Women's Health Statement About Racism and Discrimination

UMass Memorial Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The caregivers of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UMass Memorial Health recognize our responsibility and reaffirm our commitment to standing up against racism and discrimination. We are committed to fostering an environment in which all patients and their families feel safe and welcomed, and where they will receive high-quality, culturally humble medical care, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, language preference, religious beliefs, or immigration status. We are also dedicated to fostering a culture of equity, inclusion, sensitivity, humility, support, and respect for all faculty, physicians, nurses, staff, and learners.

We hereby make the following commitments to our patients, their families, our caregivers and our learners:

1. Racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia and transphobia will not be tolerated.
2. All patients will receive the highest-quality health care possible as demonstrated by the delivery of patient- and family-centered, compassionate, and evidence-based medicine.
3. All patients and their families, faculty, physicians, nurses, staff, and learners will be treated with respect and professionalism, regardless of their skin color, ethnic and cultural background, language, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or immigration status.
4. Language interpretation and other assistance will always be available for patients and their families who have limited English proficiency or who require ASL services; and faculty, physicians, nurses, and staff will undergo continuous training to use relevant services and devices appropriately.
5. We will track information on race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity, as it relates to health outcomes, to better identify disparities so that we may actively seek ways to eliminate identified health care inequities.
6. Caregivers will routinely undergo inclusion, equity, and diversity education with the goal of building a health care community that attracts, develops, and retains people who value diversity, and stand firm against racism and discrimination.
7. We value an ethnically and culturally diverse workforce, and strive to have faculty, physicians, nurses, and staff that better reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and our patient population.