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WHAT’S INSIDE E quity of Care Resource - page 2 for Hospitals The Value of Membership - pages 4-7 in the Institute Summer Enrichment - page 11 Program Success Stories
DECEMBER 2013, VOL. XXIII ISSUE 4
Fred’s Corner
By Fred D. Hobby, President and CEO, Institute for Diversity in Health Management
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hen the Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) was created 20 years ago, racial and ethnic minorities represented about 20% of hospital employees but held less than 1% of top management positions. Since 1994, the Institute’s mission has been to increase the number of minorities in health services administration to better reflect the increasingly diverse communities they serve, and to improve opportunities for professionals already in the health care field. The Institute has implemented several initiatives, including educational programs, summer internship and mentoring programs, and professional development and leadership conferences designed to generate significant, long-term results. Although we have made considerable progress in these areas – minorities now represent 14% of hospital board members and executive leaders – we know we still have much more work to do. And – now more than ever – that work cannot be limited to only diversity efforts. The theme of our 2014 National Leadership and Education Conference, “EQUITY: Moving Beyond Diversity,” urges participants to look beyond diversity and provide the highest quality and equitable care to all of the patients and communities you serve. The 2014 conference, our 11th, takes place June 12-13 at the renowned Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. It is designed to provide strategies and tools for hospital leaders and caregivers to help their efforts to eliminate disparities in care for patients. Our speakers, who include featured scholars, thought leaders and national
experts, will discuss areas that your organization can focus on in order to truly provide equitable care. These include: • Ensuring culturally competent care is being delivered across your organization; • Collecting and using race, ethnicity and language data to tailor the delivery of care to patients and develop appropriate quality improvement interventions; • Incorporating and hardwiring a diversity and inclusion plan into your organization; and • Having a governing board and leadership team that is truly reflective of the patients and communities you serve In addition, across the two-day conference you will participate in leadership development activities, share diversity management best practices and network with senior health care executives. We’ll also unveil the findings from our “Diversity and Disparities: A Benchmark Study of U.S. Hospitals,” and recognize survey participants. And of course, we will celebrate the Institute’s 20th anniversary, and honor many of the organizations and individuals who have played critical roles in the organization’s success. Achieving equity and eliminating disparities in care is imperative to improving the health of the populations you serve. Show your commitment to health equity, and register today for the June conference. Please visit www.diversityconnection. org for more conference details, including how you can become one of the conference’s sponsors. See you in Chicago … and bring a colleague!
IFD, HRET surveying hospitals about diversity and disparities The Institute for Diversity in Health Management and the Health Research & Educational Trust recently mailed hospital CEOs a survey to learn more about hospitals’ efforts to address health care disparities and improve diversity management practices. All hospitals are encouraged to complete the survey. The survey results will be shared at the Institute’s 2014 National Leadership and Education Conference June 12-13 in Chicago. In addition, all responding hospitals will be eligible to receive a custom benchmarking report relating their performance to that of other responding organizations. For more information, contact Kevin Kenward at
[email protected]. The Institute and HRET are AHA affiliates.
Next Diversity Dialogue: Webinar: Aligning Organizational and Employee Values to Support Diversity and Commitment to Excellence Wednesday, February 26, 2014 • 1 p.m. Eastern Time The Institute’s next Diversity Dialogue webinar will feature Loubna Noureddin, director of staff and community education at Miami Children’s Hospital. She will discuss the diversity of Miami Children’s Hospital’s workforce and share best practices that promote the values of respect, support, collaboration and diversity.
Resource helps make case for equity in care Graduate students win NAHSE competition A new resource from the Equity of Care initiative, Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute), and AHA’s Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence (HPOE) provides strategies hospitals can use to address health care disparities and highlights the business imperative for providing equity in care. Launched in 2011 by the AHA, Association of American Medical Colleges, American College of Healthcare Executives, Catholic Health Association of the United States, and America’s Essential Hospitals, Equity of Care is a national call to action to eliminate health care disparities by increasing diversity in health care governance and leadership; cultural competency training; and collection and use of race, ethnicity and language preference data. The resource is available at http://tinyurl.com/lndysjb. It is part of a series of free tools and shared best practices available on the Equity of Care website at www.equityofcare.org. Meanwhile, HPOE and the Institute in November hosted a webinar highlighting state level perspectives on reducing health care disparities. On the webinar, the Tennessee Hospital Association, Maryland Hospital Association and Adventist Healthcare in Maryland shared their equity of care efforts. For more information or to listen to a recording of the November HPOE webinar, visit http://www.hpoe.org/resources/hpoe-live-webinars/1453.
Photo Courtesy EYESEEIMAGES Photography
At the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) October conference in Miami, the organization awarded scholarships to graduate students who were the winners of NAHSE’s Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition. The competition, which is open to graduate students in public health administration, business administration and other fields, forms teams of up to three people. The teams receive a case study with specific facts and raw data, and they are expected to reach decisions as outlined in the case assignment. At the NAHSE conference, each team presented its analysis and recommendations to a panel of judges representing leaders in the health care field. This year’s first-place winners Siddharth Chittajallu, Tumaria McDaniel, Kelsey Lynch (left to right) stood with Diane Howard, director of student development and assistant professor at Rush University and NAHSE Research Committee Chair. Each first-place student received a $4,000 scholarship. Scholarships also were awarded for teams who finished in second through fifth place. NAHSE is a founding partner of the Institute for Diversity in Health Management.
