The College of Medicine has joined a network of leaders organizing across the health care industry to create safe, fair and dignified workplaces for women. Time's Up Healthcare aims to drive new policies that result in more balanced, diverse and accountable leadership; address workplace discrimination, harassment and abuse; and create equitable work cultures within all facets of the health care industry.

Inspired by Time's Up, the organization launched last year by women in the entertainment industry, and galvanized by data on gender inequities in health care careers and the entrenched culture of harassment, an energized group of women came together to form Time's Up Healthcare. By the time the initiative was announced on February 28, there were 50 founding members.

One of them is Nancy Spector, MD, associate dean for faculty development and executive director of the College's acclaimed Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program for women. "The tenets of Time's Up Healthcare align perfectly with the mission of ELAM," she points out, "and also with the history of the College of Medicine, which has a strong heritage of supporting the advancement of women in medicine."

In fact, the College was among the first signatories of Time's Up Healthcare, pledging its commitment to prevent sexual harassment and gender inequity; to protect and aid those who are targets of harassment and discrimination; and to measure and track sexual harassment and gender-based inequities within the institution. Time's Up Healthcare is also supported by a range of partners including the American Medical Women's Association, American College of Physicians, Service Employees International Union, American Nurses Association and Council of Medical Subspecialties.

Time's Up Healthcare is made up of women from diverse backgrounds and a wide spectrum of health care professions. They are doctors, nurses, physician assistants, clinical pharmacists and more, steadfast in the shared goal of improving gender equity and decreasing the burden of sexual harassment in health care. They seek to engage and support health care workers at every level of health care delivery; to raise awareness; to advocate for meaningful standards; and to strengthen the ability of low-income workers to obtain legal aid.

Time's Up Healthcare reminds us of the bigger picture: "In health care, we know that lives are saved by working together and improving collective intelligence through teams that are not only diverse, but are respectful, inclusive, and equitable." Visit timesuphealthcare.org/.