HealthPartners CEO joins coalition for safety

Andrea Walsh, nine other health system CEOs sign Declaration of Principles to set new safety standards.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Andrea Walsh, president and CEO of HealthPartners, today joined nine CEOs from across the U.S. in an effort to set new standards of safety for the nation’s health care workers. The health system leaders launched the CEO Coalition to spark a movement for meaningful change and catalyze a future in which all health care colleagues feel more protected at work.

The CEO Coalition’s Declaration of Principles expands the definition of safety to include safeguarding psychological and emotional well-being of all team members, promoting health justice by declaring equity and anti-racism as core components of safety, and protecting the physical safety of colleagues, which includes a zero-harm program to eliminate workplace violence, both physical and verbal.

“Across our organization, we’re always looking at how we can improve and support the safety of our colleagues,” Walsh said. “Collaborating with other health system leaders to build best practices and drive improvements in safety, well-being and equity will strengthen trusted relationships with our colleagues and the patients and members we serve.”

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new visibility to the selfless acts of courage and the fierce dedication of health care team members. It also amplified the physical and emotional risks team members face, as well as systemic inequities. Together, the co-founders of the CEO Coalition will work to increase awareness and help accelerate needed change.