The Executive Connection of North Texas: Spring 2010

SPRING 2010

CONTENTMessage from New Regent 4John Haupert

Scholarship Recipients attend Annual Congress onHealthcare LeadershipConference 5

Healthcare Reform isSigned into Lawby President Obama 6

Event Encore 10Breakfast with Robert Earley, CEONetworking Event at Jasper’sExecutive Connections on Location

Member Spotlight 12

Calendar 15

ofACHE

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The ACHE of North Texas e-magazine, The Executive Connection, is published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) and includes information on the latest regulatory and legislative developments, as well as the quality improvement and leadership trends that are shaping and influencing the healthcare industry. Readers get indepth reporting on the issues and challenges facing hospital and health system leaders today. We make it our job to tell you about the great things the organization and Chapter are doing every day to ensure the health of our community. If you have any news and updates that you want to share with other members, please e-mail your items to [email protected]. Microsoft Word or compatible format is preferable. If you have a graphic or picture that you’d like to include, please send it as a separate file. The following are the types of information that our members shared in past ACHE of North Texas magazines: Advocacy Issues, Legislative Issues, Educational Opportunities, Awards / Achievements, Promotions (Members On the Move), Committee Updates, journal submissions, conference submissions, and workshop participations, sharing mentoring experiences, etc.

North Texas Chapter Members Achieve Fellow StatusCongratulations to the following individuals for achieving Fellow statusin 2009:

Trey Abshier, FACHE Alice Masciarelli, RN, FACHEChristopher P. Boone, FACHE Ashley R. McClellan, FACHEJon T. Duckert, FACHE Shelly Miland, FACHEWilliam C. Henning, FACHE Larry W. Olive, FACHEMichael R. Korpiel, FACHE

Congratulations to the following individuals for achieving Fellow statusin 2010:

Elaine W. Auerbach, FACHE Deborah A. Paganelli, FACHERichard R. Baland, FACHE Stephen J. Pottoore, FACHEJoan Shinkus Clark, RN, FACHE Sandra G. Reeves, FACHEMari J. Finley, RN, FACHE Ann Siden, RN, FACHEWilliam E. Holmes, FACHE Benita K. Stoddard, FACHEGeraldine A. Lambert, FACHE Allan R. Threet, FACHEMichael B. Miller, FACHE Paula S. Turicchi, FACHEStephan J. Moore, FACHE Spencer W. Turner, FACHELinda C. Nall, FACHE Nancy E. Viamonte, FACHEPriscilla E. Neils, DHS, FACHE Melanie Viquez, FACHEAmanda S. O’Neal, FACHE Mary R. Wylie, FACHE

You too can join the ranks of achieving Fellow status by advancing in the certification process. ACHE is waiving the $200 examination fee from March 16 through June 30, 2010, so there has never been a better time to take action and take the Board of Govenor’s Exam!

A Publication of the American College of Healthcare Executives of North Texas Chapter | SPRING 2010 3

Editor-In-Chief Susan Edwards

Managing Directors Joan Clark, MSN, RN, FACHE Angela CJVincent

Contributing Editors J. Eric Evans Scott Schmidly, FACHE Jania Villarroel, MHA

Contributing Writers Janet Henderson, MHA, FACHE Joan Clark, MSN, RN, FACHE David Tesmer

Production Kay Daniel

Advertising/ Subscriptions [email protected]

Questions and Comments: ACHE of North Texas Editorial Offi ce, c/o Executive Connection 3001 Skyway Circle, Suite 100, Irving, Texas 75038 p: 972.256.2291 f: 972.570.8037 e: [email protected] w: northtexas.ache.org

2010 Chapter Offi cers President J. Eric Evans Tenet Healthcare Corporation

President-Elect Brad Simmons, FACHE Parkland Health & Hospital Systems Co-Chair, Membership Committee

Past President Janet Henderson, MHA, FACHE Parkland Health & Hospital System Chair, Nominating Committee Co-Chair, Education Committee

Secretary Scott Schmidly, FACHE Medical City Dallas and Medical City Children’s Hospital Co-Chair, Communication Committee

Treasurer Gail Maxwell, FACHE Baylor University Medical Center

2010 Board of Directors

John Haupert, FACHEParkland Health and Hospital Systems Ex-O� cio

Ron Coulter, MHSM, FACHETexas Health Methodist Hospital—CleburneCo-Chair, Mentorship Committee

