A male medical resident asks an Amish woman a personal question that isn’t acceptable to discuss with a man.
A veteran is agitated as he waits for the doctor in a chair that doesn’t face the door; not being able to see who might enter is a trigger for his post-traumatic stress disorder.
Although medical providers likely have no intention of being insensitive, a lack of familiarity with the unique needs of certain patient populations leaves them open to interactions that can make the difference between a positive experience and a harrowing one.
As the nation’s — and central Pennsylvania’s — populations continue to change, “diversity” and “inclusion” are buzz words now more than ever, but what do they really mean and whose responsibility are they?
Diversity refers to unique personal characteristics, like gender, religion, race or age. Inclusion is creating an environment where people feel respected and valued, regardless of their aspects of diversity. As for whose responsibility?
“It’s everyone’s responsibility,” says Lynette Chappell-Williams, chief diversity officer and associate dean for diversity and inclusion, Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Tucked away in the Biomedical Research Building of the college, Chappell-Williams isn’t even sure people know her office exists, let alone what it does. That helps her cause in a way — because she doesn’t want people to think advancing diversity and inclusion is the business of her office alone. Everyone plays a role.
Learn more about Chappell-Williams and her role in this Penn State Medicine article.