Healthcare is a reflection of the communities we serve, and 2021 was a roller-coaster year for everyone. But the disruptions we all faced at home and work over the past 12 months highlighted the importance, the fortitude and the perseverance of our front-line caregivers and everyone who supports them. Many of the challenges we faced were new and required strong and resilient leadership.

As healthcare leaders continue to prioritize the importance of modeling professionalism within their organizations, recognizing the existence of professionalism at both the individual and organizational levels will assist with achieving this critical healthcare leadership competency.

The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic were felt most acutely in the country’s health systems. As the first cases of COVID-19 were being reported in the U.S., Allina Health leaders were working to prepare its staff and hospitals in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Cape Fear Valley Health System believes one way it can improve patients’ health and experience is to make every effort to train a confident first-class physician workforce that is likely to remain in rural North Carolina. Increasing the academic research and teaching opportunities for physicians through a larger medical education program will also attract more established physicians to the area.

The delivery of hospital-level care in a patient’s home, instead of in a traditional hospital, has come to the forefront in over 185 hospitals across the country in under a year, according to the article “Early Uptake of the Acute Hospital Care at Home Waiver” published Oct. 26, 2021, in Annals of Internal Medicine. 

As Medicare Advantage turns 25 years old in 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expects there to be 29.5 million enrollees in MA plans this year—up from 26.9 million in 2021. That’s 47% of the Medicare-eligible population, although enrollment varies at the state and county levels. Given the program’s popularity, provider organizations can expect to see more opportunity to contract with Medicare Advantage for seniors and possibly other populations, too. 

Developing leadership talent is a significant challenge facing healthcare; it is tough to address, as the exit of industry leaders looms large in light of career-defining pressures created by the pandemic. The pandemic’s timing coincides with many baby boomers entering retirement age. This has the potential to leave a vacuum of power and experience that neither of the two generations after them can address on their own. 

Key takeaways from The Governance Institute’s 2021 biennial survey demonstrate that most healthcare organizations were able to implement rapid changes, with more work needed on succession planning, diversity and inclusion, and community benefit and advocacy efforts.

In recent years, many healthcare organizations have stepped up their cybersecurity efforts, but phishing scams and ransomware attacks have become more sophisticated. Healthcare remains a prime target for criminals.

Many of us in leadership positions are here to serve our communities. Striving for improved health outcomes and greater health equity, we carry these objectives as our driving force, day in and day out.

ACHE’s 2022–2023 Nominating Committee is calling for applications for service beginning in 2023. ACHE Fellows are eligible for the Chair-Elect and Governor vacancies and are eligible for the Nominating Committee vacancies within their districts.

Personnel shortages ranked No. 1 on the list of hospital CEOs’ top concerns in 2021, replacing financial concerns—the top issue since 2004, according to ACHE’s annual survey of top issues confronting hospitals. 

Highlights from the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives Board of Governors meetings, held Dec. 6–7, 2021.

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

As one of ACHE’s four core values, diversity and inclusion is integral to ACHE’s mission and daily work, and we are committed to creating a more diverse healthcare leadership.

Healthcare executives today are expected to achieve significant progress on a wide range of goals. For many, this means managing a large portfolio of clinical, financial and strategic initiatives.