A healthcare organization's DEI activities can significantly impact the lives of both those delivering and receiving treatment. Knowing where to start off can be a daunting task because of the magnitude of this role. Healthcare companies considering DEI efforts should keep the following strategies in mind.

1. The initial step is to establish a baseline. You can get an idea of how far you need to go by evaluating your company's culture about DEI. Organizations can learn more about the existing impression of DEI by conducting patient and staff surveys or conducting focus groups with stakeholders.

2.  Find out how to measure success. Your organization can implement targeted interventions and best practices to drive DEI success by focusing on two to three aspects over a specified period (e.g., six months or one year). To improve service to patients whose first language is not English, a company can set a goal of increasing the number of multilingual employees by 12 percent over the course of one year.

3.  Analyze your progress. Tracking progress is critical. There should be regular progress checks to ensure that goals are accomplished, no matter how creative they may be in hiring, brand, or customer experience. Two examples are increasing the number of people with varied backgrounds or estimating the number of training sessions needed for DEI education.

4. Bring everyone together. It is critical to know how DEI initiatives affect the entire organization. For example, the Human Resources Department influences recruiting and hiring processes but does not overlook the roles and departments that have a less direct impact on DEI. Consider the graphics used in marketing or the accessibility of information and services for varied audiences, for as providing patient education materials in multiple languages.

5. This is the fifth step in establishing a strong leadership commitment. Practical DEI activities require executive executives to commit fully and set the example for the rest of the organization. To ensure that these efforts remain honest and accountable, it is essential to have channels for feedback.

   For instance, posting a signed letter of commitment by the organization's top executives to all employees and patients clearly states that the company values DEI progress. Having a patient community representative on the advisory board of your organization also helps to ensure several different stakeholders educate that leadership.

6. Educate in an efficient way. Giving employees the option of completing cultural competency training as a requirement is an excellent first step. With the assistance of experienced mentors such as Woods Kovalova Group, it is possible to reduce unconscious bias.

   Onboarding and orientation for new hires should include academic requirements. Training can be booked for follow-up courses, if necessary.

About Jim Woods

Jim has more than two decades of experience driving change around diversity, equity, inclusion, performance, growth, and innovation. He's designed and led complex transformation initiatives in companies linked to globalization, demographic changes, sustainability, shifting business models, and new technologies.

Earlier in his career, Jim served in the United States Navy, taught fifth-grade math and science, including university human resources and leadership. Also, Jim has taught at Villanova University. He has authored six business books on DE&I, and leadership.

Education

Capella University, MS in Organizational Development and Human Resources