Being agents of change for health

I often tell people that one of the reasons I love my role at Providence St. Joseph Health is because of the way we walk the walk. It’s shorthand for all the ways we invest in and care for our communities. We are truly mission minded. It comes from a deep place within our organization’s identity, where we carry a sense of social responsibility that animates our work. Whether it’s an improvement to policy or protecting programs serving very vulnerable people, we want to be a voice for the right kind of change.

We know that many social factors contribute to health, and our advocacy agenda reflects their importance. Having coverage matters, and we will continue to speak up for those at risk of losing access. It’s important to preserve Medicaid and Medicare coverage because more than 130 million people depend on these programs for their care. We must also reach far beyond the walls of our hospitals to increase access to primary and mental health care, find solutions for homelessness, and help shape the future of our planet.

We are not only looking outward. As an organization, we hold ourselves accountable to be ethical and contribute to economic development while improving quality of life for our local communities and society at large. When we get it wrong, we work to fix the problem so it won’t happen again. We believe that these practices, combined with our strong advocacy for those who are poor and vulnerable, will bring health and healing to our communities.  

We are inviting policymakers and like-minded partners to join us in supporting policy priorities that respond to some of the most pressing social issues of our time. Together, we can be social agents of change so that all people have the opportunity to heal and flourish.

I invite you to read our advocacy agenda and learn how we are helping create health for a better world.

Read our 2019-2020 Advocacy Agenda.

Read more insights and perspectives from the Providence St. Joseph Health leadership team.

About the Author

Ali Santore is senior vice president of government affairs and social responsibility for Providence St. Joseph Health, a multi-state, not-for-profit health system committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, especially for those who are poor and vulnerable. In her role, Ali leads the development and execution of an integrated strategic approach to build healthier communities through public policy, stakeholder engagement, and socially responsible practices. This includes managing government affairs and advocacy operations across seven states and in Washington, D.C., as well as leading an environmental stewardship and energy management team to ensure alignment nationally while deepening structures that achieve measurable improvement in the system’s environmental footprint.

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