Paving the path to diversity and inclusion

In 1947, the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Hospital Association held concurrent annual meetings in St. Louis. Charles Burbridge, an African American member, was denied a hotel room there because of his race.

We’ve made progress as a country and as an organization. In 1990, roughly 850 ACHE members were nonwhite, while today that number is 7,200.

Still, significant opportunities remain. Boardrooms and C-suites still do not reflect the communities we serve.

In fact, the ACHE’s own data indicate only 15.9% of C-suite executives are racial minorities. Clearly, we need to be more intentional about diversity, inclusion and equity at the highest levels of our organizations.

True equality may seem elusive; however, we know from our own research and experience that there are pathways to growing a diverse workforce. As the professional society for leaders serving 48,000 executives, the ACHE does this work by building partnerships and communities, and supporting leaders on their personal career journeys. Leadership support is an essential ingredient for success.

The ACHE does not and cannot do this work alone. Partnerships with the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, the National Association of Health Services Executives, the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, and our own Asian and LGBTQ Forums, have allowed us to grow and support leaders through education, mentoring and scholarships.

Together we created the Executive Diversity Career Navigator, which helps make career goals achievable. With a vision of empowering organizations to provide equitable care for all persons, these collaborations connect executives who share a passion for building a leadership community.

As a leader, your commitment to supporting these organizations will reap returns as executives expand their skills, perspectives and knowledge to help hospitals and health systems and the communities they reside in succeed.

Forming partnerships can be one aspect of your diversity and inclusion strategy. Each of the ACHE’s 77 chapters play a role in building an inclusive leadership community. Locally, leaders from different generations, disciplines and other dimensions of diversity come together to learn and share how to advance health in a changing world.

When you create similar collaborative initiatives within your organization, include education and programming opportunities that address aspects of diversity, inclusion, equity and breaking bias within those different perspectives.

Since its founding in 1933, the ACHE has worked to help leaders be their best. Our partnerships nationally and locally amplify this work. There are more than 100 local diversity and inclusion education and networking events available through the ACHE. From assessment-based insights to programs like the Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Program, we know that investing in talent can provide healthcare with the necessary capabilities to innovate for patients’ benefit.

Essential to this work is the commitment of top leaders. That means being a role model by hiring a diverse team of executives, ensuring equity in pay and holding others accountable for diversity.

But it doesn’t stop there. Cultivating an investment culture also is important. More leaders could be building the pipeline by hosting a student from the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity’s Summer Enrichment Program, or sponsoring diverse fellow and internship candidates. Mentoring is another lever for change, while sponsoring experienced executives to advance to greater heights is equally important.

Though organizations must create the policy and practices to cultivate diverse and inclusive environments, the individual acts of leaders have tremendous power.

If you are interested in reading more about this important topic, consider Diversity on the Executive Path: Wisdom and Insights for Navigating to the Highest Levels of Healthcare Leadership.

I encourage you to take steps toward creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment. I have no doubt that your intentional actions will lead to better care for all. I look forward to supporting your journey.