Leslie CaseyCoordinator, ACHE of North Texas Chapter

Beverly Dawson, RN, CCMElder Care LPCo-Chair, Education Committee

Forney FlemingUniversity of Texas at DallasEx-O� cio

Jonni Johnson, CPSMRTKL Associates Inc.Chair, Sponsorship Committee

Elizabeth McGrady, FACHEUniversity of Dallas

Michael J. Ojeda, MHA, FACHEVA North Texas Health Care SystemCo-Chair, Advancement Committee

Caleb F. O’Rear, FACHEDenton Regional Medical CenterCo-Chair, Mentorship Committee

George L. Pearson, JD, FACHETexas Health Resources

Rick StevensJPS Heath NetworkCo-Chair, Membership Committee

Matt Van LeeuweParkland Health & Hospital SystemStudent Council

Jania Villarroel, MHAMetropolitan Anesthesia Consultants, LLPCo-Chair, Communications Committee

Demetria WilhiteThe University of Texas at ArlingtonEx-O� cioCo-Chair, Advancement Committee

Bethany WilliamsPricewaterhouseCoopers, LLCChair, Networking Committee

Message from John Haupert,New Regent forNortheast Texas

I just returned from the 2010 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership.

It was inspiring to be gathered with several thousand healthcare leaders

at the exact time President Obama was signing Healthcare Reform into

Law. The entire Congress was abuzz about our industry’s future under

the Healthcare Reform legislation. It will take all of us several months

to truly understand the impact of reform on our individual institutions.

Will access to needed healthcare services truly be improved for all? Will

physicians and hospitals be fairly reimbursed? Can our health system ac-

commodate the potential infl ux of patients into the system? These issues

will become clearer over the next several months.

While at Congress, I was fortunate to be installed as your new Regent for

Northeast Texas. I look forward to working with all of the affi liates of the ACHE of North Texas over the next three years to

further the mission of the American College of Healthcare Executives. I would like to personally thank Britt Berrett, PhD,

FACHE for the leadership he provided over the past three years as our Regent. As many of you know, Britt recently made

a signifi cant career change and is now Executive Vice President of Texas Health Resources and President of THR Presby-

terian Hospital of Dallas. We can all look forward to working with Britt in his new role and wish him great success.

In closing, I would like to recognize the three local graduate programs in Healthcare Management that are members of

the ACHE Higher Education Network. These include the healthcare administration programs at The University of Dal-

las, The University of Texas at Arlington and The University of Texas at Dallas. Over the next couple of months I will be

meeting with the program directors from each of these programs to discuss how our local chapter can better serve their

programs and to encourage the students in these programs to become student affi liates of ACHE.

John M. Haupert, FACHE


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During the week of March 21 -24, 2010, ACHE held the annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership conference. ACHE North Texas Chapter was proud to have such strong representation at the event. Among the 4, 0000 plus attendees were the seven North Texas Chapter scholarship recipients; Charmaine Christiansen, Laurah Jackson, Paula Zalucki, Catherine Campbell, Robert Buck, Sandi McDermott and Jason McPherson.

Each year the North Texas Chapter strives to fund Congress scholarship opportunities to enhance the professional development of our members through the educational offerings provided from the Congress experience. Take a look at the feedback from a few of our scholarship recipients:

Scholarship Recipients Attend Annual Congresson Healthcare Leadership

Paula M. Zalucki, FACHEI’ve had the opportunity to attend ACHE’s Congress many times over the years, and the 2010 Congress was top notch. It’s really the premier event for peer-to-peer educational programs and networking. This year proved to be uniquely valuable, as the Opening Session occurred less than 12 hours after Congress approved health reform. I encourage all my ACHE colleagues to attend Congress regularly. It is also a great venue to obtain the required 12 hours of Category I education for recertification each triennium.

In these economically challenging times, employers are cutting back on travel authorizations. Many of us find it difficult to cover the cost of attendance, especially for those who are self-employed, in small employer situations, or in career transition. I am thankful to the ACHE of North Texas chapter for their financial support of a travel grant to help offset my out-of-pocket expenses.

Jason McPhersonI am grateful for the support of the ACHE of North Texas chapter, which allowed me to attend the 2010 Congress on Healthcare Leadership. I attended several interesting sessions and am looking forward to applying what I learned at my job. I also enjoyed the many networking opportunities offered at Congress, which sparked a number of intriguing discussions about the newly passed healthcare reform.

