NOVEMBER 2015, VOL. XXV ISSUE 3

WHAT’S INSIDE Institute Conference - page 2 June 21-22 in Philadelphia SEP Registration Open - page 3 for 2016 Special Section: 2015 - page 4 Member Value Report

The momentum is building. More than 850 hospitals and 23 state

and metropolitan hospital associations have signed onto the #123forEquity Pledge to Act Campaign.

The campaign builds on the Na-tional Call to Action to Eliminate Health Care Disparities launched in 2011 by the American Hospital Association, American College of Healthcare Executives, Associa-tion of American Medical Colleges, Catholic Health Association of the United States and America’s Essential Hospitals. It focuses on three areas we believe provide the greatest opportuni-ties for hospitals and health systems to increase the equity of the care they provide to patients:

• Increase the collection and use of race, ethnicity and language preference data;

• Increase cultural competency training; and

• Increase diversity in leadership and governance.

As a field, we have made some progress, but we need to accelerate that progress to ensure equitable care is delivered to all patients in every community. To achieve that goal as our nation becomes increasingly di-verse, it is imperative that we redouble our efforts to identify and eliminate disparities in care.

The #123forEquity Pledge to Act Campaign asks every hospital leader to commit to the following:

1. Sign the pledge – Pledge to achieve the three areas of the National Call to Action within the next 12 months.

2. Take action – Implement strategies that are reflected in your strategic plan and supported by your board and leadership.

3. Tell others – Achieve the goals and share your learnings with others through conference calls and other educational venues, including social media, to accelerate progress col-lectively.To help the field with these renewed

efforts to eliminate health care dispari-ties, the Institute, along with the AHA and our Equity of Care partners, has de-veloped a number of resources, includ-ing a toolkit that offers a user-friendly “how-to” guide to help accelerate the elimination of health care disparities and ensure hospital leadership and governance reflect the communities they serve. The toolkit contains best practices and resources that can assist all hospitals – whether you are just beginning this work or are far along on your journey.

The Institute also can help your organization reach your goals in pro-viding equitable, culturally compe-tent care. These areas will be a main focus of our 2016 National Leader-ship and Education Conference June 21-22 in Philadelphia. Visit www.diversityconnection.org to learn more.

More details about the #123forE-quity Pledge to Act Campaign are available at www.equityofcare.org. For more information, contact us at EquityofCare@aha.org or (312) 422-2630.

Please join health care leaders across the country and take the pledge! It’s not only the right thing to do…it’s the smart thing to do.

The Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) and Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) encourage all hospitals to complete a survey about their efforts to address health care disparities and improve diversity management practices.

“Many hospitals are addressing disparities as part of their efforts to improve quality and safety, but more information is needed to gauge the extent of those efforts, establish milestones and understand hospitals’ achievements in eliminating health care disparities,” said American Hospital Association (AHA) President and CEO Rick Pollack and Institute President and CEO Tomás León in a cover letter to hospital CEOs that accompanied the survey.

Hospital CEOs received a copy of the survey in September. If your organization has not submitted a survey, your CEO has received another copy of the survey and a reminder to please complete the survey.

Results from the survey will be shared at the Institute’s 2016 National Leadership and Education Conference, June 21-22 in Philadelphia.

In addition, hospitals that complete the survey will receive a summary of the findings and may request a customized performance benchmarking report from the Institute.

For more information, contact León at (312) 422-2630 or tleon@aha.org. The Institute and HRET are AHA affiliates.

Complete Institute, HRET survey on health disparities, diversity management

More than 850 Hospitals Pledge to Eliminate Health Care DisparitiesBy Tomás León, President and CEO

2

June 21-22, 2016Institute for Diversity in Health Management

National Leadership and Education Conference

Accelerating Health Equity through Diversity and InclusionCollaboration. Education. Innovation.

Mark your calendars for the Institute’s 2016 National Leadership and Education Conference, June 21-22 in Philadelphia.

The Institute’s biennial conference is the premier health services conference on diversity and inclusion. 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 discuss strategies for working together to enhance health equity for all individuals.

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, supplier diversity and more.

For more information about next year’s conference, including opportunities for sponsorship, please contact Jetaun Mallett, manager of operations and business development, at (312) 422-2692 or jmallett@aha.org.

3

Fatima Kahn was a 2015 SEP intern at Institute member Meridian Health in Neptune, N.J.

The Institute for Diversity in Health Management’s (Institute) online career center has been redesigned to better connect Institute members to the diverse pool of job searchers. In partnership with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Institute’s upgraded career center now offers:• Expedited registration. Create a profile in the Career Center database in

minutes. • Career Center profiles can be created for any person on your staff. Engage

your entire human resources team to make use of this important recruiting tool.

