Over the past few years, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging have been hot topics across the country, especially in healthcare. Yet, the changes required in process and practice at all levels of healthcare, from the bedside to the hushed halls of the C-suite, require consistent effort, especially when it is no longer a buzzword. In the recent past, several states have also rolled out plans to defund DEI initiatives in state agencies and state-funded universities. As diverse healthcare executives, we are constantly challenged to lead our organizations, manage operations, bottom-lines, ROIs and also navigate this ever-evolving landscape of DEIB landmines. Is this a recipe for disaster due to competing priorities or will this intersectionality cause new leaders to thrive? Four diverse leaders across the country, one in Tacoma, WA, one in New York, NY, one in Cary, NC and one in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, encountered several such barriers and identified unique approaches to thrive.

In this session, panelists will share their stories about building their voice, navigating cultural dynamics, advocating for others, harnessing their hidden entrepreneurial skills and giving back to the healthcare communities. Acquire the tools to change the status quo, in new and unique ways, sometimes even challenging cultural nuances. The panel will discuss their efforts in unwinding historical leadership biases and stereotypes preventing advancement of AAPI leaders into executive roles and the importance of solidarity with other BIPOC communities to support each other’s initiatives to tackle structural racism. These leaders will share their bi-directional initiatives to engage and mentor the next generation of leaders and their lessons learned on how they navigated this complex journey and why they thrive in this intersectionality.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify unique ways to thrive as a diverse healthcare leader in the evolving landscape of healthcare executive priorities.
• Describe key strategies that you can actively implement in your local community and/or organization to build bridges to support advancement of AAPI Leaders.

Speakers:

Angela Michael, MHS-HFM, LSSBB, CPHQ, System Director, Performance Improvement, Methodist Health System

Swati Bhardwaj, FACHE, CPPS, CPHQ, Director of Operations, Southern Atlantic Healthcare Alliance (SAHA)

Michael DeGuzman, FACHE, MPH, Director, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Mount Sinai Health System

Dylan Blackburn, MHA, Director, System Advanced Primary Care, Multicare Health System

ACHE Qualifying Education Credit 

This activity is eligible for 1 ACHE Qualifying Education credit toward earning or maintaining your FACHE credential. 

Credits must be self-reported at My ACHE upon completion of this activity.