THA elects new board, prepares for annual conference

Special to Medical Journal – Houston By Dan Stult z, M.D., President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association January 2012

Members of THA’s 2012 Board of Trustees began their terms on Jan. 1. Tim Lancaster, FACHE, president/CEO of Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, is THA’s new chairman, and George B. Hernandez Jr., J.D., president/chief executive officer of University Health System in San Antonio, is the new chairman-elect. A new trustee from the Houston area is Margaret M. Van Bree, M.H.A., DrPH, chief executive officer of St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston. She joins Cris Daskevich, FACHE, senior vice president at Texas Children’s Hospital, who was elected in 2011. Congratulations to both Margaret and Cris; their leadership and i n v o l v e m e n t will help guide THA as the delivery system transitions.

Thriving in an Evolving Health Care System Perhaps the only certainty in life – beyond death and taxes – is change. As more aspects of federal health care reform take effect and Texas begins to implement the recently approved Medicaid 1115 waiver, massive changes lie ahead. Clearly, hospital leaders must adapt their operations to survive in a pay-for-performance world that embraces transparency, quality and efficiency.

The Texas Hospital Association’s 2012 Annual Conference and Expo, Feb. 1-2 in Austin, is bringing together some of the best minds in the field for two days of hardhitting education and thought-provoking commentary. More than 40 presenters will share insights on the dramatic changes occurring within health care, as well as provide information and examples that attendees can take home and use to improve their operations.

The opening keynote session will feature Mike Leavitt, three-term governor of Utah and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Leavitt understands the shifts occurring in the health marketplace, and he will offer his insights and perspectives on how to not only survive but also thrive. Other sessions will focus on:

• Improving Clinical and Cost Outcomes through Physician Engagement: Charles W. Sorenson, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, will describe his system’s experience in improving clinical outcomes and reducing costs through a focus on clinical and operational best practices. Scott Robins, M.D., chief medical officer of HCA North Texas Division, will share his experiences with clinical integration and moderate a discussion with audience members.

• Health Care Financing: Where Do We Go from Here? Texas Health and Human Services E x e c u t i v e Commi s sioner Tom Suehs will provide the latest update on the state’s Medicaid 1115 waiver, which will drive delivery system changes while r e s t r u c t u r i n g p a y m e n t incentives. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved the waiver on Dec. 12, and the current Upper Payment Limit and Disproportionate Share Hospital programs will transition during 2012 to deliver funds to hospitals that provide large amounts of uncompensated care and/or modify operations to achieve quality and delivery system modification goals.

• Point/Counterpoint: The Future of Health Care Funding in Texas: In what promises to be a lively session, former Judge F. Scott McCown, executive director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, and former state Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth, executive director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, will debate the state’s role in funding health care programs for low-income Texans. Representing both ends of the public policy spectrum, these knowledgeable experts will forecast the funding challenges that will face the 2013 Texas Legislature.

• Meet the Press: The Inside Scoop on the 2012 Elections and Beyond: With retirements and elected officials running for higher offices, the Texas Legislature will experience unprecedented turnover in 2013. Our panel of journalists – Nate Blakeslee of Texas Monthly, Harvey Kronberg of the Quorum Report and Emily Ramshaw of the Texas Tribune – have followed the twists and turns of the delayed primaries, and will share their perspective on how the outcome of specific races will impact Texas politics and health care policy.

• Value-Based Purchasing: From Rules to Nursing Reality: Mary Jean Schumann, D.N.P., RN, CPNP, executive director of the Nursing Alliance for Quality Care, will join Susan Griffin, RN, chief nursing officer at St. David’s Medical Center in Austin, to provide practical, evidence-based examples of how nursing can improve patient outcomes.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has been invited to deliver the closing keynote address. I hope she accepts this invitation and takes the opportunity to highlight CMS’ new Partnership for Patients program, which is focused on making health care safer and less costly by reducing health care-acquired conditions and preventable readmissions. The Texas Center for Quality & Patient Safety, part of THA’s family of companies, is one of 26 organizations nationwide that has received funding from CMS to help hospitals replicate the best evidence-based ways to improve patient care and make a positive difference for patients.

In addition to a great learning and networking experience, attendees at the THA Annual Conference and Expo can earn continuing education credits. I hope you’ll check out the full agenda and attend Texas health care’s premier event. Complete details are available online at www.tha.org/ conf2012.