Sunrise Sessions

Friday, July 20th
7:00-8:15 am

Equity in Care: Strategies and Approaches towards Greater Diversity and the Elimination of Health Care Disparities
Joseph R. Betancourt, MD, MPH, Director, The Disparities Solutions Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA and John W. Bluford, President and CEO, Truman Medical Centers and Immediate Past AHA Chair, Kansas City, MO and Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, Washington, DC. Moderated by Richard P. de Filippi, Chair, Cambridge Health Alliance, Ariano Partnership, Cambridge, MA

Racial and ethnic minorities are projected to become a majority of the U.S. population by 2042. As hospitals continue their quality improvement journey, the issue of health care disparities will continue to grow in prominence. Addressing disparities is no longer about morality, ethics and social justice: it is vital to performance excellence and improved community health. Ensuring that everyone receives the very best care may come in part from a "personalized" approach to medicine, which takes into consideration the specific needs of each individual patient. The AHA is committed to equity in care and believes that through consistent and meaningful data collection, training in cultural competency and greater diversity in leadership positions we can improve care to every patient. Join us as this approach is discussed and examples of best practices and successes are shared by hospital leaders.

Supporting Life’s Transitions: Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Hospitals, hospices, and other health care organizations support patients and families through all stages of life. Visit with 2012 Circle of Life honorees and learn about how they provide palliative care as part of a coordinated, integrated system of care.

The Value Proposition: Health IT's role and Lessons from Most Wired Hospitals

As health care shifts from a volume-based model to one more focused on value, health information technology will play a critical role. From federal meaningful use requirements, to increased demands from payers for more nuanced outcomes data, hospitals that want to remain competitive will need robust information technology systems. Hospitals can't afford to deploy new technology for technology's sake. These systems must be utilized to help create high-performing, high-reliability institutions. Executives from hospitals appearing on H&HN’s; Most Wired list will offer insight into how they are using IT to adapt to the brave new world.

Leading Change from the Inside Out: Transforming Delivery Systems through Improved Performance (and Other Acts of Courage!)
Elizabeth Becker, CEO, Inner Solutions for Success, Chula Vista CA and Alan Rosenstein, MD, MBA, Medical Director of Clinical Efficiency and Care Management , ValleyCare Hospital, Pleasanton, CA and Medical Director of Physician Wellness Services, Minneapolis, MN

Despite all the smart people in health care, all of the advances in knowledge and technology, the dollars spent, and the regulations of various stakeholders, we still can’t seem to achieve and sustain a level of excellence in the delivery of patient care. This session will offer a new paradigm for how to drive outcomes based upon performance improvement strategies aimed at the multitude of 'human factors' that impact the functioning and effectiveness of the health care team. The presenters will identify the behavioral and human factors that impact delivery and quality of care, including compelling ROI data to support the effort. They will offer strategies to create a culture of 'change readiness', in preparation for moving to the second curve.

Saturday, July 21st
7:00-8:15 am

Improving Community Health Status: Practical Ideas from 2012 AHA NOVA Recipients

Learn how hospitals and health care systems have collaboratively created and implemented projects—with both targeted and broad audiences—to improve the health and lives of community members.

Acquiring and Developing Talent Irrespective of Care Models
Carrie Harris-Muller, ACO President, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI and Jill Schwieters, President, Pinstripe Healthcare, Brookfield, WI

Whether or not ACOs will play a role in the future of health care, organizations are being forced to change their approach to health care delivery and their hiring priorities due to economic pressures, the shift toward e-medical records, and the likelihood of virtual care. These developments will change how health care is delivered and managed, and it will transform the professional profiles of the individuals delivering and orchestrating the care. Forward-looking organizations will need to apply a new approach to hiring, which ensures they attract talent that is flexible, collaborative, tech-savvy and able to work across multiple disciplines. This session will explore the various possible care models and the impact they will have on hiring priorities in health care and share strategies for identifying the right workforce to improve health care quality and outcomes.

Successful Discharge Options for Your Medically Complex Patients: The Continuum and the Post-Acute Balancing Act
Brian Callister, MD, National Medical Director, LifeCare Hospitals, Reno, NV

As performance-based "second curve" measures of quality now include post-discharge outcomes, it is imperative that the patient's discharge destination be based on outcome measures rather than just the speed of the discharge process. The initial choice of discharge destination ultimately will determine the probability of a quality outcome, as well as the likelihood of readmission. This session will examine the roles of Long Term Acute Care, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing units, Home Health, and Hospice as unique post-acute care destinations within the continuum, and compare and contrast these different levels of care for appropriateness of patient disposition based on performance based outcomes. Within this framework, we will identify specific patient characteristics that will help you decide which of these different levels of care will best serve a given patient’s needs.