President Donald Trump’s push to dismantle DE&I programs launched a parade of companies to end their initiatives, but Northwell Health says it’s standing firm.
“For us, it is a matter of life or death,” said Maxine Carrington, Northwell’s SVP and chief people officer. Multiple studies show that outcomes improve when patients are cared for by people who speak their language, as well as share similar cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds.
Northwell may be taking a risky stance. Hospitals receive a significant portion of their revenue from Medicare, the federally-funded healthcare program for the elderly. Northwell gets about a third (33%) of its revenue from the program. President Trump’s order to end DE&I extends to federal contractors, though it is unclear whether Medicare is considered a contractor. Hospitals that receive reimbursement through traditional Medicare haven’t been considered contractors, though those that receive funds from Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plans could more easily fall into that category, according to the law firm Venable. The latter plans are administered by private companies. The law firm noted that the future of the order remains uncertain.
Still, the orders triggered outrage among some in the medical community. “Ultimately, these measures drive us farther away from a future when health is no longer a privilege, but a right for all,” said Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in a statement.”The evidence is clear: a diverse healthcare workforce and inclusive policies serve us all. These executive orders serve no one.”
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Carrington said the health system is meeting with its lawyers to understand the ramifications of the orders.
“We know that if we have a more diverse workforce who lives in the communities we serve, [understands] the communities we serve, whether it’s language, whether it’s cultural practice that puts us in an advantage to make better decisions,” Carrington said. “So are you going to tell us that’s improper DE&I when we're trying to save lives and better care for people?”
The situation is confusing, said Grant Dearborn, a partner at law firm Shumaker. The government requires that hospitals provide care that is linguistically and culturally appropriate, but Dearborn noted that the president’s orders, though not explicit, seem to suggest getting rid of DE&I programs.
“This is such a politically charged issue that I think hospitals are going to try [the] best they can [to] stay on the sideline,” Dearborn said. He doesn’t expect hospitals to end the programs, though. “I think they’re going to try, in some ways, to say that’s not necessarily a DE&I thing. It’s a patient thing.”