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IFD helps NJ hospital develop diversity & inclusion strategy About three years ago, Stephen K. Jones, president and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and RWJUH Health System in New Brunswick, NJ, and his board of directors recognized that the organization needed to develop a formal diversity and inclusion strategy for the 600-bed academic medical center. Jones knew the organization had carried out many successful initiatives over the years that supported these areas. But he also recognized that a coordinated, strategic approach to Jones diversity and inclusion was necessary to create a culture that would allow the hospital to better serve all of the people in the very diverse communities of central New Jersey. One of Jones’ first phone calls was to Fred Hobby, president and CEO of the Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) – an AHA affiliate. “I knew that the Institute was the one place we could go to help us with identifying best practices,” Jones said. “I have worked with the Institute over the years, and knew that they possessed the content expertise that would be essential in helping us develop our strategic roadmap.” Hobby visited RWJUH and held meetings with Jones, the board and many of the organization’s senior leaders. Hobby shared strategies and helped RWJUH conduct focus groups and surveys as they developed their strategic roadmap. “Given the hospital’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, the Institute was able to help identify important areas to focus on as they put together their own three-year diversity and inclusion plan,” Hobby said. Leadership commitment. That commitment starts with Jones, who is also the hospital’s chief diversity officer, and permeates throughout the organization. “We
believe that diversity and inclusion are a part of the fabric of our organization,” said Jones. Under his leadership, RWJUH has increased diversity in its senior leadership, Hobby management and board. In addition, the hospital has added mentoring programs and cultural competency education for its workforce to support a broader vision of “creating the ideal experience for everyone that enters our doors,” according to Ryan Parker, RWJUH’s director of diversity and inclusion. The hospital’s existing supplier diversity program also expanded its reach, with spending among women and minority-owned businesses growing by 88% during the last 18 months. “Diversity and inclusion, when properly integrated, affects our patient experiences, the quality of care delivered, financial performance, our ability to grow as an organization, and our ability to recruit and retain the best talent,” said Parker. “The only way for this work to really thrive is for it to be embedded in the enterprise-wide strategy.” Community partnerships. In addition to putting together a number of diversity initiatives within the hospital, RWJUH has long involved community stakeholders in its health promotions strategies. For example, RWJUH recently partnered with nearby St. Peter’s University Hospital, Rutgers University and other community-based organizations to conduct a community health needs assessment. Among other challenges, the survey identified the need for additional training in the areas of cultural competency and multiple language and cultural barriers due to a diverse population. In response, the two hospitals are working with local and county health departments to develop specific strategies to meet these challenges and raise the health status of the community. Another example of commu-
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nity partnership is RWJUH’s program with New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School, part of the city’s public school system. For many years, the Parker hospital has hosted the school on its campus and run programs that expose students to careers in health care. It has served as a pipeline program, with graduates going on to medical school, nursing programs and other allied health sectors. More than 30 graduates of the school – whose enrollment is about 80% Hispanic – now work at RWJUH. “Partnerships, like the one with New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School, support our mission to create a future diverse health care workforce and to expand our talent pipeline,” Parker said. Making the business case. With RWJUH’s current three-year diversity and inclusion strategic roadmap coming to an end soon, Jones is envisioning what the next iteration will look like. “When we first started this journey, there was a great emphasis on areas of opportunity to diversify our workforce, focusing on our leadership, and we did that,” he said. “I think now the conversation is how to hardwire inclusion and diversity into our organization to support our business objectives.” RWJUH expects continued emphasis on workforce diversity, cultural competency, population health, and linking diversity and inclusion to the business imperative, because, as Jones observes: “This work is not only the right thing to do for our diverse workforce and community, it’s the right thing to do to strengthen our business in the long term.” For more information on the Institute for Diversity in Health Management, including how you can become a member, visit www.diversityconnection.org.
The Value of Membership in the
December 2013
Institute for Diversity in Health Management During a time of rapid change in health care, the Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) in 2013 worked hard to help member organizations expand health care leadership opportunities for ethnically, culturally and racially diverse individuals and reduce disparities in care for patients. Here, you’ll find just a few examples of educational programs, summer internships, professional development and leadership events, and many other services and resources the Institute has provided to members this year. In addition, in 2013, we were delighted to offer our more than 800 members – a four-fold increase in the past decade – priority access to programs and special pricing. In 2014, the Institute will continue to enhance and improve the programs and services we provide to members. We also will release the latest results of “Diversity and Disparities: A Benchmarking Study of U.S. Hospitals,” which examines hospitals’ efforts to address health care disparities and improve diversity management. Thank you for your strong support of the Institute, and we look forward to your continued involvement in 2014. If you are not an Institute member, please visit www.diversityconnection.org for more information about how you can join. Fred Hobby President and CEO
Regional Symposiums Spotlight Strategies to Promote Equitable Care Building on the momentum generated at the Institute’s 2012 National Leadership and Education Conference, the Institute this year hosted four Regional
Symposiums in which hospital and health system leaders shared best practices and strategies for increasing diversity in health care leadership and eliminating disparities in care. More than 200 health care leaders attended the symposiums in Florida, Ohio, Arizona and Connecticut. The symposiums featured workshops from experts in cultural competency, presentations from leaders responsible for diversity and inclusion efforts, and roundtable discussions.
Institute President and CEO Fred Hobby (standing) presents at the Institute’s Ohio Regional Symposium.
