Insights and Analysis

Insights and Analysis / en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 22:50:15 -0500 Wed, 29 Apr 20 15:52:45 -0500 Q&A with two rural health care CEO’s on managing COVID-19 in their communities /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-04-29-qa-two-rural-health-care-ceos-managing-covid-19-their Three hundred people tuned into AHA’s April 14 webinar, <a href="https://sponsored.aha.org/2020-04-14-Managing-COVID19-in-RuralCommunities-webinar-replay.html">Experience from the Front Lines: Managing COVID-19 in Rural Communities</a>, showing how large the appetite is for new ideas and information on addressing coronavirus in rural areas. Even with a live Q&amp;A portion of the event, there were still many unanswered questions, so we asked the two speakers, Rex McKinney, president and CEO at Decatur County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg, Ind., and Mary Ellen Pratt, CEO at St. James Parish Hospital in Lutcher, La., to provide an additional batch of answers. Question: What is your hospital doing to help educate the community about ways to slow the spread of the virus? Mary Ellen Pratt: We created a <a href="https://www.sjph.org/coronavirus-information/">special website</a> and continue to update it regularly. We also use Facebook to provide updates and announcements, and we used Facebook Live press conferences that allows people to ask questions in real-time. We also created short videos with our infection prevention coordinator and posted those. We have definitely served as the source for information. Q: What information does your command center use on a daily basis to prepare? Rex McKinney: We designed a standard template and reviewed this twice per day to help keep us up to date. This template included information on beds occupied/available; number of patients with COVID-19; number of patients on ventilators; number of patients transferred; number of patients tested; critical staffing positions; personal protective equipment inventory; the local nursing home report; our daily objectives; and an incident command sections report (which is comprised of public information such as local FEMA, county board of health information, county commissioner information or requests, community requests; safety, operations, planning, logistics, finance). Q: What workforce changes are you implementing in order to meet the demand? MEP: Our emergency response plan allows us to rescind/suspend personal time off. We did that first because this ensures that we have available staff. The plan also allows for staff to work in a variety of different roles, depending on needs, so we reassigned staff to different roles. OR nurses/surgical techs were moved to medical/surgical inpatient care. Clinic receptionists and medical assistants were moved to screening and call center roles, radiology and physical therapy staff were reassigned to materials management, environmental services, and we developed a daycare amidst this crisis to help out our staff. Q: How have your relationships with other organizations changed, and what do they now look like? RM: We have significantly strengthened our relationships with local nursing homes, employers and other agencies during this time. We strengthened relationships by sharing best practices related to COVID-19 care, providing needed PPE, and facilitating care in the nursing home rather than admitting certain patients. In addition, our community has donated several masks and funds to support hospital staff during the crisis. We have been intentional about being the source of COVID-19 facts in our community, and our community has noticed and appreciated this effort. Q: What is your patient mix? Are there any patient populations that tend to get critical quicker or have worse outcomes? MEP: This has been a huge debate in Louisiana. We are definitely seeing more African Americans test positive and die from the disease. Some speculate that this demographic has more comorbidities, which puts them at greater risk. Some think it relates to social determinants of health. We just don’t know, but the state has requested demographic data from hospitals to try to better understand why this is happening.&nbsp; Q: What has surprised you the most while managing this crisis? RM: Early on, I was surprised by how many of our team members were exposed unknowingly and became symptomatic. Our primary challenge related to nursing staffing, and our team responded by filling all shifts. When a local nursing home was impacted, our team provided staffing to their facility. Q: Your hospital has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. Can you tell us what your biggest concerns are right now? MEP: During the peak, my biggest concern was resources – having enough nursing staff to care for the patients (as more and more were getting sick), having PPE to protect my staff and having enough ventilators to save the lives of people in need. Right now, we are beginning to open back up. My concerns now is still resources – enough PPE to perform surgery and COVID-19 inpatient care (we are using a tracker to project days of PPE on hand), enough testing material for screening OR patients and determining community spread (we do not have the rapid testing and