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Learning Histories
Moving Toward the Front In the meantime, AALI and Memorial leadership are taking many steps to ensure that they are working toward a common goal. Carl Ellison, Memorial VP, is "...looking to begin a National Association of Health Services Executives Chapter (an organization of African American Executives). Companies that really want to help minority executives move forward should encourage them to join professional groups and network with their cultural peers. I am hopeful that during 2000 we will establish a NAHSE chapter and link AALI to a national organization." In fact, from January of 1998 to March of 1999, Carl served as a loaned executive to run the Institute for Diversity in Health Management in Chicago, Illinois. As he stated, "Health leaders want to see progress in this area. Memorial wants to see advancement in this field. If Memorial was not committed as an organization why would Phil Newbold [Memorial CEO and President] loan one of his executives for more than a year to a national program for the advancement of minorities?" Memorial's program has also earned a 1999 Best Practices commendation from the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. The award specifically focused on a diversity training component developed to address cultural sensitivity issues about why people of color, specifically from at-risk families, are not accessing health care and social services. Since its implementation the program has reached more than 500 participants from social service, health care and criminal justice agencies who have taken part in the sessions. In addition to intense discussions concerning African American cultural difference, identification of factors which perpetuate unhealthy lifestyles and working toward improving rapport between service providers and high-risk individuals; the training included two videos featuring African American, Hispanic and Caucasian females giving a "real life" look at the world of young inner-city mothers who depend on public services. This is not to say that the AALI does not have some internal struggles. Some members still feel undervalued, others feel that their movement forward would be better accomplished in a more aggressive manner and there are still those who do not feel that Memorial's upper administration is actually listening to their concerns. The slow pace of change is difficult for many to swallow, especially if they've been in the system for a long time. Incremental changes, while vital for a positive growth process, are often difficult to detect. Moreover, if these concerns occupy and influence your daily existence, it is extraordinarily difficult to view the big picture. Some would like to see AALI take on more of an outreach role working with and educating the African American community about health concerns and opportunities. This would require more managers and directors to release more of their employees (during the work day) on a regular basis. However, the overriding mission of the hospital does not always allow for this. Connections to a national organization like NAHSE and to local groups like Saint Joseph’s group would increase the ability of AALI to become a hub for expanded outreach activities. The placement of diverse individuals, both ethnic and cultural, in positions of management and mentorship is also on Memorial's horizon. Minorities who are entering the medical field have virtually unlimited opportunities and options. What Memorial must develop is a system whereby these individuals are attracted to the organization because of its outstanding work in diversity or groom individuals from within the system and promote them to positions of leadership. Not only would the system benefit from the fresh vision these individuals offer, but it would be creating a dedicated and loyal professional workforce. All involved acknowledge that there is much work still to be done. AALI and diversity specialists are simply building blocks, not solutions. There will always be those who do not feel that enough is being done, that energies need to be focused in other directions. Memorial has taken the important step of starting the discussion and the inclusion of their entire class, and with their voices, the entire community. As a compliment to and result of the work of AALI, Memorial hired Barbara Stern, an independent diversity consultant from Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare (Boston, Massachusetts), to help answer several questions about Memorial’s commitment to diversity. According to Carl Ellison, "This should be a corporate movement to recognize and respond to the needs of all of our staff and customers in ways that are specific to the needs and desires of all those constituents groups. In order to do this we must ask ourselves: Where are we now?, Where do we want to be?, and, How do we get there?" To help find the answers to these questions, Memorial leadership appointed a task force to put together Memorial’s 2000 Corporate Goals and Objectives. Memorial’s goal within the Improved Quality of Work Life section included the following: GOAL: Create a work environment that promotes the dignity of each individual, the appreciation of diversity, the spirit of team work and life long learning that assists all people to reach their potential. OBJECTIVES: Make progress towards achieving a workforce composition that reflects the diversity of the community. Profile Memorial’s workforce composition and compare to composition of the local labor market to obtain baseline information by April 30, 2000. Develop and implement a system to monitor hiring, promotion, discharge, discipline practices within the organization by December 31, 2000. Develop a plan to work with local and national organizations to increase the pool of available minority candidates by September 30, 2000. Develop and disseminate a code of conduct describing appropriate treatment of all staff and patients by June 30, 2000. The tasks set out in the 2000 Goals and Objectives will be not only enhance the work of AALI but it will substantiate many of their claims. The information gathered through the workforce composition profile will help Memorial analyze current patterns. This analysis will enable Memorial to develop and implement a systemic approach to achieving a workforce composition that will reflect the diversity of the community. |
