Why is diversity and change so hard?

Throughout most of human history, we lived in communities full of people just like us. Little changed from generation to generation. Our minds, reactions, and ways of thinking developed in a world where “different” was often connected to a threat. However, the current world of healthcare is a stark contrast. Most of us work with, teach, and provide patient care for people very different from ourselves.  This rapid shift from homogeneity to diversity, coupled with rapid change and our automatic predisposition to view ‘different’ as a potential threat, has made diversity and rapid change a challenge – one that we are all too familiar with and aware of and even more ways we are not.

Healthcare organizations, educational institutions, providers, clinicians, and educators are committed to supporting a diverse workforce and providing high-quality and bias-free patient care. However, the success of these efforts has been limited, largely due to the lack of a robust evidence-based approach. This is where Diversity Science, with its deep understanding and expertise in the complexities of healthcare and diversity, steps in. We are not just knowledgeable about this problem; we are experts. Our collective experience, spanning decades, positions us to provide you with the solutions you need.

Our unique organizational climate assessments provide healthcare organizations and health professions schools with actionable steps to thrive and achieve their missions in a diverse and changing world.  Our on-demand and facilitated learning solutions give providers and clinicians the tools they need to provide high-quality care to diverse patients and thrive in the current healthcare climate.

We join clinicians and providers in their commitment to high-quality, bias-free patient care.

We care just as much about the clinicians and providers themselves.

Did you know that social neuroscience studies show that that we classify people as members of our “own group” vs. “other” within a few hundred milliseconds, well before we have a conscious thought?

Our Solutions and Services

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Organizational Assessment for Diversity and Change Readiness

Our unique organizational assessments diagnose the challenges and strengths that now truly matter, resulting in meaningful and useful results and recommendations that will strengthen the organization for today’s and tomorrow’s world.

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Acclaimed On-Demand eLearning, Webinars, and Workshops

Our training programs were developed by national experts. Our webinars, facilitated online workshops, and highly acclaimed on-demand video eLearning courses prepare organizations and individuals to thrive and to provide high-quality care, education, or services to their diverse patients, students, clients, and customers.

Our evidence-informed solutions enable individuals and organizations to be at their best and to bring out the best in everyone around them

Don't Take Our Word For It!!

Read What Others Have to Say

(Hint: It's a lot. You can skip them by using the orange button above)

– Nurse

“Feeling energized to work on recognizing and reducing my own biases, and grateful for colleagues working on the same goal.”

– Physician Leader

“The presentation was great, the engagements, Vevox surveys and the mural wall. The content was very timely and helpful, full of insights and suggestions for change.” 

– Physician Leader

“The organizers and presenters were all wonderful and the audience shared such meaningful stories and questions. This content is absolutely important – I wish we heard about it more, to spark continued development for all of us in this critical arena.”

 

– Steven M., Healthcare Leader

“The depth of knowledge and examples of fundamentally challenging topics discussed and researched always felt extremely appropriate and helpful in explaining the points at hand.”

– Healthcare Leader

“I loved that we are having this conversations. The presenters made it safe for people to be honest and genuine with their responses.”

– Healthcare Leader

“All great. I liked the research results and scenarios/examples – the more the better.”

Non-Clinical Staff

“The course was very approachable and informative for someone who may be entirely new to gender diverse care as well as reinforcing to those who have some experience with it. I think the topics that will be covered in the second part, in Fall 2023, will help round out a provider’s understanding of patient worry for their care and how to address it.”

– Provider

“This educational training was on point and did not take lots of time.”

– Nurse

“This is an excellent training course. It should be mandatory for all employees.”

– Behavioral Clinician, NJ

“I really enjoyed this training. I think the information was presented in a way that was clear and simple to understand, but did not patronize viewers. The important piece of keeping the information simple is to reduce anxiety in providers. I think a lot of medical providers get wrapped up in the medical aspects of transition (which not every trans person uses) and lumps gender inclusivity and specialized endocrinology/HRT management in to one large category. Some providers might get nervous that affirming the gender of their patients might somehow also require them to be experts on HRT. I think change is hard and as a medical provider, admitting that there are things you don’t know is also hard because you don’t want your patients to lose confidence in you. But by reinforcing that providers just have to focus on the information most relevant to the chief complaint, is so important, and I think it will provide that light bulb moment for a lot of providers. I believe anyone can benefit from the information presented in this course and am looking forward to the next module when it is produced.”