have to send out for resulting); and staff to care for both outpatient services and responding to a potential “second wave.” Q: How has your hospital maintained cash flow? MEP: We have been tracking daily cash and revenue. Cash was not impacted immediately (obviously there is a lag in collections in health care), but our revenue dropped considerably (more than 50%) during the peak. We very quickly applied for the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services prepayment and received that very quickly. Some of our managed care organizations are doing the same. We are keeping abreast of the grants and applying for whatever we can. We are using consultants to help us with this since we are so busy managing the COVID-19 crisis. RM: Over the past two years, our organization has put forth a focused effort to improve our financial position. This helped create a “rainy day” fund, which helped cash flow throughout this challenge. With the high degree of uncertainty, we did acquire a line of credit and are applying for several federal support programs. Q: How are you working to protect your employees from exposure to COVID-19? MEP: Our infection prevention coordinator was out on the floor constantly coaching and monitoring PPE. We observed the donning and doffing. We created standard operating procedures but followed up with active surveillance and monitoring. In the beginning, we had to dispel the misinformation and fears with accurate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. My advice is to monitor your inventory and stay ahead of it. If you get low, figure out what “Plan B” will be…reusing, disinfecting (using sterilizers), etc. RM: Our PPE supplies have been sufficient throughout the crisis and available for all staff to use. We have implemented a variety of efforts to enhance safety, including masking and taking temperatures of everyone entering our facilities; creating a “pantry” for our staff to purchase greatly discounted items in effort to minimize their exposure by shopping at local retail stores; implementing conference calls for safety huddles and incident command; and providing respite areas and showers for staff. Q: If you could give one tip to your fellow rural health care leaders, what would it be? RM: Collaborate with everyone during the crisis – caregivers, medical staff, local, state and other leaders to ensure accurate information and resource availability for the hospital and community. MEP: Plan for the worst and hope for the best. It’s better to know what you would do if you run completely out of something…what will you substitute? What would you do if you can no longer transfer to the bigger organizations/referral centers? Have a plan, even if you don’t need it, because once the situation unfolds, you have to move very quickly. Having a plan saves a lot of time. Wed, 29 Apr 2020 15:52:45 -0500 Insights and Analysis A critical access hospital shares tips for managing COVID-19 /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-04-16-critical-access-hospital-shares-tips-managing-covid-19 After Kansas’ governor declared an executive stay-at-home order March 24, Wilson Medical Center, a critical access hospital in Neodesha, Kan., implemented a curbside lab and clinic to help provide safe care to its patients and help stop the spread of the coronavirus. In the days since it launched the curbside clinic care, Wilson Medical Center has learned some invaluable lessons about caring for patients amidst a pandemic. It is also maximizing operations to help its community, which has seen more than 50 negative COVID-19 tests and no positive tests (at the time of this writing). Below are four noteworthy observations from Wilson Medical: Normalizing patient volume After COVID-19 hit, WMC saw its clinic volumes drop to around 30% of its pre-COVID-19 volume. “People were afraid to come to the hospital or clinics to receive care,” said WMC CEO Dennis Shelby. But now with the combination of a curbside clinic and telehealth services, as well as office visits, its volumes are up to 80% of its pre-COVID-19 visits. Increased flexibility to care for more patients, quicker After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted restrictions on requiring health care organizations performing telehealth services to follow HIPAA-compliant guidelines, WMC experimented with FaceTime and Skype to reach and care for more patients. Shelby is hopeful the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services will authorize reimbursement for telehealth at the standard rural health clinic encounter rate. Newfound open-mindedness toward telehealth With a large elderly population, WMC had typically seen patients hesitant – or downright skeptical – toward the idea of telehealth, especially among those in the community not familiar with using technological devices such as iPads to assist with health care. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic because of WMC’s execution of curbside care and increased reliance on telehealth services. “We’ve gotten a very good response among the elderly population,” Shelby said. “I’m pleasantly surprised by the number of people now comfortable with telehealth visits.” He emphasized the importance of walking patients through what they could expect at these appointments in advance. For its curbside care clinic, WMC deploys nursing personnel to speak with the patient and take their vitals; patients are then seen by their provider who can address their medical issues. Unexpected partnerships In addition to quickly implementing curbside clinic care and telehealth services, WMC’s leaders knew they had to think outside the box during the pandemic to help ensure staff had the appropriate personal protective equipment. To that end, WMC established a partnership with a local boat manufacturing company to produce PPE such as face shields and washable surgical gowns. Before WMC reached out, Cobalt Boats, LLC, the renowned boat manufacturer in Neodesha, had closed its plant for about two weeks amidst COVID-19. A conversation between Shelby and Cobalt’s safety officer revealed that Cobalt had the expertise and staff in their upholstery department to help make PPE. The safety officer approached Cobalt administration to see if they might be interested in partnering to produce more PPE for medical staff. To Shelby’s delight, they came back and said, “We want to do this with you and help our community.” WMC leaders gave Cobalt staff a few models of surgical gowns. They took those back to their plant, digitized the models and returned to WMC with 60 gowns that can be washed up to 10 times. “Times like these cause us to think creatively and work together with others to develop solutions that will benefit all of us long term,” Shelby said. Looking ahead and adjusting as needed Shelby noted that WMC’s success has stemmed from its willingness to adjust things as needed. The hospital has experimented with restricting services and processes, then tweaking policies to allow for more to be done. This includes inviting staff at every level in team huddles, as well as encouraging as many staff members as possible to work from home. “Just being willing to listen, adjust, try new things and redesign how you are operating is the most important thing,” Shelby said. While WMC leaders are pleased with the hospital’s operations, they know that more will need to be done to ensure they keep their doors open. WMC is not currently eligible for a Small Business Administration loan at this time because it is a public (county) hospital. WMC leaders hope that Congress will approve public hospitals being eligible for SBA loans. Currently, WMC has 71 days cash on hand. “The hospital has just received the monies from the CARES Act and has received the accelerated Medicare payment funds, which we want to use judiciously,” Shelby said, “because in 120 days, we’re required to begin paying it back.” To other critical access hospitals and rural health organizations, Shelby urges staff to step outside of the box and to think creatively about how to provide health care to the communities you serve. It is also important to communicate with your teams daily, and inform your health care workers of the actions taken to protect them, and secure the viability of health care in your community. &nbsp; &nbsp; Thu, 16 Apr 2020 15:00:15 -0500 Insights and Analysis Kaufman, Peregrine: Pandemics, health care and a responsibility to society /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-03-27-kaufman-peregrine-pandemics-health-care-and-responsibility <h4>Pandemics, Health Care and a Responsibility to Society</h4> It’s a jarring contrast. On the one hand, there’re the ugly curves of pandemic projections, the images of overburdened hospitals and the staggering statistics of a ravaged economy. On the other hand, there are the happy scenes of remote workers, frolicking in the parks, trails and bike paths as it were a normal springtime. Can these images be reconciled, and what is to come if they cannot? The path forward through the COVID-19 pandemic will be the byproduct of shared national commitment and sacrifice, not through a “me first”/personal freedom approach. It requires a stress on values and a recognition that indeed, there is something larger and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fog_of_War">more important than one’s self</a>. That what’s best for us as individuals, and for our families, must be balanced against the responsibilities of citizenship.&nbsp; The scientific community is telling us that through the discipline of self-isolation we have the ability to control our wellness and the wellness of our fellow Americans. But the indifference of selfishness threatens the success of that course. A society grounded in the public good resembles the wise man who built his house on a rock. One that is grounded in the individual good resembles the foolish man who built his house on the sand. One need look no further than our much maligned health care system for a stirring testimony of the necessary selflessness.