MedStar Research AIDE (Anti-Racism, Inclusivity,
Diversity, Equity), our associate led EI&D group, has held meetings since
last June to gather ideas, create action plans, and learn about MedStar-wide EI&D
initiatives. AIDE recognizes the importance of educating our leaders and
associates on how MHRI can become a more inclusive and equitable organization
and create an openly anti-racist and anti-discriminatory environment in the
workplace.
From the start, the work of the AIDE team has been a
priority for MHRI. As a Research Institute, much of our decision-making is
grounded in research – and studies clearly show that diverse, inclusive teams,
in which members are fully seen, heard, developed, engaged, and rewarded, are
consistently more innovative, demonstrate stronger decision-making, and display
greater team satisfaction. In a Harvard Business Review
article, the author explains, “While there is a business case for
diversity—one that rests on sound evidence, an expansive definition of what
makes a business successful, and the presence of facilitating conditions…we
should not need ‘economic grounds’ to justify investing in people from
underrepresented groups.” We see the
work of AIDE as an essential key to fostering a workplace that is equitable for
all, in which associate differences are celebrated, and in which team members
feel safe to bring their whole selves to work. With an understanding of the
current landscape, we acknowledge that there is an enormous amount of work
ahead of us to create a workplace that is truly inclusive and equitable.
The MedStarResearch AIDE team continues to provide educational sessions and resources on topics
of racism, inclusion, diversity, and equity and how they impact our research,
workplace and community. These
sessions offer the opportunity for us to learn from our peers and encourage
the power of storytelling, as part of a larger initiative to cultivate an
inclusive work environment.
Within research,
this content helps bring awareness to some of the most pressing issues facing
medicine and healthcare today, from offering insights into how to better relate
to patients and study participants, to how historical events have contributed
to overall mistrust of the medical industry, and most importantly how our
research can help identify gaps and solutions to improving health equity
overall.
Over the last year,
the team has provided several presentations covering various topics such as diversity
& inclusion in the workplace, the Tuskegee syphilis study, Asian American
Pacific Islander Diversity, honoring Henrietta Lacks, the evolution of
disability research & inclusion and more.
As we continue to
educate ourselves and learn from one another, let us be mindful of the impact
we can create both internally and externally to build an equitable health care
system for all.
