How health care organizations can tackle racism in patient care

<p>"The new American Medical Association policy recognizing racism as a public health threat and providing an anti-racist approach to equitable care will have no effectiveness unless health care organizations get their own houses in order and actively do anti-racism work in their own institutions.</p> <p>Although I’m not a health care provider, as a health care communicator whose role is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, I sit in rooms where health disparities in hard-hit communities due to systemic racism are regular topics of conversations. But in the hallways, on Zoom meetings, in texts and email conversations, I also learn about all how disparities due to systemic racism are rampant inside an institution and make organizational health equity seem like a faraway dream.</p> <p>How can you fight to advance health equity and racial justice out in the community when you’re not doing the same within your own organization?"</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkihopewell/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nikki Hopewell</a> is a communications strategist.</p> <p>She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "<a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/health-care-organizations-clean-up-your-house-first-then-you-can-tackle-racism-in-patient-care.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Health care organizations: Clean up your house first, then you can tackle racism in patient care</a>." (<a href= "https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/health-care-organizations-clean-up-your-house-first-then-you-can-tackle-racism-in-patient-care.html">https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/health-care-organizations-clean-up-your-house-first-then-you-can-tackle-racism-in-patient-care.html</a>)</p>