SIP Care Integration & UM
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
SIP is committed to identify and address social injustice, health inequities and health disparities that are impacting our ability to provide the best care possible to our patients. Health inequity refers to avoidable differences in health between different groups of people. In most instances, these differences are the result of unfair systems and practices that negatively affect people’s living conditions, access to healthcare, and overall health status. Although health inequity most often is thought to affect people from disadvantaged or historically oppressed groups most severely, it has a negative impact on everyone.
The events of the past several years such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the growing differences in life expectancy, the social media exposure of stark examples of racism, and the widening gap in access to health care have cast light on systemic racism and ingrained social injustices that unfairly effect ,not only patients, but colleagues and staff due to their background, culture, race, financial status, type of employment, whether or not they live with a disability, or other distinguishing factors. Many members of our local communities of color, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, women, people who are incarcerated or who are unhoused, and those who live in rural areas continue to face structural racism, discrimination, stigma, and longstanding disenfranchisement.
Research has shown that Black, Latinx/Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations are more likely to face cost-related barriers to getting care, and more likely to incur medical debt and less likely to receive preventive services like vaccinations.
Health equity is when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible. To achieve health equity SIP has established the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (JEDI) to support us in examining our own internal biases with an aim to create an atmosphere of self-awareness and improvement regarding these challenges. In addition, SIP is dedicated to partnering with our health system to expanding access by removing the social and economic obstacles within our power that lead to poor health outcomes and to create the best future possible for us and our patients.
SIP JEDI Committee
Committee Members
- Jose Arevalo, MD - Chair
- Sara Barajas
- Adam Chandler
- Jen Contreras
- Francisco Garcia, MD
- Laurie Gregg, MD
- Elisa Horta, MD
- Thomas Hopkins, MD
- Harold Jackson, MD
- Ron James, MD
- Joseph Martel, MD
- Kathryn Melton
- Natalie Myrmyr
- Beatrice Tetteh, MD