Read about our pioneering study with South Tees NHS Foundation Trust here.
Read about our pioneering study with South Tees NHS Foundation Trust here.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental drivers of long-term behaviour change. Recognising cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors that come into play, Surgery Hero is excited to present our latest efforts to enhance perioperative health coaching tailored to each unique individual who comes through our programme.
Every individual's surgical journey is unique; we're here to champion that. By placing diversity at the forefront of our health coaching, we're sending a clear message: everyone deserves personalised, inclusive, and empowering support.
Traditional healthcare recommendations often adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. When advice doesn't feel reflective of your circumstances, it’s unrealistic to expect people to change. However, health coaching's holistic and personalised nature makes it ideally suited to embracing the diversity that is the beauty of human nature! By tailoring our approach to each member's unique background and needs, we guarantee not just preparation for surgery but a richer understanding of one's health journey, which will equip our members with lifelong skills to manage their health.
Food choices significantly impact readiness for surgery and long-term health. At Surgery Hero, we recognise that our food choices are more complex than just eating to nourish our bodies. Food holds deep cultural, emotional, and social value. We’re working to translate dietary recommendations and expand nutritional information on the Surgery Hero app to cater to diverse diets worldwide. We're advocating for physical health and making this accessible for cultural and emotional well-being too. We want our members to feel supported in optimising their nutrition in a way that aids their surgical preparation while respecting and celebrating their culinary heritage.
We understand that health isn't just a matter of knowledge but, often, access. By developing materials and resources that cater to diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, we ensure that the quality of our coaching remains consistent, regardless of one's economic means. With the current cost of living crisis, we know this can be an additional challenge when preparing for surgery. Whether this means eating well on a budget or finding ways to be physically active for free, we are working to ensure that our health coaches and the Surgery Hero app inspire our members to reach their health goals, regardless of budget.
Understanding cultural nuances is pivotal. This is why we're investing in training our health coaches to be conscious and sensitive to cultural and ethnic considerations. Our coaches are equipped to provide holistic guidance and support with cultural competence, whether it's understanding particular health beliefs, recognising religious practices, or navigating language nuances.
In a recent case at Surgery Hero, we spotlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity in dietary advice through our work with Arjun; “As someone from a Southeast Asian background and living with diabetes, I struggled to adapt to the standard 'eatwell plate'. My diet is a big part of my cultural identity – think rice, curries, and all those wonderful spices. Thankfully, my health coach at Surgery Hero understood the significance of my cultural foods. They helped me tweak my traditional meals, like using brown rice for lower GI and adding more vegetables to my curries so I didn’t go hungry whilst cutting down on my carbohydrate portion sizes. All of this made it much easier to manage my diabetes without losing touch with my heritage. This personalised approach didn’t just improve my health; it showed me that effective healthcare respects and integrates with one's cultural identity.”
"By respecting each patient's culture and socio-economic background, we at Surgery Hero build trust and significantly boost their motivation and engagement in their recovery journey. This tailored approach leads to better health outcomes and a deeper sense of empowerment." - Hannah, Health Coach at Surgery Hero
To the employers and organisations considering our services, rest assured that partnering with Surgery Hero is not just an investment in health; you're choosing a service that values and understands each unique individual and is dedicated to finding ways to adjust healthy living advice to suit them.
If you or your organisation believe in a holistic and individualised approach to health, Surgery Hero is eager and equipped to walk alongside you. Together, let's champion health that celebrates every unique individual!