Health Equity Fellows continue to make an impact among most vulnerable communities

The Providence Health Equity Fellowship is a core component of Providence’s broader commitment to eliminating health disparities and increasing equitable care for all patients and communities within the health system’s footprint.

Launched in 2023, the fellowship is a first-of-its-kind professional development program that offers caregivers a combination of facilitated learning and real-time application of health equity principles. This ensures every person has a fair opportunity to reach their highest level of health. 

There are currently 37 health equity experts leading projects across Providence's seven-state footprint with measurable and meaningful impact on vulnerable patient populations. With diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, each fellow brings a unique professional perspective to the program.  

The class of 2025 produced 17 impactful projects that drove meaningful change to support local communities. A few examples include:   

      • Southeast Washington: Reduced the gap in colorectal cancer screening rates by 44.9% between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients. 

      • Northern California: Increased the number of major gift proposals supporting community benefit by $150,000. 

      • Oregon: Improved women's wellness exam attendance among the Spanish-speaking community by reducing the no-show/cancellation rate by 13%. 

These and other fellowship projects continue to improve health outcomes for various vulnerable patient populations. The 2025 fellows also serve as health equity experts within their local acute and ambulatory ministries, in addition to mentoring the 2026 cohort. Their success has laid the groundwork for future groundbreaking projects that are currently underway. 

Sample 2026 projects include:   

      • Reducing length of stay for babies in the NICU in Northeast Washington. 

      • Transforming the way we care for patients with darker pigmented skin with hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) in Oregon. 

      • Improving access to behavioral health services for Alaska Native and all populations. 

      • Addressing NTSV C section rates among Black/African American and all patients in Los Angeles County in Southern California. 

Previous Article
Improving hypertension control through equitable care
Improving hypertension control through equitable care

Through targeted, equity-centered interventions, Providence Clinical Network teams successfully brought mor...

Next Article
Providence advocates for protected access to Medicaid and vital health care services
Providence advocates for protected access to Medicaid and vital health care services

Providence advances mission-driven advocacy, uniting caregivers and policymakers to protect Medicaid and sa...