NC AHEC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Modules for Primary Care Clinical and Non-clinical Staff

In order to ensure high-quality care, health care providers are required to be competent not only in medicine but also in communication and caring for people with different disease burdens, socio-cultural realities, expectations, values, and beliefs. Be it the result of a language barrier, differences in philosophy, differences in cultural norms (and expectations), or even cultural bias, a lack of understanding can lead to communication breakdown with patients. Consequently, when patients cannot fully communicate or express their needs, health inequities and health disparities occur.

Health equity means ensuring that every person in every community can get the same high-quality care. A number of social, economic and cultural factors significantly affect both physical and mental health. Health care providers benefit from education to recognize and eliminate these disadvantages that lead to health care disparities through initiatives that increase diversity in leadership, improve training for cultural humility, and strengthen community partnerships.

The program consists of 11 individual modules and will focus on implementing strategies of health equity that are proven to improve patient care including:
• Articulating how health equity plays a heightened and essential role in today’s healthcare environment
• Educating clinical providers and non-clinical staff on fundamental concepts to assist providers and staff to increase knowledge and adopt equitable practices  
• Integrating values and core principles into the patient care environment
• Building core competency and shared language across staff