Healthcare Anchor Network

“ProMedica is proud to be one of the founding members of the Healthcare Anchor Network because as a non-profit, mission based healthcare organization we believe it is imperative to invest in our communities and help to drive economic prosperity through local hiring, purchasing and investing strategies. The Network provides a forum where we can come together with peer institutions who share our commitment to Anchor Institution strategies and where we can develop innovative solutions to challenges, that will ultimately improve the health and well-being of those we serve. By focusing on inclusive economic strategies, health care can use its considerable breadth and depth to positively impact the economic determinants of health.” 

“Recognizing the inseparable relationship between the social determinants of health and health outcomes, it is essential for health care to play a leadership role in addressing the systemic inequities that prevent members of our communities from experiencing good health. RWJBarnabas Health is extremely proud to be a co-founding member of the Healthcare Anchor Network. Together, as anchor institutions, we share a mission of developing more effective strategies and innovative solutions to leverage our purchasing, hiring, and investing to benefit the communities we serve.”

“Rush’s mission of improving the health of the individuals and diverse communities we serve is about more than just providing quality health care. Significant health care inequities exist because there are additional factors that affect one’s health including poverty, limited job mobility, limited access to educational opportunities, inadequate neighborhood safety and infrastructure.  These social determinants of health must be called out and addressed in partnership with community members if we are to make meaningful progress. No single institution or government agency can do this alone. We must start by developing trusting partnerships. We are fortunate to have Rush students, faculty and staff who are committed to reducing health inequities and furthering our Anchor strategy by investing, hiring, purchasing, and volunteering in our communities. The Healthcare Anchor Network can enhance our impact by allowing like-minded institutions to share best practices across the country. By doing this, the Healthcare Anchor Network is accelerating progress towards that common sense, yet ambitious goal.”

“As health care leaders, we have economic leverage. We are often the major employer in the surrounding community where a hospital is located. We create jobs; we have political clout in the community; we have social influence. We need to use our clout to create an environment where people can live healthy lives, because health and social factors are interconnected. Disparities in health care exist mainly because of socio-economic conditions. If we don’t resolve these issues, we are not going to realize the health outcomes we seek for vulnerable people despite our best efforts. Equity and quality health care for all is the ‘Holy Grail” we strive to achieve. The Healthcare Anchor Network understands this imperative and is bringing  healthcare systems together to work to address the social issues. The mutual learning of how to take on this massive challenge of addressing and correcting social determinants is invaluable.”