DEI & Health Equity
The New Hampshire Hospital Association and the Foundation for Healthy Communities are committed to advancing the health and well-being of all people in New Hampshire. To advance our missions, we value inclusive care that recognizes and affirms every individual’s unique characteristics, culture, and experiences. We believe that all people deserve respect and to be accepted as they are, free from discrimination and bias.
DEI & Health Equity
The Foundation for Healthy Communities DEI and Health Equity programs support our member hospitals and partners by providing the platform and space to learn, share and support one another as we each work together to achieve health equity in our organizations and for the patients and communities our hospitals serve.
What is DEI and Health Equity?
- DEI = Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: The values, practices and polices that support the representation of individuals from all backgrounds.*
- Health Equity: Different from DEI, is the fair and just opportunity for all individuals to achieve their highest level of health. Health equity means that everyone has a fair opportunity to live a long, healthy life. It implies that health should not be compromised or disadvantaged because of an individual or population group’s race, ethnicity, gender, income, sexual orientation, neighborhood, or other social condition. Achieving health equity requires creating fair opportunities for health and eliminating gaps in health outcomes between different social groups. It also requires that public health professionals look for solutions outside the health care system, such as in the transportation or housing sectors, to improve the opportunities for health in communities. **
- Diversity: The presence of individual differences that may include race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, age, disability, etc.
- Equity: Promoting fair, just and unbiased treatment for all people, regardless of background or social status.
- Inclusion: Ensuring that all populations feel safe, respected, heard and valued.
*American Hospital Association Institute for Diversity and Health Equity. DEI Data Insights: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategies in Hospitals and Health Systems. November 2023.
**Boston Public Health Commission, Center for Health Equity and Social Justice
For more Information, contact: Beth Gustafson Wheeler at 603-415-4278
Images from this webpage are public domain and sourced from: www.Stockcake.com
