2023 HTNYS annual conference

HTNYS conference highlights new governance approaches for a challenging environment

New York’s healthcare trustees and leaders explore new governance imperatives

Healthcare leaders need new governance approaches to successfully guide their organizations in the post-pandemic healthcare landscape. They gained that and more at HTNYS’ 43rd Annual Trustee Conference, Renewing Healthcare Governance to Navigate the Future.

Held last week in Saratoga Springs, the conference provided an in-depth look at governance best practices, board oversight of quality and patient safety, workforce shortages and culture, financial instability, health equity, cybersecurity and private equity's impact on healthcare.

The Conference kicked off with Saratoga Hospital president and chief executive officer Jill J. VanKuren, MBA, FACHE, and chair of the Saratoga Hospital Board of Trustees, Heather Ward, welcoming attendees to their home of Saratoga Springs. They spoke about the storied history of Saratoga but also about the history and journey of Saratoga Hospital and the importance of governance education during these transformative times in the healthcare system.

In her welcoming remarks, Sharon Hanson, vice chair of the HTNYS Board of Governors and board secretary at Erie County Medical Center, spoke about the need to re-think healthcare governance to meet emerging challenges. HTNYS Executive Director Nicholas Henley reinforced this idea in his remarks and discussed what HTNYS is doing to help trustees grapple with these challenges.

HANYS President Bea Grause, RN, JD, expanded upon this theme with an overview of how the environment is changing in Albany and Washington and the implications for healthcare providers and governing boards. Grause discussed how trustees can help effect positive change in this challenging new environment.

Trustees and leaders also heard from New York State Commissioner of Health James McDonald, MD, MPH, who provided his vision for the state’s healthcare system focusing on the word “balance,” and spoke of changes on the horizon that leaders need to consider as they guide their institutions.

Other highlights of the conference include:

Keynote speaker Paul Keckley, managing editor, The Keckley Report, and principal, The Keckley Group, explored how governing boards must look beyond near-term pressures to position New York hospitals and health systems for long-term sustainability and growth.
Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, president and CEO, The Joint Commission, discussed the important leadership role for governance in healthcare quality and asserted that high performing organizations have high board engagement on quality and safety. He reviewed the new HELP agenda and the new CMS QAPI guidance for boards. He explained how TJC is trying to reduce the burden of compliance and its impact on the healthcare workforce to allow them to focus on what makes the most difference – on quality and patient safety.
Governance expert Karma Bass, MPH, FACHE, asserted that trustees must engage in new governance dialogue to be successful in today’s environment. Importantly, she noted that agendas must focus on the future and not what happened yesterday. She reminded the audience that they must get comfortable with being uncomfortable in board rooms.
Jamie E. Orlikoff, MA, President, Orlikoff & Associates, Inc., provided an interactive governance clinic and the closing keynote on making governance relevant for a radically different future. He shared that he has heard from hospital leaders across the nation for the first time that they cannot see the path forward. He said that the traditional model of governance needs to change so trustees should question implicit characteristics of their boards.
In his session, Batteries not included: Powering critical conversations, Kevin Ahmaad Jenkins, PhD, lecturer and visiting scholar, University of Pennsylvania, discussed how trustees can engage in tough conversations in the boardroom. He made the analogy that products that require batteries typically do not come with them – why would the manufacturer leave the responsibility to power it to the consumer?
The root causes of low engagement and high workforce turnover require large-scale, systemic change across health systems to ensure workers feel valued and supported, said Joel Ray, USAF Col. (Ret), NC, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Clinical Advisor, Laudio. He believes that trustees should partner with hospital leaders to promote the development of work redesign, people strategies and investment in technology to promote a culture that enables leaders and employees to flourish.
Michael Schoppmann, Esq., CEO, MLMIC Insurance Company, discussed the healthcare staffing crisis from a professional liability perspective and offered risk management strategies to mitigate liability risks.
Providers must make health equity a strategic goal, said Kathleen Rauch, RN, MSHQS, BSN, CPHQ, vice president, quality advocacy, research and innovation and post-acute and continuing care, HANYS. Failure to meet regulatory and accreditation requirements could have financial, compliance and reputational impacts.
Ransomware is a direct threat to care delivery and hospital operations, so cybersecurity is a key patient safety issue that leaders must address, according to a panel that included Chris Logan, CISSP, senior vice president and chief security officer, Censinet; M. Andrew Short, vice president and chief operating officer, Samaritan Health; and Thomas Hallisey, director, health information technology, HANYS.
Victoria Aufiero, vice president, insurance, managed care and behavioral health, HANYS, explained what trustees need to know about private equity's role in the healthcare system and how leaders should be thinking about options for competition and/or collaboration.

Thank you to all who attended! Please remember to utilize HTNYS for your governance education and keep in touch with us and let us know your needs.

Mark your calendar for next year’s conference at The Saratoga Hilton on Sept. 12 – 14, 2024. We look forward to seeing you next year!

One Empire Drive, Rensselaer, NY 12144

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