BJC HealthCare reaches out to the St. Louis Chinese Community

By Laura Hollabaugh

BJC HealthCare's efforts to promote a diverse workforce and reach out to the St. Louis Chinese community have gained new momentum, thanks in part to a partnership with St. Louis Chinese American News (SCANews) beginning in July. 

"We're very excited about the opportunity to work more closely with the local Asian community," says Erika Williams, BJC human resources project leader and the BJC liaison with SCANews. "Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is important throughout BJC. Our sponsorship with SCANews will enhance our recruitment efforts by reaching more of the St. Louis community."

BJC HealthCare will highlight employment opportunities through ads in SCANews. In addition, a quarterly "employee spotlight" will profile Asian employees in various health-care positions throughout BJC. Timely, practical health information also will be featured in BJC articles throughout the year.

 	Outreach efforts to the local Asian community began in 2002 when BJC was invited to participate in a leadership development program sponsored by the Organization of Chinese Americans. "This event began a dialogue about how we can create a bridge with the St. Louis Chinese community. Our sponsorship with SCANews is one of the outcomes," says JoAnn Shaw, BJC vice president and chief human resources officer. 

BJC's partnership with SCANews not only promotes BJC's diversity effort; it also supports BJC's overall mission. "As the largest employer in the St. Louis region, BJC's 13 hospitals and various health-service organizations are committed to providing quality health care to all the communities we serve. A diverse workforce enhances our ability to meet our patients' needs and also enriches the work life of our employees," says Shaw.
 
BJC HealthCare is one of the largest nonprofit health-care organizations in the United States, delivering services to residents primarily in the grater St. Louis, southern Illinois and mid-Missouri regions. BJC serves patients and their families in rural, urban and suburban communities. Services include inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, long-term care and hospice. Through its teaching hospitals, BJC is affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine. 

BJC was ranked among the "Best Places to Work" in St. Louis by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2003. BJC also is one of the leading supporters of health-care education in the region. In 2002, BJC's hospitals and health-service organizations assisted in the training of 1,472 future doctors and 959 future nurses and allied health professionals.

	BJC Hospitals include: Alton Memorial Hospital, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Barnes Jewish St. Peters Hospital, Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, Missouri, Christian Hospital, Clay County Hospital in Flora, Illinois, Fayette County Hospital in Vandalia, Illinois, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Missouri Baptist Hospital-Sullivan, Parkland Health Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri, St. Louis Children's Hospital and The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis.

	BJC health-service organizations include:

BJC Behavioral Health
BJC Community Health Services
BJC Corporate Health Services
BJC Home Care Services
BJC Medical Group
BJC Long Term Care