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Englewood Health reflects on three years of initiatives to bring about social change and meeting the needs of its diverse communities of patients and employees Englewood, NJ (April 26, 2023) — Three years since a pandemic and a sociopolitical movement altered the public’s consciousness on racial justice, organizations and companies nationwide continue to incorporate diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives into the employee and customer experience. For health care organizations, addressing racial disparities has never been more important or a greater focus by its leaders committed to the goals of a healthier population. Englewood Health, located in northern New Jersey in the suburbs of New York City, has long been committed to a health care experience centered on the individual patient. The past three years, however, have propelled this health system to recommit its focus on reducing healthcare disparities and fostering an inclusive workplace through innovative efforts. In 2020 Warren Geller, Englewood Health’s president and CEO, was the first health care leader in New Jersey to sign the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to encouraging diversity and inclusion within the workplace. In the pledge, Englewood Health leadership agreed to provide equal access to vaccines, helping to mitigate risk factors for those most vulnerable to COVID-19; enhance and expand training programs for new and current employees focused on diversity and inclusion; and continue on the path to diminishing health care disparities, with the support of the organization’s newly founded Diversity and Inclusion Education Council. “We are not naïve in thinking we can change deep-seated inequities easily or quickly, but any worthwhile effort takes time and commitment,” said Geller. “Over the last three years, I can confidently attest to the efforts from our leaders and teams across Englewood Health to continually do better and serve our communities more effectively and with greater empathy.” Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives developed at Englewood Health over the past three year includes: Formation of the Diversity and Inclusion Education Council Founded in fall 2020, the council brings together a cross section of Englewood Health leaders, physicians, and front-line staff, representing the diversity of its workforce. The council provides guidance to the health system’s leadership on two areas of focus: reducing health care disparities and enhancing diversity in the workplace. It has also participated in health promotion and disease prevention efforts in the communities the health system serves, including underserved communities. Fostering Diversity and Inclusion Among Employees Englewood Health expanded content available on its employee education platform to include diversity and inclusion education and unconscious bias training. This training content was integrated into candidate interviews, employee performance evaluations, and compliance coursework. “We all have unconscious biases and, although we may not realize it, unconscious bias can affect how well we do our jobs,” said Eva Matos-Botex, senior director of talent acquisition and development. “Our goal is to cultivate a workplace where different points of view are welcomed and where we feel empowered to discuss tough issues in an open, productive, and respectful way.” In addition, to attract local talent in Jersey City, Englewood, and Fair Lawn, Englewood Health hosted hiring events throughout the year. The events were aimed at recruiting diverse candidates for essential roles across the organization. Improving Access to Community-Based Care Nestled in a suburban setting in the far northern reaches of Bergen County, Englewood Health has long been a destination hospital for the local region. Yet its leaders understand that transportation barriers and patients’ schedules have necessitated new tactics to improve access. With a strategy of growing its services across the region, Englewood Health opened several important outposts in the past three years. The Englewood Health ZT Systems Outpatient Center at Jersey City, a 73,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Journal Square, opened in 2022, offering urgent care, primary care, specialty care, breast center services, diabetes care, and advanced diagnostic imaging services. Residents of Jersey City—one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the nation—and the greater Hudson County now have convenient access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive health care services. In addition to this facility, Englewood Health over the past three years also opened urgent care centers in Cresskill, Fair Lawn, and downtown Englewood. Opening of The Shirvan Family Live Well Center Englewood Health will open The Shirvan Family Live Well Center in the coming months in the heart of downtown Englewood. The center will focus on promoting the health and wellness of the community through free education and hands-on experiences and will engage community members of all ages in making healthier choices to prevent health problems or in response to chronic conditions. Live Well Englewood builds on the success of a three-year Live Well pilot program designed to proactively prevent chronic disease among at-risk community populations through access, awareness and resources that promote healthy lifestyles. The center’s programs focus on nutritional, emotional and physical well-being for all ages. It will feature a demonstration kitchen, meeting rooms, and workshop space. To date, Live Well Englewood has served thousands of families challenged by obstacles to preventive care because of social status, education, culture or financial circumstances. The center is made possible thanks to the Sylvia and Stanley Shirvan Foundation, the Amy and Mark Shirvan Family Foundation and many other generous donors. ### About Englewood Health Englewood Health, one of New Jersey’s leading hospitals and healthcare networks, delivers nationally recognized inpatient and outpatient care through its hospital and network of physician practices, urgent care centers, and imaging centers. Englewood Hospital, founded in 1890, consistently earns high marks for clinical excellence and patient safety. It is recognized as a 2022-23 Best Regional Hospital by US News & World Report, holds the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade ‘A’ (fall 2022), and was named a Leapfrog Top Teaching Hospital (2022). Englewood Hospital is nationally recognized for nursing excellence, earning a fifth consecutive designation by the Magnet Recognition Program in 2021. The Englewood Health Physician Network—a coordinated network of more than 600 office-based and hospital-based providers—offers primary care, specialty care, and urgent care at more than 140 locations in five counties across northern New Jersey. Areas of clinical excellence offered by the health system include cardiac surgery and cardiac care, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, primary care, spine surgery, vascular surgery, and women’s health, as well as bloodless medicine and surgery and minimally invasive robotic surgery. The hospital offers a vascular surgery fellowship, residency programs in dentistry, internal medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and podiatry, and training programs in radiography, emergency medical services, and other disciplines. The hospital’s state-of-the-art imaging centers across the region enhance access to diagnostic imaging, breast imaging, and cardiac imaging. A single electronic health record system offers full and seamless integration of patient information from the practices in the network and the hospital and imaging sites to support the patient experience and continuity of care. Englewood Health’s focus on population and community health encompasses out-reach to underserved populations to enhance individual and public health, prevent disease, support lifelong wellness, reduce the burden of mental health challenges and substance use disorders, and meet the cultural, social, and holistic needs of specific populations. Through its hospital, physician network, and community health and wellness programs, Englewood Health delivers a healthcare experience that puts patients at the center.