Texas has recently joined Hawaii, New Mexico, and California as a majority-minority state, along with the District of Columbia. This makes the case for diversity in healthcare more compelling than ever before.

A community comprised of multiple cultures presents a number of challenges to healthcare institutions. Language differences, for example, have become an omnipresent challenge that must be addressed in all aspects of patient care. Differing concepts of health and healing must also be factored into the effectiveness of patient treatment plans. And there is a history of racial, ethnic, and related manifestations of healthcare disparities in the U.S. that must be brought out into the open and dealt with.

Is the Texas healthcare community adequately prepared to deal with these challenges? I am hopeful it is. A number of organizations are diligently advancing their diversity initiatives and trying to enhance the cultural competency of their medical staff. These efforts, however, are backdropped by myriad indicators that point to the persistence of health disparities.

The Texas Diversity Healthcare Council recognizes that there is work to be done. Its mission is to provide resources to member organizations for better delivery of healthcare services to a diverse population. To this end, we offer educational opportunities, provide consulting services, and seek to forge strategic partnerships that advance a creative diversity agenda with tangible results.

I encourage you to visit our website at www.texasdiversityhealthcarecouncil.org to find out more about upcoming events that may benefit your organization.

Let’s work together to create a healthy Texas!

Sincerely,

Brian
Brian Williams-Norgaard, MA, CSS
Texas Diversity Healthcare Council