A Step-Wise Approach to Equity: Implementing Effective Policies and Programs in Pediatrics

Disparities for women in pediatrics have existed for decades. Organizations know that change is needed. How can organizations achieve a more equitable culture? This chapter aims to provide a stepwise approach that organizations must take to implement, measure, and manage change to achieve gender equity for women in pediatrics. Success is defined as the timely advancement, promotion, recruitment, and retention of women in pediatrics as partners and leaders in practice. We adapted the time-tested change management framework by John Kotter (Change management. 1995. https://hbr.org/1995/05/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail-2. Accessed on 10/6/2021) and Nancy Spector et al.‘s equity, diversity, and inclusion cycle (Spector et al., Pediatrics. 144:e20192149, 2019) to inform this stepwise approach. Through this approach, organizations can manage, measure, and sustain change to achieve lasting equity.