Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) member Rush University Medical Center’s adoption of an organizational anchor mission and equity strategy to address the social and structural determinants of health is detailed in the NEJM article and covers Rush’s launch of a health care equity strategy; the creation of the Rush health equity framework, including the creation of West Side United (WSU); and the adaptation of the health equity strategy in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
From the article:
In January 2017, we organized an internal Anchor Mission committee that set targets for local hiring, career pathways, local spend, and volunteering, with twice-yearly reporting to senior leadership. We hired a small team to support the anchor work across departments. . . . Effective internal communication up and down the organization was, and still is, essential. To be successful, the health equity strategy had to be well understood and supported at all levels of the organization. Rush created a position within communications to focus exclusively on health equity communication strategy using a multi-media approach.
Read the NEJM Catalyst article now
See also: BMO Financial Group donated $10 million to create the new Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity with a mission of eliminating health inequities and helping people live longer and healthier lives through education and workforce development, community-based clinical practice to reduce residents’ rates of risk factors for chronic diseases, community engagement to address community health issues, and health equity research.