Al Roker of NBC's Today Show at North Shore-LIJ's 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Program
Read a statement from our Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Dr. Jennifer Mieres
As President and CEO, Michael Dowling is committed to providing excellent patient care and fostering a health care environment that supports principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and effective communication to improve the health of the communities served by the North Shore-LIJ Health System. I share his passion for excellent health care for all people and I truly believe in empowering patients to be 50/50 partners in their health care management.
Over the past decade, North Shore-LIJ has grown from a small health system to one that is now 15 hospitals, serving a growing multicultural population of more than eight million. In June 2010, the health system received approval to open the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and admit the inaugural class of future physicians in the summer of 2011. The addition of a medical school increases the prestige of the health system, placing us on the national map and in a new league. Therefore, in developing his strategic plan for the next decade, Michael Dowling recognized the need to expand the health system’s existing diversity initiatives and formalized his commitment by establishing an Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Literacy. One example of the health system’s diversity and inclusion initiatives is the ongoing Administrative Fellowship Program that was started six years ago with the mission of training a multicultural group of future health care leaders.
I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a team whose mission is the continued advancement of the health system’s commitment to the delivery of culturally sensitive care to our diverse populations. As we embark on the journey to train physicians of the future, the recruitment and retention of a culturally diverse, culturally sensitive, and well-trained health care workforce is essential for our continued achievement of excellent patient care and outcomes. Diversity, inclusion, and effective communication through health literacy are three important tenets that are critical to providing high-quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate patient care.
As one of the largest healthcare organizations in the country, with facilities located throughout some of the most diverse communities in New York, North Shore-LIJ employs an incredibly diverse workforce. As an equal opportunity employer, our team reflects the cultural diversity of the areas we serve.
At every level of our organization, we encourage team members to embrace one another’s differences. By fostering an environment in which team members actively listen to and contribute different ideas and perspectives, we drive innovation and creativity throughout our health system.
Being sensitive to cultural beliefs (what we call “cultural competency”), both among patients and fellow team members, is a critical component to achieving our health system’s mission. With us, you’ll be part of a team that practices cultural competency in order to deliver appropriate care to patients and families, no matter what role you play in the organization.
Promoting Diversity - Celebrating Difference
In addition to maintaining an inclusive workplace, North Shore-LIJ celebrates and promotes diversity in a number of ways:
- We recently founded the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and a system-wide strategic plan to promote our efforts internally and externally to recognize and promote our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion.
- Our new hire orientation and “day one” development program, Beginnings, introduces and reinforces our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- We hold various cultural celebrations, including our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Program, to promote acceptance and awareness of cultures in the workplace.
Our new Office of Diversity and Inclusion is headed by Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, our Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Under Dr. Mieres’ leadership, we are building out programs in diversity, cultural competency and healthcare literacy for physicians, nurses and allied health care professionals throughout the health system. We are also developing an Allied Health Care community-based task force to identify, support and provide mentoring for under-represented, culturally diverse members of the community who are interested in pursuing careers in healthcare.
Our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: It is the policy of North Shore-LIJ to provide equal employment opportunity and treat all employees equally regardless of age, race, creed/religion, color, national origin, lineage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, sex/gender, disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital status, partnership status, and victim of domestic violence, or any other protected status.