&nbsp; In the epicenters of the crisis, hospitals are finding themselves overwhelmed. For the sickest patients, ventilators are scarce. The New York Times reported one hospital had so many deaths that it parked a refrigerated truck outside to hold the bodies. Staff are getting sick from exposure to the virus or from overwork. Hospitals have tents set up outside for testing and triage. Doctors are being pulled out of retirement to return to the bedside. One CEO told us, “We've talked to physicians who are over 60 years old about the current risks, and they’re insulted. They want to be there to help.” Defeating the pandemic is a national team sport. Either we share the burdens of what science tells us to be the solution, or we share in the harm that science predicts if those burdens are not embraced. To paraphrase President Kennedy, now is the ultimate “ask not” moment. In his famous inaugural address, he observed that since the country’s founding, each generation of Americans has “been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty.” And now, just as it was then, the “trumpet” of such loyalty summons Americans to bear a new burden – a struggle against a common enemy of disease.&nbsp; Ours is a citizenry to which much has been given, but for many of us not too much has been asked. We now have the opportunity to balance the scales. Kenneth Kaufman is the chair of Kaufman Hall. Michael Peregrine is a partner at McDermott Will &amp; Emery, LLP. The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the policy of the �� Association. Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:51:06 -0500 Insights and Analysis Four lessons for hospitals implementing COVID-19 drive-through testing /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-03-26-four-lessons-hospitals-implementing-covid-19-drive-through As more cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to spread throughout the United States, health care leaders are jumping into action to help test patients and treat those affected. At Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in Dixon, Ill., health care leaders knew they had to act quickly to create a rapid response plan. Their solution: drive-through testing for COVID-19. To ensure smooth implementation, health care leaders pulled staff together for emergency preparedness planning. They decided to use their four-bay ambulance garage as the site for drive-through testing, which is now offered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients must first arrange a pre-screening by phone or KSB’s telehealth platform. For the onsite testing, patients enter at the street level, receive swab testing, and exit through the underground parking garage. Health care workers are being instructed to reserve clinical testing for people meeting federal guidelines related to symptoms and potential exposure to infected individuals. Here are their top takeaways gleaned from their first week offering drive-through screenings: <ol> <li>Know CDC’s guidelines backward and forward Knowing the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was key for nurses at KSB, said Linda Clemen, R.N., KSB’s chief nursing officer. “Our staff was very intent on following CDC guidelines in order to best protect our patients and community,” she said.&nbsp; To prepare for the drive-through testing and interaction with potential COVID-19 patients, KSB health care leaders helped orient staff with the patient questionnaire, practiced scenarios and threw in some curveballs (traps included role-playing a patient more than 75 miles away seeking care, and a member of the medical staff demanding testing for himself – both against CDC guidelines).&nbsp; This role-playing type training helped nurses think quickly on their feet and retain the latest CDC guidance. Clemen also stressed the importance of choosing nurses who are stringent in following CDC guidance and who are willing to jump in quickly as opposed to assigning/repurposing other medical professionals just to fill spots. In addition, she emphasized the need to choose staff who can communicate clearly and calmly with patients in any scenario.&nbsp; &nbsp;</li> <li>Don’t seek perfection; patients need help quickly KSB staff first gathered together at 8:15 a.m. Monday morning and launched the drive-through testing at noon. Recognizing that this wasn’t a drill or something they could train for at a leisurely pace, Clemen said staff quickly adopted the mentality of, “We’re doing this for our community and we have to figure out a way to do this, starting at noon.”&nbsp; Staff took ownership of the initiative, settling into the emergency department to work out the details, write a narrative, and then drew it on a flow chart following an algorithm all staff could follow.&nbsp; CEO Dave Schreiner said that staff assumed operations would not be perfect and that that was okay. “We knew we were going to make mistakes, not at the cost of patient safety, but in operations, and we knew we’d figure things out as we went along,” Schreiner said. “You miss the good if you wait till it’s perfect.”&nbsp; &nbsp;</li> <li>Seek out community partners who can augment your testing efforts&nbsp; KSB took care of the testing. But the delivery of test results to patients was handled by the health departments of Lee County and Whiteside County. This was the best collective use of resources and capacity, ensuring alignment between different community agencies. While KSB receives the results, the county health department contacted the patient to review after-care protocol. “We learned early on that if you’re going to incorporate a county health department into your algorithm for treatment, make sure they know that and that they are doing what you think they are doing,” Clemen said.