• Health Tech

The importance of DEI in health systems.

January 12, 2023

Healthcare organizations have a responsibility, as community care institutions, to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their workplace and to assert these values when dealing with their patients and families. 

The United States is known to spend far more on healthcare than other developed countries, but its focus on technology and innovation has meant that other factors with far greater impact, such as inclusion, have been largely ignored.

Recognizing the importance of DEI really means making a significant difference by focusing entirely on the well-being of all patients and seeking to adapt to their needs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the social determinants of health contribute to 60% of the variation in people’s health and well-being, even before taking into account the skills of hospitals or physicians.

We know the “social determinants” of health as those non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, such as where people live, learn, work and age, along with socioeconomic status and race, all of which have an enormous influence on their health.

This has a great impact on health, as they affect the access they have to healthcare services and the quality of life they lead, factors that physicians must take into account in order to provide personalized care to the patient in a way that ensures their understanding and compliance with treatment and/or follow-up of their reason for consultation.

Despite hospitals’ efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, patients of different ethnic backgrounds than whites continue to show significant differences in their healthcare experiences.

It is important to talk to the patient and ask if there are any barriers of any kind to comply with check-ups, taking medication, completing treatment, communication barriers, and any other factors that affect their experience.