Deja Vu!

James R. Teeter
President & CEO
Arkansas Hospital Association

While purging my crammed-full office files the other day, I came across a yellowed copy of a speech given 27 years ago by Edwin Crosby, M.D. Dr. Crosby, then the chief executive officer of the American Hospital Association, was speaking of the challenges hospitals faced, the demands being made upon them, and hospitals' openness to the ideas of those they served. Said Dr. Crosby way back there in 1972:

There is no institution in the United States that has received more challenges to change than has the hospital. From the White House and the tenement, from the Indian reservation and the urban apartment, from the rich and the poor, from the old and the young--from all of these sources have come voices challenging us to change almost every aspect of healthcare and delivery.

These voices have been far from unanimous in what they want us to do. Some say "cut costs" and others say "increase service." Some claim we do not treat all those who need hospitalization--and others say that we hospitalize too many.

We are asked to install the most costly of treatment facilities--and we are criticized for the expensive treatment. We are told that we must help train more health professionals, and that the cost of training cannot be borne by those whom we train.

There are critics who believe that we are unaware of our challenges. This is not so. I believe that hospitals have been amazingly responsive. We have not waited passively for others, but have invited those outside our walls to tell us what they believe we might be doing better. We have not been afraid to invite those who might disagree with us. Of this, we can be proud.

Sadly--for those of us who knew and admired Dr. Crosby--he died, unexpectedly, less than two weeks after delivering those remarks.

But if the good doctor could descend for a visit among us today, he'd likely agree that much of what he said in 1972 is still true as the clock runs out on this fastly fading century.

For, after all these years, the American hospital continues to receive more calls for change than any other institution; the hospital's many publics remain far from unanimous in what they want; and the cry to "cut costs" is still shrill, even though the demands for increased and improved hospital services are unabated and voluminous.

And with a record breaking 43 million Americans now uninsured, we face--as in 1972--incessant complaints that we fail to hospitalize all who need hospitalization. At the same time, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care organizations, and other payers demand less inpatient care, insisting all the while that too many are hospitalized.

While many of the issues addressed by Dr. Crosby remain unresolved, he'd probably be pleased that hospitals are still fighting the good fights. That they are still "amazingly responsive." That they've continued to bring together focus groups of people "outside our walls" to suggest ways in which hospitals might better serve their communities.

He'd applaud today's bright, well-educated hospital executives and trustees who have the wisdom to factor quality, value, affordability, community needs, public perception, and patient satisfaction into hospital strategic plans, board meeting discussions, and executive performance ratings.

And, it's a sure bet that Dr. Crosby would be delighted that these same executives and trustees--many of whom were mere children, or yet to be born when he entered the field in 1954--are meeting the challenge to be leaders; to be more efficient; to take risks; and, to recognize the opportunities that accompany these changing times.

Washington Regional Wins NOVA Award

Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville was one of five hospitals receiving the American Hospital Association's NOVA Award February 1 during the AHA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The award was presented for innovative, collaborative projects designed to improve the health status of communities.

In addition to WRMC, the other hospitals receiving awards presented by former first lady Rosalyn Carter were: Middletown Regional Hospital, Middletown, Ohio; Mt. Carmel Medical Center, Pittsburg, Kan.; St. Patrick Hospital, Missoula, Mont.; and Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Yakima, Wash.

Washington Regional Medical Center was honored for Kids for Healthİ, a comprehensive health education program designed for children in kindergarten through third grade in Washington County. State departments of education across the country are mandating standards for health education. While school districts have been given the responsibility to teach health, many do not have the resources needed to implement these standards.

At the same time, hospitals nationwide are reaching out to their communities with programs focusing on community wellness and prevention. Seeing a match between the local school district's needs and their expertise, the staff and leadership of Washington Regional Medical Center developed Kids for Health(c).

The program supports Washington Regional's mission of improving the health of the community through these messages to children, who also carry the information back to their families. Twelve Washington Regional instructors dressed in brightly colored surgical scrub suits bring health education to life using fun, "hands-on" activities, models, games, and other interactive methods.

They provide a half-hour of education a week to each class in 26 participating public schools, at no cost to the school system. Children learn about self-esteem, body systems, nutrition, fitness, hygiene, safety and environmental health. Now in its fifth year, Kids for Healthİ reaches 8,500 children each week of the school year.

Arkansas Newsmakers and Newcomers

Don Wallace, has resigned from Baptist Health, to accept the position of vice president for the Arkansas region of VHA Oklahoma/Arkansas, which is headquartered in Oklahoma City, but now has a regional office in Little Rock, where Wallace will be stationed. VHA, which has 18 hospital members in Arkansas, provides products and services to not-for-profit health care organizations to help them improve their clinical and operational effectiveness.

Michael Packnett, CEO of Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas and St. Mary's Hospital in Rogers, has accepted a position as the chief executive of Mercy Health System Oklahoma and Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City. Susan Barrett, the former CEO of Mercy Health System of Kansas, succeeded Packnett in Northwest Arkansas.

Gareth D. Weeks has been named CEO of Select Specialty Hospital of Little Rock. Prior to joining the hospital, Weeks served as vice president of operations for Intensiva Healthcare Corporation in St. Louis, and was previously administrator of the Intensiva Hospital of Evansville, Indiana.

Jane McDaniel, director of marketing for St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro, received the 1998 Communicator of the Year Award from the International Association of Business Communicators, Arkansas Chapter. McDaniel was recognized for handling the flow of communication from the hospital to national, regional, and local media as well as to the public during the Westside Middle School shootings in March.

Russ Sword has been named interim administrator of Ashley County Medical Center in Crossett, succeeding Ernie Helin who resigned from the position as CEO last November. Sword is former president of Northwest Medical Center in Springdale.

