A note from Huntington Hospital’s President & CEO, Lori J. Morgan, MD, MBA on the Minneapolis tragedy

The tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis reminds us of the wound of inequality that this nation suffers still from today. The response to this tragedy reminds us of the individual and collective hurt caused by ignorance and complacency. In healthcare, we see racial disparities represented in higher rates of complications and mortality due to births, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and most recently COVID-19 in communities of color. As an industry and an organization, we need to look directly at our inaction to address these inequities and commit to improving healthcare for all in our community with compassion and dignity.

Our hearts are broken for our communities that continue to face injustice, and for the black community that has suffered deeply from this tragedy. The fight for justice, like all other challenges, cannot be fought alone and we offer our enduring support. It is up to us to create the society that we want to live in and that means we have a collective responsibility to call out discrimination in all its forms. As we see violence break out across in response to the terrible tragedy that occurred last week, we urge everyone to come together peacefully to advocate for an end to violence and oppression.

When we talk about our commitment to providing compassionate care, this must extend beyond our patients to everyone in our Huntington Hospital community. During difficult times like these, I am more grateful for our culture of compassion than ever. Our values are woven into the fabric of our organization in our mission statement and in the way we operate. I see the benefits of this as we learn and grow beside each other. I know that as a country and as a hospital, constant effort to improve is necessary for progress. We need each other now more than ever to move forward.

At Huntington Hospital, we want to continue building an environment that celebrates diversity and respects all no matter their culture, race, religion, sexual orientation or economic status. A part of this is recognizing that we don’t have all the answers. We depend on our community to listen to each other, and to speak up when you see injustice. I ask everyone to offer understanding and empathy to your colleagues, friends, and community members, and to seek each other’s support.

I also encourage everyone to engage with our communities and work with our neighbors to push for equity and justice in our society. The push towards a better society for all depends on collaboration both inside and outside our walls.

As I said, constant effort to improve is necessary for progress. Today, it’s our responsibility to put in the effort to pick each other up from this tragedy, and to strive to be better as we move forward. We have seen in recent months that we are stronger and more resilient when we stand together.  Let’s commit to stand and work together for a better, healthier future for all in our community.