• A homepage dashboard that displays the 20 most recent job postings.• All job postings now have social media enhancements that allow job searchers

to share postings on Facebook, Twitter and via email. • The résumé database purges outdated applicant profiles to offer only the most

recent candidates for consideration. Job posting is an exclusive benefit for Institute members. You may create

unlimited, free job postings; search through the résumé database by category, organization type, state, date modified or keywords; track how many individu-als have viewed your job postings; and more.

Diversify your pool of job applicants by using the Institute’s Career Center, at: http://www.ache.org/institute/login.aspx.

Enhanced Career Center provides access to up-and-coming, diverse talent

Sign up today to host a 2016 Summer Enrichment Program internRegistration for the Institute for Di-

versity in Health Management’s 2016 Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) is in full swing, and hospitals and health systems should register soon in order to reserve their spot as a host site.

The SEP places promising minority graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in health care administration in 10-week, paid internships at hospitals, medical centers and other health care organizations.

Experienced health care administra-tors serve as preceptors and mentor interns, providing support and career advice as well as critical early-career connections.

In addition to gaining broad expo-sure 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. More than 1,100 students have suc-

cessfully completed the SEP program since it began more than two decades ago. Many former SEP interns now hold senior management and board positions at hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations across the country.

When you host an SEP intern, you will receive a complimentary mem-bership to the Institute for 2016. As a member, you will have access to many Institute benefits, including free regis-tration for monthly Diversity Dialogues webinars, unlimited job posting in the Institute’s career center and discounted rates at the Institute’s biennial National Leadership and Education Conference.

Registration is open for organizations interested in hosting an SEP intern in 2016. Matching for the first group of students will begin on Feb. 1, and internships will take place from June through August.

To learn more about the SEP, please visit www.diversityconnection.org/SEP.

To register as a host site, please contact Chris O. Biddle, Institute mem-bership & educational specialist, at cbiddle@aha.org or at (312) 422-2658.

For questions about the upgraded Career Center, please contact Chris O. Biddle, Institute membership & education specialist, at (312) 422-2658 or at cbiddle@aha.org.

Diversity Dialogue webinar Dec. 10 on the business case for health equityTune in for the next Institute for Diversity in Health Management webinar Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. Central Time. The webinar, “Doing the Right Thing is Good Business,” will feature Bruce Adelson, CEO of Federal Compliance Consulting, LLC. He will discuss how diversity, cultural awareness and health care disparities go beyond compliance with federal law and how they impact providers’ business. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/nnmuchq.

4

Video: AHA leaders urge hospitals to take pledge to end health care disparitiesA recent video from AHA President and CEO Rick

Pollack and AHA Chair-elect Designate Gene Woods, president and chief operating officer, CHRISTUS Health, asks hospitals to take the #123forEquity Pledge to Act Campaign to eliminate health care disparities.

The AHA and Institute for Diversity in Health Management are urging every hospital to commit to the pledge, take action and tell others. So far, more than 850 hospitals and 23 state and metropolitan hospital associations have joined the campaign.

To watch the video, visit http://tinyurl.com/ooaakfz.

To sign the pledge and get more information, visit www.equityofcare.org. For questions, please contact us at EquityofCare@aha.org or (312) 422-2630.

Institute president and CEO Tomás León in September spoke at a special breakfast session on quality, equity and collaboration as part of the 2015 Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) Annual Meeting.

León discussed the importance of accelerating efforts to eliminate health disparities, advancing diversity and inclusion practices and how collabora-tion enhances quality of care for diverse patient populations.

CHA president Steven Summer, an early adopter of the #123forEquity Pledge to Eliminate Health Care Disparities, authored a blog entry detailing CHA's efforts in promoting the campaign. To read the blog, visit http://tinyurl.com/nqooq4q.

Institute President Speaks at Colorado Hospital Association Annual Meeting

Institute President and CEO Tomás León (second from left) spoke at the Colorado Hospital Association Annual Meeting. CHA President Steven Summer (third from left) authored a blog on the #123forEquity Pledge to Act Campaign.

León speaks at CyraCom conference

Institute President and CEO Tomás León last month spoke at the 2015 Healthcare Language Services User Summit hosted by CyraCom.

CyraCom is the largest provider of interpretation services that operates solely in the U.S., and the second largest provider worldwide. In business since 1995, CyraCom services more than 3,000 clients, and employs more than 1,000 employee interpreters in the U.S.

CyraCom last year received the Institute’s Corporate Partnership Award.

For more on the conference visit, http://www3.cyracom.com/summit2015.

