Newsletter

November 1, 2021

 

 

Program Spotlight:

Health Law Update: A Review of 2021 and Predictions for 2022

As we approach the end of 2021, now is an ideal time to assess law and policy changes that could potentially impact the healthcare field. On Nov. 12, health law expert Sarah F. Fontenot, JD, will review current legislation and offer predictions for the 2022 health law landscape during the webinar “Health Law Update: Rounding Out 2021 and Predicting What’s to Come.” She will lead participants in examining the Biden administration’s legislative response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the benefits and pitfalls of healthcare changes legislated by Congress. Fontenot will also forecast the Biden administration’s 2022 priorities and predict what impact the elections of 2021 and 2022 will have on the administration’s agenda. This webinar is worth 1 ACHE Qualified Education credit. Register today.

Students: Submit Entries for Essay Competition by Dec. 6

We invite students to submit entries for the 2022 Richard J. Stull Student Essay Competition in Healthcare Management. The competition is open to students currently enrolled in either a graduate or an undergraduate U.S. or Canadian health administration program that participates in the ACHE Higher Education Network. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-place, second-place and third-place essayists in both the graduate and undergraduate divisions. All six finalists will be recognized at the 2022 Congress on Healthcare Leadership, March 28–31. Complete details on eligibility and submission instructions are available here. ACHE must receive all submissions by close of business Dec. 6.

The First Focusing Step: Identifying the Bottleneck

When identifying a bottleneck in a hospital or healthcare setting, leaders should ask themselves, “Where is the patient census higher than it should be?” In Chapter 2 of their book Smash the Bottleneck: Fixing Patient Flow for Better Care (and a Better Bottom Line), authors Christopher Strear, MD, and Danilo Sirias, PhD, lay out a concrete methodology for identifying the source of a bottleneck. As a whole, the book is meant to help executives get to the root of patient-flow problems and address them quickly using a continuous improvement methodology—the Theory of Constraints. This theory emphasizes identifying, optimizing and breaking down bottlenecks to improve overall system performance—and ties it to healthcare delivery from a practitioner’s point of view.

Order this book today and discover the practical knowledge and tools you can use to break bottlenecks and enact meaningful, lasting change.

ACHE Job Center Relaunch and Phishing Alert 

The Job Center has relaunched with enhancements, including an improved search functionality, new look and feel with a contemporary layout and navigation, and a simplified job-posting process for employers posting multiple positions and seeking increased visibility.

As employment-related phishing scams continue to increase not only in frequency but also in degree of sophistication, a detailed Job Center Phishing Alert has been posted to reinforce security efforts. Although heightened account monitoring and verification processes are in place, we encourage all ACHE members to familiarize themselves with best practice regarding the online job search process.

If you experience any questionable activity, please contact Gina T. LaMantia, director of the Career Resource Center, by calling (312) 424-9444 or emailing GLaMantia@ache.org.

Podcast: Health Equity: Where Do We Go From Here?

In our latest episode of the Healthcare Executive Podcast, Nicole M. Cooper, DrPH, senior vice president, Corporate Affairs, UnitedHealth Group, discusses health equity from the payer’s perspective. Listen to learn about national diversity, equity and inclusion trends, and strategies around access, workforce, social determinants of health and more. 

Visit HealthcareExecutive.org/Podcast to listen and browse through more episodes. The podcast is also available by searching for "Healthcare Executive” in Apple Podcasts, iTunes or your podcast app of choice.

IHF’s 44th World Hospital Congress Is Seven Days Away

Next week, healthcare leaders from at least 60 countries will gather in Barcelona, Spain, for the International Hospital Federation’s World Hospital Congress, Nov. 8–11. During this unique global forum, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from over 300 speakers and more than 70 sessions, including the Nov. 9 opening plenary session, “Women Leadership: Agility, Responsiveness and Resilience in Combatting COVID-19.” Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE, president/CEO of ACHE and president designate of IHF, will chair this session. If you can’t make it to Barcelona, all sessions will be live-streamed to virtual attendees in a dedicated platform, where they can also interact with fellow participants, presenters, exhibitors and sponsors.

If you haven’t already registered, on-site registration is available for those planning to attend in-person, and registration remains open for those interested in virtual access. Visit worldhospitalcongress.org to learn more about the World Hospital Congress and to register. ACHE members can avail themselves of the special IHF member rate by using the code IHF2021 when they register. Also, new, discounted group rates are available. Please contact congress@ihf-fih.org with questions.