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Shuffield Receives Weintraub Award Charles R. Shuffield received the 1997 A. Allen Weintraub Memorial Award during the AHA's annual meeting October 14 in Little Rock. Named for the late administrator of St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center in Little Rock, the Weintraub Award is the highest award bestowed upon an individual by the Arkansas Hospital Association. Shuffield retired November 30 following 35 years in healthcare include 30 years as assistant administrator, administrator and president of Sparks Regional Medical Center in Fort Smith, and five years as assistant administrator of Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson. He served the AHA as chairman and board member, chairman of the Council on Hospital Service Plans, president of the Arkansas Hospital Administrators Forum, a member of the Advisory Board for Perinatal Health Services, and a member of the board of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield. Shuffield is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is involved in numerous Fort Smith civic organizations.
Arkansas Program Wins Competition Arkansas Medicaid's "ConnectCare" program has been selected as a "Top Ten" winner by the Ford Foundation, and will receive an Innovation in American Government award from that group. The Arkansas Department of Human Services will receive a $100,000 grant from the Ford Foundation for "ConnectCare," which uses technology to significantly improve access to regular medical care for Medicaid recipients. "ConnectCare," also known as Medicaid's primary care physician program, was named as one of the "best in government," being selected from a group of 25 finalists in a competition held in Washington, DC earlier this month. The competition was sponsored by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The Ford Foundation gives $1 million each year to the ten programs that set a standard for excellence in government. Eighty-five percent of the winning programs have been replicated by others. The "ConnectCare" program was chosen for its success in getting physicians involved and its impact on emergency room utilization by Medicaid patients. Since the program was implemented, Arkansas' pool of doctors willing to treat Medicaid patients has grown to 1,600 physicians, and emergency room usage by Medicaid patients has fallen 10% below the national Medicaid use rate.
AHA 1997 Diamond Awards Announced Winners of the Arkansas Hospital Association's 1997 Diamond Awards were presented trophies and certificates at a special luncheon during the AHA's annual meeting in October. Cosponsored by the Arkansas Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations, the Diamond Awards competition is designed to recognize excellence in hospital public relations and marketing, and is awarded in two divisions (hospitals of 175 beds or less and hospitals of more than 175 beds) in seven categories. The competition drew 75 entries from 26 Arkansas hospitals. Award-winning hospitals are: External Publications (newsletters or magazines published more than once a year for patients, community, physicians, etc.) Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pine Bluff (over 175 beds) Conway Regional Medical Center, Conway (under 175 beds) UAMS Medical Center, Little Rock (Judges' Merit) Internal Publications (newsletters or magazines distributed to internal audiences such as employees, medical staff, volunteers, etc.) Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock (over 175 beds) Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center, Conway (under 175 beds) Single Publication (brochure, pamphlet, handbook, etc. designed to meet a specific need) VA Medical Center, Little Rock (over 175 beds) Conway Regional Medical Center, Conway (under 175 beds) Methodist Hospital of Jonesboro, Jonesboro (Judges' Merit) Print Advertising (newspaper or magazine advertising; single ad or series) UAMS Medical Center, Little Rock (over 175 beds) North Arkansas Medical Center, Harrison (under 175 beds) National Park Medical Center, Hot Springs (Judges' Merit) Radio Advertising (single advertisement or public service announcement or series of spots in either category that has been developed for radio) St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, Little Rock (over 175 beds) North Arkansas Medical Center, Harrison (under 175 beds) Television Advertising (single advertisement or public service announcement or series of ads developed to promote a hospital service or program) St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, Little Rock (over 175 beds) National Park Medical Center, Hot Springs (under 175 beds) Billboard Advertising (copies of outdoor advertising) Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pine Bluff (over 175 beds) North Arkansas Medical Center, Harrison (under 175 beds)
Arkansas Hospital
Association Annual Meeting The fabulous Drifters and the Marvelettes performed before an enthusiastic crowd at the annual Chairman's Dinner, an event which honored the Arkansas Hospital Association's past leadership and kicked off the AHA's 67th Annual Meeting and Trade Show October 12-15 in Little Rock. The three-day event featured superb speeches by Governor Mike Huckabee and futurist Leland Kaiser; a dramatic and unforgettable presentation by nurse dramatist Julie Russell; and telling survey results about patient satisfaction and customer feedback by Rick Wade of the American Hospital Association and Bryan Bushick, M.D., healthcare consultant. Native Arkansan and CEO of Memorial Healthcare System of Houston, Dan Wilford, discussed trust between employees and management, and ACHE District VI Governor Mike Waters presented "The New Role of Hospital Management." Administrators Forum members learned how to access and use the Internet for healthcare research, as well as viewed the AHA's new web site. In addition, trustees and CEOs heard Larry Walker's presentation on healthcare governance, while many of the AHA's affiliated organizations held their own educational meetings concerning Medicare compliance, personal development, and marketing issues, among others.
Arkansas Workers' Comp OKs Dividend The Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission has authorized the Arkansas Hospital Association Workers' Compensation Self-Insured Trust (AHAWCSIT) to distribute up to $1,207,235 in dividends. The AHAWCSIT board of trustees has approved distribution of the dividends in January to hospitals that renew their policies with the Trust effective January 1, 1998. The AHAWCSIT provides workers' compensation insurance to 40 hospitals as well as the Arkansas Hospital Association. This marks the third consecutive year the Trust has returned over $1 million in dividends to participating hospitals, making a grand total of $5.1 million returned to hospitals.
UCA Doctoral Program Approved The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved the request by the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) to begin a doctoral program in physical therapy. It will be only the sixth such program in the country. The board's decision should effectively end a lawsuit filed by UCA in 1994 after the state Department of Higher Education (DHE) refused to approve the doctoral program. UCA won its court case when Chancery Judge Andre McNeil struck down a state law giving DHE the authority to approve the school's academic programs. The state appealed that ruling, but will now drop that appeal according to DHE director Lu Hardin. The UCA program won't directly put more physical therapists into practice, but will supply needed faculty for PT programs at UCA, Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, and other programs across the country. Dr. Venita Lovelace-Chandler estimated that eight to ten students will initially be accepted into the new UCA program, which is scheduled to begin in the fall of 1998.
AHA Educational Calendar -- January 16 -- Little Rock -- January 23 -- Little Rock -- January 31-February 3 -- February 24 -- Little Rock "Practical Strategies for Overcoming Common Compliance Problems in Home Care and Hospice Organizations" (JCAHO) -- March 26-27 -- Little Rock -- June 10-12 -- Branson, Missouri Call 501-224-7878 for programming information
Thanks to the AHA Annual Meeting Corporate Partners! The Arkansas Hospital Association wishes to thank the companies and organizations participating in the 67th Annual Meeting and Trade Show. With the financial support of these organizations and companies, high quality educational programming is made possible for the AHA membership. AAMSCO * Sponsor ** Host *** Bronze **** Silver ***** Gold
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