Charmaine Christiansen, TWU MBA/MHSM Student First and foremost, I would like to thank you for giving me such an amazing opportunity for growth. My experience at ACHE Congress 2010 was amazing and I can hardly wait to go back next year. I attended the student sessions and found all of them to be very valuable because they gave me a better sense of how to apply my education to my career in real world terms. I learned several early careerist tips on how to market myself to future employers and how to make my personal brand stand out against others in my field. As well as attending sessions, I was privileged to meet many healthcare executives that shared valuable experiences that I could utilize in the future. Overall, I found the experience to more valuable than words can express. ACHE Congress really aided me in solidifying my career path and for that I will always be thankful. Congress really is an event that all healthcare executives should attend at least once in their lives because that one time will change your perspective forever.

Sandi McDermott, MSN, RN, NEA-BCThank you so much for the North Texas ACHE Chapter for the tuition scholarship to my very first ACHE Congress! I was lucky enough to travel with my boss and was able to network with many individuals from my organization and from other hospital organizations. I am so grateful to the North Texas Chapter for the scholarship because in my organization Managers are not reimbursed for travel to the ACHE Congress. I hope to take the Board of Governor’s Exam later this year so needed the Category I credits to be able to apply for fellow status. All of the sessions were interesting and relevant to my career. Thank you again!

Held in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois, this event is an action packed week filled with abundant opportunities for professional development, networking and education that enables participants to creatively draw from the experience as they seek to enhance their organization and confidently face the daily challenges of the industry. Mark your calendars now for Congress 2011 and stay tuned for more information on our scholarship opportunities!


In a signing ceremony at a northern Virginia Community College on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HR 4872) into law. In addition to key ‘fixes’ on health care reform, the President also spoke on the goals that will make higher education affordable. Previously in an historic vote of 220 to 207 on March 25, 2010, the House passed the reconciliation package as amended and previously passed by the Senate. While a massive regulatory effort looms ahead and it is likely this bill will be amended in the future, the vote last week in the House marked the final vote after more than a year of debate on the legislation on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health care system, which was approved by the Senate on Thursday, December 24, 2009, and recently by the House on Sunday, March 21, 2010. The vote last week was important because the House adopted a package of “fixes”, which were agreed to in negotiations among House and Senate Democratic Leadership and the White House (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). Prior to the vote in the House last week, the Senate voted 56 to 43 to approve “sidecar” to the health care reform bill (the Senate’s budget reconciliation process required only 51 votes for passage). Due to some technical amendments unrelated to the bill’s health care provisions, the “sidecar” bill had to go back to the House last week, where it was finally passed around 9:00 pm eastern standard time. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation will cost $940 billion over 10 years, which is $65

billion more than the original health care bill Obama signed into law last week.

The passed reconciliation bill makes numerous revisions to many of the central provisions in the measure adopted by the Senate in December, including changes in the levels of subsidies that will help moderate-income Americans afford private insurance, as well as changes to the increase in the Medicare payroll tax that will take effect in 2013 and help pay for the legislation. The bill also delays the start of a new tax on “Cadillac” or high-cost employer-sponsored insurance valued at more than $10,200 for individual and $27,500 for family policies in 2018 and raises the thresholds at which policies are hit by the tax, reflecting a deal struck by the White House and organized labor leaders. It also includes changes to close the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage known as the ‘doughnut hole’. Under current law, Medicare stops covering drug costs after a plan and beneficiary have spent more than $2,830 on prescription drugs. It starts paying again after an individual’s out-of-pocket expenses exceed $4,550. Senior citizens stuck in the doughnut hole this year will receive $250 rebates. The bill also seeks to clarify a provision requiring insurers to allow adult children to remain on their parents’ insurance policies until their 26th birthday. The bill reduces the fine for individuals who fail to purchase coverage from $750 to $695, but it increases the fine on large companies failing to provide health coverage for workers from $750 to $2,000 per employee.

