Hospitals have been on the front lines of this pandemic since the beginning, through the multiple surges and now, leading the vaccine distribution while continuing to provide care for ALL patients. As you have navigated some very challenging circumstances, it’s been an honor and privilege for CHA and the three Regional Associations (One Team) to support you.
Last week, as we have done regularly throughout the pandemic, the One Team members gathered for a virtual town hall meeting to hear from the four CEOs. It was a mix of information sharing, reflection, and some time for Q&A.
A good portion of the meeting was spent talking about our One Team culture — unity — which has been key to our success over the past 12 trying months. But we are taking a step to make our culture even better, stronger, more respectful, and more inclusive. To that end, we have added a key item to our One Team behaviors:
“We believe in the importance of a diverse and inclusive culture, where differences and similarities are valued equally, and team members listen without judgment to learn and grow from one another’s strengths and perspectives.”
We’re not just going to make this declaration; we’re going to put these words into action with an educational session for all One Team members on unconscious bias that will arm us with the tools to help us confront this problem head on.
In addition, the board chairs of the Hospital Association of San Diego & Imperial Counties, Hospital Association of Southern California, Hospital Council, and CHA all got the chance to express appreciation and gratitude to the One Team for their hard work and dedication to members over the past year.
At the same time, our advocacy efforts continue close to home and across the country. We are encouraging the state of California and the counties to utilize the funds allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act for needed investments in behavioral health readiness while acknowledging the key role that hospitals had in providing the care needed for all Californians in very challenging circumstances.
As we inch toward the end of the pandemic, and the pace of non-COVID-19-related activity ramps up, we will continue to make sure we have a legislative and regulatory environment that acknowledges our hospitals and the patients they provide care for throughout our state.
The diverse and inclusive One Team partnership and culture takes a lot of intentional effort from all our teams. The result of this is that our local, regional, state, and federal advocacy efforts for California hospitals have drawn national attention for their responsiveness, dedication, and effectiveness.
Although much work has been done over the past year, there is still so much to do for our team members, our member hospitals, and the patients who rely on them.