5

Become a sponsor of the Institute and take advantage of benefitsThe Institute for Diversity in

Health Management, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, works close-ly with health services organizations and educators to expand leadership opportunities for ethnic minorities in health services management.

Thanks to the generosity and

vision of the Institute’s found-ers, sponsors and more than 1,200 members, the Institute has created a number of successful programs designed to help hospitals and health systems recruit and develop diverse candidates for health care management positions at the top

of their organizations, as well as help organizations to create a more diverse overall health care work-force.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities with the Institute, contact Jetaun Mallett at (312) 422-2692 or jmallett@aha.org.

Institute President and CEO participates at ACHE event in AZ

Institute for Diversity in Health Management President and CEO Tomás León recently participated at an American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) local chapter event in Arizona. The Arizona Healthcare Executives in partnership with the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association hosted its 2nd Annual CEO Roundtable on Diversity and Inclusion, and León moderated a panel on equitable care and eliminating health care disparities.

Institute President and CEO Tomás León (center) moderated a panel on equitable care and eliminating health care disparities.

León is pictured with his mentor Fred Brown, former AHA board chair.

NAHSE hosts 30th education conference in New Orleans

The National Association of Health Services Executives’ (NAHSE) in October hosted its 30th Annual Educational Conference in New Orleans. “Creating the Blueprint for Sustainable Change: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Healthcare” the conference featured events, workshops and sessions for health care professionals at all stages of the leadership journey. NAHSE is a cofounder of the Institute for Diversity in Health Management. AHA sponsored the conference and Institute President and CEO Tomás León (right) spoke at the conference’s opening session.

For more information visit www.nahse.org.

6

Hospitals aim for more equitable care through community-based practicesAHA-McKesson Quest for Quality

Prize winners are recognized for making impressive strides toward the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) six quality aims of safe, effective, efficient, timely, patient-centered and equitable health care.

But achieving more equitable care can be a challenge even for the cream of the hospital quality crop, says Gary Yates, M.D., chief medical officer for 2004 Quest for Quality prize winner Sentara Health Care in Norfolk, Va., and chairman of the Quest for Quality prize committee.

“We see a number of organizations that are trying to understand the best ways of approaching” equity of care, says Yates, who adds that the committee is looking for more hospitals to accelerate their progress on that quality aim.

“I think it’s a combination of histori-cally thinking about it as a standalone program or initiative and a concern about finding good practices that can make them more efficient and effective in ad-vancing health equity,” he says.

According to IOM, the equity of care aim is focused on “providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal charac-teristics such as gender, ethnicity, geograph-ic location and socioeconomic status.”

What makes it so challenging is that there are “factors outside of the clinical care environment that are difficult to control, yet often have an impact on the outcome of the services provided,” says John Duval, CEO of 2014 Quest for Quality Prize winner VCU Medical Center in Richmond, Va. “There are many social determinants of patients’ health status that require a health system to modify its delivery models to achieve the desired health outcomes.”

VCU’s “complex care.” A survey of the costs associated with Virginia Coordinated Care, the hospital’s program to serve 30,000 un- or underinsured residents, found that 10% of patients with significant health problems accounted for 80 to 90% of the cost of the program. The hospital created a “complex care” program for 500 of the costliest patients, assigning each to a mul-tidisciplinary team that included a doctor, social worker and a clinical psychologist.

The health system partners with other organizations to provide a full range of health-related services to homeless peo-ple in the greater Richmond area. And its Medical Respite program provides short-term residential care so they can rest in a safe environment while accessing medi-

cal care and other support services. Hospitals “need to acknowledge where

opportunities exist around equity of care and dedicate the resources to address the issues,” Duval says. While urgent, he says “it may be one of the more chal-lenging issues for organizations that are struggling with ever increasing economic pressure as they advance the exceptional care they are striving to provide.”

The 2015 Quest for Quality prize winner, Children’s Colorado Hospital in Aurora, sees the pursuit of more equitable care as part of its continuous journey toward performance improvement.

School-to-Work programs, like Medical Career Collaborative and Project Search, provide opportunities for economically disadvantaged students to pursue careers in health care, with many hired by the hospital after completing the programs. Also, the hospital recently ap-pointed Nita Mosby Henry, its senior vice president of human resources, as its first chief inclusion officer, as part of an effort to make the hospital’s workforce look more like its diverse patient population.

“Our commitment to broadening diversity is there, but the results may take time,” says Dan Hyman, the hospital’s chief quality and patient safety officer. “They just won’t happen overnight.”

Fostering a “culture of equity.” Provid-ing more equitable care means “baking equity into all six of the IOM quality aims,” says Tomás León, president and CEO of the AHA-affiliated Institute for Diversity in Health Management. “Qual-ity and equity are two sides of the same coin. We can’t achieve the Triple Aim of health care and transform health care without eliminating disparities in care.”

