VitalTalk strives to be a progressive and innovative organization that embraces and encourages differences amongst all we serve. We stand in solidarity with the movement against systemic racism and oppression and are consciously working toward change.

Racism is expressed and experienced in many forms in healthcare, and VitalTalk is working to build awareness and take direct action against this. We recognize that there exists a vast gap in equitable healthcare based on many factors such as race, education, background, and socio-economic status. Our vision is that every seriously ill patient will be surrounded by clinicians who can discuss what matters most and match care to values.  We have a responsibility to integrate diversity into all the things we do, from who is represented in the cases in our courses to who has access to training.

Here are some of the steps we are taking to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work every day. Please feel free to send us your comments to continue this important dialogue.

  • Engage consultants to train staff and faculty about anti-racist practices.
  • Improve practices, policies and tracking around talent hiring and development.
  • Actively recruit diverse board members.
  • Track course participant registration and set goals for inclusion.
  • Incorporate diverse case studies into our curriculum and recruit a diverse actor pool to accurately reflect patient populations.
  • Provide course customization to make training more relevant and responsive to unique populations.
  • Collaborate with partner organizations and grantors to work on equity in health issues.
  • Provide course scholarships to HBCUs to create a representative community of practitioners who have received VitalTalk training.
  • Provide scholarships and decrease barriers to accessing our training for low income and community health centers.
  • Develop and offer courses that specifically teach skills to promote racial equity in healthcare communication.