Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

What Is the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Task (HEART) Force?

We built Luminis Health's HEART Force as a diverse group of trustees, managers, medical staff, community stakeholders and public health partners. Together, the HEART Force is developing a plan to build a more equitable and just health system.

The HEART Force's goal is to help Luminis Health address structural racism and systemic inequity in health care. We do this by evaluating our processes, policies and practices. Our objective is to eliminate inequities from health care operations.

How will the HEART Force help Luminis Health become an anti-racist organization?

The HEART Force's recommendations fall into three major categories:

1. Lead as an anti-racist organization, and confront racism and eradicate inequities in health care. Recommendations include:

• Confronting racism and embodying principles of an anti-racist organization in policy, culture and performance.

• Eliminating health disparities and improving health outcomes of diverse communities.

2. Enhance culturally informed communications and community collaboration. Recommendations include:

• Becoming a trusted partner in diverse communities through a formalized community network.
• Becoming a DEI thought leader in Maryland and in health care nationally by hiring and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve.
• Establishing culturally customized care as the formal standard of quality.
• Sharing our DEI journey with diverse populations by incorporating it into the Luminis Health brand.

3. Measure and integrate accountability. Recommendations include:

• Extending current DEI reporting and programs effectively across the health system.
• Establishing minority business enterprise/supplier diversity goals and partnering with local minority businesses, vendors and suppliers.
• Developing a sustainable accountability model.
• Integrating a specific DEI focus into the board governance structure.