&nbsp; In an effort to provide the most seamless patient experience, KSB now meets daily with a task force of health care stakeholders, including both counties’ health departments, to ensure they are in alignment with giving patients the same clinical information and instructions. The goal, according to Clemen: “Make sure to set the patient up for success.” &nbsp;</li> <li>Help your fellow hospitals find success&nbsp; As hospital and health systems leaders nationwide face hardships during these challenging times, many are reaching out to each other for support, advice and ideas. “We’re receiving calls from many of our colleagues around the area,” Clemen echoed. “We’re sending each other our plans, algorithms, whatever could help them.”&nbsp; During the hard times, Schreiner said that he is proud to have a high-quality staff assembled to care for patients and that he is impressed by his team’s fast action. “These are the people running into the burning building,” he said. “Talk about having the courage to do what we’re all being asked to do.”&nbsp;</li> </ol> Thu, 26 Mar 2020 12:06:35 -0500 Insights and Analysis Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center names new president /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-03-11-dignity-health-california-hospital-medical-center-names-new Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center names new president Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles has <a href="https://www.dignityhealth.org/socal/locations/californiahospital/about-us/press-center/dignity-health-california-hospital-medical-center-welcomes-new-president">named</a> Alina Moran president. Most recently she served as CEO for NYC Health + Hospitals/ Metropolitan in East Harlem, N.Y., as well as chief patient growth officer for the NYC Health + Hospitals system.&nbsp; Colorado hospital names CEO Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colo., has <a href="https://skyridgemedcenter.com/about/newsroom/kirk-mccarty-named-president-and-ceo-of-sky-ridge-medical-center">named</a> Kirk McCarty, R.N., president and CEO. He was promoted from his current role as COO at Sky Ridge, a position he held since joining the Sky Ridge team in December 2014. UP Health System-Portage names new CEO Hancock, Mich.-based UP Health System-Portage has <a href="https://www.portagehealth.org/news/ed-freysinger-named-ceo-of-up-health-system-portage">named</a> Ed Freysinger CEO&nbsp;effective March 30. He most recently served as chief administrative officer at PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center in Ketchikan, Alaska. Banner Health names CEO for Colorado hospitals Phoenix-based Banner Health has <a href="http://bannerhealth.mediaroom.com/BannerNoCoCEO">named</a> Hoyt Skabelund CEO of its northern Colorado hospitals. Skabelund, who is the former CEO for Banner Health’s rural division, is now CEO for North Colorado Medical Center, McKee Medical Center and Banner Fort Collins Medical Center. Two Arizona hospitals name CEO Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix and St. Joseph's Westgate Medical Center in Glendale, Ariz., recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dignityhealth.org/arizona/locations/stjosephs/about-us/press-center/press-releases/2020-02-24-gabrielle-finley-hazle-president-and-ceo">named</a> Gabrielle Finley-Hazle president and CEO. Before joining St. Joseph’s, she served as CEO of St. Mary's Medical Center and Palm Beach Children's Hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:05:05 -0500 Insights and Analysis Missouri hospital names CEO /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-02-26-missouri-hospital-names-ceo Missouri hospital names CEO&nbsp; Medical City Frisco (Texas) has <a href="https://medicalcityhealthcare.com/about/newsroom/patrick-rohan-named-ceo-of-medical-city-frisco">named</a>&nbsp;Patrick Rohan CEO effective March 1. Since 2017, he has served as the chief operating officer for both Medical City Plano and Medical City Frisco.&nbsp; Los Angeles hospital names new president&nbsp; Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles has <a href="https://www.dignityhealth.org/socal/locations/californiahospital/about-us/press-center/dignity-health-california-hospital-medical-center-welcomes-new-president">selected</a>&nbsp;Alina Moran to serve as president. She most recently served as CEO for NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan in East Harlem, N.Y., as well as chief patient growth officer for the NYC Health + Hospitals system.&nbsp; Ochsner appoints new chief diversity officer&nbsp; New Orleans-based Ochsner Health has <a href="https://news.ochsner.org/news-releases/ochsner-announces-appointment-of-deborah-grimes-as-chief-diversity-officer">named</a>&nbsp;Deborah Grimes, R.N., chief diversity officer, effective March 2. She most recently served as the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System’s first chief diversity officer.