Holyoke Medical Center Awarded Health Care Equity Certification
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) has achieved the Joint Commission’s Health Care Equity Certification for excellence in its efforts to provide equitable care, treatment, and services. HMC demonstrated that it has established structures and processes to decrease healthcare disparities within its patient populations.
Holyoke Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review on May 13, 2025. During the visit, the Joint Commission evaluated compliance with certification standards under the domains of leadership, collaboration, data collection, provision of care, and performance improvement.
Holyoke Medical Center is proud to be recognized for its efforts to provide equitable healthcare to everyone,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems. “This certification is a testament to our team members who provide high-quality, compassionate care to all of our patients every day.”
Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Avadhoot Gokhale added that “providing equitable healthcare and reducing barriers to care is not new to Holyoke Medical Center. We have a specific health equity strategic plan to guide our organization in addressing the needs of our community. These initiatives have been ongoing for years and are identified in our community health needs assessments, including free transportation to healthcare services, access to nutritious food, access to health insurance, workforce development, and myriad other services.”
Another way Holyoke Medical Center is improving health equity is by expanding data collection from patients and offering additional screening tools. The information collected gives HMC a better understanding of the patient population, as well as insights to improve patient care, enhance treatment protocols, and provide education to specific populations.
“Health Care Equity Certification distinguishes those organizations that have made healthcare equity a strategic priority and those that collaborate with patients, families, caregivers, and external organizations to help translate equitable healthcare into better health outcomes,” said Ken Grubbs, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief Nursing officer for the Joint Commission. “We commend Holyoke Medical Center for using the Joint Commission’s certification process to promote that all its patient populations receive access to equitable care, treatment, and services.”