ACHE Central Texas Chapter Newsletter - Q4 2015
 
In This Issue
2016 Calendar of Events


LPC Networking Event
Join ACHE members to learn more about
the Baylor University Robbins  Institute for Healthcare Management
Thursday, January 28th, 2016
5:30 - 7:30 PM
The Backyard
511 S. 8th Street
Waco, Texas  76706

CTACHE Networking Event
Tuesday, February 16th, 2016
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Jaspers at the Domain
11506 Century Oaks Terrace
Austin, Texas  78758

LPC Educational Event
Building the Hospital of Tomorrow:  Rehabilitate, Renovate or Replace
Thursday, March 24th, 2016
12:00 PM
Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
36000 Darnall Loop
Fort Hood, TX  76544
Registration coming soon!

Improving the Health Status of Your Community
Friday, April 1st, 2016
University of Texas - Details coming soon!  

2016 Central Texas
Board of Directors

Michael Nowicki, EdD,
FACHE, FHFMA
Regent

Amanda Frye, MHA
President

Eric Weaver, MHA, FACHE
President Elect

David Perez, MBA
Secretary/Treasurer

Beth Booher, MHA, FACHE
Director of Membership

Maria Serafine, MHA
Director of Program Development

Richard Sanchez, MHA
Director of Communications
  
Jeff Blackwell, FACHE, MAJ, MS
Director of Local Program Council

Amanda Estrada, MHA, FACHE
Director of Networking & Social Events
 
 
Please extend a very warm welcome 
to our new members:  
 
October
Hilary A. Dominguez, Austin
      Monte D. Hargrave, Robinson
Jeri Pickett, Austin
Sterling H. Ray III, MD, Austin
Richard J. Razis, RN, Temple
Sara Wells, Austin

November
Maj Pedro Colon, Wichita
Madan Gopal, Austin
Demarrow L. McMillian, Killeen
Jean Wright (Carter), Waco

 December
Emran Rouf, MD, Belton
Annie Yelich, Austin
  

Re-certified  Fellows: 
October
Carol L. Durham, FACHE, Austin
Amanda C. Estrada, FACHE, Austin
Wayne T. Stockburger, FACHE, Temple

November
David H. Denney, FACHE, Harker Heights
Lydia G. Galvan, FACHE, Austin
  Andrew L. Juergens, MD, FACHE, Temple
  Jennifer Mueller, FACHE, Buda

December
Eugene F. Deutscher, FACHE, Temple
  Shane V. Donahoe, FACHE, Austin
  Mary F. Faria, PhD, FACHE, Austin
  Scott O. Fuller, FACHE, Leander
  Ruben S. Garza, FACHE, Corpus Christi
  Lisanne G. Gross, FACHE, Killeen
  Joe K. Hopkins, FACHE, Waco
  Diane R. Owens, FACHE, Austin
  David R. Pearson, FACHE, Austin
 Michael A. Reno, FACHE, Fredericksburg
  Pamela R. Voss, FACHE, Round Rock


Fellows:
December
 Ronald W. Holder Jr., FACHE, Temple
Adam B. Willmann, FACHE, Clifton
 
Members who recently passed
the Board of Governors Exam

National News



  
Like Us, Follow Us, Join Us...


ACHE Central Texas is now on networking media!  Please visit our sites and find relative articles, event postings, and Chapter photos.
  
Join the 500+ Members of the ACHE Central Texas Chapter


 Networking O pportunities
Education Seminars
Career Services
and much more...
Central Texas ACHE 
Job Bank

See our job bank
 for more information on current opportunities.

Download our NEW ACHE Central Texas Mobile App!  Just search "ACHE Central Texas Chapter" in your app store.

After receiving an innovation grant from ACHE National, your Central Texas Chapter went to work to develop a mobile app for our members.  Partnering with Ringful Health, we were able to develop an app that provides easy access to ACHE news, upcoming events & registration, and FACHE steps to advance.

 

Your Chapter leaders will be presenting the new app to National at the Annual Leadership Conference in Chicago on September 29, 2014.   We are hopeful this is just the beginning of mobile technology for ACHE, and we are proud to pioneer the way. 

