Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • ESG: THE NEW IMPERATIVE
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Current News
    • COVID-19
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • Transformation
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Digital Health
  • Insights
    • ACA 10 Years After
    • Best Practices
    • Special Reports
    • Innovations
  • Data/Lists
    • Rankings/Lists
    • Interactive Databases
    • Data Points
  • Op-Ed
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
  • Awards
    • Nominate/Eligibility
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Excellence in Governance
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top 25 Innovators
    • Diversity in Healthcare
    • Women in Healthcare
    • - Luminaries
    • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
    • - Leaders to Watch
    • - Luminaries
    • - Top 25 Women Leaders
    • - Women to Watch
  • Events
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Virtual Briefings
    • Webinars
    • Custom Media Event: ESG Summit
    • Transformation Summit
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
    • - Hospital of the Future
    • - Value Based Care
    • - Supply Chain Revenue Cycle
    • - Hospital at Home
    • - Workplace of the Future
    • - Strategic Marketing
    • - Virtual Health
  • Listen
    • Podcast - Next Up
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
  • MORE +
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Opinion & Editorial
April 22, 2021 09:04 PM

Healthcare leaders: Help your people get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations

Robert C. Garrett
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Robert C. Garrett is CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.

    The jury rendered a guilty verdict this week on all counts in the murder of George Floyd, a killing that stirred international outrage and the most significant civil rights protests in America since the 1960s.

    We understand the deep-seated frustration of many Americans and I share in their pain because of the horrific murder of Mr. Floyd. Hopefully, the verdict can help start the healing process for the Floyd family, the community and the nation.

    As the leader of New Jersey's largest health network, I understand that our 36,000 team members need to know where we stand as an organization, what we are doing to help our teams get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations and what progress we are making to support diversity, equity and inclusion.

    In the wake of the tragic killing of Mr. Floyd, I made it clear that Hackensack Meridian Health strongly condemns all forms of racism, hate and violence. Our executive leadership took a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds and we supported White Coats for Black Lives. That was just the start.

    The network launched the Listening to Understand campaign last summer. We arranged permanent, ongoing focus groups to address complex, and sometimes difficult conversations with team members and leaders about issues of race, social injustice and ethnicity in our workplace and community. A few hundred team members have participated so far and shared their concerns and their fears in a safe environment.

    Earlier this year, I signed the CEO Action Pledge to support diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and to reduce health disparities in the communities the 17-hospital network serves.

    As part of this, on April 29, Hackensack Meridian Health is holding the first annual Day of Understanding to empower our team members to discuss diversity, social justice, and similar concerns—whether they impact their work life or their personal life.

    We are asking all leaders in their daily huddle on the 29th to ask team members to start the difficult conversation: Some may ask how team members are doing in the aftermath of the verdict; how they feel about America's racial reckoning; and how do they feel about Hackensack Meridian's culture? Are we doing enough to create opportunity for all?

    In a fireside chat with Avonia Richardson-Miller, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion—done virtually of course—I encouraged everyone to speak openly and directly about these vital issues so that we can get better. The video will be shared on April 29 with all team members.

    I made it clear that this is not an African-American problem. This is not a problem for communities of color. This is an American problem and we all must do our part. I restated our conviction that innovation is in our DNA, and that we believe that creativity and innovation is enhanced by diversity.

    Hackensack Meridian Health is making progress: We established a network-wide goal for 2021 tying executive compensation to increase representation in leadership positions—from middle management to the C-suite—for African-Americans, Latinx and Asians. We are deeply committed and have made significant progress in diversifying our boards as well. I am proud to say that nine of our hospitals have earned the Healthcare Equality Index Certification. This designation signals to LGBTQ patients and allies that the healthcare facility has met the foundational elements of LGBTQ patient-centered care.

    There is so much more to do, and it starts with creating the space for challenging conversations.

    As a country, we must commit to building a more compassionate and just society. As a healthcare organization, we must double down on our efforts to eliminate gaps in health outcomes based on race and ethnicity and create a more diverse organization. And as individuals, let's be the change we want to see in the world.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Dennis Matheis
    Sentara Healthcare names Dennis Matheis next top executive
    supreme-court-healthcare-ok_WEB_i.jpg
    Healthcare groups react to Supreme Court abortion ruling
    Sponsored Content
    Get Newsletters

    Sign up for enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today
    MH Magazine Cover

    MH magazine offers content that sheds light on healthcare leaders’ complex choices and touch points—from strategy, governance, leadership development and finance to operations, clinical care, and marketing.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Modern Healthcare empowers industry leaders to succeed by providing unbiased reporting of the news, insights, analysis and data.

    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Current News
      • COVID-19
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • Transformation
        • Patients
        • Operations
        • Care Delivery
        • Payment
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Digital Health
    • Insights
      • ACA 10 Years After
      • Best Practices
      • Special Reports
      • Innovations
    • Data/Lists
      • Rankings/Lists
      • Interactive Databases
      • Data Points
    • Op-Ed
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Awards
      • Nominate/Eligibility
      • 100 Most Influential People
      • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
      • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
      • Excellence in Governance
      • Health Care Hall of Fame
      • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
      • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
      • Top 25 Innovators
      • Diversity in Healthcare
        • - Luminaries
        • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
        • - Leaders to Watch
      • Women in Healthcare
        • - Luminaries
        • - Top 25 Women Leaders
        • - Women to Watch
    • Events
      • Conferences
        • Transformation Summit
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
        • Leadership Symposium
      • Galas
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
      • Virtual Briefings
        • - Hospital of the Future
        • - Value Based Care
        • - Supply Chain Revenue Cycle
        • - Hospital at Home
        • - Workplace of the Future
        • - Strategic Marketing
        • - Virtual Health
      • Webinars
      • Custom Media Event: ESG Summit
    • Listen
      • Podcast - Next Up
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • MORE +
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Newsletters
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing