OSU medical center commits to anti-racism action plan

The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center is making anti-racism an important part of its strategy to address the social determinants of health. Cultural competency training, implicit bias training, anti-racism listening sessions, funding research on racism and community investments are among the steps OSU is taking to “elevate, engage, equip, and empower" members of the university and neighborhood communities to improve racial inequities in health care. In an interview with HealthLeaders Media, Wexner Medical Center CEO Harold Paz, MD, said OSU has invested millions to address socioeconomic factors that influence health. The center’s decade-old program for pregnant women reduced infant mortality fivefold. More recently, the center launched a food “farmacy” and distributed pandemic hygiene kits in neighborhoods with vulnerable populations. Forbes ranked the medical center fourth among the best U.S. employers for diversity in 2020. (HealthLeaders Media story, 7/16/20)