– Nurse, NY

“Overall, this is a good course for health practitioners and what I find most valuable is the teachings of cultural competence which is very important in this field of work. This learning course highlights the benefits of cultural competence as it enhances patient satisfaction and compliance and most importantly reduces health disparities. There is so much quality information in this learning material.”

– Provider, OH

“I thought the course was comprehensive and helpful. I think that it is vital to ensure high-quality care for gender-diverse patients. I feel so much more educated on the topic of biological sex and sex at birth and I found that to be the most valuable to me. It’s critical not to ask intrusive and invasive questions, and I took note that it’s important to protect one’s privacy. I felt that everything was perfectly orchestrated with the course and it is going to be very helpful for individuals within the healthcare industry. Fun and extremely well put together! Thank you so much.”

– Nurse

“There are a lot of stuff I have learned today in this course, especially the way care needs to go given to Trans People. Overall, very high quality and educative learning material which I would definitely recommend for health providers. In fact, the learning material goes beyond the target group. It could be for all.”

– Behavioral Clinician, IL

As a Queer woman who works in healthcare, I was very impressed by this course. It makes me so relieved and glad that we are trying to educate others in the healthcare setting, as healthcare trauma is very real for people who fall under the trans/enby umbrella. My oldest is also NB and it gives me hope that as they grow up and become an adult, they will have medical staff that are more trained in how to help them. I loved the clickable definitions of each gender word, and how the presenters appeared to be genderqueer themselves. I already am well versed in this as I am apart of the LGBTQIA community, but I did find it very helpful to hear how to ask about sensitive subjects, i.e., body parts of partners. I was very impressed and pleased with the videos. This will be immensely helpful for both the healthcare providers and the patients. I loved being apart of this study. Thank you for making this and having me.”

– Behavioral Clinician, PA

“I appreciated how it explained not to use your patient as a resource, while still being able to ask questions to provide the best care. I also appreciated the tips for making gender diverse inclusive care the standard of care.”

– Provider, IN

“I felt this was a good learning course that included basic information relevant to patient care. I did learn some new ways to ask relevant questions. This is a useful course for anyone in the healthcare field – not just primary providers.”

– Office Administration, TX

“I think one of the most valuable parts was the patient stories and sample experiences because they showed the detrimental effects of non-gender-affirming care and what sort of things healthcare staff and providers can do to make that better (by showing the positive experiences as well). I felt like I knew quite a bit of the information already, but there were some new terms that I learned such as two-spirit. I think the course was pretty good and will be useful because of both new terms and applicable situations.”

– Medical Technician, FL

“The course was very thorough, and covered mostly everything. It was a well made course that taught me a few things I did not know. The course is a must for all providers, and the story of Luke and others broke my heart. My first thought was disrespectful providers need to be held accountable. Very good study, that will truly make a difference in how providers interact with the transgender community.”

– Behavioral Clinician, OH

“I am very pleased with the information that was included in this course. I think that it was a great overall presentation of client care and how to incorporate this into your practice within healthcare and other healthcare professions. I am a counselor and really enjoyed watching this three-part course and learning how to actually apply this information when working with clients who identify as a different gender or sex. I don’t think anything needed to be improved because everything that was included was very thorough and accurate.”

– Nurse, AZ

“I think this course helped me a lot because I have never had any education on this subject. I think it helped me to understand in a better way how to give the best medical care with respect and compassion. Getting to know all of the different gender identities helped me the most. I learned a lot of new information today. I think this course will definitely help the healthcare community to understand and be more confident in giving patient care. Thank you! This was very interesting and makes me feel more confident.”

– Behavioral Clinician, MS

“The course was extremely helpful. I’m amazed at how I learned so much from the videos. The most valuable thing to me in this course was basically they deserve to be treated how we want to be treated; especially in healthcare. They should not be denied healthcare and we as people that provide healthcare should get an understanding of how to treat these individuals. This will definitely be very useful for healthcare staff and providers. Thanks for this course. I enjoyed it. It was extremely informative!”

– Nurse, CA

Your organization has been so helpful and our OB medical director mentioned the content of your module many times this morning in her annual presentation to our executives and quality leaders. I was so proud on Diversity Science’s behalf! #hugefan”

– Physician

“I loved the topic about what strategies are there to prevent unconscious bias….the sections about the patients that have been mistreated made me understand how patients must feel if they are exposed to unconscious bias. I am used to seeing society be the problem rather than (being) part of the solution. Overall, the course was good, and I really enjoyed that at the end, you also focused on the physician’s well being and mental health so we are more successful together with our patients. Thank you for that.”

