Medical center receives national honors for promoting diversity

(SACRAMENTO)
group of diverse people
UC Davis Health System was recently recognized for strengthening diversity among its workforce and leadership team and for providing culturally competent patient care.

UC Davis Medical Center received multiple honors for promoting diversity at the 2010 National Leadership and Education Conference in Chicago.

The Institute for Diversity in Health Management hosted the conference, which honored hospitals from across the country for participating in the “State of Health Care Diversity and Disparities: A Benchmark Study of U.S. Hospitals.”

The study, the first of its kind, was designed to provide a snapshot of the hospital industry’s progress on promoting diversity and to help hospitals assess and improve their internal diversity programs. The survey assessed diversity initiatives in four categories, and UC Davis Medical Center was recognized as “Best in Class” for its work in three of them:

  • Expanding the Diversity of the Organization’s Governance Body and Leadership Team
  • Strengthening a Diverse Workforce Throughout the Organization
  • Delivering Culturally and Linguistically Competent Patient Care Throughout the Organization

The institute also recognized UC Davis Medical Center for employing “Promising Practices” for its work in the fourth category: Effectively Engaging the Diverse Communities That the Organization Serves.

UC Davis Medical Center was one of only two hospitals honored with three “Best in Class” distinctions and “Promising Practices” recognition.

Only 10 hospitals were honored with a “Best in Class” distinction in one of the four categories, and UC Davis Medical Center was one of only two hospitals honored with three “Best in Class” distinctions and “Promising Practices” recognition. In addition, Jared Quinton, an administrative fellow with UC Davis Medical Center, served on a panel discussion to share best practices that promote diversity in leadership and governance at the 2010 National Leadership and Education Conference.

Emergency Department entrance

The survey tool used in the study was based on research included in “Strategies for Leadership," a diversity and cultural-competency assessment tool the Institute created in conjunction with the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Hospital Association and the National Center for Healthcare Leadership. The study also utilized recent work in the areas of culturally competent patient care, health-care disparities and leadership conducted by The Joint Commission and the National Public Health and Hospital Institute’s collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.

UC Davis Medical Center is the leading referral center in the region for the most seriously injured or ill patients and the most medically complex cases, covering 33 counties, more than 65,000 square miles and 6 million residents. It operates inland Northern California's only level 1 trauma center, with comprehensive adult and pediatric emergency departments. The center has been instrumental in keeping Sacramento County's preventable death rate at or below 1 percent, which is less than half the national average. Studies show patients with specific critical injuries have better survival rates and functional outcomes at level 1 trauma centers and academic medical centers. For more information, visit the UC Davis Medical Center website.