Northwell Health, for the second year in a row, has been named the best health system for diversity in the United States, according to the latest DiversityInc ranking of Top Hospitals and Health Systems.
New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer made the list for the ninth straight year and remained in the top spot in the 2021 DiversityInc rankings for Hospitals and Health Systems.
The DiversityInc ranking is a reflection of Northwell Heath’s decade-long journey toward the tenets of diversity, inclusion and health equity for its team members, patients and communities. In partnership with the Healthcare Anchor Network, Northwell was one of the first health systems to declare racism as a public health crisis.
The foundation laid has been instrumental in addressing the health and racial inequities unveiled by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. No health system treated more COVID-19 cases – more than 191,000 patients – over a 13-month span as it collaborated with state and local government to aggressively roll out diagnostic testing and then vaccination efforts to underserved communities across New York City, Long Island and Westchester.
“We are extremely proud of this important recognition and also recognize this journey continues. We know that equity, diversity, and inclusion matters to our mission and is at the heart of all that we believe, value and do for our team members, patients and communities,” said Maxine Carrington, Northwell’s senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “We believe a supportive and inclusive work environment, where everyone feels valued and included, contributes to our overall care for our patients and communities.”
Northwell Health was recognized nationally for its commitment to integrating the tenets of diversity, inclusion, and health equity into its health care delivery strategy with a focus on enhancing the health and wellness needs of the underserved communities and the diverse patients it serves.
DiversityInc examined companies using a 200-question survey that focused on six key areas: Leadership accountability, human capital diversity metrics, talent programs, workforce practices, supplier diversity, and philanthropy. Northwell’s 76,000-strong workforce is a reflection of the communities they serve: one of the nation’s most diverse populations.
In addition to the top Hospitals ranking, Northwell Health fared well on several other DiversityInc specialty lists. Northwell ranked eighth among top companies for Veterans, sixth for Latino Executives, No. 10 for Asian American Executives and No. 11 for Talent Acquisition for Women of Color.
“Addressing racial health disparities requires acknowledging the effects of structural racism on health status and requires us to be purposeful in re-designing our health care delivery policies through a health equity lens,” said Michael Wright, vice president of diversity and health equity. “The path forward requires our continued commitment to advancing and sustaining our focus on diversity, inclusion and health equity and harnessing the power of allyship as critical to this important work into the future.”
The latest recognition comes on the heels of another workforce honor: Northwell Health was named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2020.
