Moving Beyond Mandatory Modules: Authentic Discussions About Racism and Health Equity at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Abstract

Introduction: Our institution launched a large-scale virtual training program called "Stepping Stones" that uses allegories to provide an increased understanding of concepts, such as interpersonal, internalized, and structural racism. The goal of this project was to implement facilitated discussions with trained leaders and determine the impact of these sessions in improving the experience of the modules and boosting comfort in discussing race and racism.

Methods: We developed facilitated discussions as a complimentary intervention for colleagues who participated in the virtual system-wide intervention. Our intention was to create a safe space to foster reflection and collaborative learning on how racism shows up in our work environment. We conducted 22 sessions across Massachusetts General Hospital between December 2021 and February 2023. Each session included between 5 and 30 participants who were asked to complete a survey regarding their experience.

Results: We collected post-session surveys from 102 out of 350 participants. Participants found the sessions to be informative and valuable. Over 97% of respondents rated the quality of the discussions as "Excellent" or "Very Good." Similarly, 95% of participants felt "Very" or "Somewhat" comfortable with discussing issues of race and racism in the workplace after the session.

Discussion: Participants reported that the facilitated discussions were valuable, enhanced their ability to talk about racism in clinical environments, and provided an opportunity for reflection. Giving the hospital staff a common language and the ability to discuss such challenging topics may contribute to a culture of equity within our hospital.