Helping Hospitals Provide Culturally Appropriate Products for Diverse Patients while Supporting Supplier Diversity Goals
Imagine being admitted to the hospital unexpectedly. You had no time to prepare or pack any personal items. You wake up the next day and request personal care items from the hospital. Imagine that the shampoo and conditioner you receive are sulfate-free and have the added moisture your textured, ethnic hair needs to keep it from breaking. The comb you received has wide teeth, allowing you to gently comb your hair.
Non-clinical, personal care items like these for patients of different races play an important role in supporting a satisfying patient experience. And up until now, culturally appropriate products may have been difficult to source in the quantity and sizes needed for hospitals’ diverse patient populations.
That is changing as Vizient prepares to launch its new Ethnic Hair and Skin Care Products category that will enable members to select hair and skin care products for different ethnicities, including African American, Hispanic American, Asian and Native American.
“Every patient is unique, and hospitals are now focusing on providing high-quality culturally appropriate care that’s sensitive to an individual’s cultural identity or heritage. Vizient’s new Ethnic Hair and Skin Care Products category provides an opportunity for hospitals to provide culturally appropriate products, helping patients feel as comfortable as possible during their hospital stay,” says Shaleta Dunn, Vizient’s associate vice president, member diversity & community initiatives.