Outpatient Surgery Magazine

The Secret of Gritflowness - October 2020 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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1 4 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 C reating more diversity within academic sur- gery requires a targeted, long-term and ded- icated approach. It's a worthwhile goal. Eliminating long-standing racial and ethnic dispari- ties and inequalities will improve access to surgical care for increasing numbers of diverse patients who feel more comfortable with providers who have a greater understanding of their background, culture and life experiences. The changing face of America The racial breakdown of the nation's population is drastically different than it was 50 years ago, when 80% of the country's residents were white. By 2060, the percentage of white Americans will be closer to 47%. The growing diversity in communi- ties has to be represented in the surgical work- force, which should reflect the make-up of the patients they treat. Research shows half of medical school students and residents believe Black patients feel less pain than white patients. Other studies have shown that healthcare professionals have implicit biases in terms of positive attitudes toward white patients and negative attitudes toward patients of color. Increased representation among healthcare providers would lessen the impact of implicit or explicit bias, and foster a greater understanding of cultural and language differences that will ultimate- ly have a positive impact on patient care. Unfortunately, a diverse healthcare workforce is not being trained. Consider the landscape in top medical schools over the last 20 years. Under- represented minorities make up 10% of graduates Why Representation Matters Diversity in surgery improves access to care for racial and ethnic minorities. Diversity & Inclusion Cherisse Berry, MD, FACS GREATER AWARENESS A diverse care team has the cultural understanding and ability to effectively interact with patients of different ethnicities.

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