Long-Haul Process Toward Health Equity, A
摘要
This entry summarizes a 4-year qualitative study (2018–2022) of two hospitals locationally proximate in the Midwest of the USA to better understand their challenges in implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and to understand how organizational DEI can influence public health. Extensive qualitative research methods are used to answer the key research questions: What are their challenges in managing DEI practices toward health equity? What DEI practices should be pursued or recommended to increase health equity? As a result of the study, both hospitals need to increase racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in their leadership and develop pipeline, sponsorship, and mentor programs. More relational space should be developed for organizational healing that enables leaders at different hierarchy levels to investigate how their internal system reinforces the system of privilege and oppression that operates in health care settings. The research shows how DEI initiatives in health care organizations can realize their capacity to contribute to the improvement of health equity in their local communities through the development of relational spaces in a caste-oriented health care system.