Advancing Health Equity for Everyone in Our Community

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s mission to advance the health and well-being of the communities we serve will be fulfilled only when everyone in our community has the opportunity to achieve and maintain good health.

We join our colleagues across the health system in commemorating Health Equity Week. Throughout the week, the Center for Health Equity Advancement will offer educational programs on a number of health equity-related topics, from increasing diversity in oncology clinical trials to addressing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes.

According to the CDC, health equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to attain their full health potential. Unfortunately, many people experience barriers to achieving health equity, such as poverty, discrimination, lack of access to healthy food or safe housing, and other social factors. These factors can impact an individual’s ability to access health-care services, as well as their overall health and well-being.

Progress in Key Areas of Focus

LG Health and the entire Penn Medicine health system are committed to advancing health equity for everyone in our community. Here is an update on our progress in some key areas of focus.

• LG Health recently received the highest possible rating in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s National LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Index. Our designation as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader reflects our commitment to providing supportive, affirming care to our LGBTQ+ patients and their families, as well as an inclusive workplace and community outreach.
• Our COVID-19 vaccine community clinics increase access for the diverse communities we serve by offering the vaccine in convenient and comfortable settings, including churches, affordable housing complexes, community centers, schools and fire halls. Our community clinics have vaccinated more than 4,000 people to date.
• Lead poisoning poses a common and devastating environmental threat, particularly to young children. Through our Lead-Free Families program, LG Health has made a 10-year, $50 million commitment to address housing health and safety by measurably reducing the presence and impact of lead in more than 2,800 Lancaster County homes.
• Our school-based health clinics provide physicals, immunizations and other essential medical services that keep students healthy and in school. The clinics serve all students, faculty and staff within the School District of Lancaster, providing 3,073 visits so far this school year. About 75% of patients have Medical Assistance or are uninsured.
• LG Health’s Food Farmacy program provides nutrition counseling and healthy food options for patients with nutrition-related health conditions who meet income limits and are unable to access enough food to live an active, healthy life. Our additional $2.9 million investment over the next five years will enable the program’s continued expansion.

While we have made significant progress in our efforts to advance health equity, there is still much work to be done. Advancing health equity is a foundational component of LG Health’s ongoing efforts to make Central Pennsylvania the healthiest community to live, work and play.

John J. Herman, MBA, FACHE
Chief Executive Officer
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health