Equity & Inclusion Are Critically Important to Samaritan June 9, 2020 Dear Friends, As we are all saddened by events of recent weeks, and also continue to address the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in our community, I wanted to reference the framework we are using to provide exemplary care to all who need it and in a way that reflects our organizational values: Passion, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, Excellence – Samaritan PRIDE. As a health care organization, our interactions with people can be at a particularly difficult — and, sometimes, very joyous time. Whether they are patients, health plan members, visitors or co-workers, our core purpose is to welcome all and to treat them as we would wish our own loved ones to be treated. That commitment, and responsibility, is the driving force behind our inaugural Equity & Inclusion Plan, which reflects a four-year implementation cycle. Our plan, which was adopted earlier this year, can be found on our website at samhealth.org/Equity. It reflects current organizational data as a baseline and outlines related goals and actions that align with our four strategic priorities: Quality and Service Excellence, Community Partnership, Employee Engagement and Sustainability. The plan was developed over the past year by a multidisciplinary Equity and Inclusion Council chaired by Kevin Ewanchyna, MD. Council members include both employees and community members, and we are grateful for the leadership and perspective they provided in crafting this plan. They will continue to provide direction as the plan is implemented, along with work groups that have been formed to address initial priorities related to language access services and employee training. We know this work takes time, but we are committed to continuing our efforts and to sharing our progress with you as we strive to more fully incorporate equity and inclusion into our mission of “Building Healthier Communities Together.” Sincerely, Doug Boysen, JD, MHAPresident/Chief Executive Officer