The “culture of equity” has to be an or-ganization value, he says. “It takes purpose-driven leadership to be intentional about setting equity as a top priority and integrat-ing it into your strategic planning process and leadership recruitment,” he says.

León finds that “purpose-driven leader-ship” at 2015 AHA Equity of Care Award winning Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in Detroit and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick, N.J.

HFHS was the 2010 Quest for Quality prize finalist. Among other achievements, the six-hospital system was recognized for a campaign to establish equity as a key, measurable aspect of clinical equity.

To address the needs of the large Arab-American population in the Detroit area, for example, the hospital partnered with a community services organization to establish the Arab Community Center Obstetrics Clinic and the organization hired Arabic-speaking female staff to encourage women to seek care. The African-American Male Health Initiative promotes prevention and early disease intervention by reaching out to the community – such as through churches, barbershops and community centers – to provide health screenings and education.

Efforts to increase diversity in HFHS management has led to a 57% increase in minorities assuming leadership roles and a 44% increase in women in top leader-ship positions over the past five years.

“Diversity is in our DNA,” says health system CEO Nancy Schlichting. “It is who we are and who we serve.”

Rather than attempting to train every-one on every cultural competency, Schli-chting says it’s “much more important to train them to ask patients questions … to learn from their patients, because often the patients will be the ones who will help them understand what those needs are.”

Making patient data guide your strate-gies. RWJUH gathers data on patient race, ethnicity and language to help identify ways of improving minority health care. It has increased the use of interpreter services and instituted transitional care for low-in-come patients to close the gap between pa-tient discharge and their follow-up visit to their primary care physician. As a result, the hospital’s 30-day readmission rate dropped from 13% in 2013 to 5.2% in 2014.

“We are committed to living diversity as a value – modeling it internally, among our employees and patients – and externally,” says RWJUH President and CEO Stephen Jones, who appointed himself to the position of chief diversity officer from 2011 to 2014.

IFD’s León says the key to success in achieving more equitable care is leader-ship, community engagement and “strati-fying the [patient demographic] data, ana-lyzing the data and using it to inform care strategies and eliminating disparities.”

He also sees an economic imperative in pursuing the IOM’s equity of care aim. “Healthier communities, healthier work-force, healthier economy,” he says. And that is the vision of the AHA – creating healthier communities that help individu-als achieve their optimum health.”

The Value of Membership in the

Institute for Diversity in Health ManagementNow, more than ever before, making the case for health care diversity and

inclusion is not just the right thing to do – it is essential for business success, performance excellence and the improved economic growth of our country. During a time of rapid change in health care, the Institute for Diversity in Health Management (Institute) in 2015 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.This “2015 Member Value Report” contains examples of educational programs, regional symposiums, professional

development and leadership events, and many other services and resources the Institute has provided to members this year.

In 2016, the Institute will continue to enhance, improve and scale up the programs and services we provide to members:

• Our 2016 National Leadership and Education Conference – June 21-22 in Philadelphia – will feature the latest information and trends in health care diversity management, and strategies for implementing diversity and inclusion practices to eliminate health care disparities.

• We’ll unveil the latest results of “Diversity and Disparities: A Benchmarking Study of U.S. Hospitals,” and honor top-performing hospitals and health systems.

• And we’ll continue to lead and support the #123forEquity Pledge to Act Campaign to Eliminate Health Care Disparities.

Thank you for your strong support of the Institute in 2015. We look forward to your continued involvement in 2016. If you are not an Institute member, please visit www.diversityconnection.org for more information about how you

can join.

M. Tomás LeónPresident and CEO

2015

Diversity Dialogues Showcase Strategies from Leaders on Diversity, Equity Issues

The Institute has hosted seven Diversity Dialogues – educational webinars that connect members to the latest topics in health equity – and three more webinars are planned for the remainder of the year. The webinars have featured many nationally renowned speakers, including Ram Raju, M.D., president and CEO of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation; Tari Hanneman, deputy director of the health and aging program for the Human Rights Campaign; and Ryan Parker, chief diversity officer and assistant vice president of diversity and inclusion at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Webinar topics included best practices for increasing diversity and inclusion; risk adjustment and the impact on provider-health plan relationships; strategies that can be used to reduce health care disparities for Asian Americans; best practices for respectful and effective communication with deaf patients; and how to deliver patient-centered care to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. Two webinars were collaborative efforts and jointly promoted by Institute sponsor CyraCom and Institute member PRISM International.

