Arkansas Hospital Association Ark Hosp Mag Winter 2000 page 1

Several weeks ago I came across the following piece, edited for use here. It's a thought provoking and "timely" message, and worthy, I believe, of your time.

Imagine that there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day, the bank every evening deleting whatever dollars you failed to use during the day.

What would you do each and every day? Being an intelligent reader of Arkansas Hospitals, you'd withdraw every unused cent, of course.

Well, each of us has such a bank. Sort of. It's called The First National Bank of Time, with branches all over Arkansas. Every morning, it credits your account with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, the seconds you failed to invest to good purpose. No "carry over" balance. No overdrafts.

If you'll excuse the redundancy, let's repeat that each day the bank deposits in your name a brand new 86,400 seconds. Each night the unused seconds are forfeited. If you fail to use the day's allotted 86,400 seconds, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing tomorrow off of today.

Hopefully, you'll invest today's deposit so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! You'll make the most of today's opportunities. The clock is running. But do you recognize the value of the time granted you?

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment you have! Treasure it more because you shared it with someone special. Remember that time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present!

Hooper Installed AHA Chairman; New Officers Elected
Ross Hooper, chief executive officer of Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis, was installed as the 68th chairman of the Arkansas Hospital Association's (AHA) board of directors October 5 during the AHA's Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Little Rock. She succeeds Gary Bebow, administrator and CEO of White River Health System in Batesville. The AHA House of Delegates also voted Luther Lewis, CEO of the Medical Center of South Arkansas in El Dorado, to serve as the board's chairman-elect for the coming year. Lewis, who served as Southwest District representative, was elected during the association's annual House of Delegates business meeting October 4.

In addition, the membership ratified Richard A. Pierson, vice chancellor of clinical programs at The University Hospital of Arkansas in Little Rock, and Jeff Curtis, CEO of HSC Medical Center in Malvern, as district representatives to the board. Pierson will represent hospitals in the Metropolitan District and Curtis will serve as the representative of the Southwest District's hospitals.

Michael D. Helm, president of Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith and former AHA chairman, will serve on the AHA board beginning in January 2000, after being elected by American Hospital Association member hospitals in the state to be Arkansas' alternate delegate to that group's Regional Policy Board (RPB) #7. The RPB is composed of members elected from hospitals located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Theda Aud, auxilian at Baptist Medical Center-Arkadelphia, was elected president of the Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association. By virtue of that office, she began a one-year term on the AHA board in November.

Arkansas Newsmakers and Newcomers
Albert W. Pilkington, III, CEO of Mena Medical Center since 1993, resigned, effective November 13, to accept the position of CEO at Muhlenberg Community Hospital, a 90-bed facility in Greenville, Kentucky. Both hospitals are managed by Quorum Health Group/Quorum Health Resources, Inc.

Jim Summersett, president and CEO of Conway Regional Medical Center and Arkansas' Regent for the American College of Healthcare Executives, presented two awards during the October 5 ACHE breakfast meeting in Little Rock. Pete Leer, vice president for support and contract services at Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith, received the Senior Career Executive Award, and Tim Copeland, associate hospital director at the University Hospital of Arkansas in Little Rock, was recipient of the Early Career Executive Award.

Ross Hooper, president and CEO of Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis, was named the Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association's Hospital Administrator of the Year for hospitals over 100 beds. Rudy Darling, president of Carroll Regional Medical Center in Berryville, received the association's Hospital Administrator of the Year Award for hospitals under 100 beds.

Jim Summersett, CEO of Conway Regional Medical Center since 1993, has resigned to accept the position of President and CEO of Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas, succeeding Hugh Hallgren, who resigned in May. Summersett, whose last day in Conway was November 19, served as Arkansas' Regent for the American College of Healthcare Executives for the past two years.

C. C. McAllister, CEO of Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden and past-chairman and treasurer of the Arkansas Hospital Association, was awarded the W. E. Hussman Award for Civic Service by the Camden Noon Lions Club and Southern Arkansas University Tech. McAllister's dedication to providing the best possible services, programs and technology at OCMC contributed to his receiving the award.

John Neal, former administrator of Mercy Hospital/Turner Memorial in Ozark, has been named CEO of Stuttgart Regional Medical Center, succeeding the late Jim Bushmiaer.

Doug Weeks, senior vice president and administrator of Baptist Health Baptist Medical Center and Baptist Rehabilitation Institute in Little Rock, received the C. E. Melville Young Administrator of the Year Award at the AHA awards dinner Tuesday, October 5 in Little Rock. Recipients of the award are chosen by a Regent's Committee of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Jimmy Leopard, CEO of Medical Park Hospital in Hope, has assumed additional duties as acting CEO of DeQueen Regional Medical Center.

