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In Our Words

Why should a radiology practice care about Belonging?

By March 3, 2023October 16th, 2023No Comments
Tara McKennie

Tara McKennie

Diverse teams outperform homogenous teams. There’s compelling and well-documented data to support this claim, and that is the primary business case for many organizations to embrace Belonging. But is that a good enough reason? It is certainly a reason, but for RP, there’s more.

RP Belonging first formed in 2019 with a focus on sex equality. We know women comprise ~37% of physicians across all specialties (according to the American Association of Medical Colleges and Kaiser Family Foundation) and ~27% in radiology specifically (according to the American Association of Medical Colleges and the National Library of Medicine). This was (and is) an important issue within healthcare, and important work was (and is) underway within our practice to address sex equality. Then, in May 2020 news of George Floyd’s murder went viral. Nine minutes and 29 seconds of video footage commanded our attention. While the urgency to act in meaningful ways was palpable, our practice took pause and took account to ensure we moved forward with intentionality and unity as a national practice. The tragedy of George Floyd’s murder coupled with the courage and commitment of our leaders became the catalyst for additional discussions, decisions, actions and—ultimately—the widening of our Belonging efforts and the development of our Belonging vision.

RP’s Belonging initiatives evolved in 2020, as leaders aimed to move forward with intentionality and unity as a national practice.

Our Belonging Vision

Diverse teams outperform homogenous teams. That is a reason. These are our reasons:

  • RP is committed to being an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment where everyone has equal access and equitable resources to reach their full potential. ​​​
  • We are united by our mission to Transform Radiology and in turn have an important impact on the patients we serve and the healthcare system overall. ​​​​
  • We hold that diversity is a key source of strength from which we will build a practice culture that is inclusive for all. ​
  • Our goal is to empower and engage the voice of every teammate to promote awareness, compassion and a healthy respect for differences.​​

RP Belonging is a significant priority, and we will continue to support the RP Belonging vision, establish annual goals related to Belonging and continue to identify opportunities to enhance organizational access and/or advancement for radiologists and support teammates. We will also hold space for Belonging perspectives and seek opportunities to share those perspectives across RP and the work we do in radiology and healthcare more broadly.

Why should a radiology practice care about Belonging? The business case is compelling. Our reason: the human experience demands it. Before we are doctors, advanced practice providers or support teammates, we are human, and humans deserve to belong.​

Tara McKennie (LinkedIn) is the Vice President of Culture and Leadership Development at Radiology Partners, a leading physician-led and physician-owned radiology practice in the U.S. Learn more about our mission, values and practice principles at RadPartners.com. For the latest news from RP, follow along our blog and on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Interested in learning about career opportunities? Visit our careers page.

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