Tony Denton, Senior Vice-President & Chief ESG Officer at University of Michigan Health/Michigan Medicine, brings a lesson for healthcare leaders to recognize the inherent goodness in people. His vision extends beyond healthcare, advocating for systemic changes that positively impact the communities around the health system.
Q
What is your vision for delivering health equity impact and outcomes?
Our vision is, “Our discoveries change care; our care changes lives.” We have values that include caring, innovation, inclusion, integrity, and teamwork, which drive our actions daily. Our daily priorities are to provide a sense of belonging and inclusion, improve equitable access to care, deliver safe and high-quality care towards realizing ideal patient care experiences for all whom we serve.
Our strategic priority is to increase community presence, addressing the broader social determinants of health, and focusing on the community’s health needs, assessments and priorities. Through these areas, we are able to create a framework to move the needle in each of those areas.
Touching all of that is collaboration. Healthcare alone cannot solve health equity. We need major business and industry sectors and government at all levels to be involved in the socioeconomic aspects that affect one's health, so I’ve created a roundtable with all levels of society: county and local government, education institutions, employers, chambers of commerce, transportation, banking, spiritual and community leaders to deepen awareness and collaboration, to accelerate progress in reverse engineering generations of inequity. Better outcomes can result from addressing root causes of social and economic poverty through a team-based collaborative approach that seeks to elevate health and economic wealth. Each sector has a responsibility to foster vibrant communities.
Healthcare alone cannot solve health equity. We need major business and industry sectors and government at all levels to be involved in the socioeconomic aspects that affect one's health[...].
Q
What leadership traits do you consider most critical to advance health equity?
The most critical leadership traits for advancing health equity boil down to a few key principles.
• First, it's about embracing a servant leadership model, where the focus is on serving others and reversing harm. This means seeing ourselves as community assets and actively promoting community benefits.
• Secondly, it's essential to adopt a long-term investment mindset, prioritizing resources where they're most needed to bridge equity gaps and improve population health.
• Resilience is also crucial. Understanding that there will be wins and there will be losses. Seeing healthcare leaders and the workforce as a hope tree—where the trunk is strong, the wind may blow, but there's strength in unity as the branches hold together—this is a powerful trait that inspires hope.
• Additionally, creativity plays a significant role in finding innovative solutions and fostering relationships that tap into our shared humanity. Enthusiasm for the work is vital, driving us to take action and inspiring others to join us in making a difference.
• Lastly, recognizing and harnessing the inherent goodness in people can lead to powerful collaborations and ideas. These traits collectively empower leaders to navigate change, build partnerships, and drive meaningful impact in advancing health equity.
Q
How does change management come into play to drive significant change?
Despite having a formal DEI plan for nine years, managing change remains a challenge, especially politically. There may be a resistance to addressing equity gaps. Internally, change management revolves around investment. And I believe legislators play a crucial role in health equity and the pace of change. Collaboration is essential at local, regional, and national levels for community well-being and economic growth, ultimately enhancing health and productivity for all.
Collaboration is essential at local, regional, and national levels for community well-being and economic growth, ultimately enhancing health and productivity for all.
Q
Can you tell us a bit more about the dynamics with government and legislators since this is one of the most challenging aspects of driving change?
As past chairman of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association Board of Trustees in 2022-2023, our vision and strategy was clear: telling the story of community health, the role of healthcare organizations as ambassadors of their communities, advocates for governmental support as anchor institutions seeking to serve the health needs of their local communities. We remain committed to articulate the challenges we all face in healthcare and emphasize the industry’s role as a catalyst for change, including the faces of the community where health care and outcomes are not equal. This involves navigating the political and media landscape, to improve awareness of the issues facing the communities served by the elected legislators and to engage with communities in problem-solving together.
I emphasized the importance of storytelling to highlight issues like healthcare accessibility and insufficient reimbursement rates, which can lead to reduced access, program closures and deteriorating health within communities, widening health equity gaps. By sharing these stories, we aim and continue to foster understanding that leads to collective action and advancement of individual, family and community health. While legislators and regulators have multiple priorities, our duty is to persistently advocate for change by keeping these stories in the spotlight, particularly where the gaps are based on social, economic and environmental factors. It's an ongoing journey to address the myriad challenges facing our nation's healthcare system.
Q
What lies ahead on the health equity journey, and how can leaders be adequately prepared to navigate it?
Health equity is simply about doing what's right. Let’s just call it equity, treating others the way we would want to be treated, the golden rule…each and every day. It's about waking up with the intention of doing the right thing, being empathetic, vulnerable, and humble.
My measure is: If I help at least one person in some way each day, I know I made a difference and brought value to someone who needed a helping hand. My hope is that whomever I help will take that act of kindness and be inspired to help someone else. That behavioral mindset is where we each can make a difference. And that’s how we build a productive society. Make a difference for somebody else. We get by giving. The journey to equity is sustained by a belief that a thriving community is a healthy community, for all.