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LEADING THE WAY TO BOSTON FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
In the spirit of Paul Revere, ASHRM’s 2008 Annual Conference & Exhibition
Oct. 2-5 in Boston will empower, educate and spark the spirit of risk management leaders to lead the way to safe and trusted healthcare.
“It’s time again for healthcare risk management’s premier event – ASHRM’s Annual Conference & Exhibition. We will be in Boston for an incredible conference that promises to be one of the best ever,” said ASHRM President Douglas Borg. “The ASHRM Annual Conference has long been one of my favorite meetings. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn, network and have fun at the same time.”
Among this year’s highlights:
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The general sessions will be highpoints with inspiring keynote speakers who will make you think and even laugh.
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A carefully selected faculty of leading authorities in all aspects of healthcare risk management will share their wisdom and experience in dozens of engaging concurrent sessions.
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A Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) exam prep course and the Applications module of the Barton Certificate Program in Healthcare Risk Management will precede the conference.
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The ASHRM board of directors and ASHRM Foundation leaders will host a luncheon on to raise money for, and awareness of, the foundation’s educational, scholarship and research grants.
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The exhibition in the spacious Hynes Convention Center will be the profession’s largest showcase, boasting more than 125 providers of products and services.
Educational perspectives
ASHRM’s 2008 Annual Conference will present nearly 60 education sessions led by a faculty of more than 100 healthcare experts. In addition to learning from leaders in the field, conference attendees can qualify for continuing education credits.
Sessions are organized by topic track – Enterprise Risk Management, Claims & Litigation, Risk Financing, Legal & Regulatory, Patient Safety and Leadership Development. The Leadership Development track is new this year, featuring topics specially selected to enhance professional development that will be presented in expanded, interactive learning labs.
Key achievements, keynotes
To celebrate a year of building upon the risk management profession’s leadership role in healthcare, President Borg and the ASHRM board will open the conference with ASHRM’s Annual Business Meeting & Recognition Event. The lively program on Oct. 2 will highlight the many accomplishments of ASHRM and be an opportunity for members to applaud themselves and their peers for contributing to the success.
The stellar keynote speakers will be:
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Bert Jacobs, Oct. 2. He will share his inspiring story of how he grew his Boston-based $100 million Life Is Good enterprise from the streets up. His insights on work and purpose will be effective motivators.
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Dr. Robert Wachter, Oct. 4. Recognized for his efforts to improve the quality and safety of care, Wachter will illustrate the connections between patient safety and risk management in such areas as reporting systems, teamwork training, simulation and professional liability.
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Connie Podesta, Oct. 5. She will use her unique ability to blend entertainment and motivation to lead a high-energy session that will touch on the aspects vital to all healthy relationships, both personal and professional.
Popular bookstore
Conference attendees will be able to get a great deal on ASHRM’s landmark Risk Management Handbook for Healthcare Organizations (5th edition). The 3-volume set (“The Essentials,” “Clinical Risk” and “Business Risk”) includes a bonus CD-ROM of downloadable tools and materials, and will be available at the onsite bookstore for a special price.
Also at the ASHRM bookstore, two new Risk Management Pearls booklets – Communication Strategies and Obstetrics (2nd edition) will be available at a special single-copy price. Additional products will include the 2008 Aon/ASHRM Hospital Professional Liability Benchmark Analysis report, Wachter’s new book Understanding Patient Safety, plus additional risk management resources and a selection of leadership development books.
Networking opportunities
At the First-Time Attendees’ Luncheon Oct. 2, experienced ASHRM members will tell how to get the most out of the conference weekend in Boston and will recap the benefits of ASHRM membership. The event is free but space is limited; RSVP with ashrm@aha.org.
Boston-themed networking breaks will add local flavor to the busy week. And, of course, the gala event will be the President’s Reception on Oct. 2, a New England clambake that will segue into the opening of the profession’s largest tradeshow. Exhibitors from ACE to Zurich will demonstrate helpful products and services Oct. 2-4.
New hotel procedure
ASHRM is offering discounted room block rates at local hotels to registered conference attendees only through Sept. 8. To qualify for discounted rates, attendees must make hotel reservations with the ASHRM Travel Desk form (link or PDF), which they will receive after they register for the conference. Airline and car rental reservations may also be booked through this form.
Others can make their own Boston housing arrangements. Room rates and availability may vary after Sept. 8.
