Benefits of Having Cultural Diversity in a Healthcare Organization

Perhaps one of the most significant factors that push a healthcare organization to reach the top is customer service and patient care. Healthcare belongs to the service industry, which is why it is adamant that people not only get their adequate treatment but are also greeted well and presented with a caring experience overall.

When one is suffering from a disease, they least expect to be given the cold shoulder. Healthcare organizations must emphasize patient care and customer service at all costs so that people are not reluctant to visit them in their time of need.

That being said, many healthcare organizations often have to deal with patients coming in from various backgrounds and walks of life. Hence managing diversity well at a healthcare organization should also be administered meticulously.

According to a 2015 survey performed by Witt Kieffer Inc., 26% of Caucasian respondents and 10% of racially as well as ethnically diverse respondents believe that minority executives are well-represented in healthcare management teams.

Benefits of Cultural Diversity in Healthcare Organizations

In light of this information, I would like to represent some significant benefits of cultural diversity in healthcare organizations. So without any further a due, let's jump right into them:       

A Greater Sense of Community

People are people wherever you go. We laugh, live our lives to the fullest, and enjoy each other's companionship. Diversity teaches us to look beyond our differences. We each have a heart that yearns for love; diversity makes us compassionate towards others and removes all negative connotations that societies before us have used to discriminate against people.

United we stand, divided we fall absolutely! By promoting diversity at your healthcare system, you bring people closer together and allow them to have a safe place to work. All of this helps you in the end to build a greater sense of community that negates biases and prejudices.

Supporting Underrepresented Minorities

There have been many discussions and debates regarding minorities and how they are treated in developed countries. The general public is speaking up about how minorities are underrepresented and not given the opportunity to showcase their talents and abilities.

They are often generalized to be of low caliber and not approved to work in a respectable work position. All of this negativity can be avoided by having a diverse team of professionals, and this will put a good word out for your establishment as well. It is a great way to win favors from your locals who would value your work ethics and have high regard for your leadership.

A Workplace that Encourages Learning

It has been proven again and again that a fixed mindset is not a progressive approach; in fact, it is a deterrent to new forms of learning. A diverse workforce for your healthcare organization promotes a learning mindset where people are open to acquiring new knowledge.

This is essential because, with time, new technologies are emerging that are revolutionizing healthcare as we speak. A workforce that is open to newer forms of learning will be better able to adapt to these changes and find it less difficult to acquire a new set of skills.

Improved Customer Services

With diversity in healthcare organizations, various benefits can improve your customer service. According to a case study published by the American Hospital Association, diversity at healthcare organizations help in addressing numerous social determinants that open up access to a comprehensive health care system.

The management is able to break down language barriers and address the concerns of the patients more intimately. The focus then becomes on respecting differences, identifying similarities, and leveraging strengths. Eventually, the system can build rapport with customers belonging from various cultures and traditions as well as retaining them in the long run as well.

Cultural Competency

At any time, patients can have limited English proficiency, and this can lead to all sorts of problems. According to

a study by Health Affairs, 36% of hospitals lack systems to accommodate patients that speak different languages.

The need for cultural competency is crucial for healthcare because we often observe life and death cases rushing in for medical support. In that time of urgency, any cultural barrier would have a negative impact on the healthcare system's actual outcome. While the intentions are always good, the slightest of misunderstandings can even lead to million-dollar lawsuits.

Acknowledging Patients

Healthcare needs to be open and present themselves as safe harbors that let people in. Acknowledging patients is vital since it allows the healthcare organization to recognize individuals, offer understanding for their experiences as well as associate hope and expectations with the system. There might be future uncertainty that can be involved for both the patients and the healthcare professionals, which is why no one likes to be morally judged or blamed during times of need and urgency.

Acknowledging patients also helps to deal with loss and other intense emotions like shame and guilt. In this way, healthcare systems can improve their patient experience as professionals would then respect their point of view and will be more willing to listen to them as well.   

Respecting What Needs to be Respected

There is an undeniable need for patients to feel respected. First and foremost, the privacy of patients needs to be addressed appropriately. In any way, they must not feel that the healthcare system's practices are violating their privacy.

Secondly, when dealing with a diverse set of populations, healthcare workers should also consider the patients' various values. This can refer to their individual beliefs, cultural heritage, and religious inclinations. Disregarding them would put the patient in a state of unease and perhaps at times even persuade them to look elsewhere for support. 

Lessening Intimidation

It generally signals a more welcoming atmosphere for patients when they see a diverse workforce serving your hospital or clinic. Seeing people work in harmony and with unwavering efficiency allows them to understand that there are no prejudices held based on race, color, and creed. Your system is then perceived to be a family unit where everyone is given their due importance.

Such reflections from a patient's point of view lessen those feelings of being intimidated by your professionals and work ethics. Your clinical staff will then be looked upon as those who can easily communicate, share information, and build lasting connections.

Out of the Box Approach

The teams that you form and the managers that you hire can also brew creativity through diversity. Learning new ways and interacting with people belonging from various cultures opens the doorways for greater learning and self-improvements for your staff. Hence when an approach is not working, a new angle can be introduced, evaluated, and implemented in a quick succession of time.

