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disadvantaged areas and better address but they don’t go back and look at the
“Health systems and hospitals them-
old policies and refresh them.”
selves can commit to advancing diversity its health needs.
Becoming more embedded within
and including persons from historically
marginalized populations in their lead-
the community provided insights on ment are crucial for creating a culture
ership and governing bodies,” AHA CEO forming effective partnerships with of zero tolerance for racial bias and
discrimination against patients or staff,
Rick Pollack said in an emailed state-
stakeholders, Wheeler said. The sys-
ment. The study found that the percent-
tem works with a community wellness said Dr. Aisha Terry, associate profes-
age of executive leadership positions center that has developed action teams sor of emergency medicine at George
filled by minorities had remained flat tasked with addressing specific health Washington University School of Medi-
concerns of residents. “We have learned cine in Washington, D.C., and an Amer-
since 2011, and that chief diversity offi-
cers represented 77% of those positions.
significant lessons,” Wheeler said. “The ican College of Emergency Physicians
“People in my generation who have community told us, ‘Don’t tell (us) what board member.
had the blessing of leadership po-
“It’s vital to create official poli-
sitions, we just have not gotten
cies that speak to the selective
the job done,” said Dr. David Health status for groups of color post-ACA Clear policies and strong enforce-
opinions of an organization,”
Skorton, CEO of the Association Number of measures where each group fared better, she said. “But a policy or state-
of American Medical Colleges. the same or worse compared to whites ment without subsequent ac-
“We have not done enough to Better No difference Worse Data not available tion is a disservice to the topic
relieve the burden of structural 1 and the organization’s capaci-
racism—first, perhaps in our 3 11 21 7 10 ty to ignite change.”
own hearts, in the organizations 5 Organizations should factor
that we lead, and in our com- health equity into all their de-
munities in general.” cisions, much like the “health-
Healthcare providers need 19 2 in-all-policies” approach that
the courage and will to assess 2 17 3 public health advocates have
if they’re actually improving 14 6 lobbied governments to use in
diversity and inclusion in their developing public policy, Terry
organizations—in recruiting, and LeRoy said.
professional development, pro- 8 “For organizations, there
curement, community invest- 3 must be a theme threaded
ment and beyond, Skorton said. throughout every aspect of its
Such actions are part of what 3 mission that addresses health
hospitals should be doing to Black Hispanic Asian American Native equity,” Terry said. “Whether
forge stronger ties with their Indian, Hawaiians, it be related to leadership,
communities, he added. In light Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Alaska other Pacific membership, quality ini-
examination of measures for 2018 or the
of current events, Skorton said most recent year from which data is available. natives Islanders tiatives, health information
one step hospitals could take is technology or even education
speaking out against the kind of policing (we) need,’ but rather they articulated … there should be some representa-
tactics that led to Floyd’s death. Several (their) needs and had us support them.” tion of health equity.”
organizations have issued such state- Thomas-Hall said Allina’s diversity Ensuring health equity is included in
ments and posted on social media. and inclusion initiatives must pinpoint every policy discussion should be the
“Why can’t we as leaders in our com- what needs improvement and deter- chief diversity officer’s role. But organiza-
munities get involved in discussions mine what it means to deliver equitable tions should expand the position’s scope
about policing tactics—it’s all part of be- care. “One of the first things that we’re so diversity officers participate in poli-
ing part of a community,” Skorton said. focusing on is our whole understanding cy decisions that may not seem directly
In Minneapolis, Allina Health has around bias and how bias really is the connected to diversity, Terry added.
taken a top-down approach to assess- impetus behind how we make decisions Organizations often see diversity offi-
ing policies regarding race, said Jackie and the impact of those decisions.” cers as devoted to recruiting and retain-
Thomas-Hall, the system’s diversity di- Still, a lot of organizations don’t reg- ing a diverse workforce or addressing
rector. ularly update their policies, LeRoy said. workers’ racial discrimination concerns.
One of the health system’s main hos- AAFP reviews its policies to weed out “You cannot just hire someone brown
pitals, Abbott Northwestern, is in the potential bias every five years. Such to take care of brown problems,” LeRoy
neighborhood where much of the un- assessments were necessary to ensure said. “You have to make certain that
rest after Floyd’s death has occurred. policies were keeping up with societal they have a voice and they have a choice
Allina Health CEO Dr. Penny Wheeler and cultural changes. of detailing racist policies and weighing
said the health system decided in 2005 “You can’t just let your policies be- in on the conversation—we need to be
to move its headquarters to help revital- come stagnant,” LeRoy said. Organiza- included in the conversation and not
ize one of the city’s most economically tions “just keep adding more policies, just talked about.” l
June 8, 2020 | Modern Healthcare 9