Leveraging Neuroscience Best Practices to Foster Inclusivity in Health Care Marketing
How Dana-Farber Cancer Institute used neuroscience to transform its approach to underserved populations.
// By Andy Semons and Donna T. Walthall //
Any good marketer who has been on the receiving end of a DEI backlash can tell you that both strategically and in execution, fostering inclusivity isn’t as simple as saying “we care” or including visual representation of diverse groups in communications.
DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] is truly complex. And between the current politicization of DEI and the failure to get it right, many organizations ask themselves if it’s worth it.
Still, in health care, the benefits of a successful approach to DEI speak for themselves. For the community, it’s better care and a better patient experience. For health care organizations, it’s a happier, more loyal and productive workforce, innovation, and advocacy. And a deeper understanding of neuroscience — the science of the human brain and its impact on behavior — can help pave the way for a successful DEI approach.
Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a cancer research and treatment center with more than 75 years of experience, is a prime example of how an organization overcame bias with neuroscience.
Continue reading to learn how neuroscience helped Dana-Farber understand and more effectively reach underserved communities. We share the organization’s “12 Everyday Acts of Inclusion” as well as an example of how inclusivity builds trust and catalyzes change.