Below is a revision of the November newsletter, the September 20th and October 20th articles were inadvertently left out.

ACHE is pleased to announce official dates for next year’s ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership, the premier event for healthcare education and professional networking for industry leaders. Please join us in 2024 at the Chicago Hyatt Regency on March 25–28, Monday–Thursday. Registration opens November 15!

Click here to preview the highly anticipated keynote speakers and register for important updates.

Congress Tuition Waivers

ACHE makes available a limited number of tuition waivers for specific educational offerings to ACHE Members and Fellows whose organizations lack the resources to fund their tuition for education programs. Members and Fellows in career transition are also encouraged to apply. Tuition waivers are based on financial need. Recipient must be a current ACHE full member or Fellow for at least one year from the time of the session start. A member may only receive a waiver every three years of their membership. Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will not be considered.



We will begin accepting applications for the 2024 Congress on Healthcare Leadership on December 5. The deadline to apply is January 28. Please click here to access the application. 

By: Shamole Ahmed, Lead of MCACHE Community Engagement Committee

The Community Engagement Committee collaborated with Belle Isle Conservancy to host a community clean up event on Saturday, August 19th from 9:30-11:30am. MCACHE members joined other members of the community from the Metro Detroit area to participate in the clean-up. We had 21 MCACHE members and their family attend the event and enjoy some coffee, bagels and donuts before venturing throughout the park to clean up liter. We were able to collect over 84 pounds of liter pollution that was prevented from making its way into the Detroit River and Great Lakes. Belle Isle Conservancy’s mission is to protect, preserve, restore and enhance the natural environment, historic structures, and unique character of Belle Isle as a public park of the enjoyment of all. It was a fun filled morning helping make the park a cleaner place.

By: Mike Henry, Lead of Emerging Leaders Professional Development & Networking Committee

On Tuesday, August 29^th, 19 emerging leaders gathered at Henry Ford Health’s headquarters in Detroit for an evening of food, networking, and engaging discussion. During the networking portion of the event, the group enjoyed “Taco Tuesday” with a fully loaded taco bar that was catered by Salsarita’s Restaurant. From there, everyone participated in a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion themed workshop that was led by the wonderful Allura J. Stewart, Manager of System Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice in the Division of Community Health for HFH.

Allura had the emerging leaders break into small groups to envision a healthcare episode through the lens of a socioeconomically disadvantaged patient – with many curveballs along the way! The lively discussion that resulted led to great suggestions on how health systems and emerging healthcare leaders can positively impact their communities and can make healthcare more equitable. Once the workshop wrapped up, a large portion of the group migrated a few blocks north to enjoy a drink at the recently reopened Northern Lights bar. It was a great opportunity to network with new and old connections while building on the discussion from earlier in the evening.

This was the first DEIJ themed event that the Emerging Leaders committee has hosted and we’re thankful for all those who attended to make it a successful and constructive evening. Based on the positive feedback, we’re likely to try hosting something similar again next year and the team will be brainstorming ways to make the event even better!

By: David Brooks, FACHE, MCACHE Past-President

MCACHE hosted an informal golf outing on Friday September 8^th afternoon. About 15 brave hackers took to Chandler Park Golf in Detroit and re-landscaped the course. All had fun and shared great camaraderie and collegiality outside the work setting. And a few even continued on to the eastside Detroit legend of the Cadieux Café for Belgian fare of mussels and feather bowling.

With the success of this first outing, plans have already begun for hopefully a new annual tradition of a golf outing with even more fun and a chance to raise resources for a community cause in 2024. Stay tuned for details early next summer but start hitting the driving range now so you can be ready to go and compete.

By: Kathy Mielke, Chair, Student Activities Committee

In September, the Student Activities Committee held the annual Table Talk event in Royal Oak, Michigan. MCACHE partnered once again with ISCG (design and furnishings for the workplace - www.iscginc.com) who welcomed us to take over their beautiful showroom.

The event started with an opportunity for over 25 attendees to network with everyone while enjoying appetizers and refreshments. The participants were then divided into smaller groups to rotate through breakout rooms, continuing networking with ten (10) MCACHE Board members/healthcare executives, and also discussing selected topics like Community Medicine, AI and Healthcare, and Career Development. This allowed participants to have firsthand conversations and ask questions of the seasoned members to learn more about the topics in detail, as well as any MCACHE-related questions the attendees had.

