Dave Fikse, Opinion contributor Published 11:11 a.m. ET Aug. 6, 2020

Mercy Health's headquarters in Bond Hill.(Photo: Provided/Mercy Health)

Cincinnati is not unlike many communities across the country, struggling to make sense out of what has happened to those impacted by racial inequality and injustice and how we will pull together to move forward, to heal and to learn.

Mercy Health has long valued human dignity, diversity and inclusion as ministry priorities. Our mission calls us to improve the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need. The events of the past weeks must deepen our shared commitment to protect, heal and support the most vulnerable among us, which includes those affected by racial inequality and its associated health disparities, poorer health outcomes and higher rates of mortality and morbidity. Where some seek to divide, we must join together to support our patients, families, associates and providers serving all.

After seeing firsthand the appreciation for human dignity and life of which Cincinnati is capable, it is abundantly clear that changing the narrative about racial injustice means that we all as a health care ministry, a city, a region, a nationand the world, stand together to set a new standard for how we should live. We ask organizations to re-examine their values to ensure they help contribute to the healing of racism in our time. Our founding Sisters have always valued human dignity for all, and while much has been accomplished, there is still much to do.

Heres what Mercy Health-Cincinnati and its parent organization Bon Secours Mercy Health are doing to address racial inequality:

Our Mercy Health Foundation continues to pursue philanthropic partnerships to advance our nonprofit ministrys community health and health equity initiatives. We commit to continuing to address racial inequality in health care and call upon our Divine Physician to heal the wounds of racism in our hearts and throughout our land.

Dave Fikse is the market president for Mercy HealthCincinnati, part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the country.

Dave Fikse is market president for Mercy HealthCincinnati.(Photo: Provided)

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Opinion: Mercy Health committed to addressing health care inequality - The Cincinnati Enquirer