At UW Health, our mission is to provide exceptional patient care, educate future health care professionals, conduct groundbreaking research, and enhance community health. Our team of over 1,800 physicians and 24,000 dedicated staff serve more than 800,000 patients annually, tirelessly committing themselves to delivering remarkable care. These values define us.
We recognize the persistent health disparities affecting communities and embrace our profound responsibility to address these disparities. This means taking bold actions to advance health equity in the communities we serve. Our commitment is unwavering, and we are already seeing the positive impact of our efforts.
In January 2022, we embarked upon our first ever three-year strategic plan for diversity, equity and inclusion focused on leadership accountability, education and engagement, integrating equity across our policies and patient care, advocating for improving social determinants of health through legislative and community efforts, and aligning our community giving with our values.
As we enter the next phase of this important work, we are further aligning with our organizational mission under the name of Social Impact and Belonging. This reflects both the evolved nature of the work and the essential services we provide, as well as our desire that these mission-focused priorities endure despite the current tumultuous political environment.
When the UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority was established 30 years ago, UW Health was charged in Wisconsin law with a clear charter and mission: “advancing health without compromise through service, scholarship, science and social responsibility.” Social Impact and Belonging are foundational to fulfilling the mission laid out in our charter.
At UW Health, social impact refers to the effects health care policies, practices and interventions have on the well-being of individuals and communities, including the work we do every day to improve health outcomes, access to care and overall quality of life. Belonging is the understanding that you are valued and respected for who you are as an individual, whether you are a patient, a team member or a part of our broader community.
We have a responsibility to ensure all UW Health team members feel valued and respected. We have a responsibility to ensure patients have access to remarkable healthcare that is respectful of each patient’s individual experience. We have a responsibility to improve health outcomes for all our communities through social impact.
As we focus on the next decade for UW Health, the concepts of social impact and belonging are woven throughout our mission and strategies, helping us create a more effective health care system. To embrace our charter and mission, we move forward with a commitment to deliver social impact and foster belonging throughout our system and our community. This is who we are.
Alan Kaplan, CEO, UW Health
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, Chief Social Impact Officer, UW Health
