"We are committed to being an inclusive and culturally competent organization that provides exceptional care to everyone."

— Andres Gonzalez, vice president and chief diversity officer, Froedtert Health

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network embraces our roles as an employer, community member and corporate citizen. We value and celebrate the wealth of diversity reflected in our patients, their families, our workforce and the communities we serve. We are committed to being an inclusive and culturally competent organization that provides exceptional care to everyone. We define cultural competence as the ability to deliver health care services that meet the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of our patients. This helps us offer the best possible health outcomes and quality of care, as well as eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities. This commitment is demonstrated through our nationally recognized Diversity Council, which is led by our CEO to provide broad oversight on all of our diversity initiatives.

Within our health network, diversity and inclusion leverages the individual uniqueness among people, cultures and systems that collectively empower us to drive innovation and deliver culturally competent care. We fulfill our commitment to diversity through efforts that impact our workforce, marketplace and the community.

We have also pledged to take action to eliminate health care disparities and make sure we care for all patients as unique individuals by asking questions to help us personalize care.

  • You’re a unique individual. We believe your health care should reflect that. That’s why we ask all of our patients questions about their race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. By collecting this information, we get to know each patient a little better, helping us better understand their care needs and personalize our care.

    • Providing this information is completely voluntary and confidential.
    • Your information is kept private and is protected by law. Only members of your care team and anyone authorized to see your medical record will see the information.
    • We collect this information so we can better understand your needs and personalize your care.
    • To update this information on your own, log in to your Froedtert & MCW account online at my.froedtert.com. In the menu, scroll down to Account Settings and select Personal Information.
    • Declining to answer any of these questions is your personal choice and will not affect the care or services you received.

Awards and Recognition

The Froedtert & MCW health network has received awards that recognize our efforts and important work with diversity and inclusion.

  • Froedtert Health was named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion, earning a top 100 score on the 2023 Disability Equality Index® (DEI). Froedtert Health also received the top score for disability inclusion practices in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The DEI measures culture and leadership, enterprise-wide access, employment practices (benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention and advancement, accommodations), community engagement and supplier diversity.
     
  • Human Rights Campaign – 2022 HEI Top Performer Award, recognized for protecting our LGBTQ patients and employees from discrimination, ensuring equal visitation, providing staff training, and ensuring exceptional staff and patient experiences based on policy, process and practices.
     
  • Froedtert Health is among Diversity MBA Magazine’s 2022 50 Out Front: Best Places to Work for Women and Diverse Managers. 50 Out Front measures how companies invest in strategies and practices to advance women and managers of diverse backgrounds. Organizations are scored on representation, board diversity, recruitment/retention, workplace inclusion, succession planning and accountability. 
     

  • Froedtert Health earned a 2022 Diversity Impact Awards™ Top 10 Diversity Action Award from the Global ERG Network. The network recognized our Diversity Council for its leading role in the organization’s robust supplier diversity strategy. Supporting businesses that represent all dimensions of diversity helps to lift more people out of poverty, revitalize neighborhoods and create greater community and economic vitality. The Global ERG Network also named Froedtert Health a top 10 organization for diversity, equity and inclusion in 2020 and 2021.
     

  • Top 25 Honors Award — Froedtert Health’s Diversity Council ranked No. 16 from the Association of Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and Councils. The ERG & Council Honors Award recognizes and awards the outstanding contributions and achievements of resource groups and diversity councils that lead organizational diversity and inclusion processes and demonstrate results in their workforce, workplace and marketplace. Over 1,300 applications are considered for this national honor.
     
  • HAFA – 2019 Champions of the Hmong Community, recognizes a corporate partner who has consistently demonstrated commitment to the advancement of the Hmong community. Maijer Lee, Prenatal Resource Coordinator CP, was presented with the 2019 Bridge to the Hmong Community Award.

     
  • Partnership Award from the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources, a professional development organization focused on providing its members with networking, educational, coaching, and resource opportunities. The Partnership Award demonstrates the health network’s commitment to developing a diverse workplace of choice. 
     
  • Workplace Diversity Advocate Award from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) honors an organization who has been a role model in their local community as a strong advocate for diversity, inclusion and workplace flexibility. Diversity and Inclusion partners with Human Resources to ensure workplace of choice initiatives include diversity, inclusion, dignity and respect for all.
     
  • Diversity in Business Award from the Wisconsin Law Journal recognizes organizations embedding diversity in daily work. Organizations must demonstrate a significant contribution toward creating a diverse and inclusive business, academic or social community through the implementation of policies, procedures, initiatives or programs.
     
  • LGBT Chamber – Corporate Partner of the Year — The Froedtert & MCW health network has been instrumental in growing and supporting the LGBT Chamber by serving as a Platinum Founding member, in helping sponsor the first ever Pride Night with the Milwaukee Bucks, and engaging LGBTBEs through their supplier diversity initiative.

Within the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, diversity and inclusion leverages the individual uniqueness among people, cultures and systems that collectively empowers staff and providers to drive innovation and deliver culturally competent care. We focus our efforts on these key areas to help support Froedtert & MCW strategic initiatives.

Extraordinary People

The office of Diversity and Inclusion partners with Human Resources to focus on workplace initiatives around diversity recruitment, education, engagement and development of staff and providers. These programs foster an inclusive culture where staff can reach their full potential and provide the best care possible.

Market Leadership and Consumer-Guided Experience

In partnership with Marketing and Communications, Supply Chain and Community Engagement, strategies are developed to meet the health network goal to touch two million lives and expand market share in the diverse communities and patient populations served by our health network.

Language Services

Our Language Services team provides timely, reliable and high-quality interpretation and translation services to limited English proficient and deaf patients in order to provide exceptional experiences throughout our health network’s hospitals, health centers and clinics.

Health Equity

Committed to eliminating health care disparities and addressing social determinants of health like education, employment, and food insecurity, the Froedtert & MCW health network provides culturally and linguistically competent health care to all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, language preference, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other dimension of diversity. Health equity is fundamental to the organization’s mission and simply the right thing to do.

Policies

These policies protect you as a patient, visitor and employee. 

Growth

We will support our growth strategy by increasing awareness, building relationships and meeting the unique health care needs of emerging markets including African American/Black; Asian; Hispanic/Latino; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT); veterans and people with disabilities.

"Our goal to promote diversity and inclusion is not only a best practice, but a strategic effort that allows every person’s view to be heard."

— Cathy Jacobson, president and chief executive officer, Froedtert Health

Our Commitment to Help End Racism in Health Care

Racism continues to be a threat in our community. As a health care organization, we are committing to helping end racism and racial disparities in health care by examining our own biases, evaluating our policies to ensure they meet the needs of everyone we serve, leading change in our community and more.

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