Health Equity & Discrimination in Healthcare

What You Told Us

I think there’s still that inequity in the healthcare system, whether it is with people of color or the LGBTQ community. There needs to be competence in how to provide services that are needed, to make people comfortable enough to get services. There needs to be that intention to invest in the training that’s needed and to be a more diverse workforce, to reflect the communities that you treat.

What We Are Doing

+ Focusing on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

• DEI education and training programs launched systemwide, including some focused on unconscious bias.

• A newly implemented language access plan ensures that Ochsner Health Services will provide access to appropriate communication for patients, authorized representatives and other individuals who are limited English proficient or are deaf/hard of hearing.

• 10 Ochsner Resource Groups have been established to highlight and build an appreciation for the differences that make employees stronger and to address the need of every individual to feel valued.

+ Addressing Social Determinants of Health

If a social service cannot be provided by Ochsner Health, Unite Us is a community resource referral platform that allows Ochsner team members to connect patients with communitybased resources and close gaps for patients’ non-clinical needs.

4,000+ patients have received services from Community Health Workers, who serve in Ochsner primary care clinics and Community Health Centers, as well as work telephonically as an extension of the case management team.

2,096 patients have been referred using the Unite Us platform, with 5,025 referrals to community services.