Archive for category: Diversity & Inclusion
Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Northwell Health
Written by: Bridges Asian BERG co-chairs
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a month to celebrate and pay tribute to the contributions that generations of Asian Pacific Americans have made to American history, society and culture.
In honor of the heritage month this May, we are featuring the stories and work of a few of our Bridges Asian Business Employee Resource Group (BERG) members at Northwell Health.
Also featured, is an Asian Pacific American physician leader at Northwell Health, who is partnering with Bridges Asian BERG, to make broader connections and develop new ideas to help transform some of the amazing work spearheaded by this leader.
Please join us, as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May!
Chandler Zhang, MHA Institutional Review Board Manager
Tell us more about your role at Northwell Health.
I’ve been working at Northwell for about 2.5 years as an Institutional Review Board (IRB) Manager within the Human Research Protection Program at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. My job is to support, facilitate and promote the ethical and safe conduct of clinical research at Northwell Health. We oversee IRB review for all 23 hospitals and facilities throughout Northwell Health that serves to protect research participants’ rights, safety and welfare.
Why did you join the Asian BERG?
I joined the Northwell Bridges Asian BERG in 2017. I have a passion to be a part of that bridge between our health system and local communities, and one of the ways that I serve in that capacity is being the Chair of the BERG Chinese Language Advisory Board (LAB). Our LAB is made up of other dedicated BERG members who are fluent, native speakers who provide consultation to service lines, departments and facilities on optimal methods of communication for the Chinese communities. We also provide feedback on the quality of translated materials by certified vendors to ensure that the messaging is appropriate and clear. By providing advisory services and partnering with Language Access Services from the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity we are working to enhance patient experience, customer service and better connect with our diverse communities.
What do you like about working for Northwell?
I feel so lucky to be recognized for my efforts and it encourages me to continue working harder and to be more innovative. I am proud to use my language capabilities and skillsets as a Chinese American to further the causes of our organization and the diverse communities that we serve.
What advice would you give about mentorship?
Mentorship is always important. However, within this organization of 68,000+ employees, mentorship from successful higher-level leaders is not only critical, but it will help individuals advance in their careers quickly. By encouraging mentorship, we are building our leaders of tomorrow.
Weon Hee Kang, Nurse Practitioner, Cardiology, NSUH
Tell us more about your role at Northwell Health.
In 1995 I started at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) as a registered nurse and in 2005 I became a nurse practitioner in Cardiology.
Why did you join the Asian BERG?
I wanted to actively support my community. Many Asian community members want to come to Northwell Health for its great reputation, but due to the cultural and language barriers it may be difficult for them to navigate our facilities. My contribution to close this cultural gap was to be a part of the committee that introduced the Korean seaweed soup (miyuk gook) for mothers who just gave birth at NSUH. In 2008 I started a free monthly health clinic for the Korean community and have continued my efforts to keep the clinic going since then.
Can you tell us more about the Korean health clinic?
Through my years at NSUH, I observed numerous Korean patients being admitted to the hospital due to the lack of healthcare either because they couldn’t afford it or because they didn’t know how to obtain it. Patients would have very serious conditions but did not have a primary doctor, medical or prescription insurance to recuperate and maintain their health. Various professionals such as physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists and acupuncturists, volunteered to provide preventive medical services monthly and our team was formed. Since the start of this program, 2,000 patients have been cared for with various conditions, some critical such as abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, breast cancer, unstable angina, laryngeal cancer, hypertensive emergencies and others. The social workers assisted patients in signing up for Medicare/Medicaid and our team helped coordinate care for further medical treatment and follow up.
What is your advice for others?
We need to care for our families and neighbors. No one can live alone. We need to volunteer our time, support each other’s ideas and use our professional skillsets to help the community become healthier. Many Asian Americans want to help their families and community and can do so in this way. Furthermore, many employees may not know about the BERG, which helps us internally network and externally bridge with communities.
Santhosh Paulus, MD
Santhosh Paulus, MD, site director of Huntington Hospital’s family medicine residency program, is also Northwell Health Human Trafficking Response Program System Taskforce Leader. In 2014, he founded Cycling For Change, a not-for-profit organization, with a mission to cycle, raise awareness and fundraise to support organizations on the front lines of battling human trafficking.
What began as a personal action to raise awareness about human trafficking, “it is a public health issue where individuals are abducted or deceived into servitude and exploited for profit, it is a modern-day form of slavery and the social justice issue of our generation”, said Dr. Paulus.
Dr. Paulus has been appointed as Northwell Health’s Human Trafficking taskforce leader, where he spearheads a human trafficking response program at Huntington Hospital, which currently includes more than a dozen staff members who have been trained by Restore NYC, an anti-trafficking organization, to identify victims and assist human trafficking victims and provide care to survivors. Dr. Paulus is working collaboratively with the Bridges Asian BERG on furthering the mission of the taskforce.
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Northwell rated No. 2 health system for diversity
Northwell Health has been named one of the nation’s top health systems for diversity, ranking second nationally and No. 1 in New York State, according to DiversityInc’s top Hospitals & Health Systems for Diversity list.
