17 Jul CHI 8th Annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity Symposium
At Menttium, we place high value on hosting, sponsoring, and attending various conferences and events throughout the year. The annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity Symposium hosted by the Center for Healthcare Innovation is one such event that we were proud to sponsor.
Considered the leading symposium for discussing equity in the health sector, the annual event focuses on health equity and health disparities in the U.S. By bringing together experts from every division of the healthcare sector, including executives, physicians, patient groups, patients, researchers, academics, clinical trial professionals, and diversity and inclusion advocates. The conversations held at the 2018 Symposium revolved around health equity in the life sciences and the health sectors.
Health equity, referring to the study of the quality and consistency of health and healthcare across diverse populations, along with diversity and inclusion within the health sector were the main focuses of the Symposium as the name implies. By presenting and discussing the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in both the marketplace and workplace, the 2018 CHI Symposium was able to facilitate meaningful discussions and present potential answers to pressing questions, such as how corporations and practitioners could best serve an increasingly diverse patient base. By addressing a broad spectrum of health disparity challenges, all in attendance were able to walk away armed with the latest insights and ideas that are leading the healthcare industry. We greatly enjoyed learning alongside our fellow CHI Symposium attendees as we shared perspectives and connected with our colleagues during the day-long event.
Topics at the 2018 CHI Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity Symposium
While the Symposium at large centered around the umbrella theme of health equity and health disparities in the U.S., Menttium, along with the rest of the attendees had the opportunity to dive deeper into such topics as:
- How Does D&I Impact the Bottom Line
- Diversity in Clinical Trials and Research
- Examples in Cultural Competency
- An Unbiased and Data-Driven Approach to Health Equity
- Designing for Trust
Several speakers emphasized the missed opportunities for health care organizations in not focusing on diversity and inclusion for their clients and employees. Projections indicate that the US will be a majority non-white nation by the year 2043, yet panelists pointed out stark inequities, such as a 16-year difference in the life expectancy of residents of the west side of Chicago versus the downtown area. Fortunately, solutions such as partnering with companies committed to creating change in the communities they serve are plentiful; for example, Rush Medical contracted with an ambulance service committed to training 100 community members followed by guaranteed hiring. Another innovative approach described by keynote speaker, Dr. Ronald Copeland, MD, FACS, Senior VP of National Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and Policy at Kaiser Permanente, partnered barbers in under-served communities with doctors in the region to raise awareness of health issues among African-American men.
Speakers on all topics during the Symposium agreed that accountability must be part of the diversity and inclusion strategy of health care providers at all levels. In fact, market forces now demand an emphasis on the D&I strategy. In addition to the imperative to bring diverse thoughts, backgrounds and approaches to drive innovation, customers, consumer, patients, and employees all want to work with people to whom they can relate.
Participants were able to glean key takeaways by the conclusion of the event, such as how to reduce health disparities through aggregating culturally competent organizations, how to make clinical trials more diverse and inclusive, and how to attract the best and brightest individuals to help create a diverse workforce that drives innovation.
Menttium – Reception Sponsor
Menttium was happy to act as reception sponsor to help conclude this year’s event. Why sponsor an event focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in the healthcare sector? We know that mentoring is a powerful, leadership development intervention to develop, engage and retain diverse talent. We work with many organizations in the healthcare industry and have seen firsthand the positive impact of mentoring in an industry that is very volatile with constant change, as well as how mentoring can be a key enabler of diversity & inclusion strategies. Through our Cross-Company, Executive Mentoring and Internal Corporate Mentoring programs, Menttium is a strong proponent of diversity and inclusion in the healthcare field and beyond. Our team greatly enjoyed our time facilitating further discussions on the value of mentoring, as well as diversity and inclusion efforts in the workplace.