How Can HR Be a Part of the Journey to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion?
A Health Care Human Resources Thought Leader Forum
2020 has been a year filled with protests against racial, social and criminal injustice, sparked by the killing of George Floyd. The ongoing pandemic has also amplified the disparities in health care resulting from structural inequities. This confluence of circumstances has made it imperative for health care providers to gain a deeper understanding of our nation’s history of oppression and accelerate their efforts to eliminate the systemic racism that continues to put the lives of so many people of color at risk.
The 2020 Thought Leader Forum was held virtually on August 24, 2020, and was moderated by Alison Bodor, MBA, MS OSTR/L, Program Director for Diversity and Inclusion, Human Resources at Northwestern Memorial Health Care. Special guests for the discussion were Juana S. Slade, CDM, CCF, Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Language Services at AnMed Health, and Donna M. Skurzak, MA, LSW, CDP, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Cleveland Clinic.
The discussion focused on how HR leaders can proactively be part of the journey to equity, diversity and inclusion for employees, patients and the communities we serve. This executive summary shares expert insights and practical recommendations for understanding the challenges, creating sustained change and measuring progress.