WIHI: Pursuing Health Equity in North Carolina

Date: April 19, 2018

 

Featuring:

Julie Kennedy Oehlert, DNP, RN, Chief Experience Officer, Vidant Health

Jermaine McNair, Executive Director, NC CIVIL

Jafet Arrieta, MD, MMS, Director, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)

Meghan Hassinger Welch, MBA, Senior Project Manager, IHI

 

Eight health systems are working with IHI to broaden their impact on health equity as part of the two-year Pursuing Equity initiative​. These systems are working to elevate health equity to a strategic priority, confront institutional racism, and improve the livelihood and health of their patients, employees, and surrounding communities.

Vidant Health​, based in Greenville, North Carolina, is a 1,447-bed health system serving more than one million patients each year from 29 eastern North Carolina counties. This part of the state is largely rural, poor, and home to a racially diverse population. Vidant's health equity priorities are centered on improving the health and wellbeing of their patients and — as the largest employer in Greenville — some 12,000 employees, many of whom live in nearby cities and towns.

Vidant's efforts to improve equity also benefit from a strong partnership with NC CIVIL​, a nonprofit grass roots community development organization in Greenville. Jermaine McNair, its Executive Director, will discuss their focus on strengthening economic, social, political, and legal processes in the community and how working with Vidant Health is helping on all these fronts on this episode of WIHI, Pursuing Equity in North Carolina.