The current and unprecedented global pandemic has shed a bright light on many problems that exist in healthcare and in society. Specifically, the racial inequities and injustices that have been going on for far too long—which are now getting a much-needed focus.
We at Sermo believe that diversity is the foundation of our global organization—and it is built into the DNA of our team. However, we also recognize that diversity is just a starting point. We know that diversity is meaningless unless we also actively and authentically work to ensure that everyone’s voice is not only heard, but valued. It is just one of the reasons that amplifying what our physician members and employees have to say—and sharing this with the healthcare community-at-large—is the most important thing we do.
We understand this starts with our employees. Sermo’s values are built on the unique experiences, perspectives and points of view of all of our 350 employees, across eight countries, including the United States, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, China, the UK, and Spain. We intentionally foster a diverse, collaborative and open company culture where diversity of experience, culture and thought are not only valued, but sought out. It not only betters our culture, but it ensures we continue to provide the best business insights and solutions to our customers.
We are proud of our globally diverse HCP representation. Sermo’s members are made up of HCPs representing 150+ countries and 96+ specialties. As the leading voice in HCP insights, our mission is to shed light on the disparities in healthcare that are driven by race, age, gender, and socio-economic factors. Through our research and work with our global social community, we give voice to inequities, while highlighting solutions to these growing and long-standing problems.
We Are Highlighting Sermo’s Values With Our “Equity in Healthcare” Campaign
To add visibility and impact to our health equity initiatives, we’ve launched the “Equity In Healthcare” campaign on our physician social platform. We regularly collect physician insights about important healthcare topics that we then share with the public via our blog and social channels. Here’s a look at some recent posts and data we’ve collected:
- Racism Is a Public Health Issue, Say Doctors’ Groups
- 70% of physicians said that both police violence and the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on communities of color have shed light on stark health disparities.
- New Research Links Climate Change to Pregnancy Risks, Affecting Black Mothers Most
- 62% of physicians are alarmed to learn that climate change affects African Americans disproportionately.
- Research Shows High-Achieving Black Men at Risk for Depression
- 86% of physicians believe that shedding light on this problem is the first step in addressing it.
- Why Aren’t We Talking About Young Black Suicide?
- 73% of physicians agree that Black child suicide should be getting more attention.
- Younger Minorities Hit Harder by Covid-19 Deaths
- 70% of physicians believe populations of people who have been disproportionately stricken by COVID should receive a vaccine first.
- Excess Deaths From Covid-19 Affect People of Color Most
- 89% of physicians said we need to put policies in place to better protect the vulnerable populations
We also recruit physicians to share their own unique perspectives. Here is what Christina Stevenson, Family Medicine / Practice (FP), Psychiatry, wrote regarding her own experience:
“As a practitioner of color who has a majority of patients, who are of color (many who live in rural areas and with health disparities), I have witnessed this firsthand. This topic is actually one that I am most passionate about and hopefully others who have not been as knowledgeable about it, will become more knowledgeable.”
Get Involved
Follow along as Sermo prioritizes and drives important discussions around the value of identifying and supporting racially and culturally diverse healthcare practitioners. Our goal is to find solutions to the healthcare disparities that continue to impact our most vulnerable populations.
- If you’re a physician, join the conversation on Sermo and subscribe to our “Health Equity” Feed.
- Help us raise awareness by sharing links to our blog posts on your own social channels—see links below.
- Submit a topic for consideration for this campaign by emailing us at news@sermo.com
Continue to visit the Sermo Blog for more Physician Insights
- Racism and Public Health—Sermo Doctors Respond
- 86% of Sermo Physicians Believe Disparities in Hospital Care Can Affect Mortality Rates in Covid-19 Patients
- Sermo Physicians Say Racial Disparities in Health Need to Be Addressed
- Depression in High-Achieving Black Men Needs Medical Attention, Say Sermo Doctors
- Sermo Doctors Concerned That People of Color Are Most Affected by Excess Deaths From Covid-19
