Diversity and Inclusion should be a top priority at Hospitals and Health Systems across the country. Why? Because your workforce should reflect your patient population. Your patients may come from your local communities. Others may have traveled from another country to have access to the specific illnesses you are noted for treating. It is imperative that your Nursing and medical team is culturally sensitive to their patients in order to provide the best care possible. Different cultures have different customs including: mannerisms such as not looking you in the eye; family members in attendance around the clock; the way they dress; language/communication; the food they eat; etc.
Understanding Diversity and Inclusion helps your team provide culturally responsive care. It also enhances the quality of life for your team. If your Nursing team is culturally aware, your patients and their families will be more comfortable and trusting of your hospital and staff. This makes the entire hospital experience a more positive experience for the patient, which in turn makes a smoother work environment. Imagine becoming ill and hospitalized in another country that doesn’t speak your language and doesn’t understand your subtle cultural differences. You’d most likely be scared and do whatever possible to get home immediately to a hospital where you feel safe and comfortable communicating with your medical team. A hospital you trust.
Hospitals and Health Systems use all types of approaches to monitor and educate their staff about Diversity and Inclusion. Many have Chief Diversity Officers or programs in place to educate and enhance this important factor of health care. Diversity can foster and drive excellence in patient care, research, and education. Here’s what some Hospitals and Health Systems are doing to improve Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace.
Chief Diversity Officers
The Chief Diversity Officer at the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), Marc Nivet, Ed.D., defines a CDO’s role “It’s using the concept of diversity and inclusion to promote a stronger, better organization. Before, it was primarily about representational diversity, focusing on bringing in diverse faces. That remains critically important, but now we also are thinking about how to make use of that diversity to improve health.”
If your organization doesn’t have a Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, do they need one? Nivet goes on to say, “There are still some doubters who do not see the value of a diversity initiative. They don’t see the microinequities of how staff or patients are treated. The pressure is on the CDO to illuminate those inequities, bring them to the surface, and encourage conversations about them.”
Leadership Programs
Boston Children’s Hospital provides leadership development programs for professionals of color. One of their programs is called Conexión. “Conexión was created to advance Latino leadership to meet the changing needs in business, education, and government organizations in an increasingly culturally complex world.”
The Partnership Program is another great opportunity Boston Children’s Hospital provides. The Partnership’s mission is to “develop professionals of color, increase their representation in Boston area businesses and institutions, enhance opportunities for advancement and influence, and thereby extend the region’s economic competitiveness. The Partnership program consists of two levels depending on experience.”
Diversity and Inclusion Team
Yale-New Haven Hospital has a 16 person team dedicated to carrying out their Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. The initiative is based on 6 key factors.
- Recruiting a diverse workforce that is sensitive to and inclusive of people's differences
- Providing an excellent patient experience by understanding patient diversity and the needs of the many different people the hospital serves
- Working with a wide variety of groups and individuals in the community to improve people's health and access to care
- Ensuring the hospital is the employer of choice by creating an environment that encourages the talents and recognizes the uniqueness of each employee
- Supporting the hospital's efforts to use diverse vendors and suppliers
- Educating staff on working with diverse team members and caring for diverse patient populations
Do you have Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in place at your organization? Does your workforce reflect you patient population? Feel free to contact us below to learn more about addressing some of these very important issues!
