Page 35 - JRCERT Update Articles

JRCERT Update

makers help create access for minorities. They are more shared decision making and an inclusive environment
likely to practice in underserved communities, treat lead to positive outcomes in health care organiza-
more patients regardless of their income, and provide tions, improved job performance and job satisfaction,
care to low-income and uninsured patients. In research increased loyalty to the workplace, and an enhanced
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areas, investigators tend to choose topics that interest sense of well-being. Research has shown that high-
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them and issues related to their community; therefore, quality care is delivered in organizations that employ
diverse researchers are needed to choose research topics and appreciate health care workers who are diverse and
related to problems associated with underserved patient have a better understanding of patients’ perspectives.
populations. They can attract more diverse research In addition, higher patient satisfaction and compliance
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study participants because minority groups trust health were reported in organizations that employed diverse
care providers and researchers who look like them. health care teams. Other positive outcomes included :
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Lastly, diverse health care leaders and policy makers are ƒ enhanced communication
required to influence important health care policies, ƒ higher engagement
especially those related to patients from underserved ƒ decreased job burnout
populations. 3 ƒ improved morale
ƒ decreased conflict
Creating a Diverse, Equitable, and ƒ enhanced well-being
Inclusive Workplace Professional development opportunities and DEI train-
Creating a diverse health care environment where ing provide support, mentoring, and lifelong learning
everyone feels safe and included requires ongoing edu- for health care workers, enhancing their performance
cation in the workplace, promoting a culture focused when they interact with patients and colleagues from
on DEI, and supporting employees with cultural minority and underserved populations. 4
competence. Furthermore, DEI efforts should start in Filling health care and leadership positions with
the educational system by developing a diverse group diverse individuals requires the educational system
of students who can obtain the knowledge and skills to admit and train a diverse group of students. Health
needed to fill these positions. This requires recruiting, science programs should have nondiscriminatory
hiring, and retaining diverse faculty as well as students. practices for recruiting and employing faculty as well
Morrison et al described 6 standards that are essen- as recruiting and admitting students. This is exempli-
tial to creating a workplace environment that promotes fied in the Joint Review Committee on Education
DEI : in Radiologic Technology standards, specifically
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ƒ leadership Standard One, Objective 1.1 of the 2021 Standards
ƒ professional development for an Accredited Educational Program. Leaders in
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ƒ quality higher education should promote DEI in health care
ƒ shared decision-making through programmatic changes in curricula. This can
ƒ safety be accomplished through required courses on cultural
ƒ well-being diversity and health care disparities, documentation
Promoting DEI in an organization requires the sup- of students’ caring for a diverse patient population and
port of the executive leaders in recruitment, retention, their competency in respecting and communicating
professional development, and support of employees with them, activities that enhance students’ interdis-
from minority groups. Leaders should create a safe ciplinary education, and research activities in the area
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environment so that all employees feel included, valued, of DEI. Organizations should incorporate DEI in their
engaged, and heard, which results in better relation- mission, vision, and goals, thus driving DEI initiatives
ships, motivation, job performance, and commitment. A throughout their organizational strategies. These strate-
culture of shared decision making and interprofessional gies should support underrepresented groups and all
collaboration enhances feelings of safety. In addition, students financially, academically, and socially through

2 asrt.org/publications