Tuesday, June 14, 2016
by John Fox, President and CEO, Beaumont Health
You are probably hearing a lot about Beaumont Health’s commitment to providing patient and family-centered care. This gives our day-to-day work a common focus and purpose, and it brings our Mission, Vision and Values to life in all we do. And during Pride Month, it confirms our commitment to supporting and partnering with our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients, families, colleagues and communities.
This is particularly significant in light of the terrible mass shooting in Orlando this weekend. Such a brutal loss of life and infliction of injury is a tragedy not only for the LGBT community but for us all.
As Beaumont Health, we stand together with our LGBT patients and families, by providing culturally sensitive, appropriate care in partnership with our patients and their loved ones. We give information, counseling and friendship to LGBT students coming to our school-based clinics. We ensure our LGBT employees and medical staff have a welcoming work environment. We welcome and honor all who come to us for care and value all who work with us.
We ensure our LGBT employees and medical staff have a welcoming work environment. We welcome and honor all who come to us for care and value all who work with us.
John Fox
For many in the LGBT community, “family” can be a complicated term. Many have had difficult histories with their parents and other relatives. Even as they created their own families, raised children and developed a network of loving friends for support, these relationships were often disrespected or put at serious risk without the legal protections and benefits many of us take for granted.
The Supreme Court’s decision a year ago giving all couples the same right to marry was a watershed moment in our society. It not only afforded LGBT people legal rights and recognition of their families. It also demonstrated that laws alone are not enough to ensure everyone is treated with equal respect and dignity. That requires commitment, demands courage and calls for compassion.
I am proud of how we serve the many diverse communities of Southeast Michigan and beyond. During Pride Month, I want to especially recognize the contributions of our LGBT colleagues to Beaumont Health, and the commitment of all members of our workforce to caring for the LGBT community with compassion and respect.