Understanding Our Patients Better: Ryan Health’s Conscientious Clinician Program

In our ongoing effort to connect more deeply with our patients, Ryan Health is introducing the Conscientious Clinician Program (CCP). This program intends to inform our providers about delivering equitable, compassionate, and culturally competent care to help break down inequities in the healthcare system. Developed in collaboration with Harlem Health, CCP represents a significant step forward in our commitment to inclusive healthcare practices.

“The Conscientious Clinician Program gives providers more knowledge and understanding of the history of marginalized communities in medicine,” says Kalyaní Sánchez, Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager at Ryan Health. “We are making sure providers are well-rounded around different topics and issues. We want them to understand the broader social impact of healthcare.”

The program is open to all of Ryan Health’s providers. There is one training session each month, covering key topics to help them be better clinicians, including:

• Understanding Health Beyond the Doctor’s Office & Facing Prejudices in Medicine.
• Caring for Patients with Past Traumas & Supporting LGBTQ and Transgender Communities.
• Supporting Communities That Get Overlooked.
• Addressing Mental Health in Care and Other Ways to Support Well-being.
• Learning About Women's Health and Rights.
• Up-to-date information on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and STIs.
• Handling Diabetes and Long-Term Illnesses in the Community.

In addition to expanding clinical knowledge, the CCP encourages providers to identify unconscious biases and personal challenges when working with patients from different backgrounds. The goal is to improve health outcomes for everyone, especially those who need it most.

For our healthcare team, the goals are clear:

• Understand how hidden biases can affect their relationship with patients.
• Learn how different life situations affect people's health and access to care.
• Recognize how stigma can hurt the patient-doctor relationship.
• Use what they learn to connect better with patients from all walks of life.

“This program is about making sure our providers understand, especially with marginalized communities, that we need to view the patient and the patient circumstances as part of their healthcare,” Mr. Sánchez says. “How do we support and be open to our providers engaging with our patients more, rather than just telling them what to do for their health? That’s the one of the priorities this program aims to achieve.”