1

The following resource was submitted with the purpose of distributing to AONE members as part of the AONE Diversity in Health Care Organizations Toolkit

Submitted by: Rush University Medical CenterContact Person: Lisa Prytula, MA, RNUnit DirectorChicago, IL

Diversity Leadership Group

Institutional Recommendations for Fiscal Year 2009

Report to Management Committee

March 13, 2008

3

Rush Diversity Initiative Overview

GoalProvide a commitment to diversity that reflects our Mission, Vision and Values through:

– Review of organizational successes and areas for improvement (Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity Leadership)

– Utilization of a Diversity Leadership Group model to incorporate strategic leadership oversight at the senior level

– Leveraging positive experience from all areas of the organization, including Human Resources, the Office for Equal Opportunity, and other university and corporate services for support and involvement

– Linking goals/success to specific measures and outcomes

Heading in the right direction…

Leaders at Rush are committed to promoting equity and inclusiveness for all individuals in our organization.

Successful implementation will largely depend on a similar strategic approach and commitment that was required with the integration of ICARE values throughout the organization.

4

• Established in 2007 to build upon the RUMC diversity strategic work initiated by a report produced by the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Diversity Leadership

• Charged with providing direction and guidance for diversity commitment as RUMC begins an action-oriented process of diversity transformation

• The group has met five times with the following objectives:– Assessing the diversity climate at RUMC– Developing group cohesion to facilitate DLG members emerging role as diversity

leaders at RUMC– Engaging in professional development for DLG members in the following areas:

diversity management, cultural proficiency in health care, diversity leadership, culture in the workplace – enhancing the effectiveness of health care teams

– Initiating strategic work: exploring diversity best practices and identifying RUMC strategic priority areas, identifying specific action projects, developing specific action recommendations

The Diversity Leadership Group

“Rush University Medical Center (Rush) is at an important juncture on its way to achieving the organization’s stated mission of providing “the very best care for our patients…and enhancing excellence in patient care for the diverse (emphasis added) communities of the Chicago area now and in the future”

Excerpt from the report, Becoming a Better Organization: Promoting Diversity as Part of the Culture at Rush University Medical Center, October 2006

5

• From the seven recommendations presented in the Ad Hoc Advisory Group’s report, the DLG has chosen an initial focus in three areas:

– Leadership & Accountability*– Education, Research and Information– Hiring, Retention & Promotion*– Training & Improved Communication*– Community Relations– Services to Constituent Groups– Clarifying Boundaries

The Diversity Leadership Group (cont.)

6

DLG Sub Groups

Leadership and Accountability

Group Members

Cynthia Boyd (co-chair)Bob Clapp

Lois HalsteadCarmela GonzalezBeverly Huckman

Mike Mulroe (co-chair)Clayton Thomason

Eugene Thonar

Original Committee Charge:“For Rush to become a truly diverse

and inclusive community, its leaders - - - including senior leadership - - - must set the pace. Senior leaders

should establish clear goals and adopt new performance measurement

strategies to hold themselves and other managers accountable for

advancing Rush’s diversity goals.”

Hiring, Retention and Promotion

Group Members

Leo CorreaSheila Dugan

Sharon Gates (co-chair)Jane Grady (co-chair)

Brad HinrichsNorma Melgoza

Peter Pwee

Original Committee Charge:“Among the most pressing issues is the

need to promote the hiring and development of administrators and

managers, who are women and who are from underrepresented ethnic

groups, in both the academic and non-academic sectors of the institution”

Training and Improved Communication

Group Members

Julie BeneshPaula Brown (co-chair)

Denise GritschDiane Howard

Wrenetha JulionMarilyn O'Rourke

Angela Moody-ParkerLisa Prytula (co-chair)

Original Committee Charge:“Given that it is difficult to deal with

harassment, workplace mistreatment or discrimination, the institution must

implement additional strategies to prevent unacceptable or unprofessional behavior; teaching managers to work constructively with employees so as to prevent conflict and educating individuals in how to deal

effectively with these matters on their own. Toward such ends, Rush must put

more emphasis on diversity related education and training, and in particular, into teaching the institution to translate

learned skills into the workplace.”

DLG sub-groups were formed to better address organizational areas of opportunity recommended by the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Diversity Leadership

*Original committee charges taken from Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Diversity Leadership recommendations

7

Institutional Recommendations for

Fiscal Year 2009

8

Leadership & Accountability Sub Group

Area Goal Recommendation Executive Sponsor

Senior Leadership

Professional Development

Provide on-going professional development sessions for senior executives and board members to create awareness of diversity issues and competencies in managing toward a more diverse institution at all levels of the organization

• Efforts should focus on:– Diversity education and competency– How to implement organizational change within

one’s span of control– Accountability for diversity at the board level

and in each senior executive’s areas of oversight

– How to cascade accountability for diversity to all levels of the organization

Larry Goodman, M.D., Peter Butler, Bob Clapp*, Tom Deutsch, Lac Tran, Diane McKeever & Beverly Huckman

Performance Reviews

Incorporate goals and measures into the annual management performance review process to enable a positive culture for diversity

• Annual performance reviews should incorporate diversity expectations including:

– Diversity awareness and training– Involvement in diversity initiatives and

engagement of direct reports– Other needs specific to the leader’s portfolio

Peter Butler*, Bob Clapp, Sheri Marker & Beverly Huckman

Business Diversity

Implement a business diversity program to facilitate an increase in the number of, and proportional expenditure on a diverse base of companies, with particular emphasis on certified minority and women owned businesses and those who have a significant number of underrepresented employees providing goods and services to RUMC

• Develop corporately responsible programs/policies to focus on increasing diversity in:

