30 minute read
Texas – Northern Regent’s Message Dr. Trinette K. Pierre
After months of thoughtful discussion, internal and external research, and active listening, the board of directors of ACHENTX approved the chapter’s new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion statement. The statement, posted on the chapter’s website, reads as follows:
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As the area’s leading professional association dedicated to advancing the field of healthcare leadership, ACHE of North Texas strives to be a model of diversity and inclusion. Our members will embrace, value, and respect the power of diversity in all its forms, while holding each other accountable to these values as described in the ACHE Code of Ethics.
We are steadfastly committed to supporting our members in advocating for diversity and inclusion in their organizations. We passionately speak out against any action or speech that degrades, diminishes, or devalues a person based on ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability, or religious beliefs.
We embed these values into the fabric of our organization through our intentional selection of leaders, our focus on listening and open communication, our attention to the content of our educational offerings, and our dedication to community outreach.
The statement was developed through the collaborative efforts between an ad hoc committee of the board and the DE&I Committee.
“ACHE of North Texas Board is committed to being at the forefront of change when it comes to establishing a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture in healthcare,” says Amanda Thrash, ACHENTX president. “As healthcare leaders, we have a responsibility to take these words and put them into action for the benefit of our patients, employees and the North Texas community.”
”This statement is an impactful step in ensuring we build and sustain an environment that embraces all of our members,” says Jennifer Clark, chair of ACHENTX’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “To stand firmly on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion while cultivating today’s healthcare leaders, we can shift the healthcare landscape.”
A separate DE&I page on the chapter’s website will elaborate on components of the statement and the chapter’s efforts to deliver on the values espoused in the statement. The chapter is also developing an action plan that will monitor the progress toward achieving overall DE&I goals.
Message from Our ACHE Regent, Northern
Most Beloved ACHE Colleagues, I pray this message finds you all healthy, safe, and productive. Can you believe we’ve already closed the books on half of 2021? During the first half of the year, we’ve experienced the spectrum of highs and lows. The trials have hopefully made us stronger. The triumphs should have made us hopeful. In-person learning and networking, recreational events, and office-based working are back on many of our agendas. COVID vaccinations have been administered to many. Others are still deciding if the choice of being vaccinated is an appropriate option for their families. We’ve heard debates on both sides of the argument related to vaccine hesitancy, yet the science continues to prove vaccinations help keep our communities alive. In the midst of this ongoing debate, we as healthcare leaders are tasked with a very important assignment: Promoting healthier communities by lessening the effects of this horrible disease. How do we do so? Practice – Praise – Patience.
Practice – Healthcare leaders are viewed as experts in all things COVID. Our communities, families, friends, and coworkers look to us for guidance and valid information regarding the vaccine and how it affects human bodies. While we can advise on evidence-based outcomes related to the COVID vaccine, our talk amounts to very little if we do not practice what we preach. We must ensure our families and we ourselves are vaccinated to decrease the potential of our frontline team members who must put themselves in harm’s way to care for COVID-diagnosed patients. We are the first line of defense; therefore, we must act as leaders and ensure we are leading by example by getting the vaccine – if not for ourselves, for our loved ones and those who are tasked with rendering care to our COVID patients.
organization. Praise – Please continue to give open praise to those in your communities and in your organizations who have received the vaccination. While we may not be able to give monetary prizes and gifts to those who have received the vaccine, we can continue to be cheerleaders for those who have done so. Using simple methods, such as posting “I got my 2nd dose” compliance pictures and videos on social media and sending emails thanking your team members who complete the vaccination process, go a long way to promote compliance. I’ve used this practice and it has worked to boost compliance in my family and within my
Patience – While we as healthcare professionals and leaders know the importance of getting the COVID vaccine, there are many in our circles who may not feel comfortable for various reasons. This includes some who work in healthcare organizations. I must admit, my immediate response was to lash out at these individuals while reminding them they are putting me and my team at risk. Thankfully, I was reminded by a still, small voice, that people are afraid of what they do not know and what I relayed had to be conveyed in love.
I began by gently but efficiently educating those in my professional and personal circles, as well as those I encountered in stores who happened to see my ID badge or my hospitalbranded mask who stopped me to ask about the vaccine. I
relayed the importance of receiving the vaccine and how it could save their families not only from loss, but from long-term bodily harm the virus has been proven to cause. The old adage, “you can catch more bees with honey…” proved to be true. Many agreed to get the vaccine. Others are still contemplating and “researching.” The takeaway is that we must remember we have a unique vantage point regarding the pandemic and COVID-19; therefore, we must be patient with others who may not understand the importance of vaccination. Be patient, but also be vigilant and diligent in educating our communities and loved ones.
As I close, I want to remind us all to please be champions and living examples of diversity, inclusivity, and equity in action. As a community, we rely on one another for survival. Limiting ourselves to those who look like us, think like us, worship like us, and believe like we do robs us from the beautiful experience that results from embracing all the wonderful people around us. Please ask yourselves how you can change your practice to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in your professional and personal lives. Take steps to support and promote better inclusivity and give a more resonating voice to those who, if heard, may change our world for the better. Remember, we may not all agree, but we all should respect.