SAVE THE DATE Institute for Diversity in Health Management National Leadership and Education Conference

June 21-22, 2016Philadelphia

7

8

New, Members-only Resources Provide Enhanced Benefits

Based on feedback from the Institute’s annual member survey, we launched new, digital resources to better serve our more than 1,100 member organizations nationwide. An innovative online membership directory allows Institute members to search for fellow members by city, state, organization and more, providing an opportunity to network and collaborate. In addition, the Institute’s members-only resource web page provides links to the latest studies, information, news and data designed to help hospitals diversify their workforces and better serve their diverse patient populations. The Institute continues to welcome suggestions and feedback from our members to better serve their needs.

Institute Takes Leading Role in Campaign to Eliminate Health Care Disparities

In 2011, the American Hospital Association (AHA) joined the Association of American Medical Colleges, American College of Healthcare Executives, Catholic Health Association of the United States and America’s Essential Hospitals in a national call to action to eliminate health care disparities by increasing collection and use of race, ethnicity and language preference data; increasing cultural competency training; and increasing diversity in health care governance and leadership. While we have made some improvements in these areas, we must accelerate progress. To accomplish this, the Institute is partnering with Equity of Care on the #123forEquity Pledge to Act campaign to eliminate health care disparities. The campaign challenges hospital leaders to:

1. pledge to achieve the three areas of the call to action within the next year;

2. take action by implementing strategies that are reflected in your strategic plan, and provide updates on progress to the AHA; and

3. tell others about your progress by sharing your learnings via conference calls, webinars, social media and more.

We announced these plans at this summer’s Quality and Equity Roadmap and Health Forum-AHA Leadership Summit in San Francisco, and many hospitals and health systems already have pledged their commitment. We’ll continue rolling out the campaign to all hospitals over the next several months. Add your health care organization to a growing list of leaders taking action by visiting www.equityofcare.org/pledge.

New Toolkit Helps Hospitals Target Health Care Disparities

A new toolkit from the Institute for Diversity in Health Management and the Equity of Care initiative provides a framework and resources to help hospital leaders accelerate the elimination of health care disparities and ensure their leadership teams and board members reflect the communities they serve. The toolkit includes a number of resources that can help hospitals increase the collection and use of race, ethnicity and language preference data; cultural competency training; and diversity at the leadership and governance levels. The resources in the toolkit are applicable to hospitals and health systems that are at different points of their diversity and equity initiatives. The toolkit is available on the Institute Resource Center at www.diversityconnection.org.

Institute member Novant Health, a health system based in Winston-Salem, N.C., took the #123forEquity pledge at the Health Forum-AHA Leadership Summit.

9

Symposiums Emphasize Cultural Competence, Equitable CareThe Institute’s regional symposium on March 4 in Dallas brought hospital and health system

leaders together to share best practices and strategies for leadership diversity and cultural competence. Sponsored by CyraCom and CHRISTUS Health, the symposium included a panel discussion with leaders from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Christiana Care Health System in Newark, Del., and ICON Hospital in Humble, Texas – all of which were top-performing organizations in the Institute’s most recent diversity and disparities survey. Each of the leaders discussed their organization’s efforts to promote cultural competency, address disparities in care and increase diversity in leadership. A roundtable discussion focused on how hospitals can collect and use race, ethnicity and language preference data to improve patient care. In addition, a March 24 collaborative symposium, held in conjunction with Diversity MBA Magazine and Institute member Carolinas HealthCare System, featured a panel on cultural competence that provided participants with examples of a cultural competency training framework and how to use it for their constituents and management.

The Institute hosted a March 4 regional symposium in Dallas for health care leaders to share best practices for increasing diversity and eliminating disparities in care.

The Institute, in partnership with a number of health care organizations, hosted a full-day conference on July 22 focused on improving health outcomes for diverse populations, building a culturally responsible and respectful health system, and integrating equity and quality in pursuit of the Triple Aim. About 400 hospital and health system leaders attended the Quality & Equity Roadmap, which took place the day before Health Forum-AHA Leadership Summit in San Francisco. Numerous Institute member organizations made significant contributions to the roadmap, including a presentation by Tari Hanneman of the Human Rights Campaign on its Healthcare Equality Index and a keynote address by Nancy Schlichting, CEO of Henry Ford Health System, which was this year’s AHA Equity of Care Award recipient. In addition, many current and former members of the Institute’s board of directors participated in the Roadmap’s panels on implementing change and population health management. The AHA, Symposium for Leaders in Healthcare Quality, National Forum for Latino Healthcare Executives, Asian Health Care Leaders Association, Rainbow Healthcare Leaders Association, Association for Community Health Improvement and Equity of Care co-hosted the event with the Institute. Witt/Kieffer was a sponsor of the Roadmap.

