Over the last few months, Pennsylvania Hospital has observed several difficult anniversaries. One year since the coronavirus spread to our region… One year since we stood up our first COVID-19 unit… One year since the pandemic seemed to turn everything upside down. At the end of May, one year will also have passed since the tragic death of George Floyd and the movement that arose as people across the world denounced systemic racism.
It is easy to become overwhelmed when reflecting on these moments — but I continue to find hope in the transformative, grassroots work that is being led by PAH staff members in alignment with the system-wide Action for Cultural Transformation (ACT) plan.
The 60 employees who have volunteered their time to participate on our local ACT groups have been working diligently to pinpoint opportunities for improvement, spark meaningful dialogues, and chart our shared course. There has been no shortage of creative ideas; one suggestion under consideration is the expansion of our diversity, equity, and inclusion landing page on the PAH intranet to feature a safe space for employees to share their experiences with racism in the community. The groups are continuing to fine-tune their short- and long-term goals, but more detailed information will be available in the coming weeks.
The groups also recently identified chairs who will regularly share their recommendations with me as members of the Steering Committee, beginning this month. I want to express my gratitude for the bold leadership, keen insight, and passion offered by James Morales (Culture chair), Lars Peterson (People chair), Annelies Wood, MSN, RNC (Clinical chair), Christina Gehman, PA-C (Research chair), Karen Alkire (Education chair), and Craig Hargrove (Community chair), as well as by our CHRO Christine Tierney, RN, MSN, and our physician partner, Ian Soriano, MD. I am deeply impressed by the thoughtfulness and intention that is informing this work, and I am confident that we will be able to create impactful, sustainable change.
As we continue on this antiracist journey, I encourage everyone to ask our workgroup members about their efforts and to share feedback. Together, we will build a better and stronger Pennsylvania Hospital.