For details, visit www.ashrm.org/annual, e-mail ashrm@aha.org or call (312) 422-3980 to request a copy of the advance program.
Education offerings precede conference
The Barton Certificate Applications module provides guidance for building practical strategies based to enhance a program’s effectiveness. Among the topics on the agenda are:
The Applications module will be offered Sept. 29-Oct. 1. For faculty and agenda details, visit www.ashrm.org/annual.
ASHRM is offering a CPHRM examination preparation course Oct. 1-2. The course is an engaging and comprehensive overview of material corresponding to the six content areas of the exam, and includes a copy of ASHRM’s CPHRM Examination Preparation Guide.
For details or to register for these pre-conference events, visit www.ashrm.org/annual, e-mail ashrm@aha.org or call (312) 422-3980 to request a copy of the advance program.
Host chapter event is ‘Shear Madness’
Join the Massachusetts Society for Healthcare Risk Management, the host chapter, for a night on the town Oct. 4. The evening will begin at 6 with dinner at the Union Oyster House near Faneuil Hall. Next, the group will depart for the Charles Playhouse to enjoy – and participate in – the interactive comedy “Shear Madness,” a wacky whodunit set in a hair salon.
Tickets for the event, including dinner, show and hotel transportation, are $150 per person. For details and tickets, contact mshrmfaith@rcn.com.
LEADERS STAY VISIBLE ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE
The ASHRM Leadership Initiative Task Force is identifying content for educational programs and publications to help ASHRM members hone their skills as leaders. For the Annual Conference’s new Leadership Development education track, the task force is suggesting key questions that the faculty may address.
To showcase these questions, the ASHRM Leadership Initiative Task Force posed them to an established and respected leader, Peggy Nakamura.
Peggy Nakamura, RN, MBA, JD, DFASHRM, CPHRM, is assistant vice president, chief risk officer and associate counsel for Adventist Health in Roseville, CA. Her résumé spans more than 30 years of experience in critical care nursing, nursing administration, medical malpractice defense law and multi-hospital system risk management programs. She describes herself as “an unabashed cheerleader for the healthcare risk management profession” and has served terms as president of ASHRM and its California chapter (CSHRM).
In response to Leadership Initiative Task Force questions, Nakamura shared her heart-felt comments – “the result of many hard-learned lessons.”
How can risk managers make their value known to the organization?
Risk managers must “walk the talk” by being responsive to all stakeholders (staff, board, medical staff, external parties). They must be available to consult on and facilitate enterprise risk issues and situations, and stay visible by participating on committees and education programs, tackling important initiatives, and demonstrating the highest of business ethics, integrity and honesty in all activities.
How can a risk manager effectively translate information and activities to those on a senior management level to promote organizational buy-in?
Enterprise risk management principles are an excellent place to start. If the risk manager considers risk across the enterprise, there will be opportunities to address senior management.
It is also important to be sure senior management understands the financial impact of risk management recommendations. (If the risk manager does not have a background in finance, I strongly recommend courses in basic finance and accounting principles.)
Use an executive summary approach. Open a written document with a synopsis of the issue including the recommendation, background and analysis, and clear recommendations in detail. Keep it short, objective, professional. This approach demonstrates the business case for risk management, particularly the financial impact.
Also, the risk manager should be knowledgeable about the organization’s goals and objectives in order to develop department or personal goals and objectives to support them.
Where does a risk manager fit into the organization’s overall success?
If the risk manager provides value by being the key resource and “go-to” individual for risk identification, risk analysis and monitoring/evaluation for the enterprise, the organization’s success will include the risk management function. I also believe that utilizing ERM principles and techniques will lead the organization to incorporate risk management in strategic planning and appreciate the risk manager’s contribution. It is difficult to imagine an organization being successful without a good risk manager!
How can the risk manager demonstrate leadership skills, not only within the organization but outside of the organization, as well?
Work on collaborative projects with other managers and volunteer to take the lead on projects that support visible organization objectives or major initiatives. Despite a lack of time and resources, participating in task forces or committees that cross silos in the organization is invaluable.
As to “outside” potential, the opportunities are limitless. Volunteering to be active in professional societies or organizations (ASHRM or local chapters) will lead to opportunities as a committee member/chair and elected positions. (One caveat: Follow through on professional commitments.) I have found my contacts and networking with other professionals as a result of my participation in ASHRM and at the state level to be invaluable in my career – and help keep me sane!
