HAN member SSM Health’s president and CEO Laura S. Kaiser writes that “it takes bold change and leadership to truly impact those things that contribute the most to health equity: the moral, social and structural determinants of health” and how the adoption of the anchor mission has paved the way for the health system to conduct equitable economic development.
SSM Health is leveraging a portion of its investment portfolio for place-based investments, such as affordable housing.
From the Catholic Health Association article:
INVESTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
One example of SSM Health’s work to drive greater equity structures in our communities is our partnership with the Healthcare Anchor Network, which recognizes that the path to equity is paved through economic development and focuses on hiring, purchasing and investing (see pages 59-61 for more details about this network’s work). Through this work and other internal endeavors, we set significant goals to deliberately recruit, hire and develop talent from communities that have been historically disinvested. Furthermore, we have directed our purchasing power to engage in opportunities with diverse suppliers and service providers, from large construction projects to catering orders. As a result, some businesses that historically would not have been able to compete for our contracts are now engaging with SSM Health as part of an intentional, vibrant and equity-focused business ecosystem.