ChenMed Celebrates Contributions of Employees and Patients of Asian American and Pacific Islander Descent

By PR Newswire On May 18, 2023

The month of May has special meaning to ChenMed, one of the nation’s leading primary care providers that continues to transform health care for underserved seniors nationwide. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and ChenMed’s culture team celebrates the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts with an exciting toolkit, spotlighting content and community initiatives for team members and patients, as well as other AAPI activities and engagement opportunities throughout the month.

ChenMed’s founder, Jen-Ling “James” Chen, M.D., Ph.D., and cofounder Mary Chen, both immigrated to the United States. They found their calling after being frustrated firsthand by expensive, uncoordinated and ineffective medical care and created ChenMed, a physician-led company that serves the underserved. Their family story of succeeding beyond the wildest expectations is recounted in The Calling, A Memoir of Family, Faith, and the Future of Healthcare.

The ChenMed vision is an enduring mission that began in the 1970s with Dr. James Chen’s first primary care practice in Miami Gardens, Florida: to offer affordable, human-centered care to medically underserved communities. The Chen family continues to revolutionize care through more than 125 Chen, Dedicated, and JenCare Senior Medical Centers in 15 states – and one of ChenMed’s greatest strengths is its highly diverse and mission-focused workforce. Focused on earning trust to transform care, the company’s doctors and care teams are sensitive to and enjoy meeting the language and cultural preferences of the patients they are blessed to serve.

ChenMed community engagement opportunities during AAPI Heritage Month include exploring local Asian Art exhibits or within driving distance, supporting small businesses, buying takeout meals from AAPI restaurants, researching different Asian-Pacific regions to develop a culinary menu to explore different flavors and foods, finding AAPI-owned businesses to support, and listening to curated playlists (Apple or Spotify) celebrating the AAPI musical community.

“The company’s commitment to spreading diversity awareness and living its core values of love, accountability and passion for employees of all backgrounds, make me feel seen, celebrated and valued,” said Vicky Martell-Durkin, director of talent brand marketing and special projects, who is Asian-American Filipino, born in Manila, Philippines. “ChenMed truly creates welcoming environments and experiences for everyone who works in and out of our senior medical centers.”

ChenMed’s employee culture includes four Employee Resource Groups All Working to Achieve Racial Equity and Equality (AWARE), Women Inspire Network (WIN), Veterans Engagement Team (VET) and ChenMed Healthcare Allied Respecting Individuality and Sexuality for Members and Associates (CHARISMA). Four strategies were crafted to help recognize and honor AAPI individuals, communities, and their impact across ChenMed markets:

Team Member Activations
Patient Activations
Community Activations
Additional AAPI Resources

Each activation is designed to help inspire conversations between team members, patients, staff and the communities ChenMed serves. ChenMed recognizes and maintains its workforce and culture growth by building relationships and engaging with patients by sharing historical milestones from Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures. According to a 2022 US Department of Labor and Statistics Report, the percentage of the population that is employed is generally higher for Asians and for Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders than the U.S. average. The ratio in 2019 was 62.3 percent for Asians and 66.2 percent for Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders, well above the national average of 60.8 percent.

“ChenMed is invested in creating inclusive work environments and patient experiences. Our company’s commitment to celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion is achieved with initiatives that grow from awareness to action. This helps unite everyone by learning and exploring our unique lived experiences,” says Stephanie Chen, chief legal and culture officer at ChenMed.

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