The targeting of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts has become popular in right-wing discourse and even in Congress. For Ali Velshi, this is no less than a matter of life and death.
Black Americans are in a healthcare crisis. Statistics show they are living shorter, unhealthier lives than White Americans, and one of the sources of this disparity is the racial gap in healthcare providers. Black physicians treating Black children cut mortality for Black children in half. That’s just one powerful statistic. Women, especially Black women, face dismissive care from male providers that can result in tragedy.
DEI in the medical field — or any industry — does not mean hiring and deploying unqualified medical professionals or lowering standards. It is simply about recruiting a wider range of applicants to schools and careers from different ethnicities, backgrounds and genders that better represent the society at large they serve. It is demonstrably proven that in all industries and services, when providers represent the client, consumer or user, outcomes are improved for everyone involved.
To discuss how DEI initiatives in medicine are improving patients’ lives and chances for a healthy life, Velshi welcomed Dr. Ebony Hilton and Dr. Uché Blackstock to speak on the subject.
LISTEN: ALI VELSHI TALKS DEI IN MEDICINE WITH DRS. HILTON AND BLACKSTOCK:
WATCH: ALI VELSHI ON THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF DEI IN THE MEDICAL FIELD:
