Three key ways hospitals and health systems can address disparities in health care are:
- Increase the collection and use of race, ethnicity and language preference [REAL] data to identify where disparities exist
- Increase cultural competency training to ensure caregivers and other staff have a deeper understanding of diverse patients and their individual needs
- Increase leadership and governance diversity
A new survey report looks at what hospitals are doing on these 3 fronts, learning more about the strategies used and providing benchmarks for gauging hospital progress.
Top line survey results found:
- Most hospitals are actively collecting patient demographic data — 97% collect data on race, 94% on ethnicity, and 95% on primary language.
- 86% of hospitals provide cultural competency training to clinical staff, while nearly 65% require all employees to attend diversity training.
- Minorities comprise 14% of hospital trustees, 12% of executive leadership, and 17% of first- and mid-management positions.
- Nearly a third of patients are from a minority group.
Meanwhile, a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute compares how the U.S. and European Union approach eliminating health disparities. One key difference: the U.S. has focused primarily on racial/ethnic disparities rather than economic inequities, although they are often intertwined.
Sources:
Diversity and disparities: a benchmark study of U.S. hospitals in 2013. Institute for Diversity in Health Management; Health Research & Educational Trust, 2014. http://www.diversityconnection.org/diversityconnection/leadership-conferences/diversity_disparities_Benchmark_study_hospitals_2013.pdf
Docteur E; Berenson RA. In pursuit of health equity: comparing U.S. and EU approaches to eliminating disparities. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Urban Institute, June 2014. http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2014/rwjf414060
Related sources:
Earlier benchmarking surveys: 2011 2009
Equity of Care web site, a collaboration of the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Hospital Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, Catholic Health Association of the United States, and America’s Essential Hospitals. Accessed June 25 at http://www.equityofcare.org/
Posted by AHA Resource Center (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org
Filed under: Administration, Benchmarking, Best practices, Diversity in the workplace, Governing boards, Health disparities, Posted by Diana Culbertson | Tagged: health care equity, hospital board diversity, hospital leadership diversity |
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