Health Disparities Experienced by Surgical Patients of Color: What is Known and Key Actions to Take

In July of 2020, AORN created a comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan that includes a patient-focused committee whose goal is to improve the care, experience, and outcomes of each patient by providing relevant information, education, and resources about diversity, equity, and inclusion to the perioperative team. To gain insight into racial disparities in the surgical setting, the committee conducted a literature search and identified relevant evidence. As in health care in general, disparities in surgical care and outcomes exist between patients of color and their white counterparts. The reasons are multifactorial and interconnected, with contributing factors related to the patient, health care providers, the health care system, and surgical and postoperative care. Disparities can occur at any point along the perioperative continuum. Research conducted during the past 10 years supports the existence of disparities in the surgical setting and across surgical specialties, but few researchers have recommended strategies that perioperative teams can implement for improvement. The white paper identifies disparities in the surgical setting, actions that facilities and perioperative teams can take to mitigate disparities, and information gaps that should be the focus of future research. Perioperative team members and health care organizations are ethically responsible to lead the development and implementation of changes in health care settings and in public and health policies that address disparities in surgical care and outcomes.