Pete Delgado, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, knows a thing or two about the value of a diverse, equitable and inclusive healthcare system.
When he joined SVMHS in 2013, he was determined to guide the healthcare system with a focus on providing exceptional care, promoting community health and wellness, and expanding health equity and diversity. For his continued efforts in this ongoing process, Delgado has been recognized by Modern Healthcare – a leading industry publication – as a Top Diversity Leader.
“Healthcare organizations widely promote their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts when they’re first announced. But it’s more important to track success and make sure those initiatives deliver on the long-term results the companies and communities they serve expect,” says Modern Healthcare Editor Aurora Aguilar. “The 2021 class of Top Diversity Leaders lead the pack in healthcare. These are people and companies that exemplify walking the walk.”
The Modern Healthcare honor recognizes Delgado as a healthcare executive who influences policy and care delivery.
During his tenure, he has led initiatives to expand access to care and provision of culturally sensitive programs and services. Those initiatives include building a 31,000-square-foot rural health clinic in the city of Gonzales and launching a Mobile Health Clinic that brings free healthcare directly to underserved and diverse populations. The health system facilitated a payer-blind network of more than 160 providers in primary and specialty care clinics, expanding quality care for all, and cultivated hospital partnerships to expand the only local Medicare Advantage plan, Aspire.
The health system also spearheaded a collaborative effort to expand the Blue Zones Project throughout Monterey County to focus on community health and wellness and, under his leadership, received Magnet designation for nursing excellence, an achievement reached by only 9% of hospitals nationwide.
“Time has proven Pete to be an exceptional leader, bringing diversity, equity and inclusion to our organization and our community’s healthcare,” says SVMHS Board of Directors President Victor Rey, Jr., who endorsed Delgado’s nomination for this recognition.
