A Chance to Meet Your Peers, Stay on Top of the Hospital Field

The 2017 American Hospital Association Annual Membership Meeting offers trustees an excellent opportunity to gain perspectives that will help us continue to advance health in America. The meeting, to be held May 7-10 in Washington, D.C., will feature some of America’s most influential political, policy, opinion and health care leaders, and four special sessions just for hospital and health system trustees.

On the afternoon of Sunday, May 7, Jamie Orlikoff, president of Orlikoff & Associates Inc., will identify trends affecting and challenging boards of hospitals and health systems and discuss their implications for the future of governance. He also will address the changing soul of governance in the context of these trends and outline strategies for effective governance in these changing times.

On Monday morning, you’ll learn how Beacon Health System’s hospital and system governing boards are guiding the evolution of the system’s business model from a focus on “health care” to an expanded focus on “health and well-being.” Philip Newbold, president and CEO of the South Bend, Ind.-based system, will describe how the boards gain an understanding of community health needs, set priorities and allocate resources for community health initiatives, and guide the organization’s work with community partners.

Tuesday morning will kick off with a special breakfast and political update just for trustees. Renowned journalist and former Meet the Press moderator David Gregory will be this year’s speaker.

Later that morning, Grinnell (Iowa) Regional Medical Center President and CEO Todd Linden will explore techniques to engage board members in achieving patient safety goals through enhanced governance oversight on quality. You’ll learn how expanding boardroom conversations from a fiduciary and strategic focus to generative thinking can lead to greater ingenuity, creative engagement, and the development of innovative solutions that foster a culture of safety and reduce hospital-acquired infections.

In addition to special sessions focused on these hot topics for trustees, your annual meeting registration includes three interactive federal forums, where AHA leaders will discuss the political landscape and what it means for hospitals and health care. You’ll also hear from nationally recognized speakers like radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, political pundit Ana Navarro and more. In addition, former Senate Majority Leaders Trent Lott and Tom Daschle will engage in a wide-ranging discussion of the state of our political system.

You’ll also have a chance to help us honor hospitals and individuals on the leading edge of advancing health in America, as well as numerous opportunities to network with colleagues from across the country.

Please make plans today to join us for this extraordinary meeting. For full registration details, visit www.aha.org.

Andy Stern (andystern@sunwestpr.com) is chair of the American Hospital Association Committee on Governance and a trustee of Medical City Dallas Hospital in Dallas.