Healthcare Reform is Signedinto Law by President Obama submitted by

David Tesmer, Texas Health Resources,SVP Advocacy & Community Benefit


Below are some of the key provisions of greatest interest to hospitals: Coverage Expansion, Individual Mandate, and Employer Responsibility: Expands access to coverage to 32 million individuals by 2019 through a combination of public program expansions and private section health insurance reforms. Beginning in January 1, 2014, all U.S. citizens and legal residents would have to obtain coverage or face a tax penalty. Individualswith employer based coverage will be able to retain their coverage. Those without employer plans can obtain coverage through newly formed “health insurance exchanges.” Subsides are available to assist low-income individuals with the purchase of health insurance premiums and Medicaid would be expanded to provide coverage for the poor. While employers are not required to provide coverage, large employers will be charged a “free rider” assessment if their employees purchase health care coverage through the exchange with federal premium subsidies. Medicaid: Beginning in 2014, requires all state Medicaid programs to cover individuals up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). States will receive federal funds to pay for the newly expanded populations starting with 100 percent federal financing for 2014-2017 and scaled down to 90 percent for 2020 and thereafter. States that have already covered this population will receive additional federal assistance. Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH): Decreases Medicaid DSH payments by $14 billion with reductions beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2014. DSH reductions are not directly tied to increases in the level of insurance coverage, and the final bill directs the Secretary to develop a methodology for reducing federal DSH allotments to all states in order to achieve the mandated reductions. In making DSH reductions, the Secretary is instructed to look at a state’s percentage of reduction in the uninsured, and whether a state targets DSH funds to hospitals with high Medicaid volumes or uncompensated care. Medicare DSH: Decreases Medicare DSH by $22.1 billion beginning in FY 2014. The final bill would continue to reduce Medicare DSH payments by 75 percent to eliminate DSH payments that are above the “empirically justified” level, as determined by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. A portion of the 75 percent would then be returned to hospitals depending on the amount of uncompensated care they provide. This amount is subject to a trigger, and would be phased down if coverage increases. Hospital Payment Updates: Reduces hospital Medicare payment updates by approximately $112.6 billion over 10 years. For 2010 (beginning April 1) and 2011, the hospital payment update would be reduced by 0.25 percentage point. Beginning

in 2012, the market basket would be reduced by an estimate of productivity, with added reductions of 0.1 percentage point in 2012 and 2013, 0.3 percentage point in 2014, 0.2 percentage point in 2015 and 2016, and 0.75 percentage point in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2020 and beyond, hospital payment updates would be reduced by productivity. The final bill eliminates a provision in the Senate bill calling for the reductions not to occur if certain coverage targets are not met in 2014-2019. Health Insurance Exchanges: Beginning in 2011, requires states to establish health insurance exchanges through which individuals and small businesses can purchase qualified private health insurance coverage. A Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (FEBHP)-like, multi-state health insurance plan will be offered through the exchanges with oversight by the federal Office of Personnel Management. Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (Co-OPS) will be created to foster non-profits, member-run health insurance cooperatives. There is no government-run program. Health Insurance Reforms: Establishes, within 90 days of enactment, temporary mechanisms to provide coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions and for non-Medicare eligible retirees over age 55. Within six months of enactment, it prohibits insurers from setting annual and lifetime limits, dropping coverage (except in cases of clear fraud), and excluding coverage to children based on a pre-existing condition. Also would allow parents to include dependent children up to age 26 on their health insurance. Beginning in 2014, health insurers would be prohibited from excluding coverage based on pre-existing conditions for adults, would have limits imposed on premium ratings, and must guarantee the issuance of coverage for anyone who seeks it. Administrative Simplification: Provides for 11 specific expansions of the administrative simplification provisions under HIPAA by HHS, as well as periodic reviews (beginning Jan. 1, 2012 and every three years thereafter) of where greater uniformity would further improve operation of the health care system and reduce administrative costs. The process requires input from the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, the Health Information Technology Policy Committee, the Health Information Technology Standards Committee, standard setting organizations, and stakeholders.

Bundling: Beginning in 2013, requires the Secretary to establish a national, voluntary, five-year pilot program on bundling payments to providers around 10 conditions. If successful, the Secretary may expand the pilots after 2015.

Readmissions: Beginning in FY 2013, imposes financial penalties on hospitals for so-called “excess” readmissions when compared to “expected” levels of readmissions based on the 30-day readmission measures for heart attack, heart failure


and pneumonia that are currently part of the Medicare pay-for reporting program. Excludes critical access hospitals and post-acute care providers.

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs): Beginning in 2012, allows hospitals, in cooperation with physicians, to provide leadership in voluntary ACOs, which would be responsible for managing the care of certain benefi ciaries, and allows the Secretary to share some of the savings from improved care management with providers.

Value-Based Purchasing (VBP): Establishes a VBP program for hospital payments beginning in FY 2013 based on hospitals’ performance in 2012 on measures that are part of the hospital quality reporting program. The program is budget neutral, with 1 percent of payments allocated to the program in FY 2013, growing over time to 2 percent in 2017 and beyond.Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs): Beginning in FY 2015, adds a 1 percent penalty to hospitals in the top quartile of rates of HACs, resulting in reductions of $1.5 billion over 10 years.

