Assessing Perspectives on Systemic Racism in an Academic Hospital Medical Group: The ARCH Project.

BACKGROUND Wisconsin residents experience significant racial inequities in health outcomes. OBJECTIVES The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Division of Hospital Medicine wanted to assess providers' perspectives on systemic racism and gauge their receptiveness to participating in anti-racism training, in conjunction with development and implementation of anti-racism curriculum. METHODS Existing anti-racism curriculum was adapted to be delivered remotely. Division providers were asked to complete a 9-question survey at the beginning of the curriculum. RESULTS At baseline, a majority of respondents believed that racial health disparities exist and should be discussed through employer-sponsored training. Respondents generally did not feel confident in their abilities to address racism. CONCLUSIONS Providers were supportive of anti-racism training in the workplace and feel it is congruent with the public health mission of hospital medicine physicians.