Main Line Health makes Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity for the first time
The hospital system is 1 of only 2 from Pennsylvania among the top 500 employers
Bryn Mawr, PA — Main Line Health has achieved a major milestone, making Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2023 for the first time. It received a ranking of 436 out of 500 top employers and is one of only two Pennsylvania hospital systems on the list.
Forbes based its rankings on a survey of 45,000 Americans working for large employers. Survey participants rated their organizations on criteria such as age, gender equality, ethnicity, LGBTQIA+ and general diversity. Responses were anonymous and employers were not involved in the process.
“This recognition from Forbes is a significant milestone and we are incredibly proud,” said Karen Fitzpatrick-Smith, system director for Diversity, Respect and Inclusion. “Main Line Health has truly dedicated itself to not only hiring employees from all backgrounds but making sure their voices are heard throughout the system. We have been working to lay an infrastructure aimed at diversifying our workforce, and those efforts are starting to pay off. Although much work lies ahead, we will continue to build on this foundation and will not allow our focus to slip.”
After several years of increased efforts, Main Line Health took a major step forward in 2021 with the creation of a DRE&I department whose sole focus is building diversity, equity and inclusion to improve the employee and patient experience. The system is now making robust use of data, creating a dashboard accessible to all hiring managers that shines a light on diversity representation in their departments.
Main Line Health has also taken other steps to improve its employee hiring pipeline, including bringing members to its talent acquisition team focused on areas of the organization where diversity goals have not been met. The Talent Acquisition and Talent Strategy teams are partnering more closely with local Historically Black Colleges and Universities to seek potential job candidates.
Last year marked the launch of employee-led resource groups focused on improving the overall employee and patient experience. These groups bring together individuals with shared experiences, interests and goals to build a more inclusive workplace and drive the organization’s strategic priorities and business outcomes.
Main Line Health simultaneously has dedicated itself not only to diverse hiring but greater equity in patient care. In 2021, it named Shonalie Roberts as system director for health equity, aimed at ensuring that patients receive the same high-quality care regardless of background.
About Main Line Health
Main Line Health® is a not-for-profit health system serving the greater Philadelphia region. The System comprises five hospitals, seven health centers, more than 160 outpatient and physician practice locations, over 14,500 employees and more than 2,200 employed and independent physicians and advanced practice providers.
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health includes four of the region’s most respected acute care hospitals — Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital — as well as Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine. The System also includes Mirmont Treatment Center, which provides treatment and support for substance use disorders; Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice; Main Line HealthCare, its employed multispecialty physician network; Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a leading biomedical research organization; and Main Line Health Centers offering primary and specialty care, lab, radiology and other outpatient services in Broomall, Collegeville, Concordville, Devon, Exton, King of Prussia and Newtown Square.
Main Line Health brings together physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, researchers and other healthcare professionals across a broad network of inpatient, outpatient, home-based and community-based services. Through this integrated approach, the System delivers high-quality, comprehensive care across the continuum — from primary care and preventive services to complex specialty, surgical, trauma, emergency, rehabilitative, behavioral health, home care and hospice services — with a focus on making care accessible in the communities where people live and work.
Main Line Health also collaborates with leading clinical partners to expand access to specialized care. Through its affiliation with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, pediatric care is provided at select Main Line Health locations, including neonatal intensive care units at its acute care hospitals and Bryn Mawr Hospital’s Inpatient Pediatric Unit and Emergency Department. Jefferson Health neurosurgeons and neurointerventionalists also provide 24/7 specialized care, including neurointervention and lifesaving stroke care.