Geographic Variation: Includes $400 million for payments for FYs 2011 and 2012 to section 1886(d) hospitals located in counties that rank in the lowest quartile for age, sex and race adjusted per enrollee spending for Medicare Parts A and B. The payments would be proportional to each hospital’s

share of the sum of Medicare inpatient PPS payments for all qualifying hospitals. Includes a commitment by the Secretary to commission two Institute of Medicine studies and convene a National Summit on geographic variation, cost, access and value in health care. One study will evaluate hospital and physician geographic adjustment factors, looking at their validity as well as the methodology and data used to create them. Allowable changes will be implemented by December of 2012. The second study will examine geographic variation in the volume and intensity of health care services and recommend ways to incorporate quality and value metrics into the Medicare reimbursement system. The Secretary will also convene a National Summit on Geographic Variation, Cost, Access and Value in Health Care later this year.

Innovation Center: Creates a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI) within CMS by 2011 to test innovative payment and service delivery models that improve quality and reduce program expenditures within certain limited geographic areas.

Physician Self-Referral: Eliminates the exception for physician-owned hospitals under the Stark Law and grandfathers existing hospitals with a Medicare provider number as of December 31, 2010. It requires compliance with disclosure, patient safety, bona fi de investment, and growth restriction rules. The bill

also provides limited exceptions to the growth restrictions for grandfathered physician-owned hospitals including a new exception for hospitals that treat the highest percentage of Medicaid patients in their county (and are not the sole hospital in a county). Physician Payment: The fi nal bill does not address the physician payment issue. A short-term, temporary fi x for the scheduled reduction in physician payment for the remainder of CY 2010 is currently being debated in separate legislation. Primary Care Physicians: Requires states to increase Medicaid payment rates to primary care providers in 2013 and 2014 only to Medicare levels, and provides 100 percent federal funding for the incremental costs to states. Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB):Creates a new, independent board that would make binding recommendations on Medicare payment policy and non-binding recommendations for changes in private payer payments to providers. The recommendations exclude providers such as hospitals (but not critical assess hospitals) through 2019.

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340B Program: Extends eligibility for the 340B drug discount outpatient program to children’s, cancer and critical access hospitals, as well as certain sole community hospitals and rural referral centers. It does not expand the program for existing 340B hospitals to cover inpatient drugs, and it exempts orphan drugs from required discounts for new 340B entities. Graduate Medical Education: Contains no reductions in IME payments. Redistributes 65 percent of unused residency training positions as a way to encourage increased training of primary care physicians and general surgeons. Qualified hospitals would be able to request up to 75 new slots. Long-Term Care Hospitals: Extends for two years selected LTCH provisions in the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2008. Would further delay full implementation of the 25% Rule, the short-stay outlier cuts, and the one-time budget-neutrality adjustments planned by CMS. Extends current moratorium on new LTCH beds and facilities, with exceptions. Rural Hospital Provisions: Sustains and improves access to care in rural areas through various improvements: • Extends the outpatient hold-harmless payments for certain hospitals in rural areas;• Improves payments for low-volume hospitals;• Ensures that CAHs are paid 101 percent of costs for all outpatient services regardless of the billing methods elected;• Extends and expands the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program;• Extends the Medicare Dependent Hospital program for one year;• Extends the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program through 2012; and,• Extends reasonable cost reimbursement for laboratory services in small rural hospitals. Medicare Extenders: Includes one-year extensions of certain Medicare provisions, including Section 508 wage index reclassifications; increasing the work geographic index to 1.0; grandfathering direct billing for anatomic pathology technical component services; add-on payments for ground ambulance; outpatient therapy caps; and a 5 percent increase in physician payment for certain psychiatric therapeutic procedures. Liability: Provides $50 million in appropriated funds for medical liability demonstrations. Fraud and Abuse: The final bill contains significant additional funding to fight fraud and abuse, with increased financial penalties for existing policies as well as new requirements and penalties for providers, suppliers and others.

Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans: Creates an excise tax beginning 2018 for insurers of employer sponsored health plans and sets the threshold for the tax at $10,200 for individual coverage and $27,500 for family coverage. Medical Device Tax: Beginning 2013, implements a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical device manufacturers. Exempts from the tax any device of a type that is generally purchased by the public, such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. Other Revenue Provisions: Includes an assessment of $67 billion on health insurers beginning in 2014, and an assessment of $33 billion on brand-name pharmaceuticals beginning in 2011. Along with the performance improvements, delivery system changes, and the promotion of prevention and wellness already being driven by hospitals, this legislation seeks to create a health care system where care is more integrated, financial incentives reward quality and efficiency, and greater accountability is provided to patients and communities. While it is impossible at this point to gauge the precise impact of the overhaul legislation on hospitals and the patients we serve, one thing is clear, Texas Health is strategically ramping up its efforts to prepare for the considerable changes embodied in this legislation.



Breakfast withRobert Earley, CEOsubmitted by Joan Shinkus Clark On March 10, 2010, the JPS Health Network hosted a CEO Breakfast featuring Robert Earley, CEO. In attendance were key members of the JPS Executive team, and 60 North Texas ACHE members. The event was opened by Bethany Williams, Networking Chair and Eric Evans, President of the North Texas Chapter of ACHE. Bethany reminded members of upcoming events and introduced Mr. Earley, a former Texas State Representative and past SVP of Public Relations at JPS Health Network.

Mr. Earley’s remarks focused on the changing culture of JPS to a more patient-centric organization. JPS had over 850,000 patient encounters last year and he shared their intentionality to remember they are a public hospital and to make their value understood throughout the internal, as well as the external community.

Internally, JPS is focused on recognition of employees and Earley spoke of improvements in the recent employee satisfaction survey in 28 of the 29 categories. They are working to be “nimble” in their work. Externally, they have focused on making great improvements in their Emergency Department, and he reported that a their Left without Being Seen (LWBS) rate had dropped from 21% a year ago to less than 4% today. They are also working to be less “insular” and take serious their responsibility to share experiences and realize that if JPS is successful, other hospitals and systems in the area will follow suit.

Our thanks to Robert Earley and the JPS staff for hosting a lovely breakfast meeting and to those members who attended and participated. For more information on future events, please visit us at www.northtexasache.org, or send us an email at info@ northtexasache.org.

Pictured in photo left to right: Robert Deen, Bethany Williams, Robert Earley and Eric Evans.

On March 10, 2010, the JPS Health Network hosted a CEO Breakfast featuring Robert Earley, CEO. In attendance were key members of the JPS Executive team, and 60 North Texas ACHE members. The event was opened by Bethany Williams, Networking Chair and Eric Evans, President of the North Texas Chapter of ACHE. Bethany reminded members of upcoming events and introduced Mr. Earley, a former Texas State Representative and past SVP of Public Relations at JPS Health Network.

Mr. Earley’s remarks focused on the changing culture of JPS to a more patient-centric organization. JPS had over 850,000 patient encounters last year and he shared their intentionality to remember they are a public hospital and to make their value understood throughout the internal, as well as the external community.

Internally, JPS is focused on recognition of employees and spoke to improvements in the recent employee satisfaction survey in 28 of the 29 categories. They are working to be “nimble” in their work. Externally, they have focused on making great improvements in their Emergency Department, and he reported that a their Left without Being Seen (LWBS) rate had dropped from 21% a year ago to less than 4% today. They are also working to be less “insular” and take serious their responsibility to share experiences and realize that if JPS is successful, other hospitals and systems in the area will follow suit.

Our thanks to Robert Earley and the JPS staff for hosting a lovely breakfast meeting nd to those members who attended and participated. For more information on future events,

EVENT ENCORE

Networking Event at Jasper’ssubmitted by Janet Henderson

On February 4, 2010 the North Texas ACHE Chapter held a Chapter Networking Event at Jasper’s Restaurant. The event was made possible by the generosity of our host, Dr. Jeffrey Canose, President of Texas Health Presbyterian Plano.

The event was very well attended with more than 75 members in attendance. The attendees varied with good representation from students, early, mid, and advanced careerists. As always, the North Texas Chapter of ACHE is extremely grateful to the hosts that make events such as this Chapter Networking Event possible. For more information on future events, please visit us at www.northtexas.ache.org or send us an email at [email protected].

