Defining diversity in quality care

The release of the Institute of Medicine reports, To Err is Human and Crossing the Quality Chasm, shocked the public and health professions into developing systematic approaches to quality measurement and improvement. In the past decade and a half, health care in the USA has made significant progress toward the Institute’s vision of safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care for all, referred to as the "six aims of quality care." On national and global levels, health professionals are working to develop systems of care that treat all patients effectively and compassionately regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, geography, abilities, age, personality, learning styles, and life experience. Nonetheless, health disparities persist. There is global recognition that efforts to achieve health equity are key elements for improving health care quality worldwide. A growing body of research shows that a diverse workforce is more capable of relating to patients, detecting and addressing health disparities, and overcoming the challenges that face health care today.