Page 5 - Health Inequity Care Summary Report

2) Health care systems should insist on extensive training of all medical personnel on bias and
cultural competencies and monitor behaviors on a regular basis both with patients and between
health care workers.
3) Address the lack of trust on the part of African Americans due to historical reasons, generational
trauma, and cultural insensitivity. People of color report that they do not seek early health
interventions because they do not trust the system.
4) All levels of health care providers should actively listen to the patients and their advocates.
5) Create a system that promotes development of patient/doctor relationships. Create a team
approach to patient health where the patient is respectfully listened to and is part of the decision-
making team.
6) Create a communication system that can be accessed by all and is varied using multiple methods
of communication. Initiatives for improving health are happening in Southern Maryland about
which the citizens are unaware.
7) More people of color should be represented at all levels of management.

8) Recruit more doctors/health care workers that are African American.

Diversity at All Levels of the Health Care System

Lack of diversity in representation and cultural competency: There is an inability by patients to find
medical personnel at all levels of health care that are African American. Lack of diversity leads to lack of
sensitivity to the needs and culture of people of color. Lack of cultural competency is when medical
personnel, often not from this area or country, lack the ability to understand the context for how their
patients live in order to understand their health problems. Recommendations:

1) Equity in hiring and staffing. Representation of people of color on all levels.
2) Once hired, people of color should be given equal respect and support by their institutions and
staffs.
3) Increase diversity (race, ethnicity, gender) in leadership positions in healthcare organizations.
4) Encourage and enable minority students to seek professional careers in healthcare.

5) Push institutions to diversify at all levels, not just at the staff level, and to publish evaluations
of their programs and services.

6) Have physicians of color serve as models and advocate for addressing bias and racism.

Assessment and Collaboration

Community assessment and collaboration: Our Southern Maryland community (all three counties) are
encouraged to work together to assess the health care needs of the whole community, name the needs, and
then work in collaboration with health care providers, public health, business, schools, libraries, churches,
community organizations and each other to provide better health care for the entire community. The
following ideas were noted:

1) Counties should work in collaboration.
2) Look to St. Mary’s Public Health community partnerships as a model

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