We Ask Because We Care

graphic of people

Fred Hutch is committed to providing high-quality care that is inclusive, accessible and equitable to all our patients. A crucial first step to identifying health disparities and providing the highest quality of care is understanding the identities of Fred Hutch's patients. This is why we ask you, and everyone we care for, questions about your race, language, gender identity and other personal information. 

The Health Equity Program is partnering with scheduling staff and clinical care teams to collect demographic information from our patients. This information helps us get to know you better and meet your individual health care needs. It also helps us improve the care experience for all our patients. 

  • Your information is private and protected by law. 
  • Answering the questions is your choice. You don’t have to share if you don’t want to.
  • We ask because we care.
     

Why It's Important

Providers Matty Triplette, MD, Maclin Johnson, PA-C, and patient Alysson Probst discuss the value of gathering information in order to create a treatment plan that will be most effective and provide services that will be the most beneficial for you as an individual; as well as supporting research to help improve treatment outcomes for everyone.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

We ask for your:

  • Race: A group of people who share physical characteristics, such as skin color. They may also share similar social or cultural identities and backgrounds. There are many racial groups and a person may belong to or identify with more than one group. Example: Asian
  • Ethnic group: A group of people who share similar culture (beliefs, values and behaviors), language, religion, ancestry or other characteristics that are often passed from one generation to the next. Example: “Russian” or “Ethiopian” 
  • Ethnicity: Persons who are Hispanic, Latino/a/x/e and/or of Spanish origin. A specific ethnic group where persons may identify from Costa Rica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, South or Central America and/or other Spanish ethnic backgrounds. 
  • Language: The preferred way one would like to communicate and express themselves. For example: One’s primary language, or another language one is fluent in or prefers to receive communication in.
  • Sexual orientation: A person’s emotional and sexual attraction to others.
  • Gender identity: One's internal sense of self and their gender, whether that is man, woman, neither, both or something else.
  • Sex assigned at birth: The sex (male or female) assigned to an infant when they are born, most often based on the infant’s physical and other biological characteristics.
  • Disability status: If a person has a physical or mental impairment that makes it more difficult for them to do certain activities and/or interact with the world around them. 
  • Social drivers of health: The nonmedical factors that impact a person’s health such as where they are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age.

We ask all patients these questions to make sure we provide appropriate, inclusive and high-quality care for everyone we serve. Your answers help us:

  • Provide the best care for you. The more your care team knows about you, the better they can meet your specific needs. For instance, if you speak a language other than English, they can arrange for an interpreter.
  • Reduce health care disparities. Your information helps us identify trends and opportunities for improvement across all patient groups. This will help us improve the overall quality of our services.
  • Meet state and regulatory requirements. We are required by law to ask patients for their demographic information. Your information is private, confidential and protected by law. Only your care team and authorized individuals can access your medical record.

Your information is private, confidential and protected by law. Only your care team and authorized individuals can access your medical record.

You don’t have to answer any question you don’t want to. Providing any of this information is optional. We ask because we care and the more we know about you, the better we can care for you.

You can update or remove your information anytime in MyChart under your personal profile. To sign up for or access MyChart, visit FredHutch.org/MyChart. If you don’t have MyChart, tell your care team and they will update your information for you.

All personal identity and personal health information is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In Washington state, the My Health My Data Act protects health data, including reproductive and gender-affirming care data, from disclosure to federal or other states' entities.

Contact Us for More Information