How can a risk manager work with other senior leaders to affect financial planning, strategic planning, new services for the organization, and the future of the organization?
ERM! Even if an organization does not have a formal enterprise risk management (ERM) plan, the risk manager can use ERM principles to advance the risk management program. Appreciating the various perspectives from stakeholders, demonstrating an understanding of financial performance and impact, offering well-researched and supportable opinions, and being visible and available to management are critical if senior leaders are to include the risk manager in strategic planning.
FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AWARDS, FUND-RAISING EVENT
The ASHRM Foundation has announced its latest scholarship winners and plans for its annual fund-raising event during ASHRM’s Annual Conference in Boston.
Erika Bol of Littleton, CO, is the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship. She will use it toward pursuit of a graduate certificate in corporate healthcare compliance at George Washington University.
Franka Baird-Tirado of Laurel, MD, is the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship. She also will use it toward pursuit of a graduate certificate in corporate healthcare compliance at George Washington University.
Stephen Murphy of Chicago is the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship. He will use it toward pursuit of a juris doctor degree at the Loyola University-Chicago School of Law.
The ASHRM Foundation scholarship program offers financial support to students pursuing degrees in risk management, insurance, finance, clinical areas and healthcare management. The grants go to qualified individuals interested in continuing their education in clinical, legal and regulatory and/or risk financing aspects of risk management. The final application deadlines for 2008 are June 13 (for Annual Conference grants) and Sept. 1.
Foundation awards are supported by contributions from individual ASHRM members, chapters, industry and individual donors. For information about the ASHRM Foundation, visit www.ashrmfoundation.org or contact Director of Operations and Development Joann Ciatto at jciatto@aha.org; (312) 422-3981.
You are invited
… to join the ASHRM Board of Directors and other ASHRM Foundation donors to make a positive impact on the future of healthcare risk management by funding educational, scholarship and research grants.
Attend a special fund-raising luncheon from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Past scholarship and grant recipients will be invited to attend and share their thoughts about the support. Tickets are $100 (minimum donation per ticket) or $750 for a table of eight. A portion of the donations will be tax deductible.
Space is limited. To RSVP, call (312) 422-3980 or e-mail ashrm@aha.org.
Note: In accordance with Massachusetts state law, there will be no raffle as announced earlier in the Forum, eNews, the Annual Conference advance program and elsewhere.
ASHRM COMMENTS ON PATIENT SAFETY PROPOSAL
ASHRM on April 14 submitted its comments to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 – Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM): PSO NPRM Rulemaking AHRQ-2008-001-001.
Following are edited excerpts from ASHRM’s comments. The complete document is available on ASHRM’s Advocacy Web page.
Subpart A – General Provisions; §3.20 – Definitions. “Other Privileges.” State law privileges (attorney-client, insurer-insured, peer review, etc.) may be waived or inapplicable if materials are deemed patient safety work product (PSWP). The regulations should contain the following language to alleviate this concern: “The prohibition against discovery, disclosure or admission into evidence of patient safety work product is in addition to any other protections provided by law.”
Subpart A – General Provisions; §3.20 – Definitions. Definition of PSWP, specifically the “Original Patient or Provider Information” clause. The PSWP definition states in subpart (2)(i): “Patient safety work product does not include a patient’s medical record, billing and discharge information, or any other original patient or provider information; nor does it include information that is collected, maintained or developed separately, or exists separately, from a patient safety evaluation system.” The language “any other original patient or provider information” is vague and likely subject to litigation.
Subpart B – PSO Requirements and Agency Procedures: §3.102(a) – Eligibility and Process for Initial and Continued Listing. Question #13: Should components of all or some types of regulatory entities be prohibited from seeking listing as a PSO and, if so, are there clear criteria for identifying such regulatory entities? The NPRM proposes to preclude any other entity from being listed as a PSO if it conducts regulatory oversight of healthcare providers, including accreditation or licensure. We seek clarification in identifying regulatory entities. We do not support PSOs tied to an accrediting, licensing or regulatory body. While we have experience with technical (IT) firewalls, we are not as confident about human firewalls keeping information separate. We are also concerned about human firewalls when there is a separate staff for a PSO that is a component of another organization. For example, the work of a for-profit consulting arm of a PSO must be kept separate. Without this public assurance, the perception of an organization’s ability to keep the PSWP confidential may be compromised, thereby dissuading voluntary participation in a PSO program. We urge consideration of ways to screen against special interests of a PSO (financial, regulatory/accreditation, political, etc.) and believe that regulatory and accrediting entities should not have enforcement access to the data.
