Even Leaders in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sometimes Get It Wrong
By: Duane Reynolds
Tags: Healthcare, Diversity And Inclusion, Racism, Diversity, Health Equity

Aysha H. Khoury, M.D., was suspended from her role in August as an educator and clinician at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, an organization that was built on the principles of health equity. The school asked Khoury to teach a course about racism and maternal health, but abruptly ended it and suspended her without warning this summer. Although an investigation into her dismissal found no fault with Khoury, Kaiser only reinstated her as a clinician, a move that is profitable for the school. She is still barred as an educator there and has yet to get a reason why.

Aysha H. Khoury, M.D.

I can only assume that this has something to do with President Trump’s recently introduced penalties for contractors who offer diversity training. Any organization that receives federal funds while violating the order — i.e., teaching diversity and inclusion — can be blacklisted from government contracts (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid payments or grant funding), among other punishments. Perhaps Kaiser panicked after learning of the ruling and suspended Khoury out of an abundance of caution and to avoid the risk of being penalized as a result of the executive order?

I wish I could say I’m surprised, but too often, BIPOC people’s careers become collateral damage in organizations who fumble diversity initiatives. Companies tend to retaliate against the very people they have recruited, in both subtle and dramatic ways. The organizations that waited until this year to implement diversity, equity and inclusion training have often burdened their Black employees with leading diversity reviews, even if they are not prepared or skilled to take on this extra work. And people of color who are hired in mostly white organizations often experience racialized tensions that lead to them being pushed out of their workplaces or quitting to find more supportive work environments.

I’ve experienced it personally.

Trump’s legislation is spiteful, abhorrent and scary, and the president-elect should overturn it as soon as he can. That said, it does not excuse Kaiser from negating its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and throwing a Black female physician under the bus in the interest of complying. It is this very type of action that can perpetuate systemic racism and no amount of politically correct tweeting after the fact will rectify the situation.

Ending racism is not a comfortable process. It requires work, even if that work is painful.

If you are a healthcare leader and are struggling with a similar situation, consider contracting with an objective, external mediator before pressing pause on a vital program or dismissing a key hire that is working to dismantle racism and prevent disparities. An arbitrary third-party administrator can provide objective feedback to get to a point of resolution. At the same time, your human resources and media relations departments should be protecting your organization but properly balancing the need to support employees and manage risks from external threats.

It has become very trendy this year for healthcare organizations to talk about the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism education, without actually living up to those messages. Moving forward, I hope the school immediately reinstates Dr. Khoury’s position and takes steps to prevent any similar missteps.

Please consider signing this petition to reinstate Khoury.