Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Allied Health Using Ten Best Practices.

Area of Science:

• Health Equity
• Medical Education
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Growing social justice movements highlight health disparities and the need to address racism in healthcare and education.
• Incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into organizational culture and strategy is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize ten operationalized best practices for DEI implementation within an academic medical center.
• To discuss specific initiatives like diversity statements, scholarship support, and DEI training programs.

Main Methods:

• Review and operationalization of ten best practices for DEI.
• Implementation of specific DEI initiatives including SEED and Stepping In training.
• Focus on systematic assessment, funding, and strategic integration of DEI.

Main Results:

• Ten best practices for DEI operationalization were identified and applied.
• Specific initiatives like a Director of DEI, diversity statement, and training programs were implemented.
• SEED training focused on individual development, while Stepping In provided skills to address racism.

Conclusions:

• Ongoing formal assessments are necessary to measure changes and DEI competence.
• Strategic implementation of DEI best practices is vital for academic medical centers.
• Addressing racism requires a multi-faceted approach including training and systemic changes.