Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Health Equity Program was recently honored by the American Hospital Association with the 2023 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award. RWJUH accepted the award at the AHA’s Annual Leadership Summit in Seattle.
The Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award is an annual recognition of outstanding efforts among hospitals and health care 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.
RWJUH was selected as the Equity of Care Award’s Emerging Winner for dismantling structural barriers in its care delivery system and the community it serves.
RWJUH launched a Health Equity Department to refine its organizational equity strategies, strengthen the delivery of equitable, person-centered and culturally sensitive care to its populations and foster a workforce culture of equity and inclusion. To support its community engagement efforts, RWJUH embraces representation and direct feedback from community leaders through advisory councils, community events and growing community relationships.
“We are proud of our team’s efforts to increase access to essential health care services in our community through identifying and removing barriers and we are honored to be recognized by the American Hospital Association with this prestigious award,” RWJUH President Alan Lee said. “Eliminating health care disparities requires systemic change in care delivery and the courage to address the root causes of the challenges that our diverse communities face. We continue to evaluate the equity of our health care delivery systems, identify areas for improvement and collaborate with our various partners to better serve our patients and communities.”
RWJUH and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School have a shared vision to improve the health of the communities they serve through the delivery of person-centered care and a diverse workforce culture that is inclusive and equitable. RWJMS faculty partner with the hospital health equity team across programming.
“This award recognizes the commitment of RWJUH and RWJMS as partners in ensuring that every individual in our community has access to culturally-sensitive, comprehensive care,” Dr. Amy Murtha, dean of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said. “It is through embracing diversity and cultivating an inclusive culture that we can achieve our mission of improving health and well-being for all.”
