Quality

James R. Teeter
President & CEO
Arkansas Hospital Association

Quality assurance. These two words are very important to the American public these days. Whether in the market for a taco or the services of a lawyer, people look for the very best in quality. If they later find that a service or product is less than expected, there's a price to pay.

Consider the unrest a few months ago when it was revealed that ARKLA, Arkansas' largest natural gas utility, had routinely failed for years to add odorant to natural gas lines in rural western Arkansas, posing a deadly threat to customers. The company has agreed to pay a large fine. And to conduct an audit, unprecedented in cost, to determine if its gas distribution system is safe.

And, how about quality assurance at Tyson Foods and other poultry processors? They've been charged with selling contaminated chicken. Government scientists estimate that 4 million people are sickened and 3,000 die each year from poultry contamination.

Then, there's Northwest Airlines which has been hit with a federal audit due to mechanical failures. Last year, Northwest reported 217 unscheduled landings by the 183 aging DC-9 aircraft in its fleet--more than twice that of TWA, U.S. Airways, and Continental, which combined operate almost as many DC-9s as Northwest. Is quality everything it should be at Northwest?

I don't mean to pick on ARKLA, Tyson, Northwest, or my friends and neighbors who work there. These organizations are only three of eight recent examples of less than spectacular corporate quality assurance reported by the news media. But what about the quality of the news media itself?

Newspaper and television reporters and columnists across the nation are being fired or stripped of prizes with discomforting frequency for making up stories! That's right. If there's no news, just invent a story. Throw in some false quotes, too, to embellish the fiction. Makes for more "interesting" reading. But, where's quality journalism?

None of this is to say that we in the healthcare field don't have quality assurance problems. But it can't be said that we don't take QA seriously. It's at the top of the agenda in most hospitals, and has been since voluntary on-site inspections of hospitals began in 1918. Incidentally, only 89 of 692 hospitals surveyed that year met the requirements of the American College of Surgeons' Minimum Standards for Hospitals, a one-page document! We've come a long way in QA since those days.

Even though its 1,650 hospitals are already subject to federal, state, and JCAHO quality standards, VHA--the alliance of not-for-profit hospitals--is enhancing its emphasis on quality. VHA has announced its Purchaser-Provider Partnership on Health Service Quality, the mission of which is to develop quality measures that mean something to employers who purchase healthcare services. The VHA's idea is to put purchasers in the driver's seat and to deliver to them the quality indicators they think are important.

VHA is confident that if its hospitals can demonstrate superior quality, they will have a market advantage--whether or not their costs are the lowest in town. It's sound thinking. Given today's demands for quality and value for the dollar, the rest of corporate America would be wise to follow suit.

Gary L. Bebow to Chair 1998-99 AHA Board

Gary L. Bebow, administrator and CEO of White River Medical Center in Batesville, was installed as the 67th chairman of the Arkansas Hospital Association (AHA) board of directors during the AHA's Annual Meeting and Trade Show October 4-7 in Little Rock. He succeeds Patrick Flynn, president and CEO of Washington Regional Medical System in Fayetteville.

Bebow was named to his present position in January 1991. Prior to the Batesville position, he was vice president for finance, then senior vice president and chief operating officer of Venice Hospital in Venice, Florida; and assistant controller at the W. A. Foote Memorial Hospital in Jackson, Michigan.

Through Bebow's leadership, the 180-bed White River Medical Center expanded and improved its emergency room, inpatient rehabilitation unit, CCU, surgery, pharmacy, and non-invasive lab; established rural health clinics in five locations; and added medical resonance imaging services.

Active in the Arkansas Hospital Association, Bebow represented the North Central District on the AHA board from 1993-1997 before being named chairman-elect. He also served as chairman of the annual meeting program committee, and participated on the budget committee and the council on government relations. He is a certified public accountant and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Bebow, a native of Alma, Michigan, is a graduate of Michigan State University and holds a Master of Health Service Administration from the University of Michigan. He is married to Verona Brown-Bebow, M.D., and has two children, Andrew Paul who recently graduated from the University of Florida, and Ella, a freshman at the University of Arkansas.

