Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern Medicine

Introduction

Team NM volunteers wearing blue NM branded jackets and masks.

What Diversity and Inclusion Mean to Us

To us, embracing diversity means embracing people’s differences, both apparent and non-apparent. Age, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disabilities, religion, language, socioeconomic status, military status and more all come together to shape the lived experiences of our patients, visitors and staff.

Not only do we strive to meet the needs of our diverse patient population, we also strive each day to be a more inclusive place to work and practice medicine. The only way to achieve true inclusion is to welcome, engage and celebrate all backgrounds and lived experiences, including those of our patients, visitors and staff — the people who make Northwestern Medicine better.

Black woman in a long skirt walking down the hall, talking to a blonde white woman in a wheelchair.

Our Commitment to Achieving Equity in Health Care

Health care is not health care unless it is equitable. We reject racism, transphobia, homophobia, sexism and all other forms of hatred and discrimination that make receiving and delivering care difficult.

We pursue practices and implement programs that tear down barriers to care, and make health and wellness more accessible to everyone who seeks it. No matter who you are, we are here to deliver individualized, culturally responsive and equitable health care.

Connecting to Our Communities

Volunteer painting a fence

The most diverse communities in the U.S. are often the most under-resourced communities. This is not acceptable.

To help build stronger communities, we strive to remove barriers to better health.

  • We deliver world-class, individualized care to every patient, regardless of race, age, gender, sexuality, disability status, ability to pay or any other social factor.
  • We offer comprehensive services in communities close to where our patients live and work.
  • We unite with community organizations to offer better access to nutritious food, shelter and other essentials.
  • We support initiatives that reduce violence, address trauma and lead to safer communities.
  • We assess patients to identify and help remove socioeconomic barriers to health and well-being.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion makes us, our patients, and the communities we serve better.

OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT 

image2x

A Message from Leadership

“At Northwestern Medicine, diversity, equity and inclusion are not the responsibility of a single group. These concepts are woven into the fabric of our organization. Addressing social determinants of health for our patients, collaborating with our community partners to help build healthier communities, and cultivating and retaining a diverse workforce are foundational. By respecting and celebrating our differences, we ensure Northwestern Medicine is a place where everyone — patients, visitors and employees — feels welcome to be who they are.”

– Posh Charles, Senior Vice President, Administration, Northwestern Medicine

Our Team