Subpart B – PSO Requirements and Agency Procedures: §3.1.02(c) – Additional Certifications Required of Component Organizations. Response to Question #17, section 3.102(c): Should a component PSO be able to contract with a unit of its parent organization(s) for services involving PSWP and, if so, what restrictions are appropriate or necessary? ASHRM Questions: Must employees of a component PSO be dedicated only to the PSO or may they have other duties for a "sister" organization? May the employees of the captive insurer perform the duties of the PSO or must there be dedicated PSO staff? The example is a multi-state hospital system with its own captive medical liability insurer that is the PSO. We seek clarification of the extent of “separateness” of PSWP from non-PSWP and workforce members engaged in PSWP, recognizing the enormous operational implications and untold costs to healthcare providers. We support a less stringent requirement.
Subpart B – PSO Requirements and Agency Procedures: §3.1.02(c) – Additional Certifications Required of Component Organizations. ASHRM Question: May a component PSO share results, analysis and recommendations with its parent company if it (the PSO) and its members (the provider hospitals) all have the same ultimate parent? The example is a multi-state hospital system with its own captive medical liability insurer. The captive is the PSO and it is an indirect subsidiary of the parent as are all the hospital providers (PSO members). Membership in the PSO would be limited to providers within the same organization (having the common ultimate parent). The overall organization includes regional offices with staff who are not employees of the PSO, the insurance subsidiary or the hospital providers. These operations offices help local hospital providers improve care. They would benefit from the recommendations of the PSO, but are technically not employees of the PSO or the provider hospitals.
Subpart C – Confidentiality and Privilege Protections of Patient Safety Work Product: §3.204 – Privilege of Patient Safety Work Product. We are concerned about the burden placed on those who receive event reports and are responsible for reporting to various entities. Already, reporters must sort which data go where. They must also track the corresponding protections (state vs. federal) afforded to these reports. For example, we share different information on the same incident with state licensing bodies, the Joint Commission, state and federal quality initiatives, and independent collaboratives. We are concerned that protections for reporting to a PSO may be incongruent with those in place for other entities. This will require additional education and training for those who work with data. For example, the risk management professional handles attorney-client privilege and peer review reporting requirements. Reporting to a PSO will add to the complexity of these reporting relationships. Risk management principles are integral to this process. These principles entail more than claims and litigation management. Risk management is a full partner in patient protection and process improvement systems.
Subpart C – Confidentiality and Privilege Protections of Patient Safety Work Product: §3.204 – Privilege of Patient Safety Work Product. The NPRM provides that protection is not applicable until information is reported to the PSO. This can be too late, as an adverse event must be investigated to determine what, if anything, should be reported. We would like further consideration of when the protection is triggered given operational constraints associated with how source information is collected for reporting to the PSO. There is also concern that if source data are not protected, eventual protection of the PSWP is meaningless.
ASHRM’S BECKMAN, DRIVER NAMED TOP RISK MANAGERS
Two ASHRM members led the national competition for 2008 Risk Manager of the Year and Risk Management Honor Roll.
Business Insurance on April 28 named Scott Beckman, vice president of Risk Management and Insurance for Advocate Health Care Network, as Risk Manager of the Year, while Jeffrey Driver, chief risk officer at Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford University Medical Center, earned a place on BI’s Risk Management Honor Roll.
Beckman’s innovative risk management programs cut $50 million from Advocate's total risk cost from about $250 million four years ago, the magazine explained, adding that Driver’s data analysis-driven successes include an early settlement program to respond to medical errors, extensive reorganization of the medical center's captive and developing simulation centers to help hospital staff learn how to respond to mistakes.
A panel of nine independent judges representing risk management and insurance selected the winners, who were recognized in San Diego.
ASHRM UPDATE
Professional liability benchmarking begins
Under a co-marketing agreement between ASHRM and Aon, all ASHRM members are invited to participate in the 2008 Aon/ASHRM Hospital Professional Liability Benchmark Analysis report.
