Championing Inclusion

DEI Learning Pathway

As the population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, health care providers will continue to work in more diverse teams and care for patients from different cultures and backgrounds. One of the major challenges is communication across cultures. Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, CDI’s program director for cross-cultural education, has worked with a team to develop online “Quality Interaction” courses that help health care providers and staff members interact with patients from different cultures.

CDI staff also facilitate a series of cross-cultural education sessions entitled “A Cross-cultural Approach to Teamwork and Communication,” which focus on developing strategies for effective cross-cultural dialogue and team dynamics. Session participants include residents as well as Harvard Medical School and academic hospitalist educators. They explore challenges in facilitating cross-cultural dialogues and learned how to apply the training to a team-based learning environment.

Unconscious Bias and Diversity Training

CDI staff facilitate live trainings on unconscious bias for selection and hiring committees, and helped develop scenarios for the HealthStream employee annual training on standards of behavior. CDI also serves on the Steering Committee of the Mass General Brigham Annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit, which focuses on creating a culture of dignity and respect and promoting inclusion in the workplace. As part of this Steering Committee, CDI staff help organize the Summit, participate as speakers and moderators, and facilitate round table discussions with more than 270 attendees across the Mass General Brigham network.

Community Outreach

CDI partners with Mass General and Boston communities to help advance health equity in the diverse communities Mass General serves. Members of the CDI faculty and the Resident and Fellow Committee (RFC) volunteer and work with the Mass General Center for Community Health Improvement (CCHI) to mentor students in the Youth Programs, an initiative that provides more than 1,000 youth in the Boston area with after-school activities, career exposure and summer jobs aimed at helping youth develop the academic, life and career skills they need to thrive.

Race and Equity Initiatives

The CDI executive director co-chairs the ECOCH race equity subcommittee, which is dedicated to achieving equity at Mass General through a race equity framework.

CDI has led critical race and equity initiatives, including hospital wide events and a series of conversations with the CDI community creating a safe space to discuss issues of race, violence, and immigration impacting the community.

The Stand Against Racism

CDI is part of the Mass General Stand Against Racism Committee, which brings in speakers from across the country to address issues of race and racism. The goal of the Stand is to create awareness and highlight the challenges we still face regarding race and racism in our community. CDI also coordinates a Stand pledge that captures what many members of the Mass General community will do to advance racial equity.

"I Am MGH": Stand Against Racism 2019

In recognition of the nationwide YWCA Stand Against Racism Day on April 25, Mass General staff share how and why they stand against racism.