Achieving equity and agreement: The importance of inclusion of marginalized groups in hospital policy initiatives

Achieving equity and agreement: The importance of inclusion of marginalized groups in hospital policy initiatives COVID-19, OP-EDS Pageen Manolis Small, BSN, MS As people adjust to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have expressed a myriad of diverse views regarding pandemic policies and who should be included in the decision-making process. The dispute may stem from lack of trust, inadequate communication, and lack of transparency. Certain groups and individuals may be underrepresented in response planning. This is particularly relevant at the community level where individual institutions serve unique populations, multiple minority groups, and those with diverse needs. Improving communication and increasing inclusion in decision-making discussions are necessary to develop management plans that are appropriate and acceptable for diverse, unique communities. As a nurse and an ethicist who has been involved in many discussions within both my community and its local healthcare institutions, I recognize a distinct need for input from diverse healthcare workers and community members. Including more voices in the discussions would improve decision making and broaden agreement with pandemic management plans. Some may initially think that adding more voices would exacerbate disagreements and would be prohibitive to operationalizing responses in two ways. First, the logistics of larger group meetings can be challenging, particularly when many are currently facing new burdens and changing roles. Second, additional points of view add time to discussion and negotiation of decisions. This paper asserts the logistics and added time are worth the efforts. If we can promote inclusion and solicit buy-in early in the process, more comprehensive and meaningful plans can be made that will prevent disagreements that call for revision or reconsideration after the policies are in place. Individual hospitals, medical centers, and other healthcare facilities have an obligation to create plans that meet the specific and unique ...