UMass Memorial Health’s first-ever equity report shows 'harsh realities'

Photo | Grant Welker UMass Memorial Health in Worcester

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By Katherine Hamilton

UMass Memorial Health published its first-ever health equity report about its efforts to address racial disparities in health care in Central Massachusetts, largely through its COVID-19 response over the last two years.

The report is a product of UMass Memorial’s new Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, which is led by Brian Gibbs, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, and Arvin Garg, associate chief quality officer for health equity, according to a press release announcing the report on March 31.

UMass Memorial held listening sessions to facilitate dialogue about diversity issues within the organization, which President and CEO Dr. Eric Dickson said “uncovered some harsh realities that prove there is more work to do to make UMass Memorial a more inclusive workplace.”

The findings from those listening sessions included four key take-aways:

Unconscious bias exists and can only be overcome with conscious action.
UMass Memorial must take an equity pause before making a decision to think about its potential impact on all community members.
The “Golden Rule” — treating others as you wish to be treated — doesn’t apply. UMass Memorial personnel must treat people how they want to be treated.
UMass Memorial caregivers want to make change happen.

UMass Memorial’s equity efforts were prompted by two events: the disproportionate number of positive COVID-19 cases among communities of color and the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020.

The health group created the COVID-19 Equity Task Force to address the high positive test rates among Latino and Black communities in Worcester. In the summer of 2020, Latinos in Worcester accounted for 37% of positive COVID tests, despite making up 25% of the Worcester population, and Black residents made up 25% of positive cases and just 14% of the population, according to the report. The task force focused on providing testing, and later vaccine, information, and resources to these communities using pop-ups and neighborhood events.

Along with founding the Office of Diversity, UMass Memorial conducted an organizational equity assessment among senior leadership and appointed diversity specialists to each department at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.