– Nurse

“Nicely done. Engaging. Easy to take in and remember facts.”

– Nurse

“I liked the case studies, very much in tuned to today’s cultural biases.”

– Physician Assistant

“I felt this was a well-rounded educational activity! No changes! I would recommend to others.”

– Physician

“Training itself is a good length. Succinct but also lots of good info.”

– Physician

“Practical and efficiently presented in 30 minutes.”

– Physician

“I appreciate that specific strategies to reduce the impact of unconscious bias were discussed.”

– Nurse

“Very informative and truly required in the USA.”

– Nurse

“It was very informative and had real life experiences. This course should be offered more frequently to all staff members.”

– Healthcare Personnel

“I think there needs to be much more of this type of training. This is the correct way to forge ahead unlike America’s current political climate.”

 

– Healthcare Personnel

“I really liked the visuals of the brain!”

– Healthcare Personnel

“I really enjoyed how the information was presented. It is a difficult subject to teach or even just talk about.”

– Healthcare Personnel

“I believe this training should be presented biannually, if not annually, and incorporated in new hire training.”

– C.H., Development Specialist

“In my entire career this was the most comprehensive DEI training experience I have had.”

– Physician, Medical Director

“Just as I use science and best practice to approach my patients through conscious clinical practice, I need to … use that same science to address the blind spots that I don’t necessarily see when caring for these same patients.”

– Professor, School of Nursing

“I have had a lot of training in implicit bias, white privilege, LGBT friendly classrooms, racism. This is the 1st training the made me feel like there was something concrete I could DO about it. The best practices were SO helpful. Thank you!”

– R.C., Nurse

“Great training on a very important topic not only in healthcare but in our everyday lives.”

– Physician Leader

“Every one in todays world need to go through this training, biases are real it impacts our – patients, employees and communities, we all need to actively work together to reduce or counter biases. Inclusion and diversity are very important to do business in todays world.”

– Physician

“Great job by the presenters and appreciate this training for our staff. I love our company”

– Nurse

“I thought the material was wonderful.  Very insightful.  Eye opening.”

– Physician’s Assistant

“Other training made me focus on trying not to come across as biased. That just made things worse. After this training, I will focus on seeing things the patients eyes, connecting and  bonding with the patient.”

– J.L., Physician Assistant

“Excellent visual/video creation. Interesting and interactive.”

– Physician

Thank you for incorporating this training within (ORGANIZATION REDACTED). As an African American woman myself, I understand the full circle of unconscious bias as both a patient and provider. Again, thank you!

– Physician

“Thank you for this topic – I believe there will be a tremendous elevation in the level of care delivered following broad distribution of this material.”

– Healthcare Staff

The black man William the biases that he experienced are what I have experienced in my organization. I think the video will be good for some of my coworkers and management to see

– Nurse

“The varied vignettes to present a whole picture of an individual and how/why they have biases toward them AND how to avoid showing bias toward them was a very effective teaching method.”

– Nurse

“This was a great educational presentation…a topic every individual can work on and grow. Our members/patient’s deserve unbiased care.”

– Nurse

“This was a great introductory course, far more extensive than previous implicit bias trainings I’ve received in the past”

– Healthcare Provider

“This was a great learning opportunity and I appreciated the research and thought put into this.”-

– Physician Executive

“I expected to multitask but I was completely engaged. It was great information, well presented, with excellent pacing.”

– Physician

“(I like that).. you use examples of gender and weight bias along with race. This subject matter is about many patients.”

-J.W., Physician

“Very good, nice balance of didactic material and case vignettes.

– Physician Assistant

“Very informational and applicable to clinical practice.”

– Health care staff

“Very informative and opened my eyes to unconscious bias that I did not realize I had. Thank you.”

– Health Care Staff

“Very informative. Never really thought about it till today on how I see patients, or how they see me, how they feel.”

– Physician

“A very succinct and thorough presentation of the topic.”

– Social Worker, Hospital

“Very to the point and well done”

– Physician

“Very well done and informative. I appreciated the relatable application of these strategies for improvement.”

– Nurse

“Well condensed, useful info presented in a very professional manner. Thank you.”

– Executive LeaderI

“I learned that diversity can’t really be separated from the other discussions. I never thought about it that way but it makes so much sense.”

