Advancing Healthcare Experience and Outcomes

Seattle Children’s Health Equity and Anti-Racism (HEAR) Council

Overview

Seattle Children’s established a Council to prioritize efforts to address systemic inequities experienced by our patients, families and workforce. Originally called the Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (HEDI) Council, as of April 2023, the Council has been renamed the Health Equity and Anti-Racism (HEAR) Council. This name change reflects the Council’s purpose – to support and provide additional oversight of the commitments Seattle Children’s made in the Health Equity and Anti-Racism (HEAR) Action Plan.

HEAR Council Vision and Mission

Vision

The Health Equity and Anti-Racism Council holds Seattle Children’s accountable to the commitment to being an anti-racist, inclusive and equitable organization.

Mission

We provide a venue for leaders and teams to engage in conversation and prioritization of health equity and anti-racism. We use goals, metrics and best practices to ensure equitable health outcomes, workforce experience and community impact.

HEAR Council Phase 2 Priorities

The HEAR Council has established the Phase 2 HEAR Action Plan priorities that they will oversee. The HEAR Council will begin meeting with teams leading various HEAR metrics across the organization in May 2023. Partnership is critical, and we expect our equity partners to collaborate; bring insight and transparency into their area of work; and utilize the tools and feedback provided by the HEAR Council through relentless and meaningful action and change.

  • Workforce Development and Experience Priorities

    Create and implement a strategy for recruitment, development and retention of racially and ethnically underrepresented groups.

    Focus on nursing

    • Leader development and workforce professional development

    Retention and engagement

    • Identify and eliminate disparities in experience and outcomes across terms of employment, specifically cultivation, hiring, onboarding, evaluation, advancement, corrective action, retention and separation.
  • Health Equity and Access Priorities

    Center patients, families and the community in our health equity and anti-racism journey.

    Equitable outcomes

    • Increase research participant racial and ethnic diversity by 3% to 34% relative FY22 numbers.

    Patient care and experience

    • Mental and Behavioral Health: Focus on assaults that result in injury and use of violent restraints.