Institute Co-hosts Inaugural Quality & Equity Roadmap

American Leadership Council on Diversity in Health Care Provides Guidance to Institute

The Institute continues to work closely with the American Leadership Council on Diversity in Healthcare (ALCDH) as the Institute helps hospitals and health systems implement diversity and inclusion practices to eliminate health care disparities. The Institute formed the ALCDH in 2006 to foster collaboration among professional diversity practitioners committed to developing and implementing change initiatives through research, education and advocacy to improve quality, safety and access to care among the nation’s health care providers. The ALCDH consists of more than 40 diversity practitioners from Institute member organizations. In March, the ALCDH published a policy brief detailing various areas in which diversity initiatives can support efforts to achieve the Triple Aim. Many of the ALCDH members serve as faculty members for the Institute’s diversity certificate program.

Members of the ALCDH participate in a strategic planning session.

10

CDM Fellowship Enhances Diversity Practitioners’ Skills

The Institute’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) this year placed 35 minority graduate students at internships in hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations across the U.S. Experienced administrators serve as preceptors and mentor students, providing exposure to real-life health care administration issues, as well as guidance that is crucial for early career success. Students also complete a special project during their internship designed to benefit the hospital or health organization. A number of SEP students secure full-time employment with their host sites after their internship concludes. Since its inception, the SEP has placed more than 750 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, including Institute Board Member Suzanne Jackson, CEO of HCA’s John Randolph Medical Center in Hopewell, Va. Institute members enjoy discounted administrative fees for participating in the SEP.

Summer Enrichment Program Grows the Diversity Pipeline

Institute Pilots Program for Young, Diverse Health Care Leaders

Twelve Institute for Diversity in Health Management Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) interns attended the July Health Forum-AHA Leadership Summit in San Francisco. The SEP interns attended many of the conference’s educational sessions and networked with many hospital and health system leaders during the Summit. The SEP students who attended the confer-ence are pictured above with Institute President and CEO Tomás León (right).

The Institute in March hosted a three-day, face-to-face meeting with the fourth cohort of fellows in the Certificate in Diversity Management in Health Care (CDM) fellowship, which is designed to help diversity professionals and future practitioners enhance their leadership competencies needed to bring about change in their institutions and communities. Developed in collaboration with the Institute’s ALCDH, the CDM is a 12-month fellowship 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. More than 40 diversity practitioners have earned their CDM credentials since the fellowship’s inception. No other comprehensive diversity certificate program is designed and taught by the nation’s leading health care diversity and inclusion practitioners. CDM credentials are recognized by the AHA and the Health Research & Educational Trust.

Building on the success of the SEP, the Institute this year piloted the Fall Enrichment Program (FEP), which places diverse individuals, who recently completed a graduate degree program, at internships in hospitals and health systems across the country. This 10-week immersive internship gives hospitals the opportunity to increase diversity in health care management by offering qualified individuals full-time work experience, and interns are available for full-time employment upon completion of the program. Hospitals participating in the inaugural program include Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Navicent Health in Macon, Ga., Banner Health in Phoenix, and Swedish Health Services in Seattle, among others.

Members of the 2014-2015 CDM cohort learn skills to enhance their leadership competencies.

11

AUGUST 2015, VOL. XXV ISSUE 2

WHAT’S INSIDE Full Coverage: Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit - pages 3-5

Register for the Institute’s Diversity Certificate Fellowship - pages 6 and 9

Pilot Program Provides Internships for Young, Diverse Health Care Leaders - page 7

As the U.S. continues moving toward a majority-minority population and en-

deavors to resolve the social, economic and environmental determinants that affect health and their correlations with specific health outcomes, the need to identify, address and eliminate health care disparities is increas-ing. We are keenly aware that addressing the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and people with disabilities, including individuals expe-riencing mental health and substance abuse disorders, is equally important.

That’s why the American Hospital Asso-ciation (AHA) in 2011 joined the Associa-tion of American Medical Colleges, Ameri-can College of Healthcare Executives, Catholic Health Association of the United States and America’s Essential Hospitals in a national call to action to eliminate health care disparities by increasing collection and use of race, ethnicity and language prefer-ence data; increasing cultural competency training; and increasing diversity in health care governance and leadership.