– R.H., Executive Leader

“I credit your mindful, attentive presences for how well [this training] was received.”

– Perinatal Care Nurse

“These are tools [that help] to address these issues head-on, and not avoid talking about them.”

– Executive Leader

“Our team has more work to do and I anticipate we will likely engage you in the future.”

– Board Member

“The facilitator/educator was outstanding. She wasn’t preachy. She created a safe space to learn. And she provided some very practical, applicable tools for how to managing and advancing this work.”

– Nurse

“I feel this course is really helping me become a better nurse.”

– Physician

“Thank you for this training – it will make us stronger as a team and help us provide better care and service to our patients!”

– Clinician

“The course changed my life. Thank you!”

– Nurse

“Before this course I never really understood unconscious bias. Now I do – and I know what to do about it!”

– Provider

“I loved it! It was so interesting and encouraging – I can’t believe how much I got in such a short time.”

– Physician

“This is one of the best leadership development sessions I’ve attended. I’d encourage it to be a required session for all (their organization) leaders.

– Department Chief

“It’s very important to us that we work with people who are evidence-based. Your team has just the right mix of expertise and practical knowledge to be credible to our physicians.”

– Physician

“This was fabulous! Thank you for the presentation.”

– Board Member

“Thank you for dedicating time to this important priority. The time went by very quickly and the facilitator/educator was outstanding. She was clearly an expert in the field but she modeled humility in the way she taught.”

– Executive Leader

“I was pleasantly surprised how well some on my team received this training – and observed that it indeed applies to us. I credit your experience, academic backgrounds, and evidence-based conceptual approach.”

– Executive Team Member

“What I liked most, honestly, was the humility of the presenters and the entire approach of presenting this topic. I especially liked the discussion about implicit biases.”

– C-Suite Leader

“The evidence-based approach was refreshing and I was pleased that it was accessible to most, while also including new points and clarifications to those of us already familiar with the concepts.”

– Executive Leader

“What I liked most is that it highlighted some of our leadership struggles and showed that psychological safety, appreciating diverse input, and having a learning mindset are really all part of the same discussion.”

– Healthcare Provider

“I really appreciated the thoughtful, kind, and gentle approach, particularly acknowledging that everyone is coming from their own unique place in their DEI journey.”

– Non-Profit Healthcare Team Member

“The trainer has a very calm/soothing approach. They did a nice job of creating an environment where everyone seemed to be comfortable sharing. A very skilled teacher and facilitator. Thank you.”

– Manager

“This program was amazing. It gave me tools and strategies that will help me be a more effective leader and team member. I’m excited to keep learning more!”

 

– Perinatal Care Nurse

“These are essential tools and strategies that providers can use to create change personally and at the system level.”

– Vice President of Student Life, US Ivy League University

“Your training on unconscious bias and stereotype threat – I found them very thorough and engaging. I particularly appreciated the resource section.”

– DEI Committee Chair, Professional Organization

“I am so glad to have been working with Diversity Science leading up to this specific time in American history. I have drawn on our discussions and the information you’ve given us repeatedly.”

– Perinatal and Maternal Child Health Quality Nurse

“…these are meaningful and timely new resources for Perinatal Healthcare Professionals!”

– Senior Program Officer, John Snow Inc.

“It is wonderful to work with like-minded consultants with such a commitment to inclusion, diversity, and to taking a science-based approach.”

– DEI Leader, National Healthcare Organization

“…it’s not just that you provided us with the data we need to move forward – it’s that you explain things in a way that brings them to life. Nobody has ever explained things the way you have.”

– Service Line Director, Healthcare Organization

“The results galvanized us. Showed us things we cannot ignore.”

– DEI Leader, Major Healthcare Organization

“Thank you for all you did. Your report was very compelling, and I think the presentation of results helped the Board (of Governors) understand the issue. I felt like the energy changed in the room – in a good way.”

– COO

“Thank you for the way you measured and told us about our strengths – made it much easier to think about the ways we want to improve.”

Scroll to the bottom of this page to read more testimonials.

Who we work with:

mayo clinic
kaiser permanente
california health care foundation
jsi
american college of emergency physicians
department of defense
us air force
confluence health
health partners park nicollet
hospital quality institute
at-t
pillsbury
university of nevada reno
pennstate
oha
music-together
n
duke-university
kennesaw-state
university of minnesota

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