The Lakeland Medical Center’s community is becoming more diverse, especially with a growing Haitian population. This makes it really important for healthcare providers, to MHA FPX5004 Assessment 3 Diversity Project Kick-off Presentation, and learn about different cultures. Recent data shows that in some places, more than 2% of the population is Haitian (United States Census Bureau, 2022). Research has consistently shown that cultural competency training can lead to improvements in healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills when caring for diverse groups (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2020). Cultural training is not just about understanding other cultures. It’s also about recognizing and dealing with bigger problems like racism and unfair power differences. It also means thinking about our own biases. So, it’s really important for Lakeland Medical Center to make sure all staff get training on diversity and culture. This will help them take better care of patients and make sure healthcare is fair for everyone.

Goals and Initial Priorities

The main goals of this project are to improve cultural competence and diversity within the healthcare team at Lakeland Medical Center, specifically to better serve the local Haitian population.

Initial Priorities

Conducting diversity and cultural competency training for all staff is the first critical priority. This training will provide education across all levels of the organization on foundational concepts like implicit bias, microaggressions, cultural awareness, and humility (Nguyen et al., 2020). It will also cover specifics on Haitian cultural values, beliefs, and health practices. Interactive sessions led by experts in diversity, equity, and inclusion will be scheduled for the entire staff within the first 3 months and annually after that. They will combine presentations, case studies, and small group discussions to actively engage participants. The goal is to establish a consistent baseline understanding of why diversity and cultural competence matter for providing quality care.

Recruiting more Haitian providers and staff is another top priority. Actively hiring professionals originally from the local Haitian community or those fluent in Haitian Creole will help fill gaps in culturally congruent care. Job postings can be shared through partnerships with Haitian community organizations. Hiring committee training will ensure equitable selection processes. Creating a Haitian patient advisory council will provide a crucial perspective of Haitian patients and families. This group of 6-8 members would meet quarterly to share input on their care experiences, access challenges, communication needs, and other areas for improvement. Their insights will inform organizational priorities and quality improvement efforts.

Assumptions

In the healthcare context, several assumptions lay the groundwork for a comprehensive diversity training initiative. There exists an adequate budget for design and implementation, with strong support from hospital leadership for mandatory diversity training. The staff, even those unfamiliar with the concepts, recognize the importance of such training. Highly qualified trainers are available to deliver customized sessions, and scheduling allows for interactive training for a large staff. The hospital is exploring partnerships to successfully recruit Haitian staff, thereby enhancing workforce diversity. Furthermore, there is optimism that Haitian patients will voluntarily contribute their time to an advisory council, showcasing their commitment to the hospital’s efforts to promote inclusivity of, MHA FPX5004 Assessment 3 Diversity Project Kick-off Presentation (Tan, 2019).

Team Composition

The team will consist of 8-10 members with diverse backgrounds and expertise to provide multifaceted perspectives on diversity, ethics, and best practices in healthcare.

Healthcare Professionals

The team will include 4 to 5 healthcare professionals such as nurses, physicians, social workers, and patient advocates. They will provide insights into current practices and challenges from the frontlines of care delivery. This group should represent diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, and other demographics. Their combined experience caring for diverse patient populations will inform recommendations.

Community Representatives

2-3 team members should represent minority and underserved patient populations, such as local advocacy groups or cultural liaisons. They will provide viewpoints on how to make care more equitable, accessible, and congruent with cultural values and practices. For instance, the Health4LGBTI training course, w