While we have made some improve-ments in these areas, we must accelerate progress. To accomplish this, the Institute is partnering with Equity of Care to launch the #123forEquity Pledge to Act campaign to eliminate health care disparities. The campaign challenges hospital leaders to: 1. pledge to achieve the three areas of the

call to action within the next year;2. take action by implementing strategies

that are reflected in your strategic plan, and provide updates on progress to the AHA; and

3. tell others about your progress by shar-ing your learnings via conference calls, webinars, social media and more. We announced these plans at the recent

Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit in San Francisco (read more about the Sum-mit throughout this issue), and a number of hospitals and health systems already have pledged their commitment. We’ll continue

rolling out the campaign to all hospitals over the next several months. Add your health care organization to a growing list of leaders taking action today by visiting www.equityofcare.org/pledge.

Paramount to the campaign will be demonstrating the link between quality, equity and collaboration, with diversity and inclusion as the cornerstone to accelerate progress. These are pillars that the Institute has championed and continues to promote in all of its work.

To help the field with these renewed efforts to eliminate health care disparities, the Institute, along with the AHA and our Equity of Care partners, has developed a number of resources, including a toolkit that offers a user-friendly “how-to” guide to help accelerate the elimination of health care disparities and ensure hospital leader-ship and governance reflect the communi-ties they serve. The toolkit contains best practices and resources that can assist all hospitals – whether you are just beginning this work or are far along on your journey. The Institute can help your organization reach your goals in providing equitable, culturally competent care. Visit www.diversityconnection.org to learn more.

While this pledge will be a main focus for the Institute, we also are working to add to the value of your member-ship by bringing you new and enhanced programs and resources. Other major initiatives include fielding the latest version of our diversity and disparities benchmarking survey, and planning for our 2016 national leadership and educa-tion conference.

Since joining the Institute in May (see article on page 8), I have had the oppor-tunity to meet and talk with many of our members, partners and sponsors. I look forward to connecting with all of you in the upcoming months and, in the meantime, feel free to contact me at tleon@aha.org or (312) 422-2630.

Juana Spears Slade, chief diversity officer and director of diversity and language services at AnMed Health in Anderson, S.C., will chair the Institute for Diversity in Health Management’s (Institute) American Leader-ship Council on Diversity in Healthcare (ALCDH) through 2017.

The ALCDH, which is an Institute advisory group, was created in 2006 to foster collaboration among professional diversity practitioners com-mitted to developing and implementing change initiatives to improve the quality, safety and the elimination of disparities among the nation’s health care systems.

Today, the ALCDH includes more than 30 diver-sity practitioners from Institute member hospitals. It provides insight and perspective to the Institute and to the field of health care diversity management through enhancing national efforts aimed at foster-ing inclusion, changing mindsets and increasing cultural competence.

Slade is a founding member of the ALCDH and a member of the Institute’s board of directors.

“Juana’s knowledge, experience and counsel are invaluable to the Institute as we continue our work to help hospitals and health systems implement diversity and inclusion practices to eliminate health care disparities,” said Institute President and CEO Tomás León. “The ALCDH continues to be a tremen-dous resource for the Institute, and I look forward to working closely with Juana in the years ahead.”

Under Slade’s leadership, AnMed Health has been recognized nationally for its work in cultural and linguistic competence. In July, the health system was recognized as an honoree for the AHA’s Equity of Care Award.

Juana Spears Slade to lead American Leadership Council on Diversity in Healthcare

Slade

Take the #123forEquity Pledge and Help Eliminate Health Care DisparitiesBy Tomás León, President and CEO

SAVE THE DATE Institute for Diversity in Health Management National Leadership and Education Conference

June 21-22, 2016Philadelphia

155 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 400Chicago, IL 60606Phone 312.422.2630Fax 312.278.0893www.diversityconnection.org

Scholarships Give Students Opportunity to Earn Graduate Degrees

The Institute’s Career Center allows 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 more. New enhancements to the Career Center, including the ability to share job opportunities through email and social media networks, have made it easier for Institute members to connect with diverse job candidates across the country. The Career Center is supported by the American College of Healthcare Executives, a co-founder of the Institute.

The Institute uses multiple platforms to keep you informed about all of the news from the organization, as well as trends relating to health care diversity. Bridges, the Institute’s flagship newsletter, will publish four issues in 2015. Members also received News from the Institute, a biweekly email newsletter highlighting Institute happenings and many upcoming programs of interest to diversity professionals. Affordable, convenient advertising opportunities allowed member organizations to expand their brand reach and promote upcoming events or programs to the Institute’s digital audience. The Institute continues to expand its social media outreach through participation in Twitter chats on health equity issues hosted by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health.

The Institute awards annually 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 $170,000 in scholarships to more than 50 individuals, providing them with the support they need to excel academically and emerge as health care leaders.

Career Center Provides Access to Up-and-Coming, Diverse Talent

Bringing you the Latest News and Keeping you Informed through Social Media

12

The Institute for Diversity in Health Management’s (Institute) recently hosted a three-day meeting in Chicago for 13 members of its Certificate in Diversity Management in Health Care (CDM) fel-lowship.

