Diverse Representation in Leadership and Governance
Creating pathways that lead to diversifying leadership ranks to reflect the populations and communities served.
The Diverse Representation in Leadership and Governance Lever Includes:
Governing Body
How might your hospital support diverse representation among its governing bodies?
How might your hospital support diverse representation among its governing bodies?
Our Definition:
It is critical for hospitals and health care systems to increase diversity on their boards and include decision-makers with a variety of insights that best reflect the communities served.
Where on the continuum is your organization?
Exploring the values and resources needed to publicly commit to embarking upon a journey to achieve health equity.
Hospital governing body defines a common vision for what diversity and inclusion means for the organization and aligns that vision directly to its business strategy.
Example
Diversity describes the myriad of ways in which people differ, including the psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among all individuals, such as race, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, economic class, education, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, mental and physical ability, and learning styles. Diversity is all-inclusive and supportive of the proposition that everyone and every group should be valued.
Committing the resources to listen, learn, train and implement policies and practices that establish equity as standard practice.
Hospital governing body commits to removing structural barriers impacting equity and promotes equity in its governance decisions and within the board’s demographic composition. With input from the community, hospital recruits and nominates potential board members that represent its patient population.
Example
Members of hospital governing bodies report their demographics (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, disability, veteran status, etc.) though a structured process. Information is shared within the organization and community. Hospitals prioritize recruiting diverse trustees and board members. Read in detail.
Immersing the leadership and system into accountability for policies, procedures and cultural structures that support diversity, equity and inclusion.
Hospital trustees, executive leaders and managers implement policies and practices to create permanent entry pathways for future board members with diverse backgrounds.
Hospital governing body supports diversifying hospital leadership and staff.
Example
Mentorship program and executive coaching is provided to emerging leaders.
Affirming an equitable system culture with continuous equity self-assessments of policies and practices that remove structural barriers to equity.
Hospital governing body routinely reviews DEI metrics and establishes plans to adjust or meet established goals.
Example
Board meetings have a standing DEI agenda item with dashboards and metrics to demonstrate and benchmark performance.
Transforming beyond the system toward supporting a sustainable and equitable ecosystem of health care within the community.
Hospital governing body invests in its community, encourages accountability and sharing resources. Hospital governing body establishes a committee to promote inclusive governance practices and procedures.
Example
The governing body establishes a diversity and inclusion committee that completes a comprehensive review of past practices to identify “blind spots” and areas of improvement for diversity and inclusion.
Leadership
How might your hospital begin creating policies and pathways to diversify staff and leadership?
How might your hospital begin creating policies and pathways to diversify staff and leadership?
Our Definition:
Hospital creates an inclusive and diverse environment by expanding diversity in the leadership pipeline and succession talent pools. Retaining diverse staff and has pathways in place to diversify the workforce.
Where on the continuum is your organization?
Exploring the values and resources needed to publicly commit to embarking upon a journey to achieve health equity.
Hospital leaders determine a common vision for what diversity and inclusion means for the organization and aligns that vision with its business strategy.
Example
DEI definitions and goals are assessed and modified by internal leaders and core management team.
Committing the resources to listen, learn, train and implement policies and practices that establish equity as standard practice.
Hospital leaders create and manage policies and practices within an equity framework that covers everything from directing resources, to hiring new talent, as well as helping to resolve organizational conflicts and crises. Hospital recruits diverse candidates into leadership positions based upon assessment of equal representation and its equity framework.
Example
Hospital participants take advantage of pipeline programs such as the AHA Institute for Diversity and Health Equity Summer and Fall Enrichment Programs.
Immersing the leadership and system into accountability for policies, procedures and cultural structures that support diversity, equity and inclusion.
Hospital leadership sets clear expectations at all levels of management for equity, diversity and inclusion. Hospital has an existing program to create leadership pathways for junior staff.
Example
Diverse leaders are provided training options and encouraged to participate in programs, such as the AHA Institute for Diversity and Health Equity Certificate in Diversity Management.
Affirming an equitable system culture with continuous equity self-assessments of policies and practices that remove structural barriers to equity.
Hospital leaders are held accountable to executing equity policies, practices and strategic plan. Leaders ensure everyone in the organization is accountable for building and supporting an inclusive culture.
Example
Governing Board provides compensation incentives for hospital leaders who demonstrate both policy and practice changes that advance health equity.
Transforming beyond the system toward supporting a sustainable and equitable ecosystem of health care within the community.
Hospital leaders fully integrate hospital resources into the community. Hospital leaders become actively involved in community advocacy.
Example
Hospital leadership financially invests in community businesses and organizations led by historically marginalized community members.
