I’m writing today to share my personal feelings on the recent media
report implying that Boulder Community Health is not supportive of the
LGBTQI community and its allies.
BCH unequivocally supports the right of all employees to be part of a welcoming
and safe workplace. We are proud to be a community owned and operated
health system that reflects the deeply held values of tolerance and inclusiveness
that define Boulder.
While BCH normally would not comment on specific personnel issues, important
inaccuracies in a recent media report compel me to vary from that approach.
An employee recently resigned from her position related to use of a shared
workplace computer and a dispute with a coworker. The employee who resigned
was never threatened with termination by any member of the management
team or Human Resources Department at BCH. The employee was offered the
opportunity to have formal or informal mediation with her coworker but
declined that option and chose to resign.
The media report also stated that the gay pride flag was on a list of offensive
images that are banned at BCH. There is not and never has been such a
list. It is BCH practice that communications and images in shared workspaces
be neutral. The purpose of this practice is to maintain a workplace that
is focused on patient care. In this specific situation, the employee resigned
rather than accept our content neutrality practice.
Unfortunately, American society is increasingly polarized and we in Boulder
are not immune to that divisiveness. I am deeply saddened that this incident
has caused members of our community to feel unwelcome at BCH. This is
not who we are and does not represent our values.
We at BCH are proud of and deeply value the diversity and inclusiveness
of our workforce, but this incident has made us realize we still have
much work to do in order to provide the accepting environment our employees
and patients deserve and expect. Over the next two weeks, we will hold
a series of employee meetings to specifically discuss issues of workplace
equality and our internal culture. These meetings represent an opportunity
to reinforce the bedrock values that underlie Boulder Community Health
and to listen to our community to facilitate healing and understanding.
We will use this moment to move forward together.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Vissers MD, MBA, FACEP
President and Chief Executive Officer
Boulder Community Health