The past few weeks have seen amazing equity efforts from our caregivers. We’ve seen celebrations from different cultures, as well as our caregivers supporting communities that have been historically underserved. Continuing to build on these types of events show we can truly encourage everyone to live their healthiest lives possible, regardless of backgrounds.
“As a part of our Equity Fundamental, it’s important that we foster a sense of belonging for everyone,” says Tiffany Capeles, chief equity officer. “That includes galvanizing resources to uplift, support, and celebrate underserved and underrepresented populations. I’m so proud of our leaders and caregivers who’ve dedicated themselves to elevating our Equity Fundamental so we can continue to touch lives in meaningful ways.”
Here are four recent examples of Intermountain promoting equity and supporting diverse populations across our system:
Caregivers at McKay-Dee Hospital used the ofrenda as a way to honor the Mexican culture.
1. In honor of Dia de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead, caregivers at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden set up an ofrenda and invited caregivers to write a message to a loved one they’ve lost. They also provided educational materials about the holiday and handed out traditional Mexican ice cream bars. Many caregivers and visitors expressed gratitude for the honoring of Mexican culture.
Caregivers from Intermountain and SelectHealth provided services at the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City.
2. The Mexican Consulate invited SelectHealth and Intermountain to join others in celebrating Health Month at its headquarters in Salt Lake City last month. Our Mobile Mammography Team attended and provided mammogram screenings. Imaging Coordinator Sonya Dexter helped lead the mammograms at the event and is fluent in Spanish.
Marco Verdeja is the equity and inclusion consultant with Intermountain’s Community Health team.
“Sonya was amazing,” he says. “She approached her work with a smile and helped those getting a mammogram to feel at ease. Many of the women at the health fair expressed their lack of knowledge on getting a mammogram before this event. They expressed gratitude for the ability to get a mammogram at a place where they felt safe and could speak in their preferred language.”
Officials were recently invited to tour the new Tepeyac facility under construction in Denver.
3. Intermountain recently awarded a major $250,000 grant to support and celebrate Tepeyac Community Health Center’s project to build a new clinic and expand access to primary medical, dental, and behavioral health services for uninsured and underinsured individuals in Denver and surrounding areas.
With continued support and partnership from Intermountain Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Tepeyac has provided healthcare and key services to the Hispanic/Latinx community in the Denver metro area for the past 25 years. The new Tepeyac Community Health Center clinic will triple the number of patients Tepeyac can serve each year. As it is now, these patients may not have a primary care provider or may be waiting for a long time for an appointment to see a doctor.
Some 29% of Denver residents are Hispanic/Latinx — and are Denver’s largest minority population, according to the 2021 census.
With the help of this significant grant, Tepeyac’s new facility will be co-located with 150 units of affordable housing and include more than 5,000 square feet for fresh food providers. The expansion will quadruple the original facility’s size to 24,500 square feet, resulting in an increase to the annual patient visit capacity from 20,000 to 37,000.
The $250,000 grant from Intermountain will enable the building of a new medical pod with 10 patient visit rooms and an open working environment. This area is where the clinical staff will be able to collaborate, share, and provide a team base approach. Read more from Denverite.
4. The Community Health team in the Desert Region has secured grant funding to train 150 community health workers who will bridge communication between patients and their providers in southern Nevada and southwest Utah.
As part of its Community Health Worker Training program, the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration Health Workforce has awarded Intermountain more than $1.79 million. The funds will be used to establish a registered apprenticeship program with community health workers to reduce access obstacles and address clinical priorities that include COVID-19, health equity, telehealth, rural health, behavioral health, opioids/substance use disorder, and childhood obesity.
Intermountain is one of just 83 recipients around the country to receive a portion of the $225.5 million to build this transformative community and public health work force, part of the U.S. government’s American Rescue Plan. You can learn more about the program in this CNN story.