As always, I must remind you to take care of yourselves in the midst of caring for others. Our families, communities, friends, and loved ones need us. Our patients need us. Our teams need us. We must ensure we’re caring for ourselves to ensure we have the physical, mental, and spiritual strength needed to care for others. Remember to Take care of YOU. Thank you for all you do for our communities and for ACHENTX. We’re blessed to have you as a part of our lives.
Be blessed and be safe.
Dr. Trinette K. Pierre, DHA, BSN, RN, CCC, CEC, CHLC, FACHE, NEA-BC Regent – Texas Northern
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As this issue of ACHENTX’s newsletter goes to the designer, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on North Texas healthcare facilities and area healthcare workers. While organizational infrastructures are being stretched beyond capacity, caregivers are suffering tremendous mental anguish, resulting in some requesting transfers and others simply walking away from their careers. The fallout for the latest surge is dire for North Texas hospitals and health systems – hundreds of nursing and respiratory therapy vacancies, jeopardizing the ability of those organizations to provide appropriate care and compromising the quality of care that is being provided.
How bad are the mental health implications of COVID-19 on healthcare professionals? Consider these recent findings:
• In the UK, the University of York and the Mental
Health Foundation conducted a global review of studies that revealed hospital workers dealing with
COVID patients had high levels of depression, PTSD, anxiety and burn-out as well as other physical health problems. The review also verified that children and adolescents are struggling with a host of mental health issues during the pandemic. • Mental Health America (MHA) pointed out that while many throughout the U.S. are coping with the fear and uncertainty of COVID-19 from their homes, essential workers, including healthcare workers, must expose themselves to the virus every day. Healthcare workers are also experiencing conditions that have been compared to a war zone, continuously witnessing the direct effects of the pandemic as it spreads throughout communities. • From June-September 2020, MHA conducted a survey to listen to the experiences of healthcare workers during COVID-19 and to create better resources to help support their mental health as they continue to provide care. More than 1,100 healthcare workers responded to the survey. Here’s what they said: o Stressed out and stretched too thin: 93 percent of healthcare workers were experiencing stress, 86 percent reported experiencing anxiety, 77 percent reported frustration, 76 percent said they were exhausted and burned out, 75 percent said they were overwhelmed. o Worried about exposing loved ones: 76 percent of healthcare workers with children reported that they were worried about exposing their child to COVID-19, nearly half were worried about exposing their spouse or partner, and 47 percent were worried that they would expose their older adult family members(s). o Emotionally and physically exhausted: Emotional exhaustion was the most common answer for changes in how healthcare workers were feeling over the previous three months (82 percent),
followed by trouble with sleep (70 percent), physical exhaustion (68 percent), and workrelated dread (63 percent). Over half selected changes in appetite (57 percent), physical symptoms like headache or stomachache (56 percent), questioning career path (55 percent) compassion fatigue (52 percent), and heightened awareness or attention to being exposed (52 percent). Nurses reported having a higher exposure to COVID-19 (41 percent) and they were more likely to feel too tired (67 percent) compared to other healthcare workers (63 percent). o Not getting enough emotional support: 39 percent of healthcare workers said they did not feel like they had adequate emotional support. Nurses were even less likely to have emotional support (45 percent). o Struggling with parenting: Among people with children, half reported they are lacking quality time or are unable to support their children or be a present parent. ACHENTX asked local behavioral health expert, Loren Fouch, LCSW, LCDC, CEO of Millwood Hospital in Arlington, to explain the challenges local healthcare professionals are facing as a result of COVID-19.
ACHENTX: Frontline healthcare workers have had a very traumatic year and a half. What should their leaders know about PTSD and its impact on morale, productivity and turnover?
Fouch: First, it’s important for healthcare leaders to know that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder that is a progression, it doesn’t always exhibit itself overnight. The condition is a response to trauma or threat, real or perceived. Because PTSD is not temporary, it interferes with everyday life and personal relationships, it can’t just be turned off.
Leaders need to know that it can impact performance at work, such as an increase in medical errors, calling in sick more frequently, increasing dread of coming into work. They need to recognize these signs and encourage impacted employees to reach out for available support resources. If leaders don’t effectively respond to PTSD among employees, their organizations are likely to experience higher turnover. In short, employers that can’t or won’t protect workers from mental stressors risk losing those employees.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are several symptoms of PTSD that employers should be aware of:
• Re-experiencing symptoms: flashbacks, bad dreams, frightening thoughts. • Avoidance symptoms: staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the traumatic experience, avoiding thoughts or feelings related to the traumatic event • Arousal and reactivity symptoms: being easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge,” having difficulty sleeping, having angry outbursts • Cognition and mood symptoms: trouble remembering key features of the traumatic event, negative thoughts about oneself or the world, distorted feelings like guilt or blame, loss of interest in enjoyable activities.
ACHENTX: What’s burnout and compassion fatigue?
