United Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group, has committed $100 million over 10 years toward health equity.
The move is the largest single philanthropic commitment ever by the foundation, and the funding will primarily focus on helping build a racially and ethnically diverse health workforce. United Health Foundation will provide scholarships and support to approximately 10,000 clinicians and upskilling health professionals for academic degrees or professional credentials across clinical careers in medicine, nursing, midwifery, mental health and other specialties.
The huge allotment comes as the healthcare industry is facing a workforce crisis, with staffing shortages and rising demand. As a result, healthcare organizations have seen their labor costs soar.
The foundation made the announcement on June 8 at the Social Innovation Summit in Washington, D.C.
“Today, there are far too many barriers to good health that are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups, and those with lower incomes,” Patricia L. Lewis, chief sustainability officer, UnitedHealth Group, said in a statement. “We are committed to leading the way, along with our partner organizations, in deploying tools, talent and resources to actively break down barriers, broaden access to care and make it easier for people to live healthier.”
The commitment builds on United Health Foundation’s other actions to advance a more diverse workforce. Since 2017, the foundation has committed $10 million to train underrepresented students in healthcare technology fields, including supporting data science training at historically Black colleges and universities.
Just 7.1% of the employed biological/biomedical and life sciences workforce are Black, Hispanic and Native American people, according to the National Science Foundation. In addition, United Health Foundation has partnered with nine organizations through its Diverse Scholars Initiative. The foundation has provided more than 3,000 scholarships to diverse students across the U.S. since 2007, helping increase the number of primary care providers providing personalized, culturally competent care, especially in underserved communities.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."