There are few people with a resume as extensive as that of Dr. Joy Masuhara when it comes to advocating for the underrepresented.
The family physician and inaugural Regional Medical Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has a long and storied history of breaking down social and cultural barriers. Now, in her newly-appointed role, Joy hopes to draw upon her past experiences to establish a unified approach to DEI initiatives at VCH.
“I'm absolutely thrilled about this new role, and I look forward to mobilizing all the different areas within the organization where a lot of this great work is already taking place," says Joy. “One of my key tasks will be to identify and support these existing activities, and coordinate them as efficiently as possible."
The VCH Medical Staff Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, which Joy co-chairs, has already defined many of these areas, but she says more data is needed to further identify opportunities and measure progress.
“We know that wellness intersects with DEI a great deal, and that psychological safety contributes to well-being," says Joy. “So we'll need to learn more about these areas within VCH and strategize around how to build on our successes."
Joy has worked with VCH Community Older Adult Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) Services for over 25 years, with the latter half focusing primarily on Chinese older adults. She also spearheaded a Physician-Led Quality Improvement (PLQI) project aimed at improving the quality of (and access to) mental health services for frail Chinese seniors.
“We were alarmed by the challenges facing the Chinese older adult community in recent years, including a rise in emergency visits stemming from untreated mental health issues," explains Joy. “We noticed multiple barriers to access to care in the Chinese community, such as language, lack of trust in the system, and the stigma around mental health."
After consulting with stakeholders and engaging with community members directly, Joy and her team developed a network to better support family physicians, and consequently improve health care outcomes for Chinese older adults.
Not only is Joy excited about her new role as DEI Regional Medical Director but she is also cognizant that her approach will undoubtedly be shaped by many of her own personal experiences.
“My lived experiences will surely influence how I navigate in this sphere, including the fact that I myself identify as a racialized lesbian," says Joy. “My experience working in mental health will hopefully be useful as well, in helping to address the stigma felt by those living with mental illness and poverty."
Joy is also a volunteer with Women Transforming Cities, a group helping to improve gender, racial and social equity and inclusion in urban settings.
She was also instrumental in the fight for gay marriage rights in the early 2000's, leading to a favourable B.C. Court of Appeal decision in 2003, and eventually to the legalization of same-sex marriage in B.C.
“I learned so much through this experience," says Joy. “Mostly that even small groups of dedicated individuals can achieve big results and affect positive change."
Although optimistic about her new role, Joy acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead, and views the path forward as a constant work in progress.
“Making mistakes are in the spirit of learning," says Joy. “This work can be difficult and uncomfortable, but if we take a humble and mindful approach and continue learning and growing along the way, the results will come."
Medical staff from all VCH CoCs/rural are welcome to join the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee, please contact Joy.Masuhara@vch.ca
For the Richmond & Coastal Medical Staff Associations, please find the following links:
RH: https://rhpsengagement.ca/dei-at-rh/
LGH: http://lghmsa.ca/lghpes/
