Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Baptist Health maintains an organizational culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion as we deliver excellence in healthcare. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive climate where every patient, every family member, and every team member are welcomed and respected.
As a leading provider of healthcare in central Alabama, we strive to be a leader in ensuring equitable care for all. This means making sure every person entrusted into our care receives safe, high-quality healthcare. As a sign of our commitment, Baptist Health and all three Baptist Health hospitals have joined more than 1,700 hospitals and health systems from across the country in taking the American Hospital Association’s #123forEquity pledge designed to address and eliminate healthcare disparities.
We are committed to doing the work to uphold the kind of diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment our community deserves to have to receive their healthcare and to work.
Meet Our Chief Diversity Officer
Tiffany Chaney, FACHE
As Chief Diversity Officer, Tiffany Chaney leads the strategic development, promotion, and implementation of health system initiatives to continually shape the organization’s culture as one valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Tiffany came to Baptist Health in 2006 as System Director of Business Development and has nearly 25 years of health administration experience. She previously served in a healthcare consulting firm, academic health system, public hospital, and physician practice before joining the Baptist Health team. Tiffany is also an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and serves as pastor of Gathered by Grace in Montgomery.
A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tiffany received a Bachelor of Science in Finance, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Science in Health Administration degrees. She is also a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, where she received a Master of Divinity degree. She has a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and a Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida. Tiffany was a member of Leadership Montgomery’s Torchbearers’ Class I and Legacy Class XXXVIII.
Tiffany is a board member for the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama and Inspiritus. She is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the National Association of Health Services Executives.
Learn more: Montgomery Business Journal, Member Profile
Strategic Priorities
Baptist Health’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategic priorities are to:
- Maintain a foundation of trust for dialogue about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Increase diversity in leadership.
- Enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion education for leaders.
- Ensure the use of language and images in communication that place people first, are accessible, and representative of our community.
- Establish a systematic approach to identifying variability in patient care provided to vulnerable patient populations to ensure health equity for all.
- Create cultural connections to support inclusion for team members.
- Develop regular feedback mechanisms throughout the organization to share Baptist Health’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and hear the experiences of team members.
- Maximize Baptist Health’s presence and voice in the community.
DEI Council
Baptist Health has a multidisciplinary team of 23 people who serve as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council. This advisory council to the Chief Diversity Officer has the goal of continually shaping the organization’s culture as one valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Together, the DEI Council establishes priorities for DEI work with intention, thoughtfulness, and structure. The Council makes DEI recommendations, monitors progress, and casts vision around matters of patient, family, and community care, team member engagement, health equity, communication, strategic partnership, and more.
The Baptist Health Pre-Med Scholars Program
The Baptist Health Pre-Med Scholars Program enhances access to experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students interested in becoming physicians, who are from historically underrepresented backgrounds in the field of medicine. This program is being launched in partnership with Alabama State University (ASU) and Tuskegee University (TU) and will offer experiences for physician shadowing, community engagement, medical simulation, health equity research, and education for pre-med students during their sophomore year or junior year.
The application process for the Class of 2025 is now open, with an application deadline of October 31, 2024. Click HERE to apply!
Community Connection
Baptist Health’s DEI office sponsors Community Connection, a health equity initiative with a core tenant of removing barriers to healthcare access and increasing health literacy. Through Community Connection, Baptist Health partners with organizations and congregations to bring health education and screenings closer to home, increasing opportunities for equitable care. To learn more about how your congregation or community organization can collaborate with Baptist Health’s Community Connection team, email DEI@BaptistFirst.org.