A Leading Voice for Culturally Competent Care Enhanced CLAS Standards. The Institute played a key role in shaping the enhanced National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care, which were released earlier this year. The first update to the standards since their release in 2000 expanded the concepts of culture, audience, health and recipients to reflect new developments and trends, and included a focus on leadership and governance as drivers of culturally competent health care and health equity. American Leadership Council on Diversity in Health Care. The Institute created the American Leadership Council on Diversity in Healthcare in 2006 to foster collaboration among professional diversity practitioners committed to developing and implementing change initiatives through research, education and advocacy to improve the quality, safety and access to care among the nation’s health care providers. The council, which consists of 40 diversity practitioners from Institute member hospitals across the country, functions as an advisory group that provides insight and perspective to the Institute and to the field of health care diversity management to enhance national efforts aimed at fostering inclusion, changing mindsets and increasing cultural competence.
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Preparing Minorities for Executive Leadership and Trustee Roles Emerging Minority Leaders. The Institute in May hosted its third cohort of the Emerging Minority Leaders program in Chicago. Hospital and health system leaders participated in the program, designed to help minority health care professionals who are looking to make the jump to a CEO or C-suite position. The two-day seminar was facilitated by Institute President and CEO Fred Hobby and nationally prominent executive consultant and New York Times bestselling author Emmett C. Murphy. The program provides personalized mentoring and coaching support to launch or enhance each participant’s career growth program. More than 20 hospital and health care leaders have participated in the three Emerging Minority Leader program cohorts since 2012. Participants in the May Emerging Minority Leaders program pose with course facilitator Emmett Murphy (far left) and Institute President and CEO Fred Hobby.
Hospital Trustee Professionalism Program. The Institute and the AHA’s Center for Healthcare Governance (Center) in October hosted a full-day education symposium for about 30 diverse business and community leaders who are interested in serving on the board of their local hospital or health system. The national program examined the basic principles by which a hospital board operates, including the trustee’s role and responsibilities and the board’s role in setting strategy and determining policy, as well as the unique challenges faced by health care governing boards. The two organizations hosted an additional program in Boston in December, and 55 people participated. In addition to the free program, the Institute and the Center also host a web-based registry of minority trustee candidates that is available to hospitals and health systems to recruit new board members. More than 650 minority candidates who completed the Hospital Trustee Professionalism Program are in this registry. A number of leaders who have participated in the Hospital Trustee Professionalism Program throughout the years have been selected to serve on hospital and health system boards. CDM Enhances Diversity Managers’ Skills.
The Institute in September hosted a three-day meeting for participants in its Certificate in Diversity Management in Health Care (CDM) program, which is designed to help diversity professionals and future practitioners enhance their leadership competencies needed to bring about change in their institutions and communities. The CDM program, which is being facilitated in collaboration with Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies and the American Leadership Council for Diversity in Healthcare, is a 12-month program that includes online classes and on-site learning forums taught by some of the nation’s leading hospital-based diversity practitioners. It provides diversity practitioners with tools and resources to develop and execute a system-wide diversity strategy. Throughout the next year, program participants will learn how to implement diversityrelated provisions of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” develop a Health Disparities Dashboard, enhance the use of language services programs and use the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care.
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Institute Programs and Operations Specialist Craig Blassingame lectures at the September 2013 CDM session in Chicago.
Advancing the Next Generation of Health Care Leaders
Former SEP intern Jameyshia Etchison (right) with Main Line Health President and CEO Jack Lynch. Main Line Health has hosted 18 SEP students for internships since 2005.
Summer Enrichment Program. The Institute’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) this year placed 40 minority graduate students at internships at hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations across the U.S. Experienced administrators serve as preceptors and mentor students, providing exposure to reallife health care administration issues as well as advice that is crucial for early career success. Students also complete a special project during their internship designed to benefit the hospital or health organization. About 15% of SEP students secure full-time employment with their host sites after their internship concludes. Since its inception, the SEP has placed more than 700 minority graduate students in internships at hospitals and other health care organizations. Many former SEP interns now hold executive leadership positions at some of the nation’s most well-known health organizations. Institute members enjoy discounted administrative fees for participating in the SEP.
Scholarship Program. The Institute annually awards three scholarships to diverse graduate students enrolled in health care administration programs. The scholarships – The Cathy L. Brock Memorial Scholarship, The Elliott C. Roberts Scholarship and The Transamerica Retirement Solutions Leaders in Health Care Scholarship – are given to students who excelled academically and demonstrated a commitment to community service. Since 2000, the Institute has awarded more than $150,000 to more than 70 individuals.
Career Center. The Institute this fall updated its Career Center Web page with a number of enhancements for employers and applicants. The Web page allows Institute members to search for diverse talent and lets applicants search for jobs that are available at Institute member organizations. Specifically, Institute members can post an unlimited number of jobs; search for résumés by category, organization type, state, date modified or keywords; see how many individuals have viewed their job postings; and enjoy many other enhancements. Institute members also can take advantage of many other technological improvements to the Web page.
Individual Meetings Provide Strategic Roadmap Throughout the year, Institute President and CEO Fred Hobby and Institute staff provided consulting services to Institute members. These services included helping design comprehensive plans for enhancing diversity and inclusion, increasing recruitment and retention of minority employees, improving employee engagement and assisting with cultural competency educational programs and language assistance services.
