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Whether it’s the looming presidential election or our contentious cultural and political climate, conversations around family dinner tables these days—from education to jobs—often center around three letters: DEI, which stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
These three initials have been the focus of many heated discussions, but few people stop to understand what DEI really means.
This is a particularly pressing issue for health care. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a steady decline in public trust in doctors and medical scientists, driven in part by misinformation and the politicization of vaccines and health care. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 40% of Americans Two years later, that number had dropped to 29%. Black and Latino patients Rates of skepticism of the health care system are much higher among whites than among whites.
at the same time, Almost half of Americans Respondents to a Pew survey last year took a dim view of DEI in the workplace, calling it a waste of time and money. Any mention of DEI in health care triggers accusations from some critics that doctors and health educators are doing the politically correct thing rather than working for the benefit of their patients. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of DEI.
DEI does not mean medical schools, hospitals, and clinics playing politics. It means recognizing that if we take race, gender, culture, and sexual orientation into account when treating patients, we can save lives.
Take, for example, a widely reported story of a black woman in a hospital about to give birth. She was in pain and having trouble breathing, and told doctors she suspected a blood clot in her lung. The doctors dismissed her concerns. When she convinced them that her condition was not normal, she had to undergo four emergency surgeries, including a cesarean section, to save her life and that of her baby.
That woman is a tennis superstar Serena WilliamsIf an extremely wealthy and world-famous sports icon won’t be listened to and respected, then what black woman will?
A Research from the National Institutes of Health found that healthcare providers who were only a minority of black were less likely to recognize pain from the facial expressions of black women. Maternal mortality rate – 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births – more than twice the rate for white women. Some of these deaths could be avoided if we listened to our patients’ concerns.
There are many more disparities—rooted in health literacy, race or ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, education level, and socioeconomic status. For example, 53% of Latino patients—who often face language and cultural barriers when seeking care—said their hazardous work exacerbates health disparities. Effective DEI means taking care of all Patients—differences, contradictions and all.
Fairness in healthcare doesn’t mean the same thing as it does in finance. It means that medical professionals inform, empower, and respect all patients and take their health issues seriously.
To do this, we need to reemphasize the importance of human connection at the heart of our work. This means empowering all health care providers to develop and deliver thoughtful, equitable, patient-centered care. For example, at the Hofstra/Northwell Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, where we work and teach, we have formed a committee of physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners to discuss the challenges of caring for minority patients. We have also adapted our medical school curriculum and hospital policies to identify unconscious bias and try to personalize care for people from all cultures and backgrounds.
Healthcare professionals also need to reflect the populations they serve. Association of American Medical Colleges study Data shows that nearly 64% of physicians are white, while only 7% are Latino and less than 6% are black, which is less than half of their representation in the overall U.S. population. Medical schools need to do a better job recruiting and preparing medical students for success in the workplace. We created a mentorship program that exposes students from disadvantaged backgrounds to the healthcare industry in a rigorous five-week course, which is just one example of such efforts.
True healing can only be achieved when healthcare professionals, from nurses to doctors, can connect with patients in a humane way, understand and respect each other, and work together to develop treatment plans that meet individual health needs. This is not only the right thing to do, it is also an economic necessity.
If we do not improve preventive care and medical treatment in minority communities, health care costs will continue to exceed our budget. The national health care system wastes approximately $320 billion A study by Deloitte Insights shows that failure to address inequality results in avoidable spending of up to $10 billion per year. Their analysis shows that this excess waste could rise to $1 trillion by 2040 if we don’t address the issue.
It’s time to redesign health care so it works for all Americans, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or other differences. DEI is not a matter of choice; it’s a matter of life and death.
Dr. Jennifer Mieres is a professor of cardiology and chief diversity and health equity officer at Northwell Health, a nonprofit health network and the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State.
Dr. David Battinelli is executive vice president and physician-in-chief at Northwell Health and dean of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
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