When we go to the doctor, we all hope to be understood, get answers to our questions, and receive high-quality care to address our health issues. But that can be more difficult for women and ethnic minorities who might communicate differently or speak entirely different languages from their doctor.
Diversity in healthcare helps providers and nurses understand and relate to their patients better, especially those patients who come from similar ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The good news? More and more women and ethnic minorities are entering medical school in the 2020’s, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, so diversity in healthcare is growing.
Why We Are Committed to Diversity in Healthcare
By employing doctors and nurses from more culturally diverse backgrounds, healthcare systems can improve the health of entire communities. That’s why Community Access Network strives to hire medical professionals from all different walks of life, genders, nationalities, and ethnicities.
Diverse care teams build:
- Mutual understanding: Providers that come from backgrounds similar to their patients’ can relate to patients better, and can also share their culture, language, and beliefs with their teammates from different backgrounds. By having a diverse workforce, healthcare providers gain “cultural competence,” or the ability to understand and effectively communicate with people from different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds.
- Trust and patient satisfaction: Female providers and providers of color help build trust within diverse communities. Patients who trust their providers are more likely to engage in preventive care, adhere to treatment plans, and have positive healthcare experiences.
- Workplace diversity: Promoting diversity in healthcare extends beyond patient care. It also involves creating a diverse and inclusive work environment for healthcare professionals. When healthcare organizations embrace diversity and inclusion, they attract and retain talented professionals from different backgrounds, creating a diverse pipeline of future healthcare leaders.
- Fewer language barriers: In a diverse society, language barriers can be a significant obstacle to receiving proper healthcare, and healthcare professionals who speak multiple languages help break down these barriers. When patients can communicate in their native language, they can express their concerns and understand medical instructions better. This leads to better diagnoses, treatments, and overall patient satisfaction.
- Better access to care: In many communities, marginalized populations struggle with accessing care due to healthcare costs, limited transportation, or other socioeconomic factors. When people from underrepresented backgrounds pursue healthcare careers, they are more likely to serve in areas with underserved populations, creating more accessible healthcare in their communities.
- Research for all: Diverse healthcare teams can offer unique insights and approaches to problem-solving. When research is done by individuals from a limited pool of backgrounds, their findings can be limited as well. When research teams are more diverse, their findings are more likely to include and impact all people.
Putting Our Beliefs Into Action: Serving Our Diverse Community
Community Access Network is committed to diversity and inclusion at every level of our organization, and we want to hear from our community members about what they need. To help fulfill our value of community engagement, Community Access Network’s board or directors is made up of at least 51% consumers of our services, and 49% members from the community. If you would like to get involved with Community Access Network’s mission, please contact us to learn more about serving on our board. Or, if you want to get involved with other organizations, SHARE Greater Lynchburg is a great resource to tap to find opportunities that align with your values.
We want patients to understand that we — the staff, the physicians, the nurses — live, work and play in the same community as they do. When patients come to Community Access Network, they’re being treated by their neighbors, their fellow church members and those they see on the bus every morning.
We are currently hiring for several positions, including CNAs, nurse practitioners, social workers, and more to address the needs of Lynchburg’s growing population. If you’d like to learn more about our open positions and how you can contribute to our mission, visit our careers page.
Community Access Network: An Inclusive Care Center In Lynchburg
Community Access Network was founded with the goal that all patients would receive quality care, regardless of age, income, or insurance status. We strive to ensure that healthcare is accessible and inclusive for all individuals, regardless of their background. We are here to serve our community, and want our patients and providers to reflect the population of Lynchburg.
We value the cultural diversity of Lynchburg, and are proud to be a part of it. We strive to provide every patient with affordable, high-quality healthcare right here in beautiful Central Virginia.