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Resources Provide Best Practices and Strategies Diversity Dialogues. The Institute in 2013 hosted 11 Diversity Dialogue webinars featuring nationally renowned speakers who presented on important issues in health care. Presentations included best practices and lessons learned from leading hospitals on increasing diversity in leadership and reducing disparities in care, cultural competency, health equity, global health, patient-centered care and many other topics. Three webinars were conducted jointly with Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence (HPOE), the AHA’s strategic platform to accelerate performance improvement in hospitals. Learning Moments Case Studies. The Institute produced four case studies designed to provide members with strong examples of diversity management and cultural competence in health care. This year’s case studies featured Novant Health in Winston-Salem, NC, and its journey to standardize best practices for diversity and inclusion; Adventist Healthcare Center in Gaithersburg, MD, and its project to improve the health of African immigrants; Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, VA, and its cultural diversity initiative to ensure the culturally and linguistically appropriate provision of care to its diverse population; and Miami Children’s Hospital and its journey to enhance the alignment and rapport throughout the organization in order to increase collaboration and accountability.
Guides and Resources. The Institute worked with HPOE, the AHA’s Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET) and the Equity of Care initiative to produce a number of guides and resources for hospital and health system leaders. These included a guide that provides a four-step approach to collecting patient Race, Ethnicity And Language data to reduce disparities in care, a guide on becoming a culturally competent health organization, and a guide on the business case for reducing and eliminating disparities in care.
WHAT’S INSIDE Institute hosts CDM - page 2 session in Chicago Board Profile: - page 3 Nicholas Tejeda Symposiums on Diversity - pages 4&6 and Disparities
OCTOBER 2013, VOL. XXIII ISSUE 3
Fred’s Corner
By Fred D. Hobby, President and CEO Institute for Diversity in Health Management
I
have the privilege of traveling across the country to meet with hospital and health system leaders to talk about strategies to increase diversity in health management and reduce disparities in care. Some of these meetings involve one-on-one discussions with a hospital CEO or his or her leadership team. Other meetings, like our August regional symposium in Cleveland featured more than 40 leaders from Ohio’s hospitals and health systems who came together to share best practices and strategies for promoting equitable care. While data from our most recent Institute survey showed that hospitals are making progress on key areas that promote equitable care, we know that there is considerable work to do. What I’m most encouraged about though is a common refrain that is building from hospital and health care leaders: Now is the time to act. That’s why the Institute – working with our partner organizations – is hard at work to provide you with education, tools and resources that can assist you on your journey to eliminate disparities in care and build healthier communities. For example, over the next few months we’ll: • Launch our Certificate in Diversity Management in Health Care (CDM) program, which includes online classes and on-site learning forums to help diversity professionals develop leadership competencies needed to bring about change in their organizations and communities; • Partner with the AHA’s Center for Healthcare Governance to host our Hospital Trustee Professionalism Program in Chicago and Boston;
• Host our third regional symposium on diversity and disparities. This symposium will take place Oct. 25 in Marana, AZ, in conjunction with the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association’s annual meeting. • Continue to host educational webinars and share examples from Institute members who are implementing comprehensive diversity initiatives. In addition, we are preparing for our 2014 National Leadership and Education Conference, which will take place June 11-13 in Chicago. We are putting together a top-notch program that will provide hospitals leaders with strategies to increase the collection and use of race, ethnicity and language data and enhance cultural competency training so each patient receives the best care individualized to their respective needs. We’ll also provide resources and have sessions that focus on increasing diversity in leadership and designing and effectively managing diversity programs. As always, we’ll meet colleagues from across the country, learn from one another and celebrate our successes. And we’ll also take some time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Institute and recognize those who have been critical supporters and partners of the organization. Watch for more information soon on next year’s conference, but mark your calendars now and plan to join us in Chicago next June as we take the next step on our journey to eliminate disparities and achieve equity in care. And visit www.diversityconnection.org for more information on all of the Institute’s programs.
Join Us for Our Next Diversity Dialogue:
Global Medicine – The New Imperative Wednesday, October 30 • Noon – 1:30 p.m. Central Time
This 90-minute webinar will feature David Hunt, president and CEO of Critical Measures, LLC, and Patricia Walker, M.D., associate medical director of Global Health Pathway in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. Currently, more than one billion people cross international borders every year. That number is expected to double in just 10 years. As a result, medicine, like business, is going global. American health care providers are seeing conditions that they have never seen before, seeing conditions that look familiar but turn out to be of foreign origin and seeing parasites and infectious diseases with which they have no familiarity. This webinar is designed to increase the awareness of global health care and how physicians and nurses can prepare for this globally mobile environment. The webinar is complimentary for Institute members and $99 for non-members. Advance registration is required. For more information about Diversity Dialogues, visit http://tinyurl.com/nybz2zf.
Former SEP student set to lead NAHSE
Roy L. Hawkins, Jr., will take over as president of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) on Oct. 17 at the group’s annual conference in Miami. NAHSE is a founding partner of the Institute. Hawkins currently serves as deputy director of James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Clinics (JAHVH) in Tampa. The facility is comprised of a 566-bed medical center, which includes a 415-bed hospital, multiple outpatient primary and specialty care clinics, and other facilities. The JAHVH is one of the largest integrated medical facilities in the Veterans Health Administration. In this role, Hawkins is responsible for more than $800 million in assets and the overall management, strategy and direction of JAHVH’s integrated health care system. Hawkins was introduced to NAHSE as an undergraduate student at Howard University in Washington, DC. During his graduate school matriculation at Florida International University, he participated in the Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition and the Institute for Diversity in Health Management Summer Enrichment Program (SEP). “Roy is a well-respected leader who is passionate about increasing diversity in health care leadership and improving care for all patients,” said Institute President and CEO Fred Hobby. “The Institute is extremely proud that a former SEP student will lead NAHSE, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Roy and NAHSE during this important time in health care.” Hawkins says his experience with students and early careerists has acquainted him with the challenges and opportunities of working with the next generation of health care leaders. He wants to help advance the careers of these young aspiring leaders through the expansion of education, training and mentorship opportunities facilitated by NAHSE.
