What Is DEI?
What does DEI mean in healthcare?
- Diversity: Understanding and accepting the background of all patients being served, including culture, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and socioeconomic status.
- Equity: Ensuring access to best practices and evidence-based care for all.
- Inclusion: Encouraging the presence of a diverse healthcare staff in the treatment experience of patients.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion, collectively known by the acronym DEI, is a set of policies or practices that promote the full participation and fair treatment of all people, including populations that historically have been underrepresented or subject to discrimination. Many healthcare organizations have made efforts to hire diverse employees, and many more now have DEI initiatives, DEI task forces, or staff positions focused on DEI.
Why Is DEI in Healthcare Important? Some examples:
- Black and Hispanic patients report a higher rate of negative healthcare experiences. For instance, Black and Hispanic patients were more likely than white patients to report that their healthcare provider refused to order a test the patient felt they needed.
- Black and Hispanic patients report more difficulty finding a doctor of their race. A patient can feel more comfortable sharing personal information with a doctor who has the same background as they do.
- People of color have overall worse physical health than white people. People of color experience higher rates of infant mortality and chronic conditions.
- LGBTQ+ individuals often encounter barriers to healthcare. As a result, they can experience worse health outcomes.
A Gallup Center on Black Voices study, incorporating survey results from more than 13,000 Americans, revealed that Black and Hispanic Americans reported poorer patient experiences across various dimensions and were more likely than White Americans to report negative experiences with providers. The poll found that Black and Hispanic Americans are less likely than White Americans to report having easy access to quality healthcare where they live (31%, 32% and 47%, respectively). Source: Gallop Workplace. February 24, 2022: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/389990/healthcare-systems-time-DEI-checkup.aspx
What is The Difference Between Health Equity and DEI?
Health Equity and DEI: Are They the Same Thing?
Health equity means social justice in health and is achieved when everyone can attain their full potential for health and well-being. Health equity is supported when the healthcare workforce represents the communities served as related to race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, physical disability and socioeconomic status.