It was a great evening, in a great location, with great people, and we would like to extend our gratitude to the following members for their participation and support:

SAC Member and Planning Lead ~ Amina Dada

Emerging Leaders' Members ~ Mike Henry, Kristia Le, Matt Orsey

Board Members ~ David Brooks, Angela DeLaere, Michelle Hornberger, Scott Johnson, Kirsten Kelly, Brian Madison, Mike Markel, Jr., Ken Rates, Lacey Sapkiewicz, Nancy Susick

We look forward to hosting again in 2024 and hope to see you there!

By: Melanie Berger, Vice Chair, Program Committee



MCACHE and Inforum partnered together to provide an in-person Face 2 Face program entitled “Where have all the workers gone? Leading Across Generations.” The event was held the morning of September 28^th at Trinity Health Livonia Hospital.

Speakers included:

Doug Dascenzo, Regional Chief Nursing Officer, Trinity Health

Jan Harrington-Davis, SVP, Talent Attraction, Corewell Health

Rian Brooks, Manager, Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition, Michigan Medicine

Moderated by Connie O’Malley, Associate Chief Operating Officer, Michigan Medicine, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital

Doug spoke about Trinity’s Virtually Connected Care, focused on assessment, education and coordination of care. This model has enabled Trinity to reduce RN workload, turnover rates and reliance on contract labor. The 3-person team consists of a virtual, direct care and RN partner. Trinity has realized 8% savings on labor per day with this model with an increase in quality and safety metrics. 

Rian shared ideas on how Michigan Medicine is engaging and recruiting Gen Z. Forty-eight percent of Gen Z is non-white and 77% state that DEI is important as they look for job opportunities. This generation is different from others, with attributes focused on caring, being friendly and socially conscious. Culture-forward marketing is important – Gen Z doesn’t want to ‘see’ things, they want to ‘feel’ the culture. Employers need to focus on benefits that are meaningful, retirements conversations are not relevant now and won’t bring in new recruits. Those in the job market are looking to understand their growth opportunities within an organization, how they can provide impact and work/life balance. Discussions around “Next Play” are very important. From Day One, talk about the next job opportunity within the organization, how will you keep this new employee engaged, which ultimately leads to better retention.



Jan Harrington-Davis focused on Artificial Intelligence in Recruiting, using machine learning to assist in the screening and evaluation of potential employees. The goal is to automate some of the more mundane tasks in the screening process, but always keeping a human-centered connection to applicants.  

By: Michael J. Hoeflein, PE, CHFM, MBA, FACHE – Administrative Director, Michigan Medicine

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, leadership plays a critical role in well-being of communities and the success of an HCO. We had the privilege of sitting down with a seasoned healthcare leader who is leading the future of patient care. In this exclusive Conversation with a C-Suite, we heard from Bob Riney, President and CEO of Henry Ford Health (HFH) on how to hone your skills as a leader and trends to lean into in healthcare. This conversation was moderated by Miles Schermerhorn, MHSA, and the Q&A is paraphrased from a live recording of the event.

Background: Bob joined HFH in 1978, and described his career progression as thirds, starting off in human resources, then making the transition to operations, and multiple executive roles. Bob authentically shared he had no expectations of staying in one organization, however, the continual growth and change within HFH offered him the rare opportunity to take assignments in different roles guiding his path to the C-Suite. Bob commented that early on he developed clarity of purpose which included three core values he desired in a career. First, to work for an organization that did good, where the organization’s purpose at its core was something of value to society. Second, to participate in work that was complex and messy, Bob thrives at navigating complexity. Third, to do work that was intellectually stimulating every day.

Moderator: You described your career has been split into thirds, taking on very different roles. Talk about how you made the decisions to shift careers.

Bob: First off, I’ve had incredible mentors that supported me, mentors that could be honest with me. I was at the highest level of HR in my organization, and the national chair of a HR professional organization. I started hearing you can’t go from HR to operations, it became motivational to make the move. I believe leadership is leadership. One frustration I have with the healthcare industry is the siloed structured of staying within career tracks. To give you one example, coming from HR, a mentor told me my next move would be to take a role at HFH Wyandotte, as the VP of Operations. Wyandotte was a private practice model, and I was used to working in a group practice model. I took the position, and here I learned the similarities and differences between those that seek employment in either model, you can’t learn this in a textbook, you must experience it.

Moderator: Are there certain experiences leaders should look to develop now for future advancement?

