Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare launches Market-Based Diversity Strategic Plan
Milwaukee, WI - February 1, 2010– Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare has begun the next phase of its systemwide Diversity Strategy: implementation of its Market-Based Diversity Strategic Plan.
With sites in Milwaukee, Racine, Brookfield, Illinois, Iowa, and Colorado, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare serves diverse communities and employs associates from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, our Executive Diversity Strategy Team is focusing our Diversity Strategy on the needs of individual markets. Our new Market-Based Diversity Strategic Plan looks at local cultural competence needs of both patients and associates. Market-Based Diversity Strategy teams are now in place and each one has a diversity and cultural competence strategic plan for FY10. Action plans include partnering with individuals, community groups, and organizations to assist with education and training of our associates; developing strategies to address specific health disparities within the community, and developing a mentoring program to provide opportunities for advancement within the organization.
“It’s consistent with our Value of Respect that we acknowledge and honor the unique ethnic and cultural needs of the communities we serve,” says President and Chief Executive Officer, John Oliverio. “Our Values of Excellence and Development compel us to provide superior service for all patients and residents and to offer growth opportunities for all associates.” Oliverio believes that integrating cultural competence into all aspects of Wheaton’s health care delivery and housing processes can also prove a key market advantage. “Our continuing work to educate associates, understand community needs, align to specific market demographics, and focus on workforce development will definitely help us distinguish ourselves in each of our markets,” Oliverio says.
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Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare (WFH), a division of Wheaton Franciscan Services, Inc., is a Catholic, not-for-profit organization with more than 100 sites in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois including 17 hospitals, four transitional and extended care facilities, two home health agencies, more than 3,700 physicians, 70 clinic sites with approximately 700 employed physicians, and nearly 22,000 associates. Started more than 125 years ago and formally incorporated in 1983, WFH is sponsored by the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters. The organization has corporate offices Wheaton, Illinois and Glendale, Wisconsin and is led by John D. Oliverio, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Michael Murray, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Wheaton Franciscan Services, Inc. also operates a housing division known as Franciscan
Ministries, Inc. with 2,681 units of assisted living and other housing.