Bringing You the Latest News The Institute this year used a number of platforms to keep you informed about all of the news from the organization, as well as items relating to health care diversity. Bridges, the Institute’s quarterly electronic newsletter published four issues in 2013. Bridges also offered advertising opportunities and a chance for members to promote upcoming events or programs. In addition, the Institute expanded its social media outreach through Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, with more than 900 professionals connecting to stay on top of the Institute’s latest news and events. Members also received bi-weekly email news highlighting Institute happenings and many upcoming programs of interest to diversity professionals.
155 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 400 Chicago, IL 60606 Phone 312.422.2630 Fax 312.278.0893 www.diversityconnection.org
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BRIDGES PROFILE Once a quarter, Bridges spotlights a health care executive who has made a significant contribution to advancing the careers of diverse individuals in health care management.
Kathryn J. (Kathy) McDonagh, PhD, FACHE
The Institute for Diversity in Health Management recently awarded its 2013 Transamerica Leaders in Health Care Scholarship, Cathy L. Brock Memorial Scholarship and Elliott C. Roberts Scholarship.
Vice President, Executive Relations at Hospira What influenced your decision to enter health care? What other factors have shaped your career choices along the way? I worked in an ophthalmologist’s office while I was in high school and was encouraged by the physicians and nurse I worked with to become a nurse because I loved taking care of the patients. It was such a rewarding experience. As a nurse, I quickly moved into leadership roles since I was always looking for ways to do things better and create a positive environment for the patients, families and caregivers. My career choices were influenced by colleagues, mentors and my husband who encouraged me to fulfill my dreams and utilize my leadership talents. I have held various leadership positions at Saint Joseph’s Health System of Atlanta, Saint Thomas Health Services in Nashville, TN, Saint Clare’s Health Services in Denville, NJ, and CHRISTUS Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi, TX. When I first became a hospital CEO in the 1980s, it was an enlightening experience being a woman in a traditionally male leadership world. I learned a great deal and came to appreciate the value of diversity in leadership.
What’s the greatest challenge you’ve faced in your career? As a CEO, I led several major organizational transformations that included financial turnarounds and process improvements. It is an incredibly stressful experience to navigate a complex organization through significant change, but it also is extremely rewarding. More can be accomplished than ever believed possible when a committed, diverse leadership team in collaboration with physicians moves the organization to new levels of performance. Developing strong leaders resilient enough to thrive in a tumultuous environment is something that is life-changing.
How can health care embrace the leadership imperative to increase diversity among health care managers? Understanding and acting on this imperative has to start with the governing board and top leadership. Business sectors outside of health care have quantified the value of diversity to the performance of organizations. For instance, it has been shown that companies with gender diverse boards and executive staff have significantly better financial and performance outcomes. Health care research needs to be done to demonstrate the correlation between diversity of leadership and
Institute awards 2013 scholarships, applications open for 2014
➤R N/BS University of Detroit ➤M S University of Michigan ➤ P hD Touro University International ➤ A HA Institute for Diversity in Health Management Board ➤ A HA Center for Healthcare Governance Board ➤N ational Patient Safety Foundation Board of Governors ➤N ational Center for Healthcare Leadership Board
reduction of disparities of care. Addressing equity of care issues and truly improving the health of increasingly diverse communities will require leaders with various backgrounds and experiences to make this a priority. There are many strategies health care organizations can implement to support leadership development and career advancement to achieve these goals.
What advice would you give to racially and ethnically diverse individuals seeking to enter health care administration? Prepare yourself well so that you are ready when opportunities arise. This includes the appropriate education and skills credentials along with a variety of experiences so your portfolio is diverse and reflects your enthusiasm for new adventures. Be willing to take on challenging assignments, and don’t hesitate to roll up your sleeves and work hard to get the job done. Identify some mentors who can provide wisdom and insights for your career journey.
What do you see as the health care field’s greatest challenge in the coming years? The move toward population health improvement and all the health care reform challenges will require a shift in thinking from a hospital-centric business model to a wellness and prevention approach to health that engages patients and families in their own care. 8
Transamerica Leaders in Health Care Ahmed Dagane, a graduate student at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN, and Richard Martin, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, each received a $5,000 Transamerica Leaders in Health Care Scholarship. Dagane hopes to work for the World Health Organization and use his education and experience to help people around the world. Martin is committed to being a positive role model in his community and has performed community service for nearly a dozen organizations. Martin also is a former Institute Summer Enrichment Program intern. The Transamerica Leaders in Health Care Scholarship is available to first-and secondyear graduate students who are pursuing degrees in health care administration or comparable degree program. Elliot C. Roberts Joseph Lopez, a graduate student at Harvard Business School, received the 2013 Elliott C. Roberts Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is named in honor of one of the nation’s leading public hospital administrators, and recognizes graduate student leaders who represent ethnically diverse cultural backgrounds. The scholarship is available to secondyear graduate students who demonstrate a commitment to community service, excel academically and demonstrate financial need. Cathy L. Brock Memorial Marilyn Abidu, a graduate student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Pauline Aranda, a graduate student Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, each received the 2013 Cathy L. Brock Memorial Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship in memory of Cathy L. Brock, former director of operations for the AHA’s Health Research Educational Trust, recognizes graduate student leaders who represent ethnically diverse cultural backgrounds. This scholarship is available to first- and second-year graduate students who are pursuing degrees in health care administration or a comparable degree and who demonstrate an interest or commitment to a career in finance. The Institute has opened registration for its 2014 scholarship program. For more information or to apply, visit http://tinyurl.com/9azfxls.
