Why the Diversity & Inclusion Conversation Doesn’t Stop Here

Inclusion is at the forefront of Wheel’s culture. In this moment of meaningful change, we’re committed to leading an ongoing conversation about race, religion, sexual preference, and personal identity within healthcare. Please join us, and let’s keep up the momentum for change together.

It’s been two months since the death of George Floyd. In that time we’ve seen the entire country, and even large portions of the international community, come together to call for equality and in protest of police misconduct and systemic racism. What’s equally surprising and heart-stirring is that the largest movement in U.S. history brought so many people together in the midst of a devastating and socially isolating global pandemic.

My biggest fear is that the momentum—and the conversation—will stop.

Wheel was founded with a vision to deliver better care for ALL. At the core of that vision is our company’s cultural value: Empathy Every Day. Our corporate team, our clinicians, our virtual care partners, and the patients we ultimately serve to make up a complex tapestry of different backgrounds, races, religions, sexual preferences, and many other aspects of identity.

That’s why it’s so important that inclusion is at the forefront of our Wheel culture—and why I remain hopeful that real change can spring forth in these times.

As the media coverage dies down, protests dwindle, protesters become weary, and the zeitgeist shifts, we must continue to propel this movement forward through honest conversations, shared experiences, and personal reflection.

Through a regular article series on diversity and inclusion in healthcare—both in the corporate world as employers as well as on the frontlines of care—we aim to amplify the voices, perspectives, and challenges our clinicians, customers, and clients face in today’s world while providing ideas on how to encourage empathy, every day.

I welcome the opportunity to lead this initiative and value your suggestions on future topics.

- Michelle Davey, CEO & Co-founder at Wheel