Asking the Edgy Questions About the Future
By Barry S. Bader
The AHA’s report on Hospitals and Care Systems of the Future is not intended to be one of those think tank documents that’s quickly forgotten when the next hot idea comes along. The report, which the AHA will update periodically to reflect changing conditions, is designed to help leaders engage in active, thoughtful exchanges about their desired delivery system of the future.
Russell Johnson, CEO of San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center (SLVRMC), Alamosa, CO, says the report can “keep our minds focused five to eight years into the future.” Johnson, who is a member of the AHA’s Committee on Performance Improvement (CPI), plans to ask the SLVRMC board to compare its strategic directions with the “must do” strategies and core competencies suggested in the report. He’ll encourage discussion of “where are we in line with the ideas in the report, where do we miss the mark, and where does the report miss the mark (for our community)?” He adds that the report can help in areas where “we’re a little less mature,” such as identifying metrics to evaluate progress toward a more integrated, value-driven delivery system.