AHA program prepares local leaders to serve members of diverse hospital boards Darren Brownlee, clinical operations project manager in the department of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, wants to help eliminate disparities in care and improve population health in his community. One of the ways he hopes to bring about this change is by serving as a hospital trustee. To better prepare himself for a future hospital or health system board position, Brownlee attended the AHA’s Dec. 6 Hospital Trustee Professional program in Boston. “It helped me learn about hospital governance,” said Brownlee. “All of the presenters were very engaging, and they provided great advice for how to become a member of a hospital board.” Brownlee was one of about 55 participants in the trustee education program, which is designed to prepare community and business leaders for service on hospital and health system boards. “If we are truly going to serve our communities, we have to get the board room to have the voice of the community,” said John Combes, senior vice president of the AHA and president and chief operating officer of its Center for Healthcare Governance (Center). Although minorities represent a reported 29% of patients nationally, they comprise only 14% of hospital board members, according to a survey released in 2012 by the AHA’s Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute). Launched in 2008 by the Center and Institute, the full-day educational program has trained more than 650 leaders at 16 sessions in cities across the country. The Massachusetts Hospital Association also sponsored the Dec. 6 program. Throughout the seminar, Combes and other faculty who are experts in hospital governance examined the basic principles by which a hospital board operates. These included the trustee’s role and responsibilities;
the board’s role in setting strategy and determining policy; and the impact of major trends and emerging issues on hospitals and their boards. “We need diversity at the table,” said Sharon Rossmark, the vice chairman of Sinai Health System in Chicago, and one of the program’s facilitators. “Having diverse board members ensures that important questions are being asked.” Rossmark, who is president and CEO of Zayos Global Ventures – a liquidation and distribution consulting business, got her start as a trustee after attending the inaugural trustee education session in Chicago. At the Boston trustee seminar, she shared strategies for developing an action plan for getting appointed to a board and preparing for a board interview. “It was very helpful to see real-life examples of people like Sharon,” said Gilbert Arenaza, a patient
financial counselor at Massachusetts General Hospital, who attended the program. “If the AHA did not bring this program to Boston, I would not have had the opportunity to learn so many things about what it takes to be a hospital trustee.” The program also featured a panel discussion with local hospital leaders and board members about the challenges of creating and maintaining a diverse board and a networking reception. Participants who completed the program will have their names and a short profile with their contact information listed in an online registry hosted on the Institute and Center’s website. Hospital and health system leaders who are looking to fill board vacancies can use the registry to identify candidates whose skills and interests may be a good match for their organization. The registry is available at http://tinyurl.com/moovkpd.
Preparing diverse leaders for hospital boards. John Combes, (left) senior vice president of AHA and president and chief operating officer of its Center for Healthcare Governance, and David Nygren prepared business and community leaders to serve on a hospital board.
Institute hosts final Regional Symposiums for 2013 More than 100 hospital leaders and diversity practitioners attended the final two Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) Regional Symposiums in 2013, which were focused on increasing diversity and reducing disparities in care. The symposiums, held in Marana, AZ, and Wallingford, CT, respectively, featured best practice sharing and roundtable discussions on cultural competency training, diversity leadership, disparity elimination and results from the Institute’s most recent benchmarking survey. The Arizona symposium, which took place Oct. 25 in conjunction with the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association annual meeting, was keynoted by Diana
Smalley, president and CEO of Mercy Health System in Oklahoma and the Chairman of American College of Healthcare Executives. David Hunt, CEO of Critical Measures, presented a workshop on leading a culturally competent organization. In addition, the symposium showcased “lessons from the field” from Marisue Garganta, director of community health integration at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. Garganta discussed St. Joseph’s multi-pronged approach to diversity management, including recruitment, retention and promotion. On Oct. 31, the Institute collaborated with the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) to present the Anniversary Sympo-
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sium of the CHA Diversity Collaborative: From Intent to Impact, presented in partnership with the Connecticut Association of Healthcare Executives. Built on the successful Institute for Healthcare Improvement clinical collaborative model, the objectives of this multi-year initiative are to increase diversity in hospital governance and senior management, improve cultural competence in the delivery of care, and increase supplier diversity. The symposium also featured a keynote address from Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., on the purpose and components of the new Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards.