 

We are the only Chapter in the organization to have this technology.  Take advantage of our FREE app and download it today! 

 
Article of Interest
 Improving Communication for Better Retention
Although compensation can be one reason why employees choose to leave a company, poor communication and ineffective management also are contributing factors. Improving the way in which you interact with your employees will strengthen their loyalty to you. Below are ways to sharpen your communication tactics.
  • Listen. Don't plan your response to a conversation while speaking with an employee. Listen, then respond.
  • Free your schedule. Information and input shouldn't only take place in casual conversations when briefly crossing paths with someone. Schedule regular appointments with employees for one-on-one discussions.
  • Be transparent. When something occurs within your organization that affects your subordinates, inform them as soon as possible with all of the appropriate information. Don't withhold bad news for fear of lowering morale-instill trust by sharing all you know. 
  • Remain consistent. Don't promise one thing and act in a way that contradicts what you've said. Stay true to the promise you make to promote honesty and integrity.
  • Provide regular feedback. No matter whether an employee's performance is good or poor, be upfront and honest and provide regular feedback. When performance can be improved, coach the employee on actions to take moving forward.
  • Step out of your office. Email is an efficient and easy form of communication, but it isn't a substitute for one-on-one, personal conversations. Talk to your team face to face as often as possible to show you are paying attention to what is happening in the organization and that you care about their performance.
-Adapted from Communication Solutions October 2015newsletter,www.communicationbriefings.com. 
Happy New Year!

 

  new_years_fireworks.jpg
Message from Your ACHE Regent
Fall 2015
Michael Nowicki, EdD, FACHE, FHFMA

Welcome to Fall! I wanted to give you an update on the THA initiative started by past Regent Gary J. Meyn, FACHE and Eugene F. Deutscher, FACHE. The initiative involves Texas ACHE chapters offering face-to-face panel discussions at selected THA meetings around the state. John G. Allen, FACHE, ACHE Regent for Texas - Northern, has worked with the THA staff to schedule two face-to-face panel discussions at the THA Annual Meeting in Dallas on January 21 and 22, 2016. One panel discussion will be held Thursday afternoon and the other will be held Friday morning after the Horace Cardwell ACHE affiliates breakfast. You can register for the panels through the ACHE North Texas website and you can register for the breakfast through the THA website as an add-on to your THA meeting registration. And plans are already underway for the Central Texas Chapter to host a face-to-face panel discussion at the 2017 THA annual meeting in Austin on January 26 and 27, 2017.  Click here to read more.

President's Letter
Amanda Frye, MHA
 

Greetings Central Texas Chapter ACHE members! Happy New Year! We are excited to kick off 2016 and have several events either already planned or in the works. Please take a look at our website to get the most up-to-date information about our chapter. As we begin the year, please also make sure your contact information is current with the national website, ache.org. This will ensure that you receive communication from us in a timely way which makes it easier to get our events on your calendar.


We still have opportunities for anyone who is interested to volunteer for chapter activities and events. Some examples include assisting with planning, ideas on venues, serving as a "greeter" at events and ensuring people sign in to receive credit. This is a great way to network!


It is that time of year when folks are thinking about new year's resolutions. Make one of your resolutions be to get more involved in your Central Texas ACHE chapter! I hope 2016 is already off to a great start for you all and I look forward to seeing you at our events throughout the year!


Best wishes for peace and prosperity,

Amanda

Successfully Leading Change in
Healthcare Systems
 
 
On Friday, November 13th, the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) hosted their 2015 Fall Collaborative. With the intent of successfully leading change in healthcare organizations, a panel discussion featuring George Miller, CEO, CommunityCare Health Centers and Steve Hoeft, Chief of Operations Excellence, Baylor, Scott & White Health was moderated by Kate Henderson, President, Seton Healthcare Family.
Kicking off the conversation, Kate asked the panelists how they identify areas for change. For CommunityCare, George responded that this was a critical task inherent to the strategic planning process. With the help of five separate focus groups, a report was prepared for the CommunityCare board members outlining areas for improvement. Steve also agreed that this activity required input from multiple parties, including employees, physicians and consumers. Utilizing consultants for HCAHPS review or other external data, can also facilitate group "huddles" and make change meaningful as noted by Kate.
Once the need for change has been identified, Kate inquired how the group manages this process. ...  Click Here to read more.


