Creating a World Where Health Care Works Better for Everyone

At Optum, we’re not just imagining a world where health care works better for everyone. We’re creating it. Our care model puts our patients at the center because we know they are unique, and their care should be too. We start by listening to patients and tailor care for their individual needs. We know that the right care at the right time is important – and our doctors work with personalized care teams who connect patients to our vast network of specialists and the services they need.

As the largest multi-payer, value-based care organization in the country, we have the resources to focus on the overall well-being of each patient with an emphasis on affordability and accessibility, while widening our lens to care for the whole person, not just an illness. Our whole-person focus means we also speak the language of our patients and strive to understand their culture. It’s how we provide the kind of holistic care that reduces health disparities, helps all of us to do our best work, and gives patients a sense of belonging and purpose.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) extends beyond company culture and workplace well-being, it is embedded in how we do business — both internally, as a part of the decision-making process among our leadership and team members; and externally, to benefit the patients we care for and the communities we serve. Through this inclusive decision-making process, Optum has laid the foundation to support an organizational culture focused on DEI, resulting in the alignment of organizational priorities and a three-year roadmap to achieve desired outcomes with business impact. Additionally, our California region has adopted the following health equity policy statement: “We are committed to health equity and treating every patient, family and community we serve with care and respect. We stand against racism and any form of bias that leads to unequal health outcomes.” This statement will be adopted across the Optum enterprise nationally. The statement is visible to more than 2 million patients who visit our 125 clinics across California, reinforcing our commitment to health equity and demonstrating to all patients they are welcome and belong.

To support Optum’s whole-person approach to care, it’s important that we provide education to team members that focus on bias and inclusivity. Optum developed the first-of-itskind, continuing education-eligible training on LGBTQ+ health equity, with a goal to improve the care experience and drive quality for the LGBTQ+ community. The training, which is accessible at no cost to all clinicians externally, consists of two learning modules: Caring for the LGBTQ+ Community: An Introduction; and Across the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Spectrum: A Call to Action. To date, more than 10,000 employees and clinicians have taken the training, putting their learning into action, and resulting in a more positive experience for LGBTQ+ patients.

While we’ve achieved measurable success, we’ve also renewed our commitment to DEI by actively engaging a collective group of changemakers for their thought partnership as we think about how to improve patient experience and achieve health equity. We understand that everyone plays a crucial role in helping to cultivate a company culture that reflects the communities we serve and integrates DEI strategies that fuels improvements to the health care system. Our DEI journey is about enacting that change, and our objective is to derive actionable solutions that will impact Optum, our communities, and most importantly, the patients we care for every day.

Rose Madriaga is director of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for Optum - Pacific West. She is on a mission to help create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and healthcare system. She oversees the strategy and execution of the DEI and Health Equity programs, creating alignment nationally and across multiple care delivery organizations to serve over two million patients. Learn more at Optum.com.