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Health Equity

Our Commitment Our Strategy Health Equity Stories

Advancing Health Equity

Through a bold and strategic plan and framework, Methodist Healthcare Ministries is committed to advancing health equity.

Our Commitment

Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. believes that to improve the wellness of the least served and fully live out its mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God,” it must recognize the inequities inherent in its communities that contribute to poor health outcomes. Health Equity is both the process and goal by which Methodist Healthcare Ministries seeks to carry out that purpose. Health Equity is a framework of thought and action that strives to reduce racial and socio-economic disparities and create fair and just opportunities for every person to reach their full potential for health and life and contribute to that of others.

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Our Health Equity Framework

Working with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ Board of Directors approved a framework adapted from IHI’s Pathways to Population Health model. This framework allows the organization to advance health equity by focusing on individual medical, behavioral, social and spiritual health and well-being, while also focusing on community conditions and root causes of health inequity that impact community- wide health and well-being.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ Strategic Framework for Health Equity: Pathways to Population Health

Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ strategic framework is a continuum of care centered around two pillars:
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Fostering the development of empowered, resilient individuals and families (Thriving People); and

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Contributing to the overall health and well-being of communities (Thriving Places) by strengthening conditions of the environments in the places where people exist through long-term, sustainable collaboration.

Our Strategic Plan

The 20/20 Vision strategic plan, approved by Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ Board of Directors in 2020, builds upon the work the organization has done over the past two decades. This allows the organization to look at new and innovative ways of achieving its overall goals of impacting community-level conditions with a focus on the social determinants of health.
READ OUR STRATEGIC PLAN

Commitment to Systemic Change

Methodist Healthcare Ministries recognizes that a combination of solutions and an integrated approach are needed to disrupt the complex cycle of intergenerational poverty. Selected strategic initiatives have been identified as priorities within the systems change focus area to address the root causes of health inequities. Our Systemic Change efforts are focused in four, cross-cutting areas.
Food Security Opportunity Statement

Identify, invest in, and support approaches that improve food security in neighborhoods and communities by improving access to healthy and affordable foods. To create equitable and sustainable food systems, this includes supporting community-led food initiatives that are linked to local food production, distribution, and labor practices.

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Digital Equity Opportunity Statement

Methodist Healthcare Ministries seeks to improve Digital Equity by identifying, investing in, and supporting broadband and telehealth approaches that help close the digital divide. The three legs of the stool of digital equity include: Infrastructure, Affordability/Tools, and Digital Skills Training.

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Access to Care Opportunity Statement

Identify, invest in, and support approaches that secure access to affordable healthcare coverage for uninsured, low-income individuals and communities.

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Economic Mobility Opportunity Statement

Identify, invest in, and support approaches that address root causes of poverty and financial outcomes for individuals and families living in poverty. Financial Independence focuses on strengthening low-income people’s financial inclusion, knowledge, behaviors and opportunities through financial information, education and coaching opportunities, along with capital and asset building to develop financial capability and security.

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Going Upstream

The strategic framework also allows the organization to build upon its legacy of providing high quality access to care and commit to expanding its “upstream” work. That means Methodist Healthcare Ministries is intentionally addressing conditions and circumstances across entire communities that affect the health and well-being of patients and clients before they might reach Methodist Healthcare Ministries or its partners for assistance.
Upstream
Upstream refers to improving community conditions before people get sick; interventions are focused on community (not individual) impact:
  • Pursuing laws, policies, and regulations that create community conditions supporting health for all people.
  • Grantmaking – including collaborative funding – focused on changing the community conditions that make people sick.
Midstream
Midstream efforts address individuals’ social needs and are focused on individual impact:
  • Housing
  • Access to healthy food
  • Social Worker & Community Healthy Workers
  • Direct support/assistance to meet patients social needs
Downstream
Downstream focuses on providing and ensuring access to care.
  • Clinical
  • Medical Interventions
To move upstream, Methodist Healthcare Ministries is:
  • Moving from supporting a “sick care system” to strengthening a “health and well-being system”
  • Changing strategy to address the root causes of inequities that impact health and well-being
  • Shifting mindset from “doing for” people and communities experiencing poverty and inequities to “partnering with” individuals, families, and communities
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Health Equity Video & Blog Series

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Advancing Health Equity Videos

As part of our efforts to advance health equity, we have created a video series that features community voices from across Texas sharing how they are working together with neighbors, local leaders, and organizations to help more people have fair and just opportunities to thrive.

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Health Equity Series - Hidalgo County
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Advancing Health Equity Blog

Our Advancing Health Equity Blog Series takes a closer look at how Methodist Healthcare Ministries is sharpening its focus to more intentionally advance health equity. The series highlights the inequities inherent in communities across South Texas, and why supporting resilient families and building thriving communities to address vital conditions, intergenerational poverty and socio-economic disparities is critical to our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God.”

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Jaime Wesoloski

President & Chief Executive Officer

Jaime Wesolowski is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. A healthcare executive with three decades of leadership experience, Jaime is responsible for the overall governance and direction of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Jaime earned his Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Xavier University, and his Bachelor’s of Science from Indiana University in Healthcare Administration. As a cancer survivor, Jaime is a staunch supporter of the American Cancer Society. He serves as Chair of the American Cancer Society’s South Texas Area board of directors and he was appointed as Chair to the recently created South Region Advisory Cabinet, covering eight states from Arizona through Alabama. Jaime believes his personal experience as a cancer survivor has given him more defined insight and compassion to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and their families.