The 2015-2016 fellowship is designed to

CDM fellows listen to a presentation during the recent meeting in Chicago.

HPOE guide highlights supplier diversityA new guide from the AHA’s

Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence initiative examines steps hospi-tals can take to increase supplier diversity.

“As hospitals accelerate their improvement efforts in core areas that increase staff and leader-ship diversity and cultural com-petence, issues involving the economic relationship between health care systems and the com-munities they serve are growing in importance,” the guide notes. “One key factor in evaluating that economic relationship is supplier diversity.”

The guide includes an overview of supplier diversity and action steps hospitals can take to increase their pipeline of diverse suppli-

ers, as well as case studies from organizations with robust supplier diversity initiatives.

Among other benefits for hospi-tals or health systems that priori-tize supplier diversity, include: • Greater innovation and value

through cost reductions; better contract terms and conditions and improved service;

• Expansion of external partner-ships – often nontraditional – in the community;

• Local job creation and other community benefits;

• Supplier roster that mirrors the patient and community popula-tions;

• Better understanding of sup-ply chain sourcing process and sources; and

• Easier compliance with gov-ernment and grant contracting requirements around supplier diversity. To view the guide, visit

http://www.hpoe.org/resources/hpoehretaha-guides/2697.

help diversity practitioners develop leader-ship competencies needed to bring about change in their organizations and commu-nities. The 12-month blended curriculum provides leaders with strategies to promote a culturally competent workforce, enhance language services, decrease disparities and

increase supplier diversity, among other areas.

The CDM is a recognized credential by the American Hospital Association, American Leadership Council for Diversity in Healthcare and the Health Research & Educational Trust.

Among other topics covered during the meeting was a focus on community benefits.

Institute hosts CDM fellowship meeting in Chicago

13

NEWS BRIEFS

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.

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)

If you are interested in placing an ad in Bridges, please contact Pamela Janniere, manager of membership, marketing and education, at pjanniere@aha.org or (312) 422-2691. Advertisers are responsible for their own artwork, which must be submitted at least three weeks before the scheduled release date.

Advertise in

2015 Release Date

• December

CMS issues health equity plan for Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medic-aid Services’ (CMS) Office of Minor-ity Health recently released a plan to reduce health disparities in Medicare. The CMS Equity Plan for Improving Quality in Medicare aims to expand the collection, reporting and analysis of standardized data; evaluate disparities impacts and integrate equity solutions across CMS programs; develop and disseminate promising approaches to reduce health disparities; increase the ability of the health care workforce to meet the needs of vulnerable popula-tions; improve communication and language access for people with limited English proficiency or disabilities; and increase physical accessibility of health care facilities. “We know that in order to achieve the goals of the plan, we need to work with many stakehold-ers, and we hope that as we start to implement the activities in the plan, we will see a number of them join us on the path to equity,” said Cara James, director of the CMS Office of Minor-ity Health. For more on the plan, visit http://tinyurl.com/ndtngbu.

AHA voices support for nondiscrimination rule, asks HHS to clarify certain proposals

The AHA Nov. 5 voiced support for the Department of Health and Human Services’ proposed rule on nondiscrimi-nation for health programs and activi-ties, but urged the agency to clarify that differential treatment based on scientific evidence and common sense approaches to organizing care would not be considered discriminatory. “We support the overall intent behind and direction of the proposed rule,” wrote Ashley Thompson, AHA acting senior executive for policy. “However, we are concerned that, as written, the rule could inhibit effective care in some

instances.” In addition, AHA said the rule should permit a more efficient and effective way for hospitals to com-municate that translation services are available than to require notices and website taglines in 15 or more differ-ent languages. “One possible solution would be to develop and seek inter-national recognition of an icon that is meant to convey that translation services are available,” the association said. For more on the letter, visit www.aha.org/letters.

NAM program to focus on evidence-based solutions to promote 'culture of health'

A new National Academy of Medi-cine (NAM) program will review the state of health disparities in the United States and identify examples of community-based solutions to address

them. The study will begin later this year as part of the Culture of Health Program, which will focus on identify-ing conditions and solutions to achieve equitable good health and well-being for all, supported by a $10 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “All Americans deserve an equal opportunity to achieve good health, but too often, the circumstances under which they are born, live, work, and age can get in the way,” said NAM President Victor Dzau. “Through this generous grant, we are excited about working with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop evidence-based solutions toward creating a shared culture of health that gives each of us access to quality care, nutrition, fitness and the other fundamentals needed for healthy, productive lives.”

To see more, visit http://nam.edu/programs/culture-of-health/.