This achievement marks Northwell’s seventh straight year making the list, jumping up the rankings from last year’s No. 5 placement. DiversityInc’s extensive annual survey yields an empirically driven ranking based on talent results in the workforce and management, senior leadership accountability, talent programs, workplace practices, philanthropy and supplier diversity.
“America has gained strength from the generations of immigrants who have assimilated their cultural beliefs and unique skills into the fabric our country,” said Michael J. Dowling, Northwell Health’s president and CEO. “At Northwell, we also believe that our strength as an organization comes from the diversity of our employees and the communities we serve. This recognition is testament to our commitment.”
This is the second such honor in recent months for Northwell, which was named a Fortune Best Workplace for Diversity. Northwell ranks 80th on the annual 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity list, a partnership between Fortune and Great Place to Work that measures how well organizations create inclusive cultures for women, different cultural and ethnic communities, the LGBTQ community, older employees and workers with disabilities.
DiversityInc’s recognition reaffirms our approach to be representative and inclusive of all the communities the health system and its 68,000 employees serves.
“Receiving this recognition validates Northwell Health’s commitment to integrating the tenets of diversity, inclusion and health equity into our health care delivery model and essential to customizing care to improve health outcomes,” said Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, chief diversity and inclusion officer and senior vice president of the health system’s Center for Equity of Care. “Providing culturally-sensitive healthcare and fostering an inclusive workplace is integral to the partnership with our patients on the journey to improved health and wellness.”
The latest DiversityInc rankings reflect new metrics tied to questions that connect talent programs and workplace practices to desired talent results. The analysis also addressed the intersectionality of race by analyzing women and men representation of each race/ethnicity separately, rather than combined. Northwell also was ranked in the top 50 employers recognized for fostering an inclusive work place for members of the LGBT community.
“As a health care organization, we at Northwell health live our values – we are truly ourselves, and in doing so, seek to build trusted partnerships with our diverse patients and communities,” said Michael Wright, Northwell’s vice president of diversity and health equity.
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#BalanceforBetter: Northwell Health celebrates International Women’s Day 2019
March 8th marks International Women’s Day to celebrate women everywhere. At Northwell Health, we’re committed to fostering a diverse work environment that champions its team members regardless of gender or gender identity and where everyone can be Truly Ourselves.
In celebration, hear from some of Northwell’s amazing women and the women that inspire them daily.
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Black History Month: Bridges BERG celebrates being Truly Ourselves
Great things are achieved when we’re Truly Ourselves. Part of being Truly Ourselves means standing together and celebrating our differences. In honor of Black History Month, Northwell recognizes the hardworking members of our Bridges BERG (Business Employee Resource Group) who dedicate time year round to support the cultural and spiritual values of the communities we serve.
Passionate about cultural diversity, team members in our Bridges BERG embrace relationship building through education and support across African American, Asian, Chinese and Latino communities.
As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, Northwell recently held our 49th consecutive event honoring the teachings and visions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This memorial event honored the teachings of Dr. King and included a keynote from noted author and motivational speaker Steve Pemberton. The Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial program scholarship was also awarded to two high school students from the community. We sat down with team members to talk about their time volunteering at this wonderful event, as well as their experience being a member of the Bridges BERG.
Hear from some of our Northwell team members volunteering with the Bridges BERG:
Amanda Basdeo
Registrar Financial
Cohen Children’s Medical Center
Registrar Financial
Cohen Children’s Medical Center
“I am so glad I was able to be a part of this event because there are so many wonderful people there and it was truly inspirational. The BERGs get you involved in the community as well as building professional relationships throughout the company. Working in the medical field, you already have an interest for the people at heart…I feel like I have finally been given the opportunity to give back like I always wanted to.”
Ashley Cohen
Business Analyst
Organization Change Management
Revenue Cycle
Business Analyst
Organization Change Management
Revenue Cycle
“The tribute was amazing and meant a lot to me in so many ways. I felt overwhelmed with pride and gratitude for the speakers, performers and award recipients. I’m proud to work for such a diverse organization that affects and saves thousands of lives each day.”
Iva Rowe
Business Manager
Revenue Cycle
Business Manager
Revenue Cycle
“I have worked at Northwell for almost five years, and I have learned so much at this organization. I am a proud member of the Bridges BERG, and volunteering at the Martin Luther King Jr. event was a true honor for me. It was my first time volunteering for the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at Northwell, and I look forward to being a part of it again. “
Sasha Garcia
Senior Specialist
Ambulatory Human Resources
Senior Specialist
Ambulatory Human Resources
“This event means a lot to me that we were acknowledging the great work of the Honorable Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was so overwhelmed with the stories people shared with us at the event and I greatly appreciated being an ‘ear’ for some of them.
As a BERG member, I am afforded the opportunity to network with other employees from different facets of the health system…we are all able to bring our own experiences forth and are able to learn from one another.”
Tamara Gordon
Manager
Contract Negotiations
Procurement
Manager
Contract Negotiations
Procurement
“As I’ve only been with the organization for 5 months, being afforded the opportunity to volunteer was priceless. Being a part of such a giving organization that places emphasis on community, philanthropy and education is such an honor. I share with my son the importance of giving back to others who give us so much and Northwell does a great job of doing just that!”
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