Research reveals depths of racial and ethnic bias in health care

Dr. Laurie Zephyrin, The Commonwealth Fund: Thank you, and thanks for having me. Previous research really tells us that racism and discrimination impact health care outcomes, especially for people of color. This study goes a step further, really spotlighting the voice of health care workers who have witnessed racism and discrimination and also experienced it themselves. In terms of why health workers, health care workers, understanding what health care workers are experiencing and what they need from their employers and colleagues to address discrimination is really critical to successful and sustainable change. Health care workers are a key part of the health care system, and they can be a part of the solution. We do know that the perspective of patients and providers are incredibly important, but for this study, we decided to focus on health care workers because they’re on the ground. They impact the day-to-day care of people. And health care workers are living and breathing in the health care system every day. They really experience the realities of what it is to provide health care firsthand.