Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
UnityPoint Health is deeply committed to creating a culture of belonging. That means honoring the many ways in which people are unique and similar. Whenever and wherever you receive UnityPoint Health services, you can expect a welcoming environment that supports our organizational values and upholds treating people with dignity and respect.DEI impacts our team members, patients and the communities we serve. Recognizing and valuing what makes someone who they are, and how their identity shapes their strengths and needs is important to improving outcomes DEI is about understanding all the pieces of our identity and how they intersect - race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability status, military status, neurodiversity, socioeconomic status, generational differences and so much more. Understanding this allows us to provide a better experience for our patients and team members.
Our Key Principals for DEI
Our collective goal is to drive health equity, solve challenges and champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected. We strive to:
- Reflect the communities we serve at all levels of our organization.
- Focus on health equity by leveraging our experts, community partnerships and a data-driven approach to improve access, quality of care and address social determinants of health for the patients and communities we serve.
- Provide a positive experience in our hospitals, clinics, and home care and hospice settings by embracing and honoring our differences. Live our (FOCUS) values in all we do.
Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team
In 2022, we proudly welcomed Daniel Joiner as Chief Diversity and Community Impact Officer. The first role of its kind at UnityPoint Health, Joiner and his growing DEI team elevate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the organization, and in the communities we serve, through collaborations and partnerships.
What a Culture of Belonging Means at UnityPoint Health
People feel a sense of belonging when they're supported, accepted and valued as a member of a larger community. When an organization prioritizes making everyone feel welcome, team members feel empowered to bring their fullest, truest selves to work.
How We're Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We’ve established DEI Committees across our health system who are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusiveness, respect and value for all, which includes:
- Making LGBTQ+ Safe Zone training a priority for all our clinics.
- Creating enterprise-wide DEI committees and subcommittees tasked with advancing these priorities throughout the enterprise, to ensure consistent access to and empowerment in DEI.
- Fostering diversity within the workforce through recruitment, professional development and a variety of career pathways. This includes community partnerships with organizations like Project SEARCH.
- Ensuring all staff are heard, regardless of organizational role, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. This includes creating employee resource groups across the enterprise.
- Prioritizing that every individual receives compassionate and equitable care, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Five of our hospitals earned the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designations in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index.
- Increasing access to educational resources and training on diversity, equity, and inclusion, providing tools to foster a culture of belonging and responsive health care for our team members and patients.
- Partnering with local leaders and advocates who advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