Bob: On the technical side, understand the evolution of digital based solutions and AI, lean-in and understand the magnitude. You will be asked to make decisions, with no prior history. Lean into population health, understand how to take care of a community verses individuals, it’s hard to apply. You got to do something messy, get into something that doesn’t have a clear solution. Get out of your comfort zone. If you are not a doctor, get comfortable in challenging, negotiating, and debating with those that you cannot put a parallel on your education experience. If you cannot get over the intimidation that someone is a neurosurgeon, then you will not be an effective. You must understand and believe that what you bring to the table is just as good it’s just different.

A wise board member once told me during an interview, and I’ll never forget it. Tell me where did you get scar tissue and give me specific examples of what you learn from it? The board member wanted to know where I made those tough gut-wrenching decisions that keep you up at night, decisions that will sometimes hurt your image with friends or colleagues but regardless was still the right thing to do. This was very motivational for me.

Moderator: A lot of us manage other leaders, talk about how you promote authenticity and honesty.

Bob: Lead by example, show vulnerability. People watch what you say and do. Disarm defensiveness by setting context. Use time outs in meetings to pause and acknowledge disagreements, come back, and talk them through. C-suite leaders are very smart and competitive, it is key to keep the competitiveness directed towards the market and not inward creating competition among team members.

Moderator: How do you get feedback from your team as a leader, or others outside of the organization?

Bob: I have three CEOs colleagues; they all live in other state. We talk quarterly, provide feedback to each other. I have maintained a coach throughout my career, my present coach lives out of state as well. I ask my team what should I be doing more of or less of? My executive assistant, she knows I want her read of the room, and how I navigate meetings. Unfiltered uncensored feedback is key.

Moderator: AI and machine learning are the latest buzz words in the industry. What does AI mean to you, how can we harness it, but safeguard against any risks?

Bob: There has never been a time in recent history where the transfer of information takes milliseconds, this adds complexity. AI will ultimately change the healthcare industry, whether you like it or not, you have to lean-in and embrace it. We will see early implementations by disruptors that carve out little sectors of the industry. Be comfortable it’s here, accept it. Will AI eliminate jobs? Yes, just think about how PACS eliminated the need for film x-rays. With strategic planning and embracing AI we can transition staff to new roles. We also need to get more sophisticated on AI ROI, healthcare tends to jump too quick into technology. We need to consider the data privacy costs and liability when data breaches occur and the cost and impact to an HCO’s reputation.

Moderator: The consumer experience is behind; how do you create the imperative to front line staff through leadership to set the context for change?

Bob: We need to get staff to think of themselves as consumers, make it personal for them, in a non-threatening way. The front door experience is not the shining puzzle piece we need it to be. We must own that we are not easy to access. We must make the tough leadership decisions. We moved from individual clinics to a call center, resistance was heavy. Many people brought forth legitimate issues, and there are also those people that are determined to stop change because they want it the way it is. Praise those bringing up the important issues, the others you must help move on or they will slow you down.

Moderator: What are some of the key responsibilities a hospital will need in the future and how can they be structured?

Bob: Hospitals of the future focused more on the most complex tertiary and quaternary care and non-invasive approaches to disease and cures. Hospitals of the future must focus on a few assumptions: 1) a likelihood of more pandemics. 2) climate change disasters may continue. 3) have to be infused with remote monitoring, supported by less classifications of care and less FTEs/discharge. 4) Cannot lose the personal touch of the care team and the patient. 5) Environmentally friendly, carbon neutral. 6) inviting for staff to reduce staff stress levels.

By Kathy Mielke, Chair, Student Activities Committee

Each year, the Student Activities Committee works with a HEN graduate program to host the Case Competition event. It was our first event in Ohio, held on the beautiful campus of Bowling Green State University. The event was proficiently organized, thanks to Dr. Phil Welch, Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator, Department of Public & Allied Health, and BGSU Graduate School Dean, Jennifer Waldron.

The morning began with a light breakfast, team introductions, and an overview of the day's agenda.  The case study that was voted on by the graduate school representatives was then presented to the group and the four (4) HEN programs participating were off to the races. This year's case focus was Compliance, Patient Safety, and Process/Quality Improvement regarding hand hygiene.

The 3-4 person teams had two and one-half hours to research, strategize, and put together a PowerPoint that would then be presented to the judges with their recommended process improvement. 

The group was brought back together for a wonderful pasta bar lunch, and then the judges were positioned to begin the competition. The teams were evaluated in different categories such as creativity and innovation, analytics, and the rationale for recommendations proposed, just to name a few. The evaluation scores were tallied and the highest scoring team was announced.

Congratulations again to the 2023 Case Competition winners - the University of Michigan! 

