What is health equity? And how is MultiCare Health System working toward it?<\/p>\n
A helpful way to illustrate health equity is the following scenario:<\/p>\n
Three people stand in front of a fence. The first person is tall enough to see over the fence, the second is just a little too short to see over and the third is even shorter and also unable to see over.<\/p>\n
Equality in this situation would mean each person had the same step ladder to help them see over the fence. However, the first person is already tall enough, so a step ladder is unnecessary \u2014 and the step ladder isn\u2019t tall enough for the shortest person to see over the fence.<\/p>\n
Equity, on the other hand, would mean giving each person the appropriate step ladder, given their unique circumstances. The tall person receives no step ladder. The middle-height person receives a short step ladder. The shortest person receives a taller step ladder.<\/p>\n
Likewise, \u201chealth equity\u201d means everyone has access to quality health care and can live a healthy life, regardless of factors such as sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, socioeconomic status and race.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s exactly why MultiCare created its Center for Health Equity & Wellness in 2016.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe purpose is to make sure the cultural, linguistic, spiritual and social needs of our patients are met and respected,\u201d says Jamilia Sherls, MSN, MPH, RN, director of the Center. \u201cAnd to promote a diverse and inclusive culture at MultiCare, which is important for achieving health equity.\u201d<\/p>\n
An assessment conducted in 2015 revealed a need for MultiCare to provide cultural competency education for staff, increase access to language services, develop and sustain community partnerships and increase workforce diversity \u2014 and the Center was born soon after.<\/p>\n
To address these needs, the Center for Health Equity & Wellness is working on a number of initiatives:<\/p>\n
Every other year, all MultiCare employees are required to complete an online training focused on cultural competency \u2014 the ability for health care providers to effectively deliver health care that meets the social, cultural, spiritual and linguistic needs of a diverse population of patients.<\/p>\n
The Center also offers in-person training to departments within MultiCare that can be tailored to meet their specific educational needs and address topics from the online training in more detail.<\/p>\n
This year, the Center plans to implement an interpreter program that certifies bilingual staff to become onsite interpreters and provides tools and techniques for them to provide culturally competent care.<\/p>\n
MultiCare and the Center take pride in partnering with the community \u2014 MultiCare\u2019s mission is to partner for healing and a healthy future. To help achieve this, the Center has implemented a \u201cFaith in Wellness\u201d program to help faith-based organizations promote health and wellness and reach underserved populations through education and health screenings.<\/p>\n