HealthPartners releases report on equity, inclusion and anti-racism

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — At its annual meeting for members and patients, HealthPartners shared a report updating the community on progress related to its equity, inclusion and anti-racism efforts.

The 21-page report highlights the organization’s focus in recent years on increasing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, advancing health equity in care and coverage, and partnering with the community in advocating for change.

“This report demonstrates the efforts underway to advance equity and inclusion,” said HealthPartners President and CEO Andrea Walsh. “It takes all of us, and we are making progress together in a way we hope inspires more collective action.”

HealthPartners established its equity, inclusion and anti-racism cabinet in 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and community unrest in the Twin Cities. For years, HealthPartners has championed health equity, including engaging with communities to address social drivers of health – such as education, housing and income gaps. The cabinet has helped accelerate these efforts, examples of which are featured in the report, including:

Recruiting a diverse workforce

In 2022, HealthPartners welcomed more than 6,500 new colleagues to the organization, of which 36.9% were people of color. Colleagues of color made up 21.7% of all promotions in 2022.

NCQA Health Equity Accreditation

The National Committee for Quality Assurance recently awarded HealthPartners Medicaid plans its Health Equity Accreditation status. The accreditation recognizes organizations that have successfully implemented market-leading practices to provide culturally and linguistically sensitive services, and work to reduce health care disparities. HealthPartners is one of two health plans in Minnesota that has achieved Health Equity Accreditation.

Centering health equity in birth center experiences

In 2021, HealthPartners began partnering with a consulting agency to improve outcomes for Black expectant and postpartum women by documenting their experiences. The result was the creation of two new virtual group classes focused on supporting Black patients through their prenatal and postpartum journeys.

Podcast explores diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism

Off the Charts: Examining the Health Equity Emergency is a HealthPartners podcast co-hosted by Dr. Kari Haley, an emergency medicine physician and EMS medical director at Regions Hospital, and Dr. Steven Jackson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Regions and HealthPartners’ department chair for physical medicine and rehabilitation. The podcast, which launched in January 2022, is now in its third season.