better world – is driven by a belief that health is a human right. Every person deserves the chance to live the healthiest life possible. But many people in our communities don’t get that opportunity simply because of the color of their skin.
Systemic racism persists in nearly every major facet of society. That includes in health care and the social determinants of health. And the consequences are often deadly, leading to higher mortality and morbidity rates for communities of color.
Change begins with us. Providence is taking two important steps toward ensuring everyone in our communities has an equal chance to achieve health.
Thank you to Rhonda Medows, M.D., our president of population health, for her leadership on this issue. Using comprehensive data collection and analysis, the work supported by this investment will serve as a key component of Providence’s commitment to addressing racial disparities in health care and will supplement Providence’s longstanding community benefit work. In 2019 alone, Providence’s community benefit totaled $1.5 billion systemwide.
As the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis once said, “Each generation must do its part to create a more fair, more just society.” Together, let’s do our part to create a healthier world for everyone.