Sessions & Dialogues

Sunday, April 23

Jonathan Blum and Greg Bentz headshots

Trustee Session #1: Revitalize Your Board’s Focus on Quality and Patient Safety | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Join Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of The Joint Commission, and Greg Bentz, board chair, Saint Luke’s Health System and chair of AHA’s 2023 Committee on Governance, for a discussion on the continued importance and focus on quality and patient safety.

LaShawn McIver, M.D., M.P.H., Luis Jose Maseda, and James Liggins, Jr., headshots

Trustee Session #2: Board Leadership for Diversity and Health Equity | 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.

Hear from LaShawn McIver, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health, Luis Jose Maseda, trustee, UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, and James Liggins, Jr., board director, Bronson Healthcare Group, on the role of board leadership in building diversity and addressing health equity outcomes.

Mark Holmes, Ph.D., Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Tom Morris, M.P.A., Associate Administrator for Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, Roxie Wells, M.D., president of Hoke Healthcare, Cape Fear Valley Health, and Emily Henn headshots.

Rural Washington Update | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Ensuring policies better support care access in rural areas is essential to maintaining our nation's health. Join Mark Holmes, Ph.D., Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Tom Morris, M.P.A., Associate Administrator for Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, for a discussion on what policies Congress and the Administration is considering and what it means for rural community hospitals. Moderated by Roxie Wells, M.D., president of Hoke Healthcare, Cape Fear Valley Health.

Scott Peterson, CEO of Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Franklin, Denise Keefe, executive vice president of Continuing Health for Advocate Health, Erin Shadbolt, COO of Ascension Post-Acute and At-Home Services, and Jim Prister, president and CEO, RML Specialty Hospital and AHA board member.

Post-Acute Care Update | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

The nation’s health care system has undergone dramatic change across the continuum of care, including post-acute care. Join Scott Peterson, CEO of Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Franklin, Denise Keefe, executive vice president of Continuing Health for Advocate Health, and Erin Shadbolt, COO of Ascension Post-Acute and At-Home Services as they share lessons learned, ongoing challenges and strategies for approaching the post-acute care in these new environments. Moderated by Jim Prister, president and CEO, RML Specialty Hospital, and AHA board member.

Harsh Trivedi, M.D., M.B.A., Patrice Harris, M.D., M.A., and Arpan Waghray, M.D., headshots

Crisis of Care: Behavioral Health in our Communities | 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

The nation is facing a behavioral health crisis as demand skyrockets. Moderated by Harsh Trivedi, M.D., MBA, president and CEO of Sheppard Pratt, this discussion with Patrice Harris, M.D., M.A., CEO and co-founder of eMed, and past president of the American Medical Association, and Arpan Waghray, M.D., CEO, Well Being Trust at Providence Health and past chair of AHA’s committee on behavioral health, will tackle challenges and solutions for communities as well as the workforce caring for them.

Noah Phillips, FTC Commissioner, Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and AHA board member, Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Stacey Hughes, AHA executive vice president of government relations and public policy, and Josh Soven, Partner at Paul Weiss.

Evolving Systems of Care for the Future | 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.

Increasing scrutiny on hospitals expanding and preserving access is forcing leaders to better articulate how these affiliations improve care and help smaller organizations remain viable while maintaining critical care services to smaller communities. Hear the former FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips, share insights on oversight today and in the future followed by a panel discussion with Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and AHA board member, Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center, and Stacey Hughes, AHA executive vice president of government relations and public policy, on real-world strategy behind successful efforts moderated by Josh Soven, Partner at Paul Weiss.

Monday, April 24

Lisa Goldstein, Cathy Jacobson, Michael Stewart, and Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., headshots

Pressure Points: The Financial Future of the Field and Impact on Patients | 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Join Lisa Goldstein, senior vice president at Kaufman Hall, for a presentation of policy-relevant research on the financial pressures facing hospitals fighting to care for their communities, and the contributing policy and regulatory burdens. Panelists including Cathy Jacobson, president and CEO of Froedtert Health, and Michael Stewart, CEO of Saline Health System, will explore key considerations related to short-term reforms and long-term strategies that address the financial sustainability of the field. Moderated by Joanne Conroy, M.D., president and CEO of Dartmouth Health and AHA board chair elect.

A. J. Wilhelmi, President and CEO, Illinois Health and Hospital Association, Tina Weatherwax-Grant, J.D., Senior vice president of public policy and advocacy, Trinity Health, and Joshua Boisvert, Senior vice president, Beekeeper Consulting Group.

Politics Applied: Advocacy in the 118th Congress | 4:15 – 5:00 p.m.

Learn how to influence the public policy environment for patients and communities – and the important role vocal advocates play in moving policy issues forward. Join A.J. Wilhelmi, president and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, Tina Weatherwax-Grant, senior vice president of public policy and advocacy for Trinity Health, and Joshua Boisvert, senior vice president at Beekeeper Consulting Group as they provide the knowledge and tools to generate the most impactful interactions with lawmakers.