Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is a priority at St. Joe’s Hamilton. It’s also rooted in our values of Dignity, Respect, Justice and Responsibility and we must ensure that we live those values. We are committed to building an inclusive, equitable and fair healthcare system and community – for all. 

St. Joe’s strategic plan was developed in 2019 and speaks to how fundamental EDI is to the growth and future of our organization and our commitment  to creating an EDI strategy.  Shortly after, St. Joe’s first EDI Council was formed to provide advice and recommendations as we develop our EDI framework. 

Activities are underway to help ensure that we better understand our patient populations by improving race and ethnicity-based data collection, ensuring equitable recruitment practices, offering unconscious bias training and developing resources to assist managers to better support their staff. We are also embarking on a listening tour to gather insights, experiences and feedback from those with lived experiences to ensure they see themselves reflected in our EDI action plan framework. 

As we continue moving forward in our EDI journey, we do so with proactive engagement, listening, learning and action inclusive of our people, our patients and our community. 

We look forward to continue this important work in ensuring we are living our values and serving all members of our community with inclusivity, equitability and fairness. 

Steps We Have Taken 

• St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton Health Sciences and the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University today jointly signed the Hamilton Charter for Promoting Gender Equity in Health Care.
• In August 2022 we hired our first full-time Director with a focus on EDI and interconnections with Organizational Development and Employee Wellness with a mandate to help ensure that EDI is a key part of who we are.
• We undertook a more focused approach in bringing the EDI lens at our PFAC (Patient Family Advisory Council) and are continuing to evolve our work in this area through education and learning opportunities 

Work is currently under way to ensure we better understand our patient populations by improving race and ethnicity-based data collection, ensuring equitable recruitment practices, offering unconscious bias training and developing resources to assist managers to better support their staff. 

As we progress on our EDI journey, we continue to partner with internal and external stakeholders, including our EDI Council and our affinity groups, which to date include 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC groups. 

For more information or to share your thoughts and experiences, please contact us.