– Supply vendors UNDERWAY– Consulting/professional services (PR, Legal,

Finance, IT, Systems, etc). • Corresponding metrics should be developed to

track success

Bob Clapp* (Purchasing)

Catherine Jacobson* (Corporate Services)

Tom Deutsch & Deans* (Schools)

Avery Miller* (Transformation)

Executive Oversight: Larry Goodman & Management Committee * represents primary responsibility

9

Hiring, Retention & Promotion Sub Group

Area Goal Recommendation Executive Sponsor

Recruitment

Incorporate standards for diversity into recruitment practices across all areas of RUMC

General recruitment (for Staff & Faculty)• Develop and enforce policies to ensure that recruitment efforts have a

focus on diverse candidates• Recruitment and interview teams should reflect the diversity of Rush• Distribution of organizational diversity data to identify recruitment needs

Sheri Marker*

(Non-academic areas)

Deans* (Schools)

Beverly Huckman

Search Committees (for Staff & Faculty)• Develop and enforce institutional policies to ensure that:

• Committees are comprised of a diverse group of members• Pool of candidates reflects diversity

Sheri Marker*

(Non-academic areas)

Deans* (Schools) Beverly Huckman

Search Firms• Develop and enforce an administrative policy to ensure that:

• Business diversity is incorporated into search firm selection• Search firm’s process will have a diverse pool of qualified candidates

Peter Butler, Bob Clapp* & Sheri Marker

Retention

Demonstrate institutional commitment to diversity

• Incorporate questions into the employee survey and exit interview process that assess the current diversity climate at Rush

• Develop an evidence-based diversity mentorship program that matches underrepresented employees interested in career development with those who have followed similar paths

• Incorporate an focus on diversity in succession planning

Sheri Marker*

(Non-academic areas)

Lois Halstead & Deans*

(Academic areas)

• Establish an institutional award through the Diversity Leadership Group to honor an employee/student/faculty member who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to diversity efforts in the organization

Diversity Leadership Group*

Academic Diversity

Facilitate an emphasis on diversity in educational areas

• Create policies and practices to ensure diversity in student recruitment• Determine financial resources needed for underrepresented students• Develop a student mentorship program• Establish student/ faculty awards that acknowledge diversity

Lois Halstead*; Paul Jones

Executive Oversight: Larry Goodman & Management Committee * represents primary responsibility

10

Training & Improved Communication Sub Group

Area Goal Recommendation Executive Sponsor

Diversity Training

Provide training sessions for staff to increase awareness of diversity topics

• Develop mandatory training module for staff through LEAP online incorporating diversity awareness to reduce conflict and increase communication DONE

• Incorporate diversity information into current management training module (R2M2) DONE and provide tools for having culture discussions with employees

• Include diversity discussions in class “Succeeding at Rush” offered through HR for staff reaching 90 days of employment

• Add diversity information into current Rush Values sessions and ICARE calendar UNDERWAY

Sheri Marker &

Jane Grady*

Increased Communication

Develop a communication strategy to increase awareness of ongoing diversity efforts

• Communicate progress on Diversity Leadership Group initiatives– Leadership Forum, Town Hall Meetings, PNS Forum, Staff

Meetings UNDERWAY

John Pontarelli*

• Provide on-going updates on diversity initiatives on RUMC website through Equal Opportunity webpage and Rush Transformation Portal

John Pontarelli*

• Regularly organize “Diversity Week” to increase awareness of DLG initiatives. Administer questionnaires assessing diversity awareness to employees, students, & volunteers UNDERWAY

• Continue to host “Diversity Meet & Greet” sessions to encourage employee interaction UNDERWAY

Diversity Leadership Group*

• Develop marketing materials to increase awareness of diversity efforts UNDERWAY

– Rush DLG Logo; Rush Diversity Web Site; Posters• Include articles in News Rounds and other internal publications that

honor employee/student commitment to diversity

Lori Allen* & Anne Burgeson

• Participate in external assessments / best practice comparisons in diversity (LGBT survey UNDERWAY)

David Ansell*

Executive Oversight: Larry Goodman & Management Committee * represents primary responsibility

11

Suggestions for Providing Ongoing Support

Management Committee

• Regular updates during Management Committee meetings. Update to be presented for one or two goals (business diversity, recruitment, diversity training, etc) by the executive sponsor responsible for that goal.

Diversity Leadership Group

• Sub-group co-chairs to periodically attend monthly Management Committee to provide DLG update for their area and communicate progress back to their group members.

• Larger DLG group to meet quarterly to hear progress reports from executive sponsors and offer feedback based on original recommendations.

12

A Note about Terminology

Excerpt from ‘Report of Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Diversity Leadership’:

“Diversity refers to the mix of attributes that people use to distinguish each other. Theoretically, diversity is neither good nor bad; it refers simply to whatever particular mix of characteristics exist in a collected group. In specific contexts, however, this mix of characteristics, or absence thereof, may impede the mission or functioning of the group. In the modern university or medical center, diversity usually refers to issues of race and ethnicity, age, color, gender, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status, all being partial markers of social marginalization. Issues typically associated with “diversity” fall in one of three major areas: first, insufficient diversity - - - that is, the group in question does not represent the desired “mix” of characteristics; second, inappropriate treatment by the institution itself, such as unequal pay or opportunities for promotion as a result of the group’s particular mix of characteristics; and third, discriminatory or disrespectful treatment by members of any group who are not accepting of the different characteristics of others. The terms “equity” and “inclusiveness” can both be used in a general sense to refer to these same types of problems. When used more specifically, however, “equity” usually means an institution’s fair and equal treatment of diverse individuals, while “inclusiveness” usually refers to the welcoming of diverse people into the university and medical center