CEO support, education makes trustees better hospital leaders By Carolyn P. Caldwell In today’s health care environment, the trustee’s role in the strategic direction of the organization is critical to its success. To perform at their highest levels, hospitals and systems require governance leadership that works in tandem with the CEO and holds the chief executive and senior management accountable for achieving the organization’s shortand long-term goals. Being strategic, however, will require more board time and effort, but the benefits are well worth it. A board that is actively involved in the hospital’s strategic direction makes the organization stronger. Founded in 1948, Desert Regional Medical Center is a 387-bed tertiary hospital located in Palm Springs, CA. In 1997, Tenet Healthcare entered into a 30-year lease with the Desert Healthcare District, which is governed by a five-member elected board. The terms of the lease allow the district to appoint two of its community members to the hospital’s 14-member board. Tenet leases and operates the facility. Desert Regional Medical Center is undergoing a business planning process during which the board reviews the entire strategic plan, including all service lines. The board typically provides feedback and questions management to ensure nothing was overlooked during the planning process. Final questions from the board center on how management will execute plan strategies. This governance due diligence, along with periodic updates from management on strategy implementation throughout the year, assist the board in holding the CEO accountable for achieving the organization’s goals. Education fuels governance. Engaging our board in analyzing organizational accomplishments and challenges helps board members think strategically. Rather than focusing only on areas for improvement, we start each board meet-
ing by highlighting the organization’s victories. Trustees then discuss challenges and barriers to success and ask management what we are doing to address them. This Caldwell process helps the board better understand organizational strengths and weaknesses and keeps the board informed and up to date. Board engagement depends on trustees having the resources they need to think and act strategically. This fall, our board and medical executive committee will attend a leadership education conference. In addition to information about health care issues and trends, the leadership conference helps trustees to better understand their governance role and to ensure the organization is meeting community needs and is being fiscally responsible. Medical staff leaders find that these programs enable them to talk with the board about health care quality and service challenges. Senior management can provide the board with support, input and strategy discussions, but outside learning opportunities provide a broader health care context that helps trustees better support the overall vision, mission and values of the organization and community. Connect with CEO. Boards can help their organizations to be strategic by serving as the eyes and ears of the community and giving senior management ideas about where the organization might focus. As CEO, I talk almost daily with our physician board members because I see them at the hospital. I also hold breakfast and lunch meetings as often as I can with community board members and ask them, “Are there service lines you feel we should be offering? What are we missing? What do people in the community think about the hospital? What do you think we are doing well? Where do you think we can improve?” 10
These discussions often continue in more depth with the entire board at our regular monthly meetings and may lead to opening a new service line or strengthening an existing one. While most hospitals conduct community needs assessments, additional input from the board also is invaluable in strengthening the organization’s strategic direction. Trustees who want their boards to function more strategically should consider the following steps: • Speak up. Broach the subject with board colleagues and the CEO, who should be receptive to having a board that is more engaged and strategic in its thinking and action. • Meet one on one. Spend time outside of the boardroom with your CEO. Get together every other month to talk about ways you as a board member can be more valuable to the organization. These informal meetings are especially important for new trustees who may initially be uncomfortable about bringing up strategic topics during a board meeting. Having one-on-one time with the CEO can give trustees confidence to share their perspectives in a setting that is more comfortable for them. • Be an active participant. In meetings, ask questions, be engaged and raise issues you feel are strategically important to the board, the leadership team and the organization. You are the ambassador for the hospital, and the CEO is looking to you to be a key resource in helping to develop the organization’s strategic focus. Education, connecting with the community, and strategic discussions at meetings and with the CEO can help trustees to bring a stronger strategic focus to governance. Caldwell is president and CEO of Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, CA, and an AHA board member. She also is a past chair of the Institute. This article first appeared in the November issue of Trustee magazine, www.trusteemag.com, an AHA and Health Forum publication.
Many SEP success stories in 2013 The Institute for Diversity in Health Management in 2013 placed 40 minority graduate students in internships at hospitals and health care organizations through its Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), and many SEP students received full-time employment as a result of their SEP internship. “The Institute did a really great job of listening to the host sites and the candidates and pairing them together,” said Chong Ho, a 2013 SEP student who interned at UC Davis Health System in Sacramento, CA. After her internship, Ho was hired at as a project analyst at the health system. The SEP places promising minority graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in health care administration in 10-week internships at hospitals, medical centers and other organizations and provides students with a unique, immersive internship directly in a hospital setting. Experienced administrators serve as preceptors and mentor interns, providing support and career advice as well as critical early-career connections. “One of the most valuable things about the program is that the Institute brought these leading health care organizations to us,” said Karan Patel, an SEP student who interned at The Texas Institute for Surgery in Dallas.
Register to host a 2014 SEP student
Registration for the Institute for Diversity in Health Management’s 2014 Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) is in full swing, and hospitals and health systems should register soon to participate as a host site. The SEP places promising minority graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in health care administration in 10-week internships at hospitals, medical centers and other organizations and provides students with a unique, immersive internship directly in a hospital setting. Experienced administrators serve as preceptors and mentor interns, providing support and career advice as well as critical early-career connections. In addition to gaining broad exposure to the host organization’s staff, stakeholders and challenges, SEP interns also complete an independently designed special project, intended to benefit the hospital after the internship concludes. The SEP also provides host sites access to up-and-coming diverse talent in health management. Hospitals and health systems who are interested in participating as a host site can find more information about the SEP at www.diversityconnection.org/SEP.
During his internship, Patel spent time in both clinical and non-clinical areas and was assigned many tasks from which he could derive leadership skills, according to David Helfer, president of the Texas Institute for Surgery. “His performance was so stellar we have identified funding to let him continue functioning with us as an Administrative Fellow,” Helfer said. Below are some examples of 2013 SEP students who received full-time employment offers after completing their SEP internship. Chong Ho UC Davis Health System Sacramento, CA Project Analyst
Michael Rape Main Line Health Bryn Mawr, PA Yale-New Haven Health System New Haven, CT Fellow at the University of Texas Medical Branch Jon-Michael WIlliams Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte, NC Administrative Resident Michael Yen North Shore LIJ Health System Great Neck, NY Data Research Manager
Schreese Jenkins Lakeland Regional Medical Center Lakeland, FL Human Resource Specialist Daniela Makembe Lutheran Medical Center Brooklyn, NY Community Care Manager Karan Patel The Texas Institute for Surgery Dallas Administrative Fellow Andrea Peine Robert Wood Johnson Hospital New Brunswick, NJ Business Analyst
Karan Patel (left), a 2013 SEP student who interned at The Texas Institute for Surgery in Dallas received an Administrative Fellowship after his internship. He is seated with David Helfer, president of the Texas Institute for Surgery.