Recognizing and Addressing
Conflicts of Interest
On Friday, November 13th, the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) hosted their 2015 Fall Collaborative. Focusing on recognition and management of conflicts of interest, a panel discussion featuring Joyce Lahue, Regional Director of Risk Management Baptist Health System and Gail Madison-Brown, Chief Compliance & Clinical Trials, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio was moderated Michael Hernandez, Chief Legal Officer, University Health.
Michael introduced the topic by defining how personal relationships can present a conflict of interest. Specifically, this occurs when a relationship appears to interfere or has the potential for interference with one's ability to do what is in the best interest of the patient or company and results in personal gain or benefit to the individual and/or the individual's family member.
Potential conflict of interest scenarios include receiving consulting fees from a company while performing clinical research on the company's technology or owning stock in a company while performing research.... Click here to read more.
Membership Corner
Beth Booher, MHA

Who doesn't love a little bit of trivia?  When I first agreed to become Membership Chair I was excited to figure out who we have and who we don't.  My goal this year is to encourage every member to bring a colleague to a Chapter event and grow our membership base and diversity.  Did you know that with every member we have we receive funds from ACHE to offset costs for educational programming and social networking events?  The more members we have, the more we can do locally.  So... I wanted to share some tidbits regarding our current membership:
  • Current members in the Central Texas Chapter = 535
  • Current members who list Austin for their membership address:  202 or 38% of our membership
  • Number of total cities represented:  78
  • Number members with no other members listed from the same city:  40
  • Number of members with no city listed:  19 (check your profile online for accuracy please)
  • Number of student members (aka Future Members):  83
  • Number of fellows (aka possible Mentors):  161 (30%)
  • Number of CEOs in our Chapter:  63 (2%)
  • Number of Faculty Associates:  2
  • Original members who are still members from 1/18/2004:  11
  • Number of our newest members who joined in Dec 2015:  13
Do any of these facts make you think of someone you know who could be a potential member?  If so, please invite them to any of our future events.  When you do, please introduce them to our Chapter Board members who can help answer any of their questions and make them feel welcome. 

If I can help in any way, please feel free to contact me directly at:  254-680-1112 or beth.booher@BSWHealth.org.     
Article of Interest
Host a Successful Feedback Session

Feedback given during one-on-one employee meetings cannot lead to desired results without a proper plan in place. Keep in mind that the goal of feedback is not to criticize or praise, but to influence behavior and come up with concrete solutions for improvement. Generate a positive outcome and strengthen your workforce with these strategies.

Evaluate your relationship. Think about how well you know the employee and whether the relationship has been formal or friendly. Reflect on the feedback you have given the employee in the past, and ask yourself whether you have thoroughly and clearly explained requirements, expectations and metrics for that person's role.

Plan the meeting. Construct an outline or schedule of topics and talking points you wish to cover in your meeting. This will allow the meeting to progress more smoothly and ensures you won't forget anything you hope to cover. Include positive and negative examples of behavior, and come up with suggestions for potential solutions. Be prepared to be flexible throughout the conversation. It might not go to the way you planned, and you need to be ready to change course based on the person's reaction .

Be firm but fair. Try to offer even negative feedback in a way that respects the employee. People tend to shut down when someone is heavily criticizing their behavior and performance. Don't sugarcoat the information, but try to add something positive to what you're trying to convey. A mistake can be sign of an employee's desire to do the right thing, and recognizing this will mold your feedback in such a way that makes it easier to accept.

Take responsibility. Make sure to stand behind your feedback. Don't speak for other people unless the situation requires it. This could perhaps be a group problem or an allegation of harassment. Blaming those above you will undercut the employee's respect for you and your position.

Give people time to reflect on your feedback. Do not expect employees to instantly accept your information and yield immediate results. Effective feedback shouldn't come as a complete surprise to the employee, but some people may need time to think about and process what you have told them. List en to what they say; you might not agree, but showing that you hear them and appreciate their own feedback will increase your chances of a constructive outcome.

-Adapted from Communication Solutions October 2015newsletter, www.communicationbriefings.com.
 
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