Building a Culture of Belonging Infused with Pride
Southern Maine Health Care care team member Norm Cote displays Pride attire during the June 2021 Pride celebrations.
MaineHealth’s DEI Commitment
In 2020, MaineHealth made a commitment to advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) throughout the health system. The recently established MaineHealth DEI department and DEI Ambassador program supports this commitment through focused development of a welcoming, respectful, equitable and inclusive environment, in alignment with the MaineHealth values and mission. “To ensure our communities are the healthiest in America is to ensure we not only take the time to learn about the differences and unique needs of each of our communities, but also to continue to improve on our practices so that the care we provide is accessible and affordable to all,” said DEI vice president Ryan Polly.
LGBTQ+ Pride
At Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC), there was significant energy this summer around its first annual Pride celebration. A small team supported some basic awareness-raising tools and activities, including Pride flags for both campuses, disposable rainbow masks, and heart “Pride” pins in quantities of 500. The team expected the response to be tentative at best in this first year.
The response was instead wholeheartedly enthusiastic. Instantly there were additional requests for pins and masks, and across the system care team members sported them eagerly. In rounding, care team members frequently thanked leaders for recognizing Pride and shared stories as to why it is meaningful to them.
One provider said, “As a member of the LGBTQ tribe myself, a simple Pride mask helps increase office morale, collegiality, and spirit. For patients, it shows them we are open, accepting and inclusive… The message of acceptance a Pride mask sends to our community, and to our employees has helped increase morale. That leads to pride in working for an organization that sees the human side of us.”
And a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council said, “I am so pleased to see Southern Maine Health Care celebrating Pride. There are many community members who will be reassured that they belong at SMHC and will be treated respectfully.”
While just the beginning, the SMHC community looks forward to future years in which the Pride celebration becomes an ongoing way of educating and affirming belonging for all. Just since June, there has been an increase in nurses wanting education around LGBTQ+ topics, with future virtual trainings and resources being provided. Furthermore, SMHC has started to work on SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) education and Epic training to be used as a foundation for the MaineHealth system.
Viewing each other and their patients through a DEI lens, MaineHealth care team members can better understand differences and the complexity of human interactions. From various cultural influences, communication styles, and language differences, to health disparities related to diversity — whether based on gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic or other backgrounds — learning together and understanding differences will help MaineHealth better serve its patients. This work helps improve communication, increases patient satisfaction and ultimately leads to delivering higher-quality care.
In February 2021, MaineHealth selected Ryan Polly, PhD, M.Ed as its Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Polly has since launched a successful DEI Ambassador program across the health system. Under his leadership, a newly formed MaineHealth Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council has also begun its work to expand DEI education and awareness programs across the system and foster a culture of inclusion.
DEI at MaineHealth
By focusing on DEI, we are developing a culture that respects and values uniqueness — allowing care team members to bring their whole selves to work. When our care team members can be themselves, they can be at their best. In a health care environment, that means providing the best possible patient care.
Southern Maine Health Care care team members wear rainbow masks and black and brown colors to recognize people of color in the LGBTQ community.
