Advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and medical center leaders will gather virtually on January 16 to kick off the 2024 Series Advanced Practice Grand Rounds, a monthly educational series hosted by the VUMC Advanced Practice Office. I did.
This session will feature Amita Bey, EdD, MPH, Associate Director of the VUMC Office of Inclusion and Health Equity, who will deliver the keynote address, “Embracing Diversity in Healthcare: Cultivating a Culture of Humility, Quality, and Care.” I did it.
“Diversity in health care is more than just a buzzword or a catchphrase,” Bay said. “It's a basic necessity.”
Mr. Bey offered a personal anecdote to illustrate the importance of workforce diversity to address health disparities. Her family has roots in Union Springs, Alabama, not far from where the Tuskegee syphilis study was conducted. The federal study, conducted from 1932 to 1972, included patients who were unaware of the treatment for syphilis, resulting in the deaths of perhaps 100 men. As a student at Tuskegee University, she learned more about the history of the Tuskegee syphilis study.
“Knowing that my own people, Black Alabamans, are committing such grave crimes has underscored to me the critical need for ethical standards and human rights in medical research. And this recognition I would say it really turned me around, or even inspired me to pursue a career in public health and academic medicine,” she said. “I felt compelled to be a voice for the vulnerable and to be a voice for the voiceless to ensure that this type of injustice never happens in the future.”
Unethical research methods make minorities skeptical of health care providers and reluctant to seek treatment, leading to disparities in health outcomes. Increasing the diversity of the health care workforce can change these perceptions, Bey said.
Citing a study by the Commonwealth Fund, Bay said, “Diverse and representative health care workers are improving patients' access to care, their perceptions of the care they receive, and their health outcomes, especially for patients of color.” This shows that it can improve the
“Furthermore,” she added, citing a Commonwealth Fund study, “when Black patients are treated by Black physicians, they are more likely to be satisfied with the care they receive and receive recommended preventive services.” “are more likely to agree and have actually received it'' within the past year. ”
Mr. Bey used a very personal example to highlight the importance of increasing diversity and the resulting trust in health care for minorities. Her father, Leon, did not believe the COVID-19 vaccine was safe or effective for Black people and other ethnic minorities. Just weeks before Christmas 2021, he contracted the coronavirus and was rushed to hospital as his symptoms gradually worsened. He passed away in early January 2022, shortly after turning 72 years old.n.d. birthday.
“If you take nothing else away from today's story, it's that diversity is more than just a checkbox for differences, it's a celebration of the unique backgrounds that, when united, form a formidable force. Please keep in mind that we are driving positive change to create a more caring and diverse work environment.”
During the kickoff session, the 2024 Advanced Practice Ambassador Award was presented to Jaci Ryals, BS, associate director of the Office of Advanced Practice. This award recognizes non-advanced practice providers who have made a contribution to advocating for and supporting the role of the advanced practice profession.
For more information about Advanced Practice Grand Rounds and the Office of Advanced Practice, please visit https://www.vumc.org/nursing-oap/welcome.
“The Office of Advanced Practice serves as an expert for the more than 1,500 Advanced Practice practitioners who are dedicated to fulfilling our mission at VUMC,” said Brent Dunworth, Associate Nurse Executive, Advanced Practice. (DNP, MBA, APRN, CRNA, NEA-BC) said. .
