Claudia R. Campbell, PhD Professor
Tulane University School of Public
Health and Tropical Medicine
New Orleans, La.
Chair, Provider Performance Quality Indicators Sub-Committee, and member, Quality
Measurement Committee, Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum Member, Women’s
Healthcare Executive Network
The best career advice I ever received is to keep the big picture in
sight but pay attention to what lies immediately ahead. Within your personal and
professional strategic plan, identify several specific tasks or goals to accomplish
each day. With this strategy an amazing amount can be accomplished with less stress and
more reward.
One of the most rewarding aspects of ACHE membership is the opportunity to stay
connected with colleagues in the field. These personal connections include former
students who have gone on to accomplish great things in healthcare as well as
healthcare management faculty around the country with whom I can share career
challenges and successes. In addition, contact with other healthcare leaders allows me
to bring relevant content and people into the classroom to engage students—our
future healthcare leaders—in today’s important issues.
My membership and participation in ACHE also make me a role model for our students.
We emphasize the importance of engaging in professional organizations, particularly
ACHE, while in school and throughout their careers. Students can develop management,
leadership and networking skills prior to graduation by volunteering with our local
chapter and by attending local, regional and national ACHE activities.
Judith A. Clontz, FACHE Executive Director
Imaging Services; Moses Cone Health System
Greensboro, N.C.
Member, Triad Healthcare Executive Forum Participant/fundraiser, Women’s
Only 5k, Mammography Scholarship Fund, Women’s Hospital of Greensboro
Active listening is an important skill that all good leaders should
possess, which leads to the best piece of career advice I’ve ever received: Make
sure you hear all sides of an issue or problem before making a decision.
One of the most challenging issues facing healthcare executives today is the growing
number of American families who have health insurance but are struggling to pay higher
co-pays and deductibles. The family is feeling the strain from all sides—from
rising gas and food prices to the decline in the housing market—families must
prioritize their resources to cover their expenses. Healthcare systems have been
providing charity care to the indigent and subsidizing care to the uninsured for many
years. The new concern is rising bad debt. In the midst of all the challenges, the
health system must maintain financial viability in order to provide access to quality
healthcare for its community.
As healthcare executives we must pursue cost-saving opportunities. The proper
utilization of our human resources and looking at our costs for materials and supplies
through effective supply chain management are essential.
I am proud to have been affiliated with ACHE for more than 20 years because it is
the premier professional organization for leaders in healthcare. The ACHE educational
programs have been a constant source of relevant information that keeps me current.
Becoming a Fellow demonstrates my long-term commitment to healthcare, while providing
me with recognition within my organization and the community.
Robert Y. Copeland Jr., FACHE Chief Executive Officer
McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital
Carthage, Mo.
Member, ACHE Regents Advisory Council Chair, Community Foundation of Southwest
Missouri Member, Board of Directors of the McCune-Brooks Healthcare Foundation
The best career advice I ever received is to hire people who are
smarter than you are; retaining those who are passionate about their work is also the
biggest challenge healthcare executives face today. It seems to me that some healthcare
workers have forgotten why they entered this field. Needless to say, we are in the
“health and caring” business, but because of the healthcare crisis we are
in, we sometimes lose sight of the patient. At times, we seem to be more interested in
the business of healthcare than helping those in their most desperate times.
To address this issue in our organization, we make sure that our staff members are
truly passionate about their work. McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital just opened a brand
new facility, and we wanted a fresh new start to creating a new culture. We didn’
t want to bring the same old things that we were doing to the new building. To that
end, every employee was trained specifically on our new vision and value statements: It
is through the “healing hands of our employees” that care is delivered.
Through the rigorous credentialing process, ACHE has kept me on my toes with the
most current leadership information. This has helped me achieve greater career success.
The leadership courses have helped me manage people, whether they are employees,
physicians or other business associates and partners. ACHE is a wonderful organization.
I cannot be the leader my staff requires without its help.
William F. Feeley, FACHE Deputy Undersecretary
Department of Veterans Affairs
Washington, D.C.
Co-Chair, VHA Performance Management Work Group (2004–2005) Co-Chair, VHA
National Advanced Clinic Access Steering Committee (2003–2005 Member, VHA
National Leadership Board (2003–2005)
The biggest challenge healthcare executives face today is recruiting
and retaining a talented work force. As we face an aging population, we will need to be
prepared to take care of those in our community. Becoming a healthcare leader takes a
unique kind of person who wants to serve others—we need to find those people.
We also need to demonstrate the joy and pride that comes from caring for others as
well as develop and meet the expectations of those entering the work force by providing
a good work environment and appropriate compensation.
The characteristic necessary of all quality leaders is good communication. At any
given time we must be able to mobilize coalitions of people, helping them come together
to serve and care for people each day. The ability to perform this task shows patients
that we can provide them with quality care.
