AMERICAN COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES
ANNOUNCES HILL-ROM ESSAY
COMPETITION WINNERS

CHICAGO, February 28, 2004—Duane E. Reynolds of The Ohio State University, Columbus, won first place in the graduate division of ACHE's 2004 Hill-Rom Management Essay Competition for his essay, "Improving Care Interactions with Racially and Ethnically Diverse Populations in Healthcare Organizations: A Challenge for Healthcare Management." In the undergraduate division, Jenifer K. Murphy of James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, placed first with "After 9-11: Elevating Bioterrorism Preparedness in Hospitals."

Reynolds and Murphy will each receive $3,000 and a plaque; their schools will each receive $1,000. In addition, the first-place essays will be published in the Journal of Healthcare Management, ACHE's official journal.

In the graduate division, Lisa Zinkovich of the University of Central Florida, Orlando, placed second for her essay, "Bioterror Events: Pre-emptive Strategies for Healthcare Executives." In the undergraduate division, Timothy J. Langdon of Creighton University, Omaha, NE, won second place with "Ethics in All Things: Creating a System of Ethics in Healthcare Organizations." The second-place winner in each division will receive $2,000 and a plaque.

Melissa K. Harper of the University of Florida, Gainesville, won third place in the graduate division for her essay, "Assessing Healthcare Organization Web Sites: Quality Design Is Crucial." Selima Taylor of Pennsylvania State University, University Park, placed third in the undergraduate division with "An Examination of the Relationship between Hospital Organizational Characteristics and Organ Donor Potential." Third-place winners will each receive $1,000 and a plaque.

The six winners will accept their awards on Wednesday, March 3, at the Leon I. Gintzig Commemorative Lecture and Luncheon during ACHE's 47th Congress on Healthcare Management at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

The annual competition is sponsored by Hill-Rom Company, Inc. Hill-Rom helps today's caregivers and healthcare facilities safely deliver effective and efficient care to their patients in acute care, long-term care, and home care environments. The company's comprehensive solutions consist of high-quality care environment and clinical products, critical information assessments, equipment services, and new expert and clinical programs.

The essay competition was developed to stimulate student writing about important issues and developments in healthcare management. It is open to all ACHE Student Associates enrolled in either a graduate or an undergraduate U.S. or Canadian health administration program that sponsors an ACHE student chapter. For more information and submission guidelines, contact Reed L. Morton, Ph.D., FACHE, associate director of ACHE's Division of Research and Development, at (312) 424-9444 or rmorton@ache.org.

CONTACT: Deborah A. Labb, (312) 424-9426

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