Black History Month is often condensed to a handful of memorable people, events and movements. Historic movements encapsulated through the famous "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and events exemplified through courageous stories like those of the Underground Railroad. 

 

However, this Black History Month is about more than looking back with reverence. We also have an opportunity to celebrate and honor the African Americans contributing to American society today. 

 

The disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought health and healthcare disparities into sharper focus among the media and public. However, health and health care disparities are not a new reality. They have been documented for decades and reflect longstanding structural and systemic inequities rooted in racism and discrimination. 

 

Addressing these inequities could help to mitigate the disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent further widening of health disparities in the future. Working to narrow health disparities is key to improving our nation's overall health and reducing unnecessary health care costs.

 

TriHealth is committed to reducing health disparities by improving patient data by disaggregating outcomes data by race, ethnicity, and preferred language. Our goal is to identify and measurably reduce health disparities by service line. TriHealth has also partnered with other regional healthcare systems to launch Mama Certified, a program aimed at improving maternal care for Black and Brown parents-to-be. Mama Certified was developed to address racial disparities in infant mortality and maternal health and is designed to help parents assess birth centers and ensure that babies of color receive equitable care. 

Throughout the month of February, TriHealth will be celebrating the contributions of Black Americans, Physicians, and Cincinnatians, especially those who have contributed to Black Health and Wellness. 

 

We will celebrate Black History Month by highlighting historical and present-day figures who have played a major role in shaping our healthcare journey. We will spotlight some of our amazing TriHealth African American clinicians. In addition, we will host Black History Month trivia and feature our newly formed DEI Choir.

 

TRIBE is an employee resource group (ERG) that brings people together to help increase awareness of our rich culture through special events celebrating history and heritage and developing leaders.

 

TRIBE's mission is to promote and support TriHealth's ongoing efforts to foster a culturally competent and inclusive work environment for team members who identify as Black, African, African American, and Caribbean. We will pursue this mission by maximizing the potential of team members within the organization. 

 

Get Involved! Continue to look for ways to celebrate and become educated in African American culture. 

 

Happy Black History Month!