Thank you to our HEN program team members listed below, and especially the program representatives, for encouraging participation in our "friendly" competition:

Bowling Green State University: Kaley P, Caroline G, Domilala O, Mark M, and representative Phil Welch

Siena Heights University: Renee C, Shonda D, and representative John Fick

University of Detroit Mercy: Syden A, Ethan J, Ayah K, Aisha S, and representative Traci Stewart

University of Michigan: Elena H, Feras K, Mahalakshmi S, and representative Cathy Killaly

Finally, a big thank you to our MCACHE Board Members - Joe Cafferty, Dr. Gwenn Parker, and Mike Nanzer - who volunteered their time and talent as judges this year. Their experience and attention to detail provided each team with valuable feedback that can be translated to future presentations, as well as to the students' careers in health care.

By: Shamole Ahmed, Lead of MCACHE Community Engagement Committee

On Saturday, October 21^st, the MCACHE Community Engagement committee partnered with Food Gatherers in Ann Arbor to sort and package food. We had 15 of our Emerging Leaders from different healthcare organizations in the Metro Detroit area attend the volunteering event. The event was aimed at helping to sort and package food that would be distributed to food agencies in the Washtenaw County to distribute to individuals and families in need.

The Food Gatherers team took the time to educate us about the importance of their work and the impact it has on the local community. We got a better understanding of food insecurity in the community and received a tour of the facility. Then we divided into 5 different groups and spent the rest of the morning sorting and packing food items. Each team grabbed boxes of packaged food and sorted the fruits, vegetables, and other produce and determined what foods were salvageable and could be donated and repackaged to get delivered to food agencies around the community and what needed to be biodegraded.

At the end of the event, we had collectively packaged and sorted 37 large crates of food totaling 1,192 pounds that would be delivered to food agencies to distribute those facing food insecurity in Washtenaw County. It was an absolute pleasure for MCACHE to partner with Food Gatherers and we look forward to future collaborations. It was a rewarding experience to know that our efforts would directly contribute to providing food for those in the community. 10 of the team members also enjoyed lunch after the event and spent some quality time together.

Everyone who participated within this event received free t-shirts embraced with our message of “Serve Lead Inspire”. If you are interested in getting yourself one of these great looking shirts, please be sure to register for the next Community Engagement event in Q1 of 2024!

By: Brian Madison, At-Large MCACHE Board Member

On October 23, MCACHE co-sponsored two educational events at the Great Lakes HFMA Chapter's Fall Conference at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. The first panel discussion was on Population Health. The panelists included Dr. Michael Kobernick, MD, MS-HSA, MS-PoPH, FAAFP, Senior Medical Director, Health Plan Business, BCBS of Michigan, Gerry Brisson, MA, President and CEO, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan, and Jenifer Murray, MPH, Executive Director, Northern Michigan Community Health Innovation Region. The panel offered thought-provoking ideas about how the collaboration of healthcare and community leaders can enhance the health of the community.

Kate Kohn-Parrott, MAS, MBA, from KKP Consulting moderated the second panel regarding leadership with panelists Terrisca Des Jardins, MHSA, resident and CEO, Molina Healthcare of Michigan, and Dr. Srikar Reddy, MD, FAAFP, VP Family Medicine Foundation of Michigan, ChenMed. The panelists discussed the importance of strong leadership in driving innovation and change in today's complex healthcare environment. 

By: Joe Cafferty, Vice Chair, Communications Committee

Once a year, our membership convenes for its Annual Meeting to celebrate the years accomplishments and recognize the folks who have made an impact on the organization. The scene was set at the Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, with nearly 140 members and guests in attendance. The evening began with networking, which was a nice opportunity to catch up with new and old friends.

During the event, several members were recognized for their achievements and contributions to the chapter. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented posthumously to Dr. Shawn Levitt, who dedicated several decades of volunteer hours to the chapter and healthcare community. Her award was accepted by her surviving spouse. Several other members were also recognized, in addition to an Early Careerist Essay competition winner! The 2024 election results were also announced, confirming the incoming Board Members & Committee Chairs.

The incoming MCACHE President, Michael Nanzer, FACHE was able to publicly thank our outgoing President, Angela DeLaere, FACHE for her year of service in the position. The evening was capped with a presentation on Leadership Continuity by Dr. Margaret Dimond (UMH-Sparrow), and a panel discussion with Jennifer Parks (Corewell Health), John Green (Aegis Group Search Consulting), and Thomas Lanni, Jr. FACHE (Corewell Health). Upon reflection of the evening, it was refreshing to see the energy and excitement surrounding the chapter and for the work still yet to be done.

