Diversity in gastroenterology in the United States: Where are we now? Where should we go?

The term diversity has many definitions that have part to immigrants who have migrated from all over the continued to evolve and expand over time. At its core, diversity is “a concept that encompasses acceptance and respect. It means the understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing individual differences.” Nowhere is diversity more apparent today than in our changing healthcare system. Given improved access to healthcare provided through healthcare reform and the rapidly changing demographics of the U.S. population, it is expected that the U.S. healthcare system will continue to become more diverse in the future. However, the U.S. healthcare workforce does not mirror the population that it serves, a disparity that is most glaring in medical specialties including gastroenterology. It is well understood that promoting diversity among the healthcare workforce is essential to improving the quality of care for all patients. For example, by developing a more diverse workforce we can enhance the healthcare we provide to our changing population in a number of important areas: (1) increasing care in underrepresented communities, (2) improving familiarity with the cultural customs, values, and behaviors of our patients, (3) promoting research in healthcare disparities, and (4) cultivating mentors for future healthcare providers. The following review critically examines healthcare disparities in medicine and gastroenterology and reviews a number of initiatives that the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has undertaken to help address these gaps. This review also will highlight future directions that the ASGE is addressing and upon which the ASGE is embarking.