Arkansas Newsmakers and Newcomers

Jerry Mabry, CEO, National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs, and Don Beeler, CEO, St. Michael Healthcare Center in Texarkana, have been elected to three-year terms on the board of directors of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce. Their terms began October 14.

Johnson Smith, administrator of St. Anthony Healthcare Center in Morrilton and Arkansas' delegate to the American Hospital Association (AHA), was elected chairman of the AHA's Regional Policy Board 7 during its October 1-2 meeting in New Orleans. Smith's three-year chairmanship begins January 1, 2000, and will place him on the AHA's board of trustees. He will also continue serving on the Arkansas Hospital Association's board of directors until his term as RPB chairman expires.

Growth of the St. Vincent Health System has brought about the following administrative appointments by Diana Hueter, system president and CEO: Chuck Stokes, executive vice president and chief operations officer, St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center; Larry Marr, administrator, St. Vincent Doctors Hospital; and Doug Parker, administrator, St. Vincent North Outpatient Center in Sherwood.

Barbara Wood has been named acting administrator of McGehee Desha County Hospital in McGehee, succeeding Edward L. Lacy. Prior to accepting the position, Wood served as the hospital's assistant administrator for eight years and administrative assistant for six years.

Governor Mike Huckabee has appointed Jim Bushmiaer, administrator/CEO, Stuttgart Regional Medical Center, to the Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape & Domestic Violence Commission for a term to expire July 1, 2000. Bushmiaer was one of five healthcare executives the AHA recommended to the governor for this appointment.

Steve Erixon, former chief executive officer of Memorial Mother Frances Hospital in Palestine, Texas, has been named associate administrator of Baxter County Regional Hospital in Mountain Home. Erixon will succeed H. William (Bill) Anderson as chief executive officer as Anderson's responsibilities are reduced in preparation for his retirement. Erixon holds a degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and earned a master's degree at Duke University.

Michael G. Layfield has been named chief executive officer of Randolph County Medical Center in Pocahontas, succeeding Kenneth Breaux. Layfield has 23 years of experience in hospital administration and is the former assistant CEO of Community Health Systems in Louisiana.

Kurt Meyer has been named administrator of Delta Memorial Hospital in Dumas, succeeding Rodney McPherson. Prior to the move to Dumas, Meyer served at the Medical Center of McKinney (Texas), a 270-bed community hospital.

Eddie Bradford, executive director of Northwest Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute in Springdale, was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor at a September 4 awards banquet. Bradford was a three-year letterman and all-Southwest Conference lineman for the 1954 Razorbacks team which won the conference championship.

AHA president Jim Teeter was named the 1998 recipient of the Ken Graves Memorial Award, the highest award bestowed by the Arkansas Society of Association Executives, during the organization's annual conference July 24-25 in Eureka Springs. The award is presented in recognition of excellence in association leadership. The ASAE membership comprises the state's premier trade associations and professional societies.

Betty Brinkley, RN, director of nursing and program director of the HSC Medical Center PsychHealth Center in Malvern, was named the 1998 National Program Director of the Year for psychiatric units. The award was given by Horizon Mental Health Management, Inc., a psychiatric health consulting company which manages the PsychHealth unit at HSCMC.

Patti Higginbotham, RN, CPHQ, vice president of professional staff services and quality improvement at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, has been named a Fellow in the National Association of Health Care Quality. Higginbotham, a past-president of the Arkansas Association for Healthcare Quality, an affiliate of the Arkansas Hospital Association, is the first Arkansan to receive this recognition.

Michael Dwyer, long-time executive director of campus operations at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, died July 18, 1998. Dwyer was a senior member and former president of the Arkansas Association for Healthcare Engineering, and a Fellow with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering.