Special event planned for SEP alumni at conference The Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) is planning a special event for former Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) students that will take place at the Institute’s 2014 National Leadership and Education Conference in Chicago. On June 12, former SEP students are invited to a special breakfast at the Palmer House hotel in which they will have the opportunity to connect and network with other SEP alumni. For nearly 20 years, the SEP has helped more than 700 minority graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in health care administration find internships at hospitals, medical centers and other health care organizations. Many former SEP students are reaching the C-suite, and many others are continuing their career climb at the same hospitals they interned at through the SEP. If you would like to join the SEP alumni group and would like more information about the June 12 SEP
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breakfast, contact Chris Biddle, Institute membership and education specialist at
[email protected]. The Institute’s biennial conference is the premier health services conference on managing diversity. Senior health care executives, human resource directors, diversity specialists, consultants, trustees and others examine leadership opportunities for ethnic and racial minorities in health management and explore recruitment and retention strategies. Over the course of two days, the Institute’s conference provides leadership development in diversity management, insight on designing and effectively managing diversity programs, valuable resources and tools for health care organizations, succession planning and more. For more information on the conference, visit http://tinyurl.com/ l3o8tcj or contact Jetaun Mallett, Institute manager of operations and business development, at (312) 422-2692 or
[email protected].
NEWS BRIEFS CDC issues report on health disparities, inequalities The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a report highlighting differences in mortality and disease risk related to behaviors, access to health care, and social determinants of health. The report provides an update on 19 topics covered in a similar 2011 report and 10 new topics, including access to healthy foods; activity limitations due to chronic diseases; asthma attacks; work-related injuries and illnesses; health-related quality of life; periodontitis in adults; residential proximity to major highways; tuberculosis; and unemployment. “Better health for all Americans depends on focusing our efforts where they’re needed most,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D. “This kind of information helps us target health programs and promotes accountability for improving health equity at the federal, state and local level.” To view the report, visit http://tinyurl.com/mej8gto.
Report looks at Marketplace options for African Americans About 60% of the 6.8 million uninsured African Americans eligible for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace may qualify for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or tax credits to help with the cost of premiums, according to a report released by the Department of Health and Human Services. That includes 2.2 million African Americans who may qualify for Marketplace premium tax credits; 1.4 million adults who live in states expanding Medicaid eligibility; and 615,000 children who have family incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level and may be eligible for coverage under Medicaid or CHIP, the report estimates. African-American citizens have a higher uninsurance rate (20%) than other Americans (16%). To view the report, visit http://tinyurl.com/orhrqed.
AHA white paper examines bedside care team of the future A new AHA white paper examines the role of bedside care teams in a changing health care system. “The changes
confronting the health care system are so significant that many of the models that the health care system has relied on, such as the traditional bedside care team, may no longer be the best, or even a plausible, approach to care,” according to the paper, which summarizes the findings of an AHA-convened roundtable on the issue. Participants identified six principles that will characterize movements toward a reconfigured bedside care team during the next five years; foundational concepts that must be in place for this work to occur; cutting edge practices; and examples of hospitals that have innovative and engaged bedside care teams. To view the white paper, visit http://tinyurl.com/m2okqx6.
AHA report looks at trends in hospital-based population health management Hospitals are using a wide variety of organizational and staffing approaches to integrate population health management into their operations as the field evolves, according to a report released recently by the AHA’s Association for Community Health Improvement. Based on a nationwide survey of acute-care hospitals last year, the findings will serve as a baseline
to assess future hospital-based population health initiatives and enable ACHI and the AHA to support members’ efforts to improve population health in their communities. ACHI is an AHA personal membership group. To view the report, visit http://tinyurl.com/lqnckwe.
HRSA awards grants to develop nursing, health care workforce
The Health Resources and Services Administration recently awarded $45.4 million in fiscal year 2013 grants to support nursing workforce development. The grants include $22.1 million for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans or loan cancellations to nurses who become or serve as faculty; $9.2 million to train advanced practice nurses; $5.2 million to improve nursing diversity; $6.7 million to promote interprofessional collaborative practice; and $2.2 million for nurse anesthetist traineeships. In addition, the agency awarded $2.4 million to train doctoral-level psychologists for vulnerable and underserved populations; $3 million for accredited residency programs in preventive medicine and public health; and $1.4 million to four health workforce research centers. To view the announcement, visit http://tinyurl.com/m3lh6js.
Advertise in As a Bridges advertiser, you will expose your brand to a broad network of progressive health care professionals, all of whom are committed to supporting the Institute’s mission of stronger representation for minorities in hospital and health system management. We offer an affordable way to increase your organization’s visibility. 2014 Bridges Advertising Rate Schedule • Full-page advertisement: $550/issue ($1,900/year) • Half-page advertisement: $350/issue ($1,100/year) • Third-page advertisement: $230/issue ($700/year) • Sixth-page advertisement: $150/issue ($500/year) 2014 Release Dates • March • July • September • December If you are interested in placing an ad in Bridges, please contact Pamela Janniere at (312) 422-2691 or
[email protected]. Advertisers are responsible for their own artwork, which must be submitted at least three weeks before the scheduled release date.
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