Various instances have shown a diverse workforce to bring about new and improved ways of doing things that yield the best results. Diversity can also help nurture the cognitive abilities of your professionals and provide you with an out of the box approach to deal with on-going and current challenges. 

Social Determinants of Health

The economic factors and social conditions that influence individuals and groups of people are broadly categorized as social determinants of health. People often have differences in health status, which can include elements that promote healthy living and working conditions, income distribution, power, and wealth. However, social determinants of health do not deal with individual risk factors such as the role of genetics or vulnerabilities to an injury or disease.

Through a diverse team of professionals, you can use these social determinants to improve your overall care quality, access to healthcare, and accomplish health equity, especially in nursing. This can also assist you in reducing health disparities that may inflict the nation's population. Hence there have been several proposals made in the past to emphasize diversity in the healthcare workforce in order to improve health resources for the general population.

Unfortunately, we are living in a world where an individual's potential to reach full health is severely constrained by their social class, group, and economic status. However, through diversity in your healthcare system, you can effectively work to put these limitations aside.

Greater Collaborations

Diversity in itself can be a challenge for management to handle; however, when done right, it can create opportunities for amazing teamwork and team support from all individual team members. It allows you to set aside differences, focus on similarities, and work in harmony.

Thus, there are unified objectives that motivate your team and, ultimately, goals and objectives are given their due priorities. A fair system for all allows equal participation and thus holds no prejudices against any race, social cast, color, or creed. Your professionals will feel good about themselves and also perceive the system to be just, which leads to lesser conflicts and complaints in the long run.   

Merit-Based Recruitments

There are times when organizations used to favor a particular set of people and demographics over the rest. However, their shortsightedness soon caused them to learn the value of skilled and high potential, yielding individuals. We are living in an era where information technology and a greater sense of awareness dominate.

It has allowed us to break away from mindsets that have hindered our progress in the past. Today the world is celebrating diversity in all forms of work settings. For a healthcare system, diversity allows you to hire talents from all over the world; thus, priority is based on achievements and talents rather than cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Implementing a merit-based system for recruitment is a must for healthcare as this will allow the public to receive the best form of care from professionals who have worked hard to win their spot at your establishment. 

Improved Employee Morale

When we observe a system that treats everyone fairly, and in a just manner, our belief in that system strengthens. By managing diversity in your healthcare workforce, you are allowing your employees to trust in your credibility and decision making.

Thus this can lead to lesser complaints and conflicts that can impede your team's overall productivity in the workplace. Employees thus begin to gain high morale for the establishment. They feel proud to be a part of the bigger picture and take more interest in their duties. They are eager to do their best as they know rewards for their hard work and good intentions would never be hindered through meaningless favoritism.

A Step towards the Global Workforce

The term global village is quite an old one. However, there is no doubt that over time, the world's population has grown tremendously. People nowadays travel from all over the world and intermingle with crowds from foreign cultures and communities.

Through a diverse workforce, you can take strides to achieve a global workforce that can adapt and deal with challenges presented to them regardless of their origins and backgrounds. A global workforce is thus more equipped to face odds stacked up against them as they are better armed to deal with changes in the environment and adapt to them without any unnecessary delays. 

Better Outcomes & Greater Satisfaction

Through diverse healthcare, the workforce can work towards the provision of better outcomes for your patients and offer them greater satisfaction through your services. In the end, your patient's feedback for your services matters a lot.

The goodwill that you create with them helps to nurture your public rapport. Eventually, positive word of mouth about your establishment catches on, which can be truly priceless for you since it helps sustain your profitability in the long run. Good reviews are important. However, one bad review can ruin the whole image of your organization. While this can prove challenging, it is possible and manageable through consistent effort and dedication. 

Going Beyond Patient Satisfaction

A culturally diverse workforce offers you enhanced productivity and greater chances for innovations. With a variety of viewpoints and expertise on the subject, establishments should consider this as a primary objective and priority to feed such systems and make such programs grow in the future.

When you achieve a certain degree of culturally sensitive healthcare providers, you are putting aside differences and leaving your competitors behind. Hence your healthcare would go beyond general practices and develop new practices that can put your patients at ease.

Conclusion

Embracing diversity is paramount when it comes to healthcare systems as it allows your customers and employees to build a favorable relationship with your establishment. Systems that encourage diversity in their workforce treat their customers not only well but also deeply motivate their employees.

There is trust, credibility, and feelings of friendship that brews in an environment surrounded by diversity. Healthcare systems not only improve themselves but are also able to deliver better performance with the help of a diverse workforce. I hope this post was able to offer you some delightful insights regarding how diversity can shape your healthcare organization's working environment and bring forth various benefits.

For more queries regarding the topic, please feel free to share with me your say on the subject in the comments section below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Bio
Stella Lincoln is currently working as a Lifestyle Blogger. She is also a Counselor at Dissertation Assistance , where higher education students can acquire professional assistance from experts specializing in their field of study. During her free time, she likes to read poetry and try out her own skills at producing an exquisite work of art.