Diana T. Hueter, president and CEO of St. Vincent Health System in Little Rock since December 1995, has resigned her position amid plans to open a specialized management-consulting firm with an emphasis on healthcare administration and finance. She will reside in Little Rock. William A. McDonald, a senior associate with The Hunter Group, is serving as interim president and CEO until the appointment of Hueter's successor.

Johnson L. Smith, CEO of St. Anthony's Healthcare Center in Morrilton and chairman-elect of the American Hospital Association's Regional Policy Board 7, has been elected to a four-year term beginning January 1, 2000 on the AHA's Board of Trustees. Smith currently serves on the Arkansas Hospital Association's board as delegate to the American Hospital Association.

Russ Sword, formerly of Springdale, has been appointed chief executive officer of Ashley County Medical Center in Crossett. He has served as interim CEO since December 1998.

Greg Stock has resigned as CEO of Northwest Health in Springdale, a position he has held since December 1997, to become CEO of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center in Thibodaux, Louisiana. A search for Stock's successor will be conducted by Quorum Health Group, which owns Northwest Health.

Sandra Winston of Conway has been appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee as director of the state Health Services Agency. She replaces Spencer Honey, who has resigned.

Patsy Beatty, administrative assistant and exhibits manager at the Arkansas Hospital Association, announced her retirement effective December 31, 1999. Beatty has been employed by the AHA for over 19 years.

Jim E. Bushmiaer, CEO of Stuttgart Regional Medical Center and past chairman and treasurer of the Arkansas Hospital Association, died of leukemia August 16. Before moving to Stuttgart in 1979, Bushmiaer served as administrator of Ashley County Hospital in Crossett.

Arkansas Hospitals Receive Quality Awards
Three Arkansas hospitals were among 53 state business organizations receiving Arkansas Quality Awards recently in Little Rock. Arkansas Hospital Association members named as award recipients were Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, Quality Achievement Award; and National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs and Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Russellville, Quality Commitment Awards.

The awards, which recognize organizational achievement in implementing quality principles and practices, were presented October 28 by Governor Mike Huckabee during the annual Arkansas Quality Awards ceremony in Little Rock.

Jim E. Bushmiaer, the former administrator and CEO of the Stuttgart Regional Medical Center who died in August, was posthumously recognized with the Arkansas Hospital Association's (AHA) A. Allen Weintraub Memorial Award during the AHA's Annual Meeting October 5 in Little Rock. Accepting the award were his four daughters, Elizabeth Johnson, Laura Haley, Suzanne Cain, and Jayme Bushmiaer.

Bushmiaer was selected by the Arkansas Hospital Association's board of directors for the award in recognition of his dedicated service to hospitals and to medical care in Arkansas, and for the influence and inspiration he provided as a member, treasurer, and chairman of the AHA board of directors. The award, named for the late administrator of St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, is the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the AHA. Prior to serving 20 years as the chief executive of Stuttgart Regional Medical Center, he was administrator of the Ashley County Hospital (now Ashley County Medical Center) in Crossett, and worked at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock and Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis.

Bushmiaer was also active in his church and community. He served as a Deacon, Sunday School director, and teacher at Stuttgart First Baptist Church, was a past board member of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Stuttgart Rotary Club and served on the Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence Commission.

Arkansans to Attend AHA Annual Meeting
"A New Century of Caring for People" is the theme for the American Hospital Association's annual membership meeting January 29-February 1 in Washington, DC. Arkansas hospital CEOs, administrators, and trustees will hear presentations from speakers such as ABC news reporter Ann Compton, White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, and Rep. John Tanner (D-TN).

Ken Bode, host of PBS' "Washington Week in Review," will moderate a "reliable sources" panel of healthcare and presidential campaigns. Scheduled to participate on the panel are GOP chair Haley Barbour, Clinton advisor Paul Begala, former HCFA administrator Bruce Vladeck, and GOP healthcare advisor Deborah Steelman.

Hospital trustees will have several educational opportunities to interact with the AHA's Committee on Governance and other trustees from across the U.S. And, the annual Capitol Club luncheon for supporters of the AHAPAC will feature political satirist Mark Russell.

The group will also visit with Arkansas' congressional delegation and honor the congressional aides with an appreciation/get-acquainted dinner. For those who have not yet registered, information is available by accessing www.aha.org.