About DHEI (Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion)
Disparate health outcomes for minorities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and other subsets of California’s population are the result of historic and systemic inequalities that persist today, and it has risen to the level of a public health crisis in California. Unequal access to health care and health resources, as well as unequal and damaging environmental conditions due to race, socioeconomic status, and other factors is untenable in a just and healthy society. Some facts*:
Black Californians have the highest rates of new prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer cases, and the highest death rates for breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer.
About one in five Latinx Californians report not having a usual source of care and difficulty finding a specialist.
Californians who are Native American and Alaska Native, as well as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, are less likely to report having a checkup within the past year than other racial/ethnic groups.
*Source: California Health Care Foundation
Ensuring every Californian receives equitable, high-quality care requires long-term systemic solutions. California’s hospitals are on the front lines of mitigating health inequities. Within their communities, hospitals examine and address social determinants of health — factors such as housing instability, access to healthy foods, and community violence — that significantly affect health risks and outcomes.
Hospitals also continually work to improve patient experience and outcomes through a variety of initiatives, including a statewide maternal health quality collaborative; data collection and analysis on race, ethnicity, language preference, and other sociodemographic data; cultural competency training; increasing diversity in leadership and governance; and improving and strengthening community partnerships.
But hospitals alone cannot eliminate health disparities. It will take systemic reform, paired with broad partnerships across all segments of California’s communities, to break from the status quo.
Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative Podcast, Part 2
Overview In part 2 of our Supplier Diversity podcast series, HASC’s Adam Blackstone spoke with Gus Escutia, Quality Environmental, Inc., and Chico Manning, PIH Health. The two described how they met and have formed a successful purchasing relationship over the past few years. Escutia and Manning are involved with Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and HASC’s […]
CLC, HASC Announce First Diversity Scholarship Winners
Communities Lifting Communities and HASC are pleased to award seven health care scholarships through the Diversity in Health Care Scholarship and Stipend Program. Launched in 2023, the program was created to help reduce health disparities and improve community health throughout Southern California by fostering a more diverse workforce. It aims to achieve this goal by […]
El Camino College Offers Workforce Literacy Training
HASC is pleased to partner with El Camino College to offer the Workforce Literacy Training Program for hospital employees. This grant-funded initiative is designed to remove barriers to advancement by increasing language and math literacy for workers with limited English communication skills. The program has three primary components: English and math literacy, digital literacy and […]
Hospital and Health System Place-based Investing
Overview Join Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and HASC for Place-based Investing, the final workshop in our Anchor Mission virtual series. Guest speakers Eddie Salvador, CommonSpirit Health, and David Zuckerman, Healthcare Anchor Network, will present case studies on. They’ll discuss how anchor institutions can leverage resources to invest in their communities and improve overall health and […]
Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative Podcast, Part 1
Overview In this segment of In the Spotlight, hospital members speak with HASC about their efforts to increase procurement with diverse-owned businesses, and the best practices and lessons learned along the way. The three hospitals are involved with the Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative, launched by HASC and Communities Lifting Communities after AB 962 (Burke) passed […]
Health Care Without Harmful Stigma
Overview Learn how to use weight-inclusive, trauma-informed care to guide patients in attaining sustainable well-being. This workshop will explore how weight bias can degrade health outcomes, contribute to health inequities and intersect with racism, sexism and other biases. How can you provide care that’s inclusive, equitable and accessible to all? HASC will provide the program […]
Vendor Diversity Fair a Hit with Suppliers, Hospitals
Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and HASC’s first Vendor Diversity Fair, held Thursday, June 29, was a great success. Approximately 40 vendors of diverse backgrounds and procurement staff from four hospitals gathered at PIH Health Whittier Hospital, creating new connections and developing potential partnerships. By all accounts the event engaged and benefited both business owners and […]
Hospital Supplier Diversity Annual Conference
Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and HASC’s Supplier Diversity Conference will offer hospital purchasers and business owners a forum for learning and networking. Registration is complimentary. Attendees Hospital and health system procurement teams will have access to a wide range of suppliers from diverse backgrounds. Meet new vendors, expand your sourcing base and strengthen your partnerships. […]