Diverse executives stand side by side, arms crossed and smiling

Executive Certificate in Diversity and Health Equity: Curriculum & Schedule

Coursework

The coursework for the Executive Certificate in Diversity and Health Equity (ECDHE) program is designed to meet the needs and schedules of working professionals. The curriculum was developed by subject matter experts and practitioners in health equity and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). While some diversity certificate programs concentrate on diversity theory, the ECDHE content and learning experiences include a blended program focused on the practice of diversity and health equity management in today's health care organizations.  We use action-based research and knowledge and teach practical applications from the field.  During the 10-month program, participants will complete a brief orientation, attend two on-site residencies and complete nine courses.

The final capstone project for the course is the "Diversity/Disparities Action Plan." This is a strategic, action-oriented roadmap for the change needed to address health care disparities and diversity issues in each fellow’s institution and community. The capstone uses applied learning and serves as the major integrating activity for the program and the content of each module. This is a deliverable of great value for the fellows’ health care organization.

Program Curriculum

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Program Curriculum Descriptions

Strategic Development and Implementation: DDAP Introduction

  • • This module will aid in acquiring the baseline knowledge and tools to convert a strategic plan into operations. By using key project management tools and developing a comprehensive Diversity/Disparities Action Plan, this module includes content that will effectively utilize all aspects of the certification program to build or enhance the individual's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion plan in alignment with organization's strategic plan. Its development will serve as the program’s Capstone Project.

Contemporary/Emerging Health Equity Trends

  • Understand the political, economic and mission-based drivers of the modern American health care system and its uniqueness compared to other developed nations.
  • Recognize key distinctions between for-profit hospitals and not-for-profit hospitals, as well as the role of community benefit.
  • Recognize the causes and effects of health disparities and health care disparities on a system level and an individual level.
  • Comprehend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and its implications on health equity, cultural humility and historically marginalized populations.
  • Define and recognize the difference between fee-for-service care delivery models and accountable care delivery models and fully understand how a diversity initiative can intersect with an Accountable Care Organization.

Role of Chief Diversity Officer

  • Coming Soon

Racial and Ethnic Justice Rapid Response: A Call to Action for Health Care Systems in America

The module will cover the following objectives:

  • Provide a history of racism and health disparities and the role health care systems have played in America.
  • Define racism and forms of racism that have contributed to health care disparities experienced today.
  • Present Froedtert Health’s case study on creating a justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) strategic plan that addresses and works to eradicate racism, health care disparities and exclusion within the organization and in the diverse communities it serves.
  • Share leading practices and lessons learned from the health care system’s journey.

Legal/Regulatory and Ethical Issues

  • Learn federal, state and local laws that have contributed to oppression and disparate health care services.
  • Recognize other laws, regulatory and legal requirements that affect the implementation and development of diversity and cultural competence initiatives in the health care setting.
  • Know the differences between affirmative action, compliance programming and diversity initiatives.
  • Understand how The Joint Commission will regulate the ability of health care providers and health care organizations to understand and respond effectively to the cultural and language needs specific to individual patients.
  • Comprehend new reimbursement guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Data Collection, Analysis and Communication

  • Coming Soon

Cultural Humility, Health Equity and Health Care Disparities: Safety, Quality and Digital Health

  • The purpose of this module is to examine the Enhanced Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards, including cultural humility and health care disparities and their impact on safety, quality and equity in patient care.  The CLAS Standards were promulgated in 2001 by the Office of Minority Affairs of the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that health care organizations were meeting the cultural and linguistic needs of patients and to eliminate health care disparities and improve health care for all Americans.
  • This module will explore each of the standards and propose strategies that health care organizations can implement to be compliant with each standard, eliminate disparities and increase culturally appropriate care.
  • Deploying the Enhanced CLAS standards throughout the organization can assist in meeting The Joint Commission guidelines. 
  • Faculty will discuss their involvement in organizational and national projects to increase cultural competency and eliminate disparities at their health care organization.    

Diversity Marketing and Communications

  • The purpose of this module is to assist participants in understanding their personal communications and thinking styles. They will learn how to conduct a stakeholder management analysis to better understand audience needs to enable the development of a successful and effective communication and marketing plan to influence and persuades effective at all levels of the organization.
  • Participants learn how to create clear and consistent messages, make the best use of communication vehicles, develop products tailored to users' needs and present complex information simply and consistently.
  • To initiate a successful and effective communications strategy, you must start with assessing your communication style, understanding your stakeholder needs and assess your current organizational and diversity goals.  Examine what your organization stands for - its mission, values and beliefs.  Look closely at who your organization is serving.  This module will help narrow and sharpen the focus for your communication and marketing initiatives.
  • Faculty will discuss their involvement in developing their business case documentation, organizations communications plans, their experience with internal communication (senior leadership, middle management, board of directors and all associates). They will give you marketing products examples and tips on how they determined their approach in developing an external/internal communications and marketing plan.

