With a new year comes new opportunity to recommit to our mission: advancing our members and healthcare leadership excellence. ACHE takes great pride in delivering on that mission and executing on our Strategic Plan, which supports our ambitions to do our best in service to our members, our profession and our field. In that spirit, we are reminded of our professional commitment to lead for safety and equity so that everyone receives the care they need and deserve. In 2024 ACHE’s Board of Governors will look more deeply into our Strategic Plan to further expand our commitment to our vision, mission and values. During the year, we will ask you to identify your highest goals for our profession.
The Board prioritized key deliverables in the current plan that will come to fruition this year. These strategic priorities are designed to advance the intent of our work, leveraging our roles as Catalyst, Connector and Trusted Partner. Perhaps most importantly, they provide evidence for how we can advance our members and the field.
As a Catalyst, over the past year the Board articulated a specific priority to make leading through a lens of equity an essential leadership skill. Through a Delphi approach interview process with industry experts, CEOs and many others, ACHE identified the specific competencies that drive an inclusive culture. Soon we will be releasing what we uncovered, and the work will be available as a DEI Competency Assessment Tool.
The competencies are aligned with the challenges and opportunities leaders are experiencing today and will be updated annually. Members can use it to assess their skills in leading for equity, identify areas of strength and note those that may need attention. The tool can also be used in many other ways such as team development. This work will supplement our resources to help leaders drive efforts on quality as well as develop themselves. Ultimately, we hope to provide the pathway to help leaders create environments where everyone can thrive.
As a Connector, chapters remain a Board-level priority. As the Board finalized the new FACHE® CEU requirement that took effect Jan. 1, 2024, special attention was given to adding more options for chapters to extend their reach and impact. As a result, chapters can now offer up to 24 hours of education that qualifies for ACHE credit applicable toward Fellow status—in person and virtually. Equally important is that we have upgraded the education resources chapter leaders have available to ensure the options are up to date and use the best relevant resource references, PowerPoints and formats that optimize learning. With nearly 160 options now in the inventory, members have plenty of opportunities, nationally and locally, in person and virtually, to learn and grow.
Finally, as a Trusted Partner, we remain committed to you. The Board and staff remain vigilant in providing best-in-class education and networking. Last year, we had record-breaking attendance at Congress, and we are proud of the lineup we have planned this year. Our featured speakers are focused not only on big ideas to address the myriad of complex issues we face in healthcare but also on how leaders can build and inspire teams toward success and advance the health of patients.
Beyond Congress, we want to make sure we provide top-notch education throughout the year and other resources when and where you need them. That’s why the Board has accelerated our efforts to create unparalleled digital experiences for you, including a new website expected to debut by the end of the year. We look forward to telling you more about our digital evolution as we progress.
As you take inventory of what you have achieved and what you hope to become this year, know that we are there beside you and support you regardless of your role, title or position. As we enter our new strategic planning cycle this year, we will want to hear from you. Every member will have the opportunity to provide feedback, give voice to the plan and help us identify what’s next for leaders in healthcare. We look forward to hearing your ambitions for yourself, our professional community and the field. Healthcare is always evolving, and ACHE is here to evolve with it. In doing so, we are committed to doing our best for you and look forward to all we will achieve together this year.
Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE, is president/CEO of the American College of Healthcare Executives (dbowen@ache.org).