Our Commitment to Equitable Care

I recently had the opportunity to participate in our annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Summit, where members across our health system came together to learn about our DEI efforts, share successes, and review our goals moving forward. 

I’m proud of the work all our GBMC HealthCare teams have been doing to prioritize health equity and ensure we have a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. 

Today, I would like to highlight two of our initiatives that are focused on our commitment to health equity. 

Maternal Newborn Health 

Racial disparities in maternal health are a nationwide concern, with studies revealing higher pregnancy-related mortality rates among black women compared to white women. I’m proud of our Maternal Newborn Health (MNH) team for taking proactive steps to address these disparities and attaching an equity component to every quality improvement initiative they undertake. 

At the core of their work is patient data, which they are analyzing to identify and reduce health disparities. In fiscal year 2023, they participated in a statewide collaborative focused on timely treatment of severe hypertension across races and also investigated our data on maternal morbidity. MNH is grateful to have engaged with a grant-funded collaborative called MDMOM to receive education, review cases of morbidity, and work on equity. Our MNH nurses and providers have completed an implicit bias module and received education on reducing bias in the care of patients with substance use disorder. MNH is also providing free BP cuffs through MDMOM to patients in need as part of the hypertension collaborative. 

Additionally, GBMC is participating in the Maryland Hospital Association Birth Outcomes Accountability Workgroup, which is providing implicit bias education to staff and providers who may care for pregnant and postpartum patients in the Emergency Department. 

This fiscal year, our goals are expanding to include identifying and decreasing C-section and postpartum hemorrhage rates. We look forward to learning ways we can improve patient experience through our new MNH Patient Family Advisory Council. As we look further into the future, the team hopes to tackle ways to improve health prior to pregnancy and/or during the prenatal period, well before they see us in Labor and Delivery. 

Thank you to the entire MNH department for following protocols that ensure equity and especially to Jodie Bell, MSN, RN, IBCLC, Assistant Director, for leading this important work. 

Managing Diabetes  

For several years, our GBMC Health Partners patient-centered medical homes throughout Baltimore and Harford counties have provided advanced primary care services focused on building relationships, managing chronic conditions, and keeping patients healthy and out of the hospital. More recently, we opened GBMC Health Partners Jonestown to make our advanced primary care services accessible to underserved populations in Baltimore City. 

One of our aims since opening the practice was to reduce the percentage of our Jonestown patients with uncontrolled diabetes. That is, we want to make sure all our patients with diabetes have an A1C level lower than 9%. We do this work by committing to being accountable with our patients. Members of our team partner with patients, checking in between visits to make sure they have the insulin they need and that they are checking their glucose levels as prescribed. I’m thrilled to share that our percentage of patients with uncontrolled diabetes is almost half of what it was when we started! We’re going to continue working with our patients to improve this even more and are fortunate to have this opportunity to help improve the overall health of the community. 

Thank you to Gregory Small, MD, Medical Director of GBMC Health Partners - Primary Care, and Ericka Easley, Primary Care Service Line Administrator, for their leadership in expanding our advanced primary care services from the counties to communities in Baltimore City that didn’t have this level of access to care previously.

Our Thoughts Are with Morgan State 

We were devastated to hear about the violence that took place at Morgan State University earlier this week. Please know we stand with Morgan State as they grieve this upsetting and serious incident, and we recognize many of our employees, their family members and our patients are a part of this preeminent, longstanding institution in our community. For those within our workforce family who may be struggling following this incident, please remember we have resources to support you through our Employee Assistance Program, CARES program, and Spiritual Support Services. You can learn how to access these resources through your work email account and on the Infoweb. Gun violence is a public health issue, and we need understanding and unity so this does not continue to happen to our communities. 

Recognizing Our Teams 

This month is filled with many observances honoring specialties within healthcare, and I want to take a moment to thank several groups. October is Physical Therapy Month, and I’d like to thank the physical therapy teams that work hard to improve the lives of our patients. Thank you to our partners from Active Life Physical Therapy for being there for our community. Additionally, October 1-7 is National Health Care Supply Chain Week. Please join me in recognizing the important role our healthcare supply chain professionals play in patient care and the innovative ways they support GBMC patients and staff. October 5 was Vascular Access Specialty (VAS) Day, and I want to recognize our VAS team for the exceptional vascular access insertion, care, and maintenance with the intention of improved outcomes, enhanced safety, and improved patient satisfaction. 

And, finally, once again, LET’S GO O’s!!