Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento Awarded Top Honor for Cultural Diversity     10-12-2005

October 12, 2005 | Sacramento, CA Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) was honored at the 2nd Annual Multi-Cultural Business Forum as the recipient of the 2005 Excellence in Diversity Award. The award ceremony, held at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento, honored local businesses for their commitment to cultural diversity in business and the community.

"Sutter Health shows a commitment to diversity across all levels: patient care, contracting, hiring and outside community giving," said Velma Sykes, executive director of the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce and an organizer of this year's forum.

SMCS garnered the award for demonstrating a commitment to diversity in both patient care and its relations with the community. The award was given based on a number of SCMS cultural diversity and spiritual awareness initiatives, including:

• Grants more than $1 million annually to community-based, school and government agencies to provide cultural and linguistically appropriate services for the uninsured and underinsured. Partners have included the Hmong Women's Heritage and Women's Circle programs, Juveniles At Risk, Another Choice Another Chance and the Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center
• Has diversity programs for both procurement and suppliers, and has partnered with many women-owned businesses
• Provides 24-hour translator services through 115 employee interpreters as well as outside contractors
• Provides 24-hour religious services for diverse populations, "gift plates" on designated holy days and "Doulas," women who provide constant individual support to first-time Hispanic mothers during labor
• Has established a Cultural Diversity Committee, which includes an administrator, to ensure culturally sensitive patient care and to educate staff. The group is working to promote cultural assessment during patient screenings, introducing computer-based diversity training and is measuring the organization's overall cultural competence
• Holds an annual Cultural Awareness Celebration that focuses on the hospital's multi-cultural staff and educates about healthcare and cultures
• Distributes a monthly education calendar on various religions, and holds an open house on that topic each month
• Partners with the Urban League and other community organizations during recruiting
• Partners with Sacramento Works to provide externship opportunities and transition for individuals for the Welfare to Work program
• Has established a diversity recruitment committee and recruited approximately 80 nurses from various countries. Promoted the region's diversity as a potential benefit to employees in job listings
• Includes valuing diversity in the hospital's Workplace Standards of Excellence, which are used during annual performance evaluations

"This award recognizes our outstanding leaders in diversity, and holds them up as role models for others," said Diana Borroel, president and CEO of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.