How Diversity Training Can Improve Patient Care

Given the increasing diversity of patient populations and the ongoing health disparities among different groups, healthcare providers are becoming more aware of the need to improve their cultural competency skills through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training.

Studies indicate that DEI training can lead to improved patient outcomes in several ways. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at these benefits, the topics covered in DEI training, and how to pick the right training for you and your organization.

What Is DEI?

DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. It refers to policies or procedures that support fair treatment and full participation for all individuals, especially those from historically underrepresented or discriminated-against groups. Let’s break down what each means:

• Diversity: Diversity encompasses the unique characteristics that distinguish individuals or groups, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, religion, language, physical and mental capacities, and diverse viewpoints, beliefs, and values.
• Equity: Equity eliminates barriers to participation and ensures fair treatment, access, and advancement for all. Equity promotes justice and fairness in institutions and processes. Understanding underlying societal disparities is crucial for addressing equity.
• Inclusion: Inclusion fosters a welcoming and respectful culture. It promotes participation and collaboration in a supportive and respectful environment, eliminating barriers, discrimination, and intolerance.

Employers have made a concerted effort to hire a diverse workforce, and many more now have DEI task teams, projects, or staff positions dedicated to DEI. Businesses that prioritize DEI are more likely to develop a workforce that is representative of the community.

Why Is DEI Important in the Healthcare Industry?

Healthcare workers' primary goal is to provide care, and integrating DEI into the industry has been shown to improve patient care. According to a recent study, diverse healthcare teams often resulted in better patient outcomes. Diverse teams also benefit from better team communication, risk assessment, and innovative thinking. Diverse organizations did better financially.

DEI also improves staff retention. Workers are more likely to continue working with a company that they believe prioritizes having a diverse staff, according to a new survey. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to successful healthcare companies. Healthier patients, contented healthcare professionals, and successful businesses are the end consequences.

What Is the Impact of Diversity Training on Patient Care?

Healthcare organizations have been seeking to face challenges attributed to racial disparities. For example, negative experiences with healthcare are more common among Hispanic and Black patients. Patients of color, namely Black and Hispanic, report more challenges in finding medical professionals who share their race and background.  Organizations have sought to remedy this by working to recruit doctors who share the same background as the patient, which might help the patient feel more at ease while disclosing personal details.

LGBTQ+ individuals often face healthcare barriers, leading to worse health outcomes and costly health disparities, with eliminating these disparities potentially reducing $93 billion in excess medical care costs.

Diversity training in healthcare can significantly improve patient care by enhancing cultural competency and promoting bias awareness among staff. It helps providers develop skills to collaborate with diverse individuals, leading to improved patient experiences and outcomes. This training helps staff recognize and mitigate implicit biases. It can also significantly improve patient care by fostering trust and reducing mortality rates. By addressing patients with understanding and acceptance, healthcare providers can prevent prejudice and ensure that serious symptoms are not overlooked, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

The aim of DEI programs in the healthcare industry is cultural and social sensitivity, which encompasses a wide range of factors such as age, disability, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. It involves approaching the patient or your coworker with an attitude of openness and humility. However, that calls for both a willingness to change and accountability, as well as training.

Why Is DEI So Important?

Diversity training in healthcare can significantly improve patient care by fostering trust and reducing mortality rates. By addressing patients with understanding and acceptance, healthcare providers can prevent prejudice and ensure that serious symptoms are not overlooked, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

DEI is crucial for fostering a just society, promoting equitable opportunities for all, and strengthening bonds between individuals and important organizations by bringing together diverse ideas and perspectives.

Everyone has something worthwhile to contribute to society. When the stakes are so high, healthcare organizations must strive to eliminate barriers and address lingering problems that have resulted in unfair circumstances for underrepresented groups.

Healthcare organizations risk missing out on unique perspectives when they don't hire diversely. By actively seeking out diverse individuals and offering diversity training, DEI has been shown to increase patient traffic. That means more growth economically for medical practices.  It is possible to keep minority workers in their positions and preserve their skills by fostering an environment that values fairness and inclusion.

Get Started on Your DEI Training

Taking care of implicit bias is a vital first step in enhancing healthcare equity in your firm. Implicit biases are conclusions we make about individuals or groups without realizing it. Implicit prejudice is unconscious, which makes it challenging to identify and lessen.

Our Diversity and Inclusion training offers a comprehensive approach to addressing unconscious bias in any workplace. Contribute to a better and more inclusive future by enrolling with 360training today!