&nbsp; Hackensack Meridian Health names chief physician executive&nbsp; Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health has <a href="https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/2020/02/18/hackensack-meridian-health-appoints-daniel-w-varga-m-d-as-chief-physician-executive/">named</a> () Daniel Varga, M.D., chief physician executive. He most recently served as a senior executive vice president and chief clinical officer for Texas Health Resources. &nbsp; Bingham Healthcare names CFO&nbsp; Blackfoot, Idaho-based Bingham Healthcare has <a href="https://www.binghammemorial.org/Health-News/bingham-healthcare-announces-new-chief">named</a>&nbsp;Randy Nightengale chief financial officer. He previously served as CFO at several hospitals, including Cody Regional Health in Cody, Wyo.; North Valley Hospital in Whitefish, Mont.; Kalispell Regional Healthcare in Kalispell, Mont.; Powers Medical Center in Lamar, Colo.; and, Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kan.&nbsp; Wed, 26 Feb 2020 09:10:24 -0600 Insights and Analysis New Investors in Physician-Practice Ownership Models /center/emerging-issues/market-insights/physician-practice-ownership/infographic <div></div> <div> /* Site overrides - Start */ p, ul, ol { font-size: 16px; color: #555 } h2, h4{ text-transform: uppercase; color: #253b80 } h3, h5{ color: #4579bc } .lead, .field_lead p { color: #63666A; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.4; font-size: 19px; } a:hover{ text-decoration: none } .container .jumbotron.styled { margin-bottom:20px;} /* Site overrides - End*/ .vcenter { display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; float: none; } #ci_footer-social { font-size: 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; width: 100%; text-align: right; } @media (max-width:991px){ .ci_logo{ margin-top:25px } .marketInsightResource .col-md-6 { padding: 0; margin-bottom: 20px } .jumbotron.styled .content { position: relative; } .hero, .jumbotron { background-color: #fff; } .ci_social p{ text-align: center !important; } #ci_footer-social { text-align: center } } .field_access_level{ display:none } .field_topics{ margin-top:25px } .download_icon{ font-weight: 700; margin-bottom:15px; margin-top:10px } .download_icon img{ width: 25px !important; } </div> <div class="container-fluid"> <div class="row marketInsightResource"> <div class="col-md-9"> <div class="col-md-6"> <div> <div class="download_icon"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2020/02/Market_Insights_MD_Ownership_New_Investors_graphic.pdf" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/2018-12/pdf-download-icon.png" /> Download a PDF</a> of the infographic</div> <a href="/system/files/media/file/2020/02/Market_Insights_MD_Ownership_New_Investors_graphic.pdf" target="_blank"><img alt="ownership model graphic" src="/sites/default/files/2020-02/MD_Ownership_models_graphic_700x532.jpg" /></a></div> </div> The chart profiles four major new investor types: private equity, venture capital, health plans and large employers along with a representative sample of recent investments and partnerships. Several of the deals by private-equity firms and health plans are billion-dollar acquisitions. Expect further competition when it comes to recruiting new physicians and purchasing existing practices. </div> <div class="col-md-3"> <div id="block-centerinnovationlogosocial"> <div class="body"><div> <div class="ci_logo"> <a href="/center"><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" src="/sites/default/files/2018-08/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-1000px.jpg" /></a> </div> <div class="ci_social"> Follow us to learn more. <ul class="list-inline pull-right" id="ci_footer-social"> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ahahospitals" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="http://twitter.com/ahahospitals" target="_blank">Twitter</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/AHAhospitals" target="_blank">Youtube</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ahahospitals/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/center-for-health-innovation/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li> </ul> </div> </div></div> </div> <div id="block-centerinnovationmenucss"> <div class="body"> /*VERTICAL MENU*/ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation{ position:relative; background:#fff; } /* ALL UL */ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation ul{ list-style: none; padding: 0px; } nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation .menu-item{ border-top: 1.5px #5ea0cf solid; } /* ALL LI */ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation li{ position:relative; } nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation &gt; ul &gt; li.menu-item:last-child { border-bottom: 1.5px #5ea0cf solid; } /* ALL A */ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation a{ display:block; color:#5fa1d0; text-decoration:none; padding:10px 15px; transition:0.2s; } nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation a:hover{ color:#fff; font-weight:700 } /* ALL A HOVER */ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation li:hover &gt; a{ background-color: #BFBFBF; } /* INNER UL HIDE */ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation ul ul{ background:rgba(0,0,0,0.1); padding-left:50px; transition: max-height 0.2s ease-out; max-height:0; overflow:hidden; } /* INNER UL SHOW */ nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation li:hover &gt; ul{ max-height:500px; transition: max-height 0.25s ease-in; } @media screen and (max-width: 768px) { nav#block-centerforhealthinnovation ul ul{ max-height:100%; } } </div> </div> <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-centerforhealthinnovation-menu" id="block-centerforhealthinnovation"> <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="block-centerforhealthinnovation-menu">Center for Health Innovation</h2> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/center/about-center-health-innovation">About</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/center/discover">Discover</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/center/engage">Engage</a> </li> <li class="menu-item"> <a href="/center/explore">Explore All Center Programs</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <div> <h4><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights">Market Insights</a></h4> <ul> <li><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/physician-practice-ownership">Physician-Practice Ownership</a></li> <li><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/ai">AI’s Impact</a></li> <li><a href="/center/emerging-issues/evolving-care-models">Evolving Care Models</a></li> <li><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/telehealth">Telehealth Strategy</a></li> <li><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/year-in-review">Disruptive Innovation</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 21 Feb 2020 15:02:28 -0600 Insights and Analysis Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital names CEO /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-02-19-sutter-santa-rosa-regional-hospital-names-ceo Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital names CEO&nbsp; Sutter Health <a href="https://www.sutterhealth.org/newsroom/sutter-santa-rosa-regional-hospital-names-new-ceo-dan-peterson">tapped</a>&nbsp;Dan Peterson as CEO of Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital. He has served as chief administrative officer for Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, Calif., since 2017.&nbsp; Minnesota health system names new president, CEO&nbsp; Glencoe (Minn.) Regional Health has <a href="https://grhsonline.org/touching-lives/glencoe-regional-health-announces-new-president-and-ceo/">named</a>&nbsp;Patricia Henderson president and CEO. She has served as Glencoe Regional Health’s interim president and CEO since Sept. 11, 2019.&nbsp; Massachusetts hospital names new CEO&nbsp; Lawrence (Mass.) General Hospital officially <a href="https://www.lawrencegeneral.org/about-us/news-detail/lawrence-general-hospital-announces-deborah-wilson-as-hospital-president-and-chief-executive-officer/389.aspx">named</a>&nbsp;Deborah Wilson president and CEO, a role she has filled on an interim basis since October. She previously served as Lawrence General’s senior vice president and CFO, as well as executive vice president.&nbsp; Minnesota Hospital Association names CEO&nbsp; Rahul Koranne, M.D., is the <a href="https://www.mnhospitals.org/newsroom/news/id/2299/dr-rahul-koranne-named-new-minnesota-hospital-association-president-and-ceo">new president</a> and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association. He previously served as the association’s senior vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer since 2015.&nbsp; Wed, 19 Feb 2020 08:59:27 -0600 Insights and Analysis AHA leading efforts to reduce disparities in health care /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-02-19-aha-leading-efforts-reduce-disparities-health-care February is Black History Month, a time to honor the rich history, culture and achievements of African Americans and to recommit ourselves to creating a healthier future and better health outcomes for America's diverse communities.&nbsp; &nbsp; According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2015 life expectancy for blacks is 76.1 years compared to 79.8 years for non-Hispanic whites. Likewise, the death rates from heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza, pneumonia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homicide are all higher for African Americans than for white Americans. &nbsp; Knowing this, the AHA's Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE) continues to lead efforts aimed at addressing disparities in health care and helping hospitals and health systems support leadership and governance to reflect the communities they serve. In honor of Black History Month, I'm proud to share those efforts with you.&nbsp; &nbsp; They include: <ul> <li><a href="/center/population-health/hcc">Hospital Community Cooperative</a>: A program supported by the Aetna Foundation that encourages hospital and community group collaboration by deploying place-based interventions that empower action to advance health equity.</li> <li><a href="/news/headline/2019-12-16-ifdhe-bcbs-illinois-announce-new-grant-health-equity-efforts">Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Collaboration</a>: A one-year grant program that supports hospitals in their efforts to eliminate health care disparities and ensure individuals in every community receive safe, equitable and high-quality care.