Reaching a Diverse Population

Posted by Julie Cranz on April 9, 2009 at 6:35am
Our Hospice started an ACCESS committee in order to identify, educate, and serve populations that we do not currently serve. We have contacted the local NAACP president, who in turn forwarded information about us to all minority churches in our city. We also will be making a presentation at an NAACP meeting and offering free health screenings at local minority churches. We also changed the photos on our brochures to ensure that a diverse population is represented. Any other ideas on how to reach out and gain the trust of other cultures is greatly appreciated.

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  • Frances Shani Parker April 9, 2009 at 12:09pm
    Julie, I commend you and your hospice organization for taking proactive steps to promote diversity. I am particularly pleased as an African American to read your words of outreach requesting “other ideas on how to reach out and gain the trust of other cultures.” I have actually heard some healthcare workers say they could do more for minorities “if only they would trust us,” as if the burden of gaining trust is on the minorities, not themselves.

    The responsibility for changing the distrust many people of color have toward the healthcare system lies with the system that created it. More cultural diversity programs to educate healthcare workers must be implemented. All healthcare workers must take proactive outreach roles in presenting the benefits they provide, while making recipients of their services feel welcomed and respected. Promoting cultural diversity requires a sincere commitment to hire more people of color at all staff levels, more input from people of color on what their needs really are, and more hospice recruitment in their communities at churches, schools, recreation centers, events, etc., along with media, particularly in their languages. This is not only a healthcare issue; it is a moral one.

    Overwhelming evidence continues to indicate that ongoing healthcare disparities negatively affect certain racial and ethnic groups.
    There is a tendency among some healthcare workers to assume that the solution to this problem rests with leaders of the “institution” when, in fact, it belongs to each person making up the institution. The question "Does Your Patient's Race Affect the Care That You Deliver?" is one that every healthcare worker must explore at a personal level with honesty. I encourage more people to view the video (also at this site) "Does Your Patient's Race Affect the Care That You Deliver?" for personal introspection and conversations on this important topic.

    I would be interested in knowing what other hospices are doing to promote cultural diversity. More of this kind of sharing is needed.


    Frances Shani Parker, Author who includes the often-missing voices of people of color in hospice care
    "Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
    - YouTube
    Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
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