Anti-Racist Care: A New Quality Metric?

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/119782...

Published: Sun, 08 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0500

The article discusses whether anti-racist care can be a new indicator of quality in healthcare, similar to sterile techniques before operations or hand hygiene between patients. These standard practices are unquestioned in modern hospitals because they save lives and are firmly rooted in professional practice. The qualitative study identifies five main anti-racist practices in healthcare organizations: collecting data on patients and staff, normalizing anti-racist standards, creating anti-racist policies, implementing accountability procedures for racist behavior, and building safe spaces for racially disadvantaged communities. Organizations are analyzing data through the lens of racial equity, implementing performance measures to prioritize areas and reduce disparities in health outcomes. Linking anti-racism to the quality and safety of care supports its strategic development, including 'equality champions' and awards for progress towards equality goals. The study operationalizes anti-racism through evidence of policies and actions aimed at data transparency, normative integration of standards and proactive measures.