Diversity and Inclusion

A lot of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in the past has been performative rather than igniting real change. In fact, out of $49.5 billion pledged by corporations to combat racial injustice following the murder of George Floyd, a stunning $45.2 billion (more than 90%) was from investments that those companies stood to profit from, reports The Washington Post..

The last two years introduced more changes and challenges to healthcare organizations than ever before. The pandemic tested healthcare employees, who worked to the point of burnout to save lives, and highlighted severe inequities in the quality of and access to care for historically disadvantaged groups. Add to that the explosive growth of telehealth, which is reinventing healthcare delivery.

Diversity and inclusion directly impact business outcomes. When diverse employees feel welcome to bring their backgrounds, experiences, and complete identities to their work, they benefit from new ideas and ways of working. But when that’s missing, the business loses opportunities to improve or expand.

The pandemic has taken a toll on U.S. lives, but Black Americans and other Americans of color have been disproportionately affected. Nationally, Black Americans have died of COVID-19 at 1.4 times the rate of white Americans. Responding to health inequities, healthcare systems have taken steps to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts across their organizations.

Many organizations commit to enhancing both diversity and inclusion, but most companies end up pushing diversity measures while falling short on improving inclusion. Diversity is easier to measure concretely through data collected from applicants and employees. As long as people are willing to disclose demographic information, you can monitor diversity.

More than a year since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the workplace has changed forever. As we continue on the road to recovery, the virtual 2021 American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) Conference provided an opportunity for healthcare HR professionals to connect, innovate, and transform the future of the industry. “We spent 2020 dealing with the fall out from COVID and moving to telemedicine,” said Jeremy Sadlier, Interim Executive Director at ASHHRA.

A year after the pandemic, the 25th Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) Compliance Institute took place virtually this past week. As the healthcare industry adapts to the new normal, HCCA’s conference provides an opportunity for compliance professionals to learn about the latest developments and priorities from regulators.

Health disparities in the United States have contributed to increased death rates from COVID-19 among minority populations. Black Americans with the disease died at a rate 3.6 times higher than white Americans. The new administration, recognizing the severity of the issue, has appointed a task force to address and combat pandemic-related health disparities.

As I compile PreCheck’s annual list of most popular blog posts this year, I am reminded of everything that we faced in 2020. In a year that transformed the world via the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, PreCheck and our parent company Cisive focused on providing resources for employers and clients to overcome the challenges presented by the coronavirus.

As an industry that impacts all individuals and groups, including the most vulnerable, healthcare can play a major role in achieving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This begins with the healthcare workplace, and requires the involvement of healthcare human resources (HR). 

HR leaders understand the importance of developing a strong team, making them key to diversity and inclusion. Healthcare HR departments know the value of reaching out to all possible groups to find top quality individuals who can offer unique, valuable perspectives in the workplace.