Albert W. Pilkington, Jr., 76, of Searcy, retired administrator of White County Medical Center in Searcy and past chairman of the Arkansas Hospital Association (1973-74), died November 6 of Alzheimer's disease. Before moving to Searcy in 1977, Pilkington served for many years as administrator of Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden. Survivors include his wife, Gwen; his son, Albert W. Pilkington III, administrator of Mena Medical Center; and two daughters. Funeral services were held November 9. Memorials may be made to White County Medical Center or to the First United Methodist Church in Searcy.

AHA Officers Elected

Ross Hooper, chief executive officer of Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis, was elected chair-elect of the Arkansas Hospital Association board of directors during the Association's annual House of Delegates meeting October 5 in Little Rock. During the meeting, the AHA bylaws were amended to allow the president of the Arkansas Association of Hospital Trustees to be a voting member of the AHA board. John Collier, board chairman of Cross County Hospital in Wynne, will fill that position from 1998-2000.

Directors elected to four-year terms were Rudy Darling, president and CEO of Carroll Regional Medical Center in Berryville, representing the AHA's Northwest District; and Luther Lewis, CEO of the Medical Center of South Arkansas in El Dorado, representing the Southwest District. Ron Rooney, president of Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould, will complete an unexpired term representing the Northeast District, and Betty Briggs of Crossett, president of the Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association, will serve a one-year term.

Rooney Receives Weintraub Award

Ronald K. Rooney, president and CEO of Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould since 1988, is the 1998 recipient of the Arkansas Hospital Association's A. Allen Weintraub Memorial Award. The award, named for the late administrator of St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, is the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the AHA.

During his 28 years in healthcare, Rooney has also served as administrator of hospitals in Massachusetts, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Since coming to Arkansas Methodist Hospital, he has been instrumental in adding a broad range of new services and is currently overseeing a multi-phase $21 million expansion program for the hospital.

Rooney's accomplishments include service to the AHA as chairman and board member, chairman of the Northeast Hospital District, president of the Arkansas Hospital Administrators Forum, and chairman of the Arkansas Hospital Association Workers' Compensation Self-Insured Trust; Diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives; and involvement in numerous civic organizations.

Epley, Nichols, Noble Receive Awards

The Arkansas Hospital Association's Distinguished Service Award was presented October 6 to Lewis E. Epley, Jr., of Eureka Springs, and Sandra Nichols, M.D., of Little Rock. AHA Chairman Pat Flynn made the presentations.

Epley is the former chairman of the Eureka Springs Hospital board, and is a current member of the Eureka Springs Hospital Development Council as established by Washington Regional Medical System. He is also a former president and member of the board of the Northwest Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute in Springdale; and is a current member of the boards of the Washington Regional Medical Foundation in Fayetteville, and the Arkansas Cancer Research Center in Little Rock. In addition to his healthcare involvement, Epley generously shares his talents with many community activities.

Dr. Sandra Nichols, who served as director of the Arkansas Department of Health for four years prior to her recent resignation from that post, steered the department toward several awards and citations for programs such as the Campaign for Healthier Babies, Adolescent Parents Learning Useful Skills, the 5-A-Day for Better Health Week, the Smoke Detector Program, and the Keep Illegal Cigarettes from Kids campaign. She also guided successful legislative efforts to enhance the public health of Arkansans, supporting rules and regulations pertaining to communicable diseases, the State Health Data Clearing House Act, mandatory testing of pregnant women for HIV and Hepatitis B, the Breast Cancer Act of 1997, three immunization bills for children, and several newborn screening requirements.

Kristy Noble, senior vice president of Carroll Regional Medical Center in Berryville, was named recipient of the C. E. Melville Young Administrator of the Year Award. The award is given each year by the Arkansas Health Executives Forum, and was presented by Jim Summersett, president and CEO of Conway Regional Medical Center and Arkansas' Regent for the American College of Healthcare Executives.