Bob Green, group vice president for Arkansas hospitals partnering with Quorum Health Resources, Inc., has been promoted by Quorum to the position of senior vice president for division of operations. He will oversee Quorum's operations in seven states including Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Green will work out of corporate headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee. His successor is Steve Selzer, the former chief executive officer of a Quorum hospital in Cortez, Colorado.

Ben E. Owens, president of St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro, has been named "Person of the Year" by the Campaign for Healthier Babies, a coalition formed to improve birth outcomes by encouraging the pregnant women of Arkansas to get early and continuous prenatal care. St. Bernards supports the Campaign by financial support, leadership, and community-level resources.

Diana Hueter, president and CEO of St. Vincent Health System in Little Rock, has been elected an at-large alternate to the American Hospital Association's House of Delegates and its Regional Policy Board #7. Hueter's term began January 1, and expires December 31, 2002.

Philip "Hank" Walkley, Jr., CEO of Regional Medical Center of NEA in Jonesboro, has been appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee to a term on the Arkansas Kidney Disease Commission. Walkley's term will expire January 14, 2003.

Troy Wells has been appointed chief operating officer of Newport Hospital and Clinic, Inc., effective January 11, according to Eugene Zuber, the hospital's CEO. Wells was affiliated with St. Joseph's Regional Health Center in Hot Springs before moving to Newport.

Lee Frazier, former director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services, has been named vice president at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, according to Bob Atkinson, CEO. Prior to joining DHS, Frazier was an executive at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center in Little Rock.

Michael Helm, president of Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith, has announced the appointment of Bill Senneff as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the facility. Senneff has held administrative positions at hospitals and health systems in Missouri, California, Indiana, and Washington.

Gordon P. Oates, M.D., retired Pulaski County health director, died January 17 in Little Rock. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Willie Oates, a well-known hospital auxilian and a former state legislator.

AHA Annual Meeting Update

A record 41 Arkansas hospital CEOs, administrators and trustees traveled to Washington, DC for the American Hospital Association's annual meeting January 30 - February 2. Arkansans hosted a luncheon for the state's congressional delegation attended by Senator Tim Hutchinson and Rep. Marion Berry. Bob Atkinson, chairman of the AHA's Council on Government Relations, invited discussion concerning the devastating impact of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997on Arkansas hospitals. The association members also honored congressional aides with an appreciation/get-acquainted dinner.

In addition to hearing presentations by former first lady Rosalynn Carter, and Scott Parker, president and CEO of Intermountain Health Care of Salt Lake City, attendees participated in the annual Federal Relations Forum. Featured presenters were Senator John Breaux (D-LA) and Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), co-chairmen of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare; House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX); June Gibbs Brown, inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services, and Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder.

David Gergen, editor-at-large of U.S. News and World Report, led key members of Congress in a politically charged debate during the annual "Congressional Crossfire." And former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and former U.S. Senators Howard Baker, Warren Rudman and Alan Simpson participated in a "Reliable Sources" panel moderated by Ken Bode, host of the popular PBS show "Washington Week in Review."

AAHT to Host Regional Meetings

The Arkansas Association of Hospital Trustees (AAHT) will host its fourth series of regional dinner meetings this spring. The annual event has continued to attract trustees and CEOs who find it difficult to travel to Little Rock for full-day meetings. The shorter, closer-to-home evening meetings fulfill their educational and networking needs.

John Lloyd, executive vice president with Witt/Kieffer Ford Hadelman Lloyd of Chicago, is the featured presenter at all five sessions. He will share the findings of a recent survey of hospital trustees, discussing such topics as recruiting new board members, determining the right size of a board, incentives for trustees to rotate off the board, board compensation, and CEOs as board members.

Scheduled dates and locations are:
May 3, Camden
May 4, Pine Bluff
May 6, Jonesboro
May 10, Conway
May 11, Fayetteville

Call 501-224-7878 for registration and program information.

Arkansas DHS Gets New Director

Kurt Knickrehm, deputy director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) since last June, has been appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee as the agency's new director. Knickrehm (pronounced kuh-nick-rum) succeeds Lee Frazier as chief of the state's largest department, which has 7,800 employees. Frazier resigned the position July 1 last year. Since then, Richard Weiss, Director of the Department of Finance and Administration has served as DHS' acting director.

Huckabee said Knickrehm was named to the position after a nationwide search was conducted for the job. He was given a strong endorsement by Weiss, who called Knickrehm tremendously capable of doing the job. Knickrehm is the 10th DHS director since the agency was formed in 1971 as the Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services. Before joining DHS, Knickrehm was chief executive officer of Tenet Physician Services' Central States Region, and previously was president of Coastal Physician Services of the West located in Dallas.

Eight Health Projects Receive Awards

The Arkansas Chapter of the March of Dimes recently awarded eight "mini-grants" to health projects in the state. Among the winners were:

• Ouachita County Health Unit, Camden--prenatal care focusing on teenagers and a growing Hispanic population.
• Crittenden Memorial Hospital, a member of "The Council for Women and Children's Health," which serves a five-county area--courses teaching abstinence, parenting, and nurturing.
• Arkansas Department of Health, Area IX Health Office in Forrest City, which serves St. Francis, Lee, Phillips, Cross, Woodruff, Crittenden, Mississippi, and Monroe counties--materials for courses on prenatal counseling and nutrition.
• Arkansas Department of Health, Area VIII, which serves Pulaski, Lonoke, and Prairie counties--materials for prenatal classes.
• East Arkansas Family Health Center, Crittenden County--materials for prenatal and perinatal programs.
• Washington/Madison Community Partnership for Children and Families--material for new parents on infant care.
• Magnolia Hospital Foundation--educational materials for prenatal education and care.
• Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock--financial assistance to produce the first annual report of the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System.