--- title: "Protecting Vulnerable Populations: Isn't That What Healthcare Is All About?" description: Healthcare providers need to take a look first at how well their patients are representative of their population, then do the same for their staff. image: https://www.z5inventory.com/hubfs/Blog%20Header%20-%20pig%20rainbow%20pride.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/protecting-vulnerable-populations-isnt-that-what-healthcare-is-all-about#main-content) [![Group 1211](https://www.z5inventory.com/hubfs/Group%201211.png)](https://www.z5inventory.com) - [Solutions](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions) - [Z5 Count](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-1) - [Z5 Fixed Asset](https://www.z5inventory.com/solution/fixedassetcount) - [Z5 Analytics](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0) - [Z5 Optimization](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-0) - [Who We Serve](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2022) - Company - [About Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact-2021) - [Contact Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact) - [Careers](https://www.z5inventory.com/careers) - [Blog](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog) - [Login](https://prod.z5development.com/) # Protecting Vulnerable Populations: Isn't That What Healthcare Is All About? [Alex Diamond](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/author/alex-diamond) 6/1/2021 ![The Z5 Piggy Bank arrayed in a rainbow of colors representing the queer community and other vulnerable populations.](https://www.z5inventory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Header%20-%20pig%20rainbow%20pride.jpg?width=1200&name=Blog%20Header%20-%20pig%20rainbow%20pride.jpg) In a crisis, it's healthcare providers' responsibility to take the best care of those who are in the most danger. Yesterday was Memorial Day, reminding us of those who have given the most (and those they left behind, whose care is now our responsibility). Today is the beginning of Pride Month, reminding us of those from whom the most has been taken. We're still in the midst of a pandemic that [disproportionately affects](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/masks-vaccines-and-remote-work-who-needs-them-five-to-save) the elderly, the immunocompromised, racial minorities, and the poor.  Many of these populations overlap with each other, and they all have one major overlap: they're people.  And though our business serves American hospitals, their patients aren't necessarily all American. And near the top of the lessons we've learned in the last year is the importance of international coordination and cooperation. The COVID-19 variants ravaging India right now, for example, [aren't staying in India](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/31/india-covid-variant-spreading-across-england-data-shows). People are going to keep crossing borders. Goods need to keep crossing borders for our healthcare system to keep functioning. Just taking care of "us" isn't a solution. Because "us" is - again - everybody.  [![How Collaboration Improves Every User's Experience](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2614227/d39edc03-36a0-469f-a4a5-5d614e6f2074.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2614227/d39edc03-36a0-469f-a4a5-5d614e6f2074) As far as addressing the coronavirus crisis is concerned, it's continually clear that our priorities ought to be 1) [testing and documentation](https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/92825), and 2) [vaccination](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/why-is-vaccine-hesitancy-so-high-among-healthcare-workers-five-to-save).  As for addressing underserved communities within your region and without (another thing that 2020 made clear is obsolescence of the idea that someone living far away means we can't directly serve them), take a look first at how well your local hospitals' patients are [representative of your local population](https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/92790). And determine what practices you can put in place to [make your specific staff more diverse](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/why-did-you-start-working-in-healthcare).  If promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at your organization - and for the communities you serve - is important to you, you can literally get the conversation started. Participate in a guided, collaborative talk with people at your company or in other organizations so you can learn what's worked for them. Try [one of](https://app.voicevoice.com/register/idea-exchange-2)[these digital roundtables](https://app.voicevoice.com/register/idea-exchange-2) taking place every week.  Just like everyone recovering from 2020 nearly halfway through 2021 (a terrifying thought), we're doing our best. Keep checking back here and in your inbox every week for what advice we can offer, and [let us know](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact) what you thought we've done well and what you think we could do better.  [![Contact Z5](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2614227/b6580551-8452-4ff4-8c3c-b7783c00612a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2614227/b6580551-8452-4ff4-8c3c-b7783c00612a)   [selling medical inventory](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/selling-medical-inventory) [womens health](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/womens-health) [hiring](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/hiring) [healthcare inventory](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/healthcare-inventory) [free advice](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/free-advice) [healthcare logistics](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/healthcare-logistics) [buying medical supplies](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/buying-medical-supplies) [hospital supply chain](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/hospital-supply-chain) [coronavirus](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/coronavirus) [covid-19](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/covid-19) [vaccines](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/vaccines) [webinar](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/webinar) [diversity](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/diversity) [training](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/training) [inclusion](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/inclusion) ## Leave a Comment ## Related Posts ### [8/4/2020 We're Heading For An Indefinite State Of Emergency | Five To Save](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/were-heading-for-an-indefinite-state-of-emergency-five-to-save) ### [6/2/2020 Improvement Is Impossible Without Admitting Your Mistakes](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/improvement-is-impossible-without-admitting-your-mistakes) ### [5/26/2020 Five To Save | Most Hospitals Won't Close. Is That Good Enough?](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/five-to-save-most-hospitals-wont-close.-is-that-good-enough) ![Group 1212](https://www.z5inventory.com/hubfs/Group%201212.png) Z5 Inventory was founded with the purpose of saving health care providers nationwide from expiring product, empowering them to Count, Reallocate, and Buy their inventory all in one place. - [Solutions](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions) - [Z5 Count](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-1) - [Z5 Analytics](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0) - [Z5 Optimization](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-0) - Company - [About Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact-2021) - [Contact Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact) - [Careers](https://www.z5inventory.com/careers) - [Blog](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.z5inventory.com/privacy-policy) - [Get The App](https://www.z5inventory.com/platform) - [Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/z5-count/id1557711721) - [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.z5inventory&gl=US) - [Dashboard Login](https://prod.z5development.com/) © 2026 All rights reserved. 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