Health Care in Transition: Topics for Trustees

Dynamic in-the-boardroom education on the changing health care environment

Health Care in Transition

These are uncertain times for health care leaders. As hospitals continue to cope with the lingering effects of the recession, they now face a host of new regulations in the wake of health reform. Staying abreast of the latest trends and requirements is imperative for today's boards as they make decisions that will chart their organizations' futures.

This series, "Health Care in Transition: Topics for Trustees," brings to bear the policy expertise of the AHA and the educational expertise of its Center for Healthcare Governance to create dynamic "in-the-boardroom education" on policy and regulatory issues of critical importance. Each 20- to 30-minute program consists of an audio recording with synched slides on one topic, discussion questions for use by the board after viewing the program, and supplemental resources. They can be accessed via an Internet connection for immediate play or downloaded to your computer.

Available Topics

  • Elimination of Health Care Disparities

    Speakers:
    Rick de Filippi, chair, American Hospital Association Equity of Care committee and John Combes, M.D., President and COO, Center for Healthcare Governance

    This session reviews the findings from Diversity & Disparities: A Benchmark Study of U.S. Hospitals. The survey results offer a snapshot of some common strategies used to improve the quality of care that hospitals provide to all patients, regardless of race or ethnicity. The session includes key strategic planning questions for trustees to consider regarding disparities in care and diversity, a board action checklist, and sources for additional information.

  • Importance of Diversity at Leadership and Board Level

    Speakers:
    John Bluford, President/CEO Truman Medical Centers in Kansas City, Mo. and John Combes, M.D., President and COO, Center for Healthcare Governance

    This session reviews the Minority Trustee Training program and its use to promote greater diversity and improve governance at hospitals and health systems. It highlights how diversity and diverse perspectives can improve a hospital's service to its community through accurate insight into their needs. The session includes strategic planning questions for trustees to consider regarding diversity, a board action checklist, and sources for additional information on the Trustee Training Program.

  • Tax-Exempt Hospital Requirements: "Community Health Needs Assessments"

    Speakers:
    John Combes, M.D., President and COO, Center for Healthcare Governance and Maureen Mudron, Deputy General Counsel, American Hospital Association

    This session reviews the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act's new requirements related to community health needs assessment, and the board's role in implementing these new requirements for hospital tax exemption. It includes key compliance and strategic planning questions for trustees to consider, a board action checklist, and sources for additional information on hospital tax-exempt status.

  • Readmissions

    Speakers:
    John Combes, M.D., President and COO, Center for Healthcare Governance and Beth Feldpush, PhD, AHA Senior Associate Director of Policy

    This session provides an overview of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services' new Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. Required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the program will reduce Medicare payments to hospitals with higher than expected readmission rates beginning in fiscal year 2013.

  • Value-Based Purchasing

    Speakers: 
    John Combes, M.D., President and COO, Center for Healthcare Governance and Joanna Kim, AHA Senior Associate Director of Policy

    This session provides an overview of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services new hospital value-based purchasing program. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the program will pay hospitals based on their actual performance on quality measures, rather than just the reporting of those measures, beginning in fiscal year 2013.

  • Bundled Payments

    Speakers: 
    John Combes, M.D., President and COO, Center for Healthcare Governance and Lisa Grabert, AHA Senior Associate Director of Policy

    This session provides an overview of provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that allow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to experiment broadly with new models of payment to encourage hospitals and other providers to improve the continuity of the care for patients across an entire episode of care.