Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Bring It On- December 2020 - S...

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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2 0 • 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 • D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 H ealthcare professionals are expected to practice cultural humility and provide patient-centered care to diverse individu- als who have different cultural backgrounds than their own. Culture, however, is far broader than what many of us typically think of as cultural differ- ences due to country of origin. For example, a white male Christian provider who grew up in afflu- ence needs to practice cultural humility when car- ing for women, Muslims, non-whites, or those who are impoverished. While one may not know exactly what it's like to bear characteristics that do not apply to oneself, providers must be open-minded to understand the role of "culture," whatever its source, in patient disease presentation, illness expe- rience and recovery trajectory. A critical step in cul- tural humility is understanding the insidious role of implicit bias in our everyday thoughts and actions. We all have implicit bias shaped by our personal, social and cultural experiences. These unconscious stereotypes and prejudices influence our reactions to circumstances. We are unaware of such automat- ic assumptions about people and situations that in turn impact our decision-making and shape our daily actions. Having an implicit bias doesn't make someone a racist or mean a person is prejudiced against individuals who are unlike oneself. It does mean our lived experiences have resulted in unavoidable subconscious conditioning that can contribute to racial and socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes and systemic barriers to health equity. One of the biggest threats to equitable patient care occurs when healthcare professionals believe they don't have implicit bias, and that they treat every patient equally. For several generations, providers have been Understanding Implicit Bias Providers who recognize their prejudices provide more equitable care. Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Heena Santry, MD LISTEN AND LEARN Awareness of unconscious assumptions and empathy improve interactions with patients.

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