Across the U.S. diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and efforts are facing scrutiny, deprioritization or being eliminated altogether. As a physician, I believe the dismantling of DEI efforts could be damaging to our health care system, which has long struggled with systemic racism, discrimination, unconscious biases and public mistrust.
For patients of color particularly, the presence or absence of DEI efforts with health care could mean the difference between life or death. African Americans are already dying of preventable diseases at higher rates and now there is an increasing threat of reverting back to a one-size-fits-all approach to patient care with the removal of DEI programs.
A significant step back
Data shows that there are improved outcomes from diversity within health care. Having lived or shared experiences between a health care provider and a patient helps mentally and physically, while breaking down barriers and allowing for better patient diagnoses. Training health care students and professionals about everyday unconscious biases aids in educating them about the need to check their own biases to provide access to quality, respectful and culturally appropriate care to all patients regardless of ethnicity or color.
Additionally, it is vital that clinical trials recruit and include a diverse pool of participants for research and discovery to help shape health care. Due to a history of mistrust, there are already challenges with participation in clinical trials from people of color. Without diversity recruitment efforts for clinical trials we will not have the opportunity to see how to identify new diseases or how medicine impacts the broader community. When the population sampling is the same and people of color are excluded or not part of those conversations, we are taking a significant step back in medicine.
Representation matters
As our population becomes more diverse, it is critical that we have physicians who reflect the populations they serve. DEI efforts aid with training and recruiting physicians. It is scary to imagine not having DEI measures in place, especially when considering 6 percent of physicians in the country are African American, and only 3 percent are African American women doctors. Though these statistics are low, progress has been made, and representation does matter.
I am proud to be a part of that 6 percent, yet I still face questions from my patients and have to explain that I am a doctor based on the color of my skin. Some patients have refused care, and in public and professional arenas there are individuals who “untitle” me or refuse to acknowledge “doctor” before my name.
Again, representation matters and the more organizations support diversity and equity within their recruitment practices, the greater the impact on innovation and the quality of care delivered to all patients. I challenge recruiters and those in positions to hire — in and out of the health care industry — to step outside of their comfort zones and build pipelines of diverse talent.
For those who claim they are cannot find talent or don’t know where to look, consider exploring one of more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. as well as colleges that are known for having a diverse student body, comprising of people who are historically underserved or underrepresented including women and people of color.
When I also consider DEI efforts being deprioritized or eliminated, I also think about intersectionality and how barriers might be reinstated for women, people of color and those who identify as queer or nonbinary. Finding a health care provider who can understand these intersectionalities is already challenging. Keeping DEI efforts and programs in place in health care supports individualized care and the understanding of patients and their specific needs.
Championing diversity
It is distressing to witness some of the headway and progress being made in DEI across various industries being pulled back. It compels me to continue advocating for patients that are underserved and those that have been historically mistreated or ignored by the system. As a physician, I have seen firsthand the positive impact DEI efforts have had in our industry, benefiting providers and patients alike. Using my voice and through health literacy, I am hopeful that I can continue to champion diversity, equity and inclusion in health care. Such efforts are still necessary to advance medicine, and truly help all.
Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell is a board-certified, family medicine physician practicing urgent care medicine. She is based in Reno, where she serves as the medical director for Saint Mary’s Medical Group as well as the medical director for the Washoe County Sexual Assault Response Team and is founder of Beyond Clinical Walls. Additionally, Curry-Winchell is a regular national medical correspondent and TEDx speaker.
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