</li> <li><a href="/news/blog/2020-01-29-ahas-ifdhe-receives-grant-build-capacity-and-address-drivers-health-inequities">Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant</a>: A grant awarded to IFDHE focused on building the capacity of hospitals and health systems seeking to initiate and sustain community-based partnerships advancing diversity, inclusion and health equity.</li> <li><a href="/aha-strategic-alliances">AHA Strategic Alliances</a>: Partnerships formed with the National Urban League and UnidosUS aimed at advancing health equity, diversity and inclusion through our trustee match program as well as collaborations on national policy discussions</li> </ul> As we celebrate Black History Month, let's come together and recognize the challenges and opportunities we face – as an organization and as a nation – as we seek to create healthy communities for all by removing cultural barriers to care, ending disparities and promoting health equity.&nbsp; View more of our resources advancing health equity, diversity and inclusion at <a href="https://ifdhe.aha.org/ ">www.ifdhe.aha.org</a>.&nbsp; Jay Bhatt, D.O., is IFDHE interim president and CEO and AHA chief medical officer and senior vice president. Wed, 19 Feb 2020 08:41:31 -0600 Insights and Analysis NJ leader cites AHA TrendWatch as a resource to address workforce challenges /news/insights-and-analysis/2020-02-13-nj-leader-cites-aha-trendwatch-resource-address-workforce New Jersey hospitals employ more than 150,000 people, a significant portion of our state’s workforce. Because we are often the largest employers in our communities, hospitals share a responsibility for creating a motivated, highly skilled and dynamic workforce that improves both the community and clinical care. &nbsp; The latest <a href="/guidesreports/2020-01-08-trendwatch-hospital-and-health-system-workforce-strategic-planning">AHA TrendWatch</a>&nbsp;on hospital and health system workforce presents several opportunities to combat challenges getting in the way of developing such a workforce. These challenges include burnout, financial pressures, workplace violence and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.&nbsp; One area New Jersey hospitals have championed is diversity and inclusiveness. The TrendWatch points to research that shows a diverse workforce leads to increased patient choice and satisfaction, especially in racial and ethnic minority populations. &nbsp; We’ve directed our efforts in several ways, including engaging our current team members, both within the New Jersey Hospital Association and in concert with our members, in a self-examination of implicit bias and structural racism through our two-part conference series Patients, Prejudice and Policy; awareness is the first step toward change. And from the policy perspective, hospital and health system executives provided statewide leadership when they publicly supported a recent increase in New Jersey’s minimum wage, recognizing that our goal of good health is influenced by paying employees a livable wage.&nbsp; In another example, we redesigned NJHA’s annual scholarship program to help entry-level employees envision a career journey in health care. Our new Pathway Scholarships are for those not only in baccalaureate and graduate programs, but also in certificate-level programs to help employees from diverse backgrounds and care settings grow their skills and advance their potential. The TrendWatch cites that 7.2% lab technician remain unfilled, and there is a growing need for administration and environmental services workers. Our program is designed to shrink that gap by showing there are jobs outside of nursing and physician roles.&nbsp; As president and CEO of NJHA, I hope to see more progress in employee development, recognizing that the next big transformative idea may very well be germinating right now in a young professional in your organization. We must create a culture where those employees are supported and that we continue to listen – and learn – from one another. Creating a culture where people are respected and appreciated requires effort and investment. That culture of inclusion provides common ground and affects how we feel. In health care, an inclusive culture brings diverse backgrounds together and ensures that our different voices are heard, valued and acted upon. If we succeed, we have a workplace where employees flourish and demonstrate empathy, joy, laughter and compassion, rather than burnout. And as importantly, a workplace that benefits from ideas, innovations, skills and engagement.&nbsp; This issue is close to my heart, and it’s why I sit on AHA’s The Changing Workforce Task Force. This group of 24 hospital and health system leaders will help AHA explore health care workforce challenges, identify future trends, recommend policy and advocacy changes as well as key operational considerations, and help raise awareness of workforce issues among the health care field. While we cannot fully predict what jobs hospitals will need in years to come, the AHA and hospital and health system leaders continue to work together to provide important and timely thought leadership on this topic.&nbsp; Cathy Bennett is president and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association. Thu, 13 Feb 2020 09:10:15 -0600 Insights and Analysis