Children’s Hospital Colorado Team Member Honored as Leader in Diversity by Denver Business Journal

The Denver Business Journal recently honored Robert Franklin II, Director of Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion (DHE&I), as a leader in diversity. The Denver Business Journal created the Leaders in Diversity Awards to honor those in Colorado’s business community who embrace and advance equity.

Robert Franklin II has twice been recognized by the Denver Business Journal for his work at Children’s Hospital Colorado: as a member of the 40 Under 40 class of 2021 and this summer as one of Denver’s Leaders in Diversity.

Becoming a trusted leader in diversity, health equity and inclusion 

When Robert joined the Children’s Colorado team in 2018, he quickly became a visible and trusted member of the organization. His work championing DHE&I and building trust throughout Children’s Colorado made him the natural choice for director of our DHE&I Department when it launched in 2021. Today, thanks to Robert’s leadership and perseverance, DHE&I is integrated into the fabric of the Children’s Colorado organization.

Making DHE&I a system-wide focus

As the DHE&I Department’s first director, Robert has created a culture where equity work at Children’s Colorado is everyone’s responsibility. Not only has he integrated DHE&I into every facet of the organization, but he also shares this work across the nation with other organizations seeking to improve health outcomes through the lenses of diversity and equity.

Robert’s influence has led to significant investments in Children’s Colorado’s DHE&I efforts. For example, the Hospital Transformation Program is a statewide Colorado Medicaid initiative designed to improve the quality of hospital care by tying provider fee-funded hospital payments to quality-based performance. Hospitals select areas of focus and set goals for improving outcomes in those areas. If goals are not achieved, funding is jeopardized. Children’s Colorado selected hospital leadership diversity as one of its metrics, demonstrating its commitment to having a diverse workforce that represents the broader community. With this metric in mind, Robert has worked with hospital leaders to reimagine and deploy talent management strategies. Under Robert's leadership, Children's Colorado has prioritized increasing staff diversity and making equity a system-wide focus to improve health outcomes for all patients.

Developing innovative DHE&I programs

Robert has helped create innovative, nationally recognized DHE&I programs for addressing inequity toward diverse populations.

Studies show Black women are three times more likely than white women to die due to a pregnancy-related cause, and Black infants are more than twice as likely to die compared to white infants. Robert helped design and launch the Black Health Initiative to identify and eliminate structural racism within the Children’s Colorado organization, thereby improving health outcomes for Black families, with a focus on Black mothers and children.

Robert also established another nationally recognized program, the Captains of Inclusion Development Program, to identify, train and support more than 150 individuals who serve as champions for diversity, equity and inclusion across the Children’s Colorado system of care. The program’s eighth cohort recently graduated, and each participant has completed a capstone project that improves the system of care and the experience of all patients, family, team and community members.

Robert adeptly shares his expertise with different audiences across many platforms. Not only is he speaking with and presenting to healthcare colleagues, but he is also sharing best practices and lessons learned with patients, community members and the public through opportunities like the Children’s Colorado Charting Pediatrics podcast.

Learn more about Children’s Colorado’s DHE&I efforts

Learn more about how Children's Colorado is building an inclusive and equitable workplace and supporting and advocating for the health needs of all children.