March-April 2021

Quality and Safety Uninterrupted

Volume 36, Number 2
March/April 2021

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In this Issue

Feature

Carrie Owen Plietz, FACHE: A Profile of ACHE’s 2021–2022 Chair

Lea E. Radick

It is mid-December, and as seen over a video call, the late afternoon sun is streaming into the new office of Carrie Owen Plietz, FACHE, at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan & Hospitals in Oakland, Calif. One month into her new role there as president of the Northern California Region, Owen Plietz beams a bright and easy smile as she describes her new role and how she arrived at where she is today.
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Cover Story

Quality and Safety Uninterrupted

Susan Birk

The commitment, empathy and heroism of front-line healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic have been felt by every American.
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Perspectives

One Year Later: Embracing Change

Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE

One year ago, March began with promising registration numbers for our largest event of the year, the Congress on Healthcare Leadership. We were monitoring the spread of COVID-19, while plans were proceeding for a successful event.
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2020–2021 Chairman: Reflections on the Past Year

Michael J. Fosina, FACHE

To be recognized by peers is an honor; to be asked to take on a position of leadership is humbling. I felt both emotions strongly in 2019, when, after three years of serving on ACHE’s Board of Governors, I was elected a Chairman Officer.
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Healthcare Management Ethics

Addressing Questionable Donations

William Nelson, PhD, HFACHE, and Lauren A. Taylor, PhD

To remain financially viable, healthcare institutions seek donations to foster financial sustainability in patient care, research and education. However, there is a growing recognition of challenges surrounding donations that are controversial due to the donor, the source of the funds or the motivation behind the donation.
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Finance

Saving Money During a Pandemic

Cathy Jacobson and Scott Hawig

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers quickly encountered dramatic cost increases to ensure the safety of their staff and community.
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Satisfying Your Customers

The Drive to High Reliability

Suresh Gunasekaran

For the past year, COVID-19 has been the focal point for hospitals across the country. It has required an enormous amount of energy and resources to ensure we have enough staff, personal protective equipment and critical care beds.
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Public Policy Update

Affordability: It Is More Than Insurance

Paul H. Keckley, PhD

In 2010, Congress passed and former President Barack Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act. Although this legislation has improved access to healthcare for millions, ironically, what constitutes “affordability” remains a vexing issue in healthcare.
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Careers

Brand Recovery for Leaders

Amer Kaissi, PhD, and Lee Angus, CPA

A leader’s brand is how others see—and what they say—about him or her (often when the leader is not around). Ever since Tom Peters introduced the concept in a famous late-'90s article in Fast Company, leaders have worked on building their brands from scratch.
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Governance Insights

Don't Delay Evaluation of CEO

Kimberly A. Russel, FACHE

COVID-19 has stimulated hospital and health system boards to make numerous changes to their routine governance practices, and boards have been creative and adaptable throughout the many stages of the pandemic.
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Improving Patient Care

Huddling on Huddles

LuAnn Vis, RN

Daily safety briefings or huddles have become a long-standing practice in hospitals across the country—and for good reason.
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CEO Focus

Leading Growth in Lean Times

Jennifer Montgomery, RN, FACHE

There is no doubt the pandemic has challenged even the strongest hospitals and health systems, exhausting staff, destabilizing finances and putting growth plans firmly on the back burner.
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Executive News

ACHE’s 2021–2022 Nominating Committee is calling for applications for service beginning in 2022. ACHE Fellows are eligible for any of the Governor and Chairman-Elect vacancies and are eligible for the Nominating Committee vacancies within their districts.
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CEO Survey

Addressing Registered Nurse Shortages in Hospitals

Since 2015, personnel shortages have ranked among the top four challenges facing hospitals, according to ACHE’s annual Top Issues Confronting Hospitals survey
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Board Meeting Highlights

Board members accepted the fourth quarter progress for the current Strategic Plan. The Board also approved the next iteration of the 2021–2023 Strategy Map and Overview, updating its commitments and priorities. In adopting the plan, Board members noted the possible expanded opportunities that ACHE may have to ensure its role as the market leader in developing the leadership capabilities for healthcare executives.
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On the Move

The American College of Healthcare Executives highlights members who were recently promoted, changed positions or retired.
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Member Accolades

The American College of Healthcare Executives congratulates members who recently received awards recognizing their contribution to healthcare management.
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Chapter News

Technology Enables Local Offerings

Three chapters share how they helped members continue to engage with each other during the pandemic.
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Professional Pointers

Job Seeking: Signs of Hope

For those who are unemployed and striving to get back to work, there is hope for those who can and will adapt. There are some cautionary notes, especially the concerns regarding how the post-Christmas COVID-19 surge of new cases will affect business.
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