12/5/2023

"State of the State" with Adam Carlson, MPA, Senior Vice President Advocacy, Michigan Health & Hospital Association

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Where: Beaumont Service Center, 26901 Beaumont Blvd., Southfield, MI 48033

Cost: Free

Register now, 45 seats remain and registration closes on November 29th.

Adam Carlson, MPA, Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Michigan Health and Hospital Association will provide the group with a “State of the State” address – his updates should be especially timely given another big election year is coming up in 2024! In addition, food and refreshments will be offered along with a networking session prior to the presentation. The event has become a yearly staple and is always extremely informative and engaging.

Register here: https://bit.ly/3Fz6xvC

Please feel free to reach out to Mike Henry (michael.henry@corewellhealth.org)

This program counts for 1 qualified credit.

1/23/2024

A Conversation with C-Suite" Mary Kummer Naber, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, PACE Southeast Michigan

Virtual Zoom

Noon - 1:00 pm (eastern)

Cost:

MCACHE/ACHE Member: Free

Non-Member: $25

Register Here: https://bit.ly/47mDOpI

This program counts for 1 qualified credit.

Mary Kummer Naber is the CEO of PACE Southeast Michigan, part of the national Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PACE Southeast Michigan is the largest and fastest growing PACE program in Michigan and one of the top programs in the country. PACE is an innovative health plan and full-comprehensive care provider, serving older adults with complex health conditions with a Mission to keep them independent in the community.

 Mary is an authentic, energetic, and creative leader with extensive experience leading large healthcare organizational/people strategies, operations, and large-scale change initiatives. Her relentless focus is on care, culture, and people to enable the fulfillment of the Mission.

 Prior to PACE Southeast Michigan, Mary’s 33 years in healthcare evolved to Senior Executive roles accountable for a wide scope of services. Mary ultimately became the Chief Administrative Officer for the Ascension Michigan Market.

 Mary received her MBA from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a BA from Oakland University. She is a graduate of Leadership Detroit Class XXXII and certified as an executive coach.

 As a lifelong resident of the Detroit region, Mary volunteers in a variety of ways. She is a member of the National PACE Association Board of Directors and Vice Chair for the PACE Association of Michigan.  She was recently appointed as Chair for the newly formed Alliance for PACE Innovation and Quality (APIQ) board.

Mary resides in Grosse Pointe Park with her husband of 39 years and loves spending time with her large expanding family!

Acton, Jeff

Davis, LaTonya

Dodd, Dwayne

Dolacki, Mackenzie

English, Edith

Fisher-Curley, Rev. Gerald

Gianino, Anthony

Meeker, Kim

Mathies CarTyea

Miller, Jaclyn

Munnoch, Stacy

Neitring, Kathryn

Parikh, Noopur

Patrick-Fagan, Carla

Porter, Angela

Ramadan, Hanan

Stewart, Scott

Stone, Rebecca

Streng, Corine

Tinkel, Chad

Torres, Rochelle

Troyer, Kendall

Voss, Kayela

Walsworth, Despina

Webber, Tuba

Christopher Bell, FACHE

Bradley Bescoe, FACHE

Justin Detlor, FACHE

Tiffeny Jones, FACHE

Almir Karamovic, FACHE

Patricia Modrowski, FACHE

Michael Prokic, FACHE

Janet Seidell, FACHE

Russell Smith, FACHE

Erica Thrash-Sall, FACHE

Lindsay Vella, FACHE

Click here to go to the MCACHE Podcast.

We think differently about what is possible. And we empower our patients, team members and partners to do the same. When others say no, we keep questioning. When it seems impossible, we say--keep pushing until it isn't. Because at our core, we believe we can™.

Stay up to date on MCACHE events at our website here

We want to hear from you… If you have suggestions or story ideas for the newsletter, please contact:

Chairs:

Medija Shaska, FACHE, PMP, Communications Committee Chairperson prishtina94@yahoo.com

Joe Cafferty, MSW, Communication Committee Vice Chairperson

joseph.cafferty@va.gov

Website:

Susan Stokes susan-stokes@comcast.net

Social Media Coordinator:

Cezara Siotean csiotea1@hap.org

Contact MCACHE: mcache@achemail.net

Stay Connected

Are any of your colleagues not receiving MCACHE Chapter emails? Please advise them to add mcache@achemail.net to their safe senders or safe recipients list. 

Please Note: Internal corporate systems may still cause our emails to be caught in spam filters, in which case they need to have mcache@achemail.net added to their "good list".