The St. Louis American interviewed Frank Lenior, Mercy Hospital St. Louis’ vice president of Human Resources, about diversity and inclusion at the hospital. Located at 615 S. New Ballas Rd. in Creve Coeur, the campus includes Mercy Children’s Hospital, the David C. Pratt Cancer Center, the Heart and Vascular Hospital and a number of specialty centers, including a Birthing Center with the largest Level III neonatal intensive care unit in Missouri and the only Level I Trauma Center in St. Louis County.
The American: What is the percentage of African-American staff at Mercy in St. Louis? We’d be interested in a break-out as to different types of staff and level.
Frank Lenior: The percentage of African-American co-workers at Mercy Hospital St. Louis is 9.27 percent. The percentage of African Americans in leadership roles is 8.8 percent.
The American: As a VP, you have a senior position. How have you used it to mentor, provide an example or to “give back”?
Frank Lenior: As the vice president of human resources, I maintain an open-door policy. Minority co-workers often schedule time to talk with me about their career paths and/or discuss issues they feel may be hindering their chances for advancement.
In my position, I am able to guide them to resources (internally or externally) that could help them develop a career path through education or by joining community organizations. Often these discussions give me insight into the needs of our minority co-workers that I share with the executive leadership and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
The American: What is a success story from the work of the hospital’s Diversity and Inclusion Council?
Frank Lenior: Because we are still in the early stages of the program, our biggest successes have been training all leaders on disability and inclusion regarding hiring individuals and caring for patients with disabilities. We’re still in the process of training all co-workers on working with and caring for patients with disabilities.
The American: What exactly does the Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee do? Does it have data-based goals it oversees and monitors?
Frank Lenior: The Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee is accountability for fulfilling the Diversity and Inclusion Plan. The Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee duties include recommending policy statements and diversity programs to effectuate the Diversity and Inclusion Plan, and in conjunction with Marketing and Communications Department, developing and executing internal and external communication.
That includes dissemination of the Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement throughout Mercy to co-workers, patients, visitors, prospective co-workers, contractors and vendors. It also includes assisting leadership in implementation of Mercy Diversity and Inclusion Plan and in arriving at solutions to any perceived impediments.
The committee also reports information that will measure the effectiveness of the Diversity and Inclusion Plan, identify areas with opportunities for improvement and provide all required statistical reports and documentation to hospital administration.
The committee also performs periodic reviews of hires, promotions, terminations, job classifications, management and supervisory practices, work assignments, training, and other terms and conditions of employment as necessary, to ensure adherence to the goals of the Diversity and Inclusion Plan.
It also ensures that the Diversity and Inclusion Plan’s Mission Statement is identified and posted throughout the hospital and keeps leaders informed of the latest developments pertaining to diversity and monitors best practices in diversity and inclusion.
The American: Has the Minority Mentoring and Leadership program led to any African Americans moving up at Mercy? If so, tell us a story.
Frank Lenior: We are currently in the first year of the mentoring program but are hopeful the mentoring program will provide an avenue for promotions.Â
