Leadership roles and initiatives for diversity and inclusion in academic anesthesiology departments

A cultural change in medicine has placed a renewed focus on the importance of a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce. The methods employed by anesthesiology departments in pursuit of diversity and inclusion needs to be examined. Objective: This study's objective was to assess the frequency of established leadership infrastructures and initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion within academic anesthesiology departments. Design: This was a cross-sectional survey study. The authors emailed an electronic survey to 98 academic anesthesiology departments to assess leadership roles, dissemination platforms and initiatives used to support diversity and inclusion. Setting: Academic anesthesiology department in the United States with at least 60 residents. Main outcome and measures: The measure tested was the existence and quantification of leadership roles and initiatives directed at diversity and inclusion efforts at academic anesthesiology departments. Results: The survey response rate was 49.4% (95% CI 39.3–59.6%). While 62.5% (95% CI 47.0–75.8%) of respondents reported having faculty members with a diversity and inclusion role, only 27.5% (95% CI 16.1–42.8%) reported a clearly defined leadership role such as vice-chair or committee chair. Seventy percent of respondents reported initiatives geared towards diversity using multiple platforms to showcase these initiatives. Conclusions: Based on these survey results, many anesthesia departments have developed initiatives to promote their departmental diversity. However, only a minority have established clearly defined leadership roles, which may be critical to enhance departmental success in promoting diversity and inclusion.