Since its inception in 1999, the report has provided healthcare risk management executives with benchmark information for budgeting liability costs. The report is scheduled to be distributed on Sept. 24 to participants at no charge. Also, data from the analysis will be presented at ASHRM’s Annual Conference, Oct. 2-5, in Boston. ASHRM members who wish to participate may contact HPL_Benchmark@aon.com.
Comp survey participants eligible for free report
With ASHRM’s online compensation survey, participants can compare their information to that of other risk managers. All participants who register and complete the subscription-based survey are entitled to receive one complimentary basic report. Participants who purchase a subscription can select criteria for additional customized reports.
The ASHRM Compensation Survey can be accessed via http://ashrm.enetrix.com. Note: To help assure the security of the data, new survey users must create an account and log in for access to it.
Vendors Directory is useful research tool
The ASHRM Vendors Directory continuously indexes the Web sites of all companies and consultants represented in the directory so users can learn about products and services of interest without the clutter of a general Internet search.
At www.ashrmvendorsdirectory.com, users can perform keyword-driven searches or a category-specific search. Members are encouraged to take advantage of this business tool so that they can be better-informed decision-makers and influencers.
IN MEMORIAM
Deborah Krohn, 54, died April 30 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore of sepsis following a liver transplant. She was an ASHRM member who served as annual conference faculty, most recently in 2007. A May 7 obituary in the Baltimore Sun detailed her interest in speaking to groups across the country and helping healthcare providers avoid medical errors. She had been a nurse at Johns Hopkins before earning a law degree and forming a law firm a decade ago. She later returned to the hospital as a nurse. “She felt she would be a better nurse with the benefit of her legal training,” said a friend quoted by the Sun.
NEW CPHRMs
The Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management designation provides a credential that verifies a broad-based knowledge of risk management. Certification elevates professionals in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It is awarded based on participants meeting eligibility requirements and passing an examination.
Congratulations to recent CPHRM achievers:
Karen T. Andersen, Melbourne, FL
Karen Bliss Harper, Grand Rapids, MI
Douglas M. Bonacum, Oakland, CA
James Robert Chamberlain, Alcoa, TN
Laura B. Deane, Atlanta
Erika Lynn Dunson, Winnemucca, NV
Alison J. Eagleton, Tulsa, OK
Wesley J. Forred, Lovelock, NV
Deborah L. Ghezzi, Sunrise, FL
David Gourley, Riverdale, NJ
Joseph S. Haase, Brentwood, TN
Donna J. Haberkern, Bakersfield, CA
Katrina Hall Jackson, Danville, VA
Lauren Hollenbeck, Memphis, TN
Christopher Loren Howe, Columbia, SC
Valynda Laird, Bloomington, IN
Brenda Jean Martin, Tampa, FL
Jodie McCloud, Hartsburg, MO
Patricia I. McCotter, Seattle
Margo Kaye Moore, Avon Lake, OH
Carol Moskowitz, Chesterland, OH
Steven J. O’Conner, Modesto, CA
Patricia K. Perricone, Palm City, FL
Kelly E. Rogers, Orange Park, FL
Alma Sebourn, Strafford, NH
Elizabeth Thomas, Pekin, IL
Wendy Zerr Jackson, Phoenix
Click here to see the complete and most current list of CPHRM certificants – more than 1,160 as of May 15, 2008.
For details about the designation, download the updated CPHRM Candidate Handbook from the AHA Certification Center via www.aha.org/certification or call (312) 422-3711.
Assessment tool available
An online tool is available for preparing for the CPHRM Exam. Created by the AHA Certification Center (the people who created the exam), the Self-Assessment Exam (SAE) simulates the actual exam in format and content. The test offers rationales for correct and incorrect options, as well as several score reports that highlight the exam topics that they scored well in and those that need improvement. For details about the SAE, contact the AHA Certification Center at (312) 422-3713.
Applying, scheduling online
CPHRM candidates who pay by credit card can apply for the exam online and schedule an appointment to test in one visit. This tool may be used for computer-based testing only. Visit www.goAMP.com, click on “Candidates,” select the “Healthcare” category, select the “AHA Certification Center” program, select the CPHRM examination application, select “Register for Exam,” log-in as a new user to create a certification profile, and follow the prompts to enter application information, eligibility and payment information, then schedule the exam. Note: When setting up an account: click on “Member,” then enter your ASHRM member number.
