Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder of law firm Covington & Burling will lead an examination of Seattle Children's race, equity, inclusion and diversity policies and practices, according to a Jan. 14 news release.
"Seattle Children's mission is to provide hope, care and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible," the hospital said in the release. "To truly realize that mission we must remain committed to rooting out institutional and systemic racism that exists in healthcare today. This assessment, along with recommendations for action, will assist Seattle Children's leadership to accelerate the pace of our existing work to become a truly anti-racist organization."
The assessment follows the departure of Ben Danielson, MD, who cited racism when he resigned as the medical director of one of Seattle Children's clinics. Dr. Danielson led the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic in Seattle for more than 20 years and has accepted a new position practicing in the department of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine in Seattle.
Seattle Children's said Washington, D.C.-based Covington's assessment is expected to examine systemic and institutional issues including issues raised in the wake of Dr. Danielson's resignation.
Dr. Danielson resigned from his medical director role in November and alleged institutional racism at Seattle Children's. Seattle Children's leaders did not address issues such as calling security on patients of color, Dr. Danielson said, and he told the Pacific Northwest news website Crosscut he was a rare Black voice in a position of authority, which made him feel marginalized and alone.
An assessment committee formed by Seattle Children's will work with Covington & Burling on the examination, which will include recommendations for actionable items Seattle Children's can implement, the hospital said. The assessment committee will include board members and representatives from the community.
A list of committee members is available here.
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