Eric Evans, Dr. Jeffrey Canose, Jonni Johnsonand Paul McCleary

Aaron Garinger, Jamie Rauls and John Self Beverly Dawson and Francisco Rodriguez

Robert Deen, Bethany Williams, Robert Earley and Eric Evans


Toni Jones, Felicia McLaren and Bethany Williams

Lisa Reed, Shelley Colon , Caleb O’Rear and Tanya Hastings

Shohreh Bahrami and Tom Hoerl

Caleb O’Rear, Vong Miphouvieng and Ron Coulter

Charmaine Christansen and Masoud Rabie

Mentees pose for group photo with Caleb O’Rear andRon Coulter, Mentorship Co-Chairs, during event at Denton Regional

Students break for photo duringCareer Positioning Event

EVENT ENCORE

Executive Connections On LocationPhotos taken from the February 4th Career Positioning Event at Medical City Dallasand the March 4th Mentor/Mentee Reception at Denton Regional


Brett D. Lee, Ph.D., FACHE

What are you doing now?

I am in an operations vice president position at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. My scope of responsibility includes the clinical, family support, and facilities operations departments.

In your opinion, what is the most important issue facing Healthcare today?

The area of greatest uncertainty is the pending healthcare reform legislation. Regardless of what version of the various bills ends up passing, it will represent a seismic shift how we do business. Healthcare leaders are resilient and will rise to the task of improving effi ciencies to survive under drastically diff erent reimbursement structures, but it will take creative and visionary leadership over the next few years to adapt.

How long have you been a member of ACHE?

I joined the college in 1999, became a diplomate in 2004, and achieved fellow status in 2006.

Why is being a member important to you?

I am a clinician by training, and moved into healthcare leadership in order to have a greater infl uence on the health status of the people in the communities I serve. I think the College represents an opportunity to not only establish professional networks and learn best practices from healthcare organizations across the country, but also allows members to have an infl uence in growing the profession outside of the organizations where they work. While a member of ACHE, I have written numerous articles for ACHE publications, and even published a book on leadership development with the Health Administration Press. I would likely not have been aff orded these opportunities to share ideas with colleagues if I were not a member of the college.

What advice can you give early careerists or those considering membership?

The most important advice that I can give to young people considering a career in healthcare leadership is to fi nd a good mentor. Healthcare is a dynamic environment that will test the resolve of even the most stalwart spirit, but can also provide some of the most rewarding experiences of any career that I know. It is important to have a trusted advisor outside of your chain of command with whom you can discuss the daily challenges, and set a course for the future. The ACHE has formal mentoring programs in place that will prove invaluable to early careerists and rewarding to those seasoned executives that choose to serve as mentors.

Tell us one thing people don’t know about you.

I am a teacher at heart and would love to end my career in an academic setting, helping to prepare the next generation of healthcare leaders.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Joshua Shoemaker, MBA


I am a Planning Manager at Children’s Medical Center


America desperately needs a high-quality, consumer-focused, transparent sustainable healthcare system. Whether or not the recent legislation passed in Washington will help America fi ll this need is yet to be seen. There are currently other models around the world and those being developed that should be considered. Watching the developments over the next 50 years should be fascinating.


3 years


Access to training and experts in healthcare administration


Active membership in ACHE at the national and local level can only help your career. The cost is minimal compared to the potential gains for anyone who chooses to get the most out of ACHE.


I have a prosthetic ear drum in my right ear that is the result of a tumor I had as a young child. I was in and out of a Seattle Children’s a few times which is one reason why working in healthcare to help others is important to me.


Matthew Van Leeuwe, MHA & Six Sigma BB


I am a project manager at Parkland Health and Hospital System. My current projects involve helping to develop a comprehensive logistics plan for the new Parkland Hospital and increasing patient throughput by applying LEAN Six Sigma principles to aspects of the discharge process.


The most notable, of course, is the potential impact of any health care reform policy that may come out of Washington. As the current proposed legislation stands, there are several unaddressed issues that could severely hinder the ability of the nation’s safety net hospitals to adequately care for the patients that rely on their services. Shifting dollars between hospitals, insurers, and physicians does little to address the social realities that drive the increasing usage of high cost emergency services.


I have been a member of ACHE for a little over two years.


Membership in ACHE is important to me because it helps to keep me informed on current issues and furthers my knowledge of the health care industry. It also provides opportunities to meet experienced and successful leaders in an educational setting that promotes development of my personal and professional skill set. Furthermore, as a member of ACHE, I acknowledge adherence to an established Code of Ethics that is critical for professional credibility in any health care delivery setting.


Instead of viewing a lack of experience as a negative, turn it into an opportunity. Most leaders welcome the opportunity to pass along their knowledge. Be open and honest about things that you don’t understand, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. As a result, you gain a better understanding of the area in question, show a willingness to learn, and get some quality one on one time with one of your organizations leaders.


