The mission of the ACS Committee on Trauma is “to develop and implement programs that support injury prevention and ensure optimal patient outcomes across the continuum of care.”
- Diversity in society not mirrored in the surgical workforce and leadership.
- Disparities in access to care and in health outcomes exist among injured patients.
- Diversity, in workforce and leadership, leads to better outcomes.
- Cultural competence results in better health outcomes.
The COT is committed to upholding the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, within both the organization and the community that it serves. These principles are essential to ensure the COT’s effectiveness as an organization dedicated to injury prevention and optimal care of the injured patient.
The COT will underscore its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by:
- Respecting and promoting diversity in recruitment and retention across all categories of membership
- Ensuring equal opportunities for leadership roles
- Developing policies, guidelines, and practices to address barriers to inclusion and equity in the organization
- Upholding zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, or bullying
- Educating the COT membership and the broader trauma community about individual and organizational barriers to inclusion and equity
- Disseminating best practices for diversity, equity, and inclusion to the COT membership and the trauma community
- Educating the trauma community on the care of diverse patient populations
- Providing resources to the trauma community to assess and address inequities in the care of trauma patients, including increasing sensitivity to care disparities affecting under-represented minorities and immigrants
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup has several short and long-term goals:
- To identify gaps within and barriers to COT membership and leadership with regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- To develop strategies to address identified gaps and barriers to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the COT
- To develop and track metrics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the COT
- To identify gaps in and barriers to the care of diverse populations within the trauma community
- To develop and disseminate resources to address those gaps and barriers.
