Wednesday October 30, 2024
Less than a week ago, the Board of Hennepin Health Care appointed Mohammad Omar as its new chair, marking a significant step as he becomes the first Somali American to lead a hospital board in Minnesota.
Omar aims to leverage his background as a Somali immigrant to restore public confidence in the hospital system and deepen its commitment to equitable care. At HCMC, where patients filter in and out, Omar sees reflections of himself and is driven to serve them better.
Reflecting on the milestone, Omar said, “I feel proud. I feel honored. But I also recognize that being the first comes with its challenges. I’d prefer the focus to be on my accomplishments rather than on being the first.”
Hennepin Health Care primarily serves patients of color, and while Omar's background lies in hospital finance, he stresses the importance of engaging with the community to understand and address its unique needs. His own experiences, from fleeing Somalia’s civil war to navigating life in the U.S., provide him with a deep understanding of the disparities in health care access and outcomes.