Gundersen Health working towards eliminating health care gaps

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - Gundersen Health System is celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Gundersen Health said Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is a chance to pause and consider Dr. King’s message, its importance, its impact, and its ongoing relevance for each of us today.

“As a leader in this organization, it is really important that we bring everybody on board and work together and not in a divisive mindset or approach,” Mai Chao Duddeck, Solution Owner, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Gundersen Health System, said.

Gundersen Health System said it recognized that while progress has been made since the early 1960′s, there are still health care disparities in its communities. Gundersen said it is investing resources “to build a sustainable strategy to support its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in order to close those gaps and foster belonging in all of its communities.”

Duddeck said the goal of DEI at Gundersen Health is to close those health care gaps and work together to make sure everyone feels like they belong. She added that education starts at home, and people are encouraged to learn about other people from backgrounds different from themselves and get involved in their communities.

Copyright 2023 WEAU. All rights reserved.