Meritus Health receives national award for transforming health equity

Meritus Health received the 2023 Equity of Care Award, presented by the American Hospital Association during its Leadership Summit in Seattle, Wash., on July 18, 2023.

Meritus was selected for its innovative programs in health equity, diversity and inclusion. 

Over the last few years, Meritus Health has taken major steps towards mitigating health disparities in its population. Meritus publishes and uses its health equity report to demonstrate transparency within the community it serves, and dedicates improvement teams to eliminate disparities in patient outcomes.  Since its inception, the organization has noted great strides in sepsis care, pre-term birth rates and diabetes care.  Meritus has also implemented specific initiatives to enhance leadership diversity and address cultural competency and unconscious bias.

The Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award is an annual recognition of outstanding efforts among hospitals and health systems to advance equity of care to all patients and to spread lessons learned and progress toward diversity, inclusion and health equity. Lewis was the first African-American and first hospital trustee to chair the AHA Board.  Only one award is provided for the transforming equity care recognition.

“We are grateful for this recognition and I am extremely proud to be a member of the Meritus Health team, which demonstrates a continuous and steadfast dedication to improving health equity.  We remain committed to our promise of high-quality healthcare for every single person in our community,” said Maulik Joshi, President and CEO of Meritus Health and President of the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. 

For more information on the health system’s work to reduce healthcare disparities, please visit www.meritushealth.com/about/diversity-and-health-equity.