Supplier Diversity

  • The purpose of this module is to examine the impact of supplier inclusion on the health care industry, supply chain and its return on investment. It also is designed to explore the intersection of social determinants of health and supplier inclusion. This module will explore six dimensions of healthcare supplier inclusion. These dimensions include the evolution of supplier inclusion, paradigm shift from entitlement to growth enabler, business proposition, business operations, healthcare and supply chain drivers and impact on the social determinants of health. Strategies and tools health care providers can utilize to realize the advantages of a supplier inclusion program also will be explored.
  • Implementation of a supplier inclusion program compliments several key healthcare objectives, to include cost reductions, diversity and inclusion and the “Triple Aim.” The impact of a successful supplier inclusion program is measurable and justifiable. Tools, such as, standards of measurement and return on investment will be explored as useful justification techniques.
  • Faculty will discuss examples and “Best Practices” deployed by health care organizations across the country. Students will share their pre-work and engage in discussion regarding their organization’s efforts or willingness. Practical steps and strategies for beginners, intermediate and more sophisticated supplier diversity programs will be discussed within this context.

Diversity and Talent Management

  • The purpose of this course is to introduce key principles and practices needed to build a sustainable inclusive talent management strategy. At the end of this module, learners will:
    • Articulate benefits of embedding diversity, equity and inclusion in an organizational talent strategy.
    • Integrate intentional tactics and strategies that embed diversity, equity and inclusion across the talent cycle.
    • Examine challenges and innovative solutions to build and sustain a diverse workforce.

Community Assessment, Data Analysis and Strategic Planning

  • Demographics and Community Orientation is a course in community benefit and community health needs assessment (CHNA).
  • The course is designed to provide an understanding of the importance of appropriate data collection and analysis to align the organization’s priorities with the needs and values of the community. This includes its cultural and ethnocentric values, through conducting and utilizing the findings of a CHNA to contribute to an organization’s strategic plan. 
  • Participants will learn the requirements, components, analysis and application of a CHNA.  This course will provide an understanding of the importance of data analysis and how evaluating community data significantly impacts the value and strategic direction of your diversity and community benefit programs. 
  • This course will help the participants develop an organizational response to a CHNA that meets the regulatory and accrediting body requirements and defines organizational goals, tactics, outcomes and measures of success. Participants will also learn how this informs and contributes to the organization’s strategic plan, as well as identify the role of the diversity practitioner in both contributing to the organization’s strategic plan and addressing health and health care disparities.  

Language Services

  • Since the mandate of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 our nation has been in pursuit of equitable care for all citizens. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) landmark study, "Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care," published documented proof that access has not resulted in equity. IOM research demonstrated significant variation in the rates of medical procedures by race, even when insurance status, income, age and severity of conditions were comparable. According to this research, US racial and ethnic minorities were less likely to receive routine medical procedures and experienced a lower quality of health services. Nearly 25 years after the publication of Unequal Treatment, the struggle to meet the needs of limited-English proficient patients continues. However, new requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have provided a much needed “Game Changer!” 
  • This module is designed to provide certificate candidates with tools and strategies to provide compliant, culturally and linguistically appropriate language services within a hospital or health system regardless of size or complexity.

Spring 2024 Residency: Monday, March 18 – Thursday, March 21

 

Location: American Hospital Association, Chicago, IL
Monday,
March 18, 2024

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday,
March 19, 2024

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Summer 2024 Virtual Residency: Wednesday June 12 – Wednesday July 29

 

Location: Virtual
Wednesday,
June 12, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

Wednesday,
June 26, 2024

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

Wednesday,
July 10, 2024

TBD – If needed only

Fall 2024 Post-work

August: DDAP consultations

 

Fall Program
September 9, 2024

Final DDAPs Due
Time: To be determined

September 25 and 26, 2024

Virtual Presentations
Time: To be determined

TBD, Fall 2024

In Person Graduation (Optional)

Schedule subject to change

 

For more information, please contact us at IFD-ECDHE@aha.org.