Health Equity
Advance health equity by ensuring all individuals can access high-quality, culturally responsive care and resources that meet their unique needs.
Kittitas Valley Healthcare is a community-focused health system providing outstanding, personalized care to improve the lives of individuals and families. Our goal is that patients, providers, and employees are proud to recommend KVH as a trusted source for personal health and community well-being. Our work is driven by strategies outlined by our Board of Commissioners and executed by our 700+ employees.
Our Community Experience Strategy is to cultivate involvement, trust, and collaboration with our partners by providing excellent services and quality care. One of our tactics for this is fostering health equity.
What is health equity?
Health equity means equal access to resources and opportunities for optimal health outcomes. Achieving it requires addressing social, economic, and environmental factors contributing to health disparities and creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Health equity is a moral imperative and a smart investment in a healthier, more just society.
Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts to address historical and contemporary injustices; overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and healthcare; and eliminate preventable health disparities.
What is Health Equity? – CDC
FAQ
As a healthcare organization, we are committed to providing the best care to our customers. One part of this is to educate ourselves about the issues and our patients. This is NOT about personal or political beliefs, but providing the best, empathetic care possible. As we collect and review our data, we will use this information to shape our goals and improvement work.
SOGI stands for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. It is an inclusive term used to describe a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity and is often used in discussions related to LGBTQ+ rights and equality. SOGI is essential in promoting inclusivity and understanding diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
Race, Ethnicity and Language (REaL) data allows hospital and health systems the ability to:
All patient information collected by KVH is confidential and protected by the Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act (HIPPA).
You can note all the races you belong to.
Yes, this information helps the care team communicate effectively with patients, as well as understand a patient’s culture, which may affect their health. We are also required to ask per the Washington State House Bill 1272. Collecting and reporting race and ethnicity is legal under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, you may choose not to answer any question.
We find it is better to let people tell us. We don’t want to assume anything about how people identify or how they want to describe themselves.
Answering these questions is voluntary but will help us serve each individual patient. This information is increasingly being requested by County, State, and National healthcare agencies.
What is cultural competency?
Cultural competence is the ability to effectively interact with people from cultures different from one’s own, especially through a knowledge and appreciation of cultural differences.
Cultural competency in health care refers to the capability of medical systems to provide care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, and behaviors, including the customization of health care delivery to cater to patients’ social, cultural, and linguistic requirements. A health care system that is culturally competent recognizes the significance of culture, incorporates the evaluation of cross-cultural relationships, acknowledges the potential impact of cultural differences, expands cultural knowledge, and adjusts services to fulfill culturally specific needs. Ultimately, cultural competency is recognized as a crucial means of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care.
We recognize the dignity of every individual and help them reach their highest potential for health during all stages of life
What is unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias refers to our automatic and unconscious attitudes and beliefs toward specific situations, individuals, or groups. Past experiences, cultural backgrounds, and societal influences often shape these attitudes and beliefs.
KVH and Unconscious Bias Employee Training
Addressing unconscious bias is essential in promoting health equity, as it allows organizations and individuals to create a more equitable and respectful environment for all employees.
By addressing unconscious bias, organizations can create a more equitable and inclusive workplace culture, leading to numerous benefits for employees and our organization. Taking proactive steps to address unconscious bias is critical building a more positive and productive workplace for all.
Resources
Contact us
Quality Management / qualitymanagement2@kvhealthcare.org 509.933.8719