After graduating college in San Antonio, I moved to Tennessee to attend fl ight school. There I learned to fl y the Cessna 152 and Cessna 172 before moving to Washington, D.C. to accept a job.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Lillie Biggins, RN, MS, CNAA, FACHE


Currently working at Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth as a part of my “dream team” of health care professionals who are committed to best practice and doing the right thing. Their focus on mission and vision is phenomenal and accountability is the foundation of our culture.


How will we provide healthcare services to the 70 million baby boomers who are rapidly aging and in need of care?


I have been a member of the ACHE for over 15 years.


When I joined the ACHE I was looking for a way to connect with other health care professionals outside of my immediate circle. I wanted to network with people who worked in diff erent states and environments who would share with me how they met the challenges that we all have. It was important to me that the people, educational conferences and practices were ethical and in the best interest of the patients we were all privileged to serve.


In considering membership in the ACHE the benefi ts are numerous. A couple benefi ts include the professional networking and the opportunity to participate in the mentoring program. In my role as mentor to upcoming health care executives, I have noticed some are so focused on where they want to go in their career and they forget to be in the moment. I challenge them to focus on learning how to be the best at the job they currently have and do the right thing for those who they serve or lead. I also suggest that they don’t confuse activity for results. Most of us entered healthcare to be of service to others and if we stay focused on this, and use the gifts we have been given, we will be successful. As a member of the ACHE, you won’t get lost because you are a part of a huge family committed to your individual success.


Most people would be surprised to know that I am very shy.


Cole Edmonson, MS, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC


Serving as the Vice-President and Chief Nurse Executive for Medical City and Medical City Children’s Hospital.


Health care reform and the future of nursing have taken center stage in the last year. Both are closely linked to and dependent on the current healthcare reform iniatitives. The profession of nursing is in an excellent position to help shape the future healthcare delivery system to include an emphasis on holistic care in the curative and preventative domains. Additionally, comparative eff ectiveness research will take on greater importance in medicine and nursing through which not only providers, but prospective patients will make choices regarding their care.


Maintaining membership over the last 10 years and becoming a fellow has contributed greatly to my understanding of the complexities of the healthcare system.


Membership in ACHE provides opportunities to network, attend education, and stay informed on the most pressing issues in healthcare today from some of the leading experts in the fi eld.


Early in your career its imprortant to maintain an active membership in ACHE for the networking, education, and the mentoring program. The mentoring program is a great opportunity to connect with someone that will be infl uential in your career and support your growth and development as a health care leader.


I maintain that academic preparation, certifi cation, and experience needed to prepare new leaders the best for the role of healthcare executive. Continuing my own education in the Doctor of Nursing Practice at Texas Christian University is an outgrowth of that philosophy.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Kevin Stevenson, MBA, FACHE


I am Senior Director-Healthcare at Peak Performance Development in Southlake where I provide consulting services and executive coaching.


We must address uninsured/undocumented care delivery in an environment of diminishing reimbursement and resources


I joined ACHE in 1996 and earned my Fellow designation in 2001.


Being a Fellow signifi es longevity and commitment to healthcare and also provides me with opportunities to interact and learn from fellow healthcare professionals.


ACHE aff ords you with many opportunities for professional development and networking. Take advantage of as many as you can.


I was the president of a future United States president.

Is there a member you would like to seein the next Member Spotlight section?

If so, please send their name andcontact information to us at

[email protected]

CALENDARMay 13General Membership Dinner

Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pmLocation: Las Colinas Country Club

June 3After Hours Networking

Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pmLocation: Arcodora Pomodora at the Crescent

June 9Breakfast with the CEOTrevor Fetter, President andChief Executive Offi cer ofTenet Healthcare

Time: 7:30 am - 9:00 am

June 17Cat I EducationMedical Staff Relations Time: 6:00 pmLocation: Sambuca’s

July 8Early Careerist Networking Event

July 15Cat I EducationExecutive Session

ACHE of North Texas thanks the following Corporate Sponsors for assisting the organization’s mission. By sponsoring various events throughout the year, these sponsors are provided local and national exposure with an opportunity to showcase their organization, brand, career opportunities, products and services to the ACHE membership and its affi liates.

Have a question about a program or event?Email us at: [email protected]

or watch your inbox for our frequent event guide updates

The Executive Connection of North Texas: Spring 2010

Documents

Transcript of The Executive Connection of North Texas: Spring 2010