Shrinking the Racial Diversity Gap in Healthcare: A Legal and Empirical Study

How does the diversity of the healthcare workforce affect patient care and outcomes? This presentation examines new research exploring the connection between provider racial diversity and racial disparities in healthcare. Using data from the Military Health System, the study finds that greater provider diversity is associated with improved preventive care and reduced disparities in mortality among patients with chronic, but manageable, illnesses. The findings offer important insights into the role of workforce diversity in advancing health equity and improving patient outcomes.