Implicit Bias Education For Healthcare Employees

Abstract

Implicit bias affects all aspects of healthcare. The need for diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare has surfaced as a critical issue. Socioeconomic and racial disparities persist. The impact of implicit bias contributing to health inequities is a patient safety concern. The economic burden of health disparities will continue to rise if the underlying contributing factors go unaddressed. Fortunately, healthcare organizations can combat implicit bias with proper training to ensure positive results and hopefully reach zero harm for patients. The Implicit Bias Training Program was created with the hopes of improving healthcare workers' awareness of personal unconscious biases and identification of strategies to combat bias. The training module was presented using a hybrid format to include in-person classes and a virtual training video. The participants completed a pre-survey and a post-survey, which evaluated individual awareness of biases and mitigation strategies to determine the effectiveness of the training program. It was discovered that participants felt they were fully aware of their unconscious biases prior to the training. However, participants did not feel confident in regards to bias mitigation strategies The training proved effective, with data analysis indicating that participants were more aware of their biases after the training and could identify at least one bias mitigation strategy. The number of participants was relatively small, 25 employees; however, continuing this project on a larger scale would greatly benefit healthcare organizations to increase personal bias awareness and mitigation strategies.