Increasing Workforce Diversity in Healthcare, Improving Patient Outcomes
Increasing diversity within the healthcare workforce can have a significant impact on patient outcomes, decrease healthcare inequalities, boost workforce engagement and retention, and provide support for underrepresented communities.
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By - The significance of diversity in healthcare cannot be overstated, as it ensures that medical staff is representative of the communities they serve, leading to better outcomes for patients and their families.
Nancy Maldonado, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, California, stresses the importance of diversity in healthcare, which provides a range of perspectives, making it easier to understand and communicate with patients from various backgrounds.
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“It is critically important that the workforce reflects the communities and patients served. With that in mind, that's how effective strategies for increasing diversity are developed.”
Implementing strategies to increase diversity in the workforce involves looking at processes and procedures, job descriptions, the language used, where job postings are advertised, and recruitment sources. Community-centered approaches, such as partnering with community colleges and universities, are also vital.
"One of the most important strategies is to develop partnerships within the community, making sure people know that these opportunities are available — building a pipeline that is going to be in place for years to come," said Maldonado.
While emphasizing the importance of engaging with the workforce to understand their experiences and trust in the organization, Maldonado also highlights the challenge of not seeing changes immediately.
“Forming partnerships with community colleges and universities builds a pipeline, but the fruits of that pipeline probably won’t be seen for a while,” she mentioned.
Additionally, Maldonado discusses the challenge of San Diego's high cost of living, which can deter potential candidates. However, creating a positive work environment where people want to work can attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Maldonado detailed the importance of encouraging high school students and younger individuals to explore healthcare career options and tap into scholarships while highlighting the value of lived experiences of healthcare professionals.
“A college degree or certification is not the only entry point — lived experience is so valuable in providing proper care," continued Maldonado. “The value of lived experience is sometimes more important than that college degree or certification.”
Expanding workforce diversity in the healthcare landscape can drastically improve patient care, reduce health disparities, increase workforce satisfaction and retention, and support under-represented communities.