My mentors have shown me that it is my responsibility to create joy and become the
catalyst for an environment that embraces lifelong learning. Healthcare leaders should
above all become board certified in healthcare management as an ACHE Fellow. It is the
gold standard for lifelong learning and the path that leads to improved care. Being a
member of ACHE provides exposure to continuous learning, which I believe is necessary
for all human beings.
Jeffrey A. Flaks, FACHE Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer
Hartford Hospital Hartford, Conn.
Director, Eastern Rehabilitation Network Director, Connecticut Hospital
Association, Diversified Network Services Inc. Immediate Past Chairman, The George
Washington University Health Services Management and Policy (HSMP) Alumni
Association, Preceptor and Professional Lecturer, The George Washington University
HSMP Program
Healthcare executives today need to be transformational and must find more
effective ways to deliver care. The best advice I have ever received is always put
the patient at the center of everything we do. If you keep that in mind when making
all your decisions, you will always make the right decision.
Throughout my career I have been involved with professional networking
organizations including ACHE and my local chapter. ACHE involvement has been of great
value to me in many ways; specifically, it creates a forum to discuss innovations,
issues and challenges. When I am confronted with such challenges on the job, I call
on the colleagues who I have met through this forum to help me solve problems. ACHE
creates endless opportunities for continuous learning.
Another invaluable benefit of ACHE is its focus on developing future leaders. I
have benefited from many wonderful mentors throughout my career, many of whom have
been ACHE Fellows. Now I mentor others through ACHE because it is important for me to
give back and afford that same guidance to others. As we look to the future, we have
to create more mentoring opportunities to advance the talent of the profession.
Edward H. Lamb, FACHE President and
Chief Executive Officer Alaska Regional Hospital
Anchorage, Alaska
One challenge that our organization faces every day is balancing the needs of our
patients, physicians, staff and community without compromising our mission and vision.
By obtaining their feedback and input, we are able to develop a global picture for the
hospital’s long-term goals.
I have had so many great mentors throughout my career. One of the best pieces of
advice I received was to be true to yourself; don’t compromise your personal
standards for professional gain. If people see you are true, you will be recognized as
someone with integrity who will fight the good fight, even though your viewpoint may
not be popular.
Good leaders start with a strong moral compass to guide them. This inner compass
can be even more critical when the decisions become more challenging later in your
career.
I recharge my intellectual batteries by attending the educational opportunities
that ACHE offers. The different perspectives and ideas presented at the programs help
me evaluate my organization and the way I do things. ACHE also allows me to develop
valuable contacts and seek advice from my peers. In addition, being a Fellow gives me
credibility and demonstrates my commitment to the healthcare management profession.
Gloria I. San Miguel Manager, Cancer Services
Morton Plant Mease Health Care
Clearwater, Fla.
Board Member/Director-at-Large, ACHE Western Florida Chapter Board Member,
Pinellas Unit/Sun Coast Region of the Florida Division, American Cancer Society
Member, Association of Cancer Executives Education Committee Member, Institute for
Diversity in Health Management
To be a good leader requires exemplary character. It is important that leaders are
trustworthy and live their lives with honesty and integrity. They also must be
committed to excellence, maintain high standards and be proactive in raising the bar
to achieve excellence in their organizations.
Good leaders also are enthusiastic about their role and their work and should be
seen as part of the team because staff will respond more openly to those who possess
passion and dedication.
I work each day to maintain strong physician relations as a direct response to
advice I received early in my career: know your staff, physicians and employees—
and know your numbers. To earn and maintain the confidence of physicians is to
demonstrate genuine interest, facilitate reasonable solutions and follow up to finish
the job. To drive change it is important to listen to others before making quick
decisions. This ensures I have the correct information and buy-in from key physicians
and members of my team.
In a continually changing field, being an ACHE affiliate is an important way to
stay current on healthcare trends and critical topics. I am grateful to a group of
mentors who have guided me and invested themselves in my career, many of whom also are
actively involved in ACHE.
Joseph R. Swedish, FACHE President and Chief Executive OfficerTrinity Health
Novi, Mich.
Board Member, Catholic Health Association Chair Elect, Institute for Diversity in
Health Management Member, AHA Long Range Planning Committee
To exhibit 21st century healthcare leadership, we must serve with the highest
levels of integrity, transparency and authenticity. The ever-present pressures placed
on leaders by competing market forces and societal expectations for excellence in care
and service demand that anything less puts at risk the organizations and people we
serve.
During my academic preparation, I recall a mentor who reinforced the importance of
seizing career opportunities with a passion that builds personal momentum and inspires
organizations. As I have reached different mileposts in my career, I have come to
understand that such momentum always must be supported by guiding behaviors that also
promote personal fulfillment and career achievement. I have had the privilege of
receiving advice from numerous mentors, each of whom has provided me with many
important lessons about career and life that have molded together to create a
personally rewarding career path.
ACHE has given me the ability to effectively leverage my relationships with
numerous career advisers plus the added benefits of professional continuing education
as seminar participant and presenter. Being a Fellow has allowed me to advance certain
management practices through research plus accelerate my service to the profession as
a mentor to support those seeking a path to be more successful in reaching their
career goals.