Fouch: In today’s clinical environment you often hear the terms burnout and compassion fatigue. Burnout is an emotional state and more transitory than PTSD. The World Health Organization defines occupational burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic work-related stress, with symptoms characterized by “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”
According to Psychology Today, compassion fatigue, also known as secondary or vicarious trauma, occurs among people who have long exposure to other people’s trauma. The more individuals such as healthcare workers, open themselves up to other’s pain (empathy), the more likely they will come to share those victims’ feelings of heartbreak and devastation. This sapped ability to cope with secondary trauma can lead to total exhaustion of one’s mental and physical state. Symptoms of compassion fatigue can include exhaustion, disrupted sleep, anxiety, headaches, stomach upset, irritability, numbness, a decreased sense of purpose, emotional disconnection, selfcontempt, and difficulties with personal relationships.
ACHENTX: The burden of responding to the pandemic hasn’t been limited to frontline staff. How has it impacted staff in other parts of the healthcare system?
Fouch: PTSD and burnout are prevalent throughout the healthcare infrastructure. Stress is on the system at all levels. Environmental services staff have been stressed about cleaning entire facilities, both patient care areas and staff areas because of their deep sense of responsibility to keep everyone safe. Administrators have experienced stress related to not being able to provide the necessary resources for caregivers and for patients due to supply chain issues. Leaders need to acknowledge that all staff throughout the organization are under stress. They should be visible to employees in their work areas and continually express thanks and gratitude for the job they are doing. This can be verbal or tangible such as gift cards, a free meal, etc. Extending thanks to vendor partners is also important to boosting morale.
ACHENTX: What can health system leaders do to address burnout and PTSD with their teams?
Fouch: First, acknowledge their feelings allowing themselves as leaders to be vulnerable Validate their emotions and reassure them they are not alone. Create an environment where it’s OK to not be OK. Make them aware of the resources the organization has available to them and provide those resources to them. Communicate regularly about the full menu of Employee Assistance Program services. Emphasize the importance of self-care and provide tips on how to do it. Be encouraging to staff at all levels of the organization. Set healthy boundaries, model appropriate self-care behaviors. De-stigmatize seeking behavioral health treatment. Help employees understand the full continuum of behavioral health services from inpatient and outpatient care to support groups, family therapy, and more.
ACHENTX: What’s the best advice you can give to healthcare leaders as they strive to care for their employees during the pandemic?
Fouch: Take care of yourself so you can take care of your staff. You can’t be there for staff if you’re not resilient yourself. Set the example – this is how I take care of myself when I’m stressed or feeling traumatized.
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On January 1, 2021, the Healthcare Price Transparency
Rule became law under the statutory authority of the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Rule is rooted in an executive order on healthcare
price and quality transparency that was issued in June
2019. The move was part of a larger push to use price
transparency to curtail price increases and enable
patients to compare the cost of services when making
healthcare decisions.
How transparency affects hospitals
The Healthcare Price Transparency regulation applies to all hospitals in the U.S. and requires them to post, as of January 1, 2021, information about five types of charges -- gross charges, payer-specific negotiated charges, de-identified minimum negotiated charges, de-identified maximum negotiated charges and discounted cash prices. This goes well beyond the previous rule that required hospitals to post their chargemasters, a hospital-generated list of prices that bear little relation to what it costs a hospital to provide care and that few consumers or insurers actually pay.
The rule requires posting pricing for 70 CMSspecified services and at least 230 additional services in two formats, a machine-readable file (a format easily processed by computers), and a shoppable services file that enables consumers to compare prices and shop for lower-cost options. If a posted service is considered a bundled service, the posted price must reflect all costs involved, from the hardware used to the operating room time, to drugs given and the fees of hospital-employed physicians.
A Jan. 21, 2021, article in recycleintelligence.com, “Not All Hospitals Complying with New Price Transparency Rule,” reports on a study which found that hospitals are struggling to comply with the new requirements of the CMS regulation. In fact, the study revealed inconsistent and incomplete pricing information on the websites of the 20 largest hospitals in the U.S., according to number of beds. Most notably, while all 20 hospitals published some type of pricing information, some failed to show pricing information of 300 shoppable services.
Other common compliance issues identified by the analysis included data not being able to be downloaded in a usable format, hospitals not providing Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes for services, and variability in hospital terms for the pricing information. The study’s authors said, “While transparency in hospitals’ pricing may be beneficial to the average consumer and healthcare researchers, the implementation of this policy by hospitals has many hurdles to overcome before it can be useful.” How transparency will affect health plans
Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, the regulation will expand to include price transparency requirements for self-funded group health plans, group and individual health insurance coverage, and health insurance issuers in the individual and group markets.
The rule phases in specific compliance requirements for payers: • Public Rate Files (in-network rates, out-of-network rates, pharmacy medication rates) must be posted by Jan. 1, 2022 • An Online Consumer Tool that enables members to search by code, term or provider and receive the provider-specific negotiated price, accumulator balances and estimated cost sharing covering in-network, out-of-network, and pharmacy rates for 500 services must be posted by Jan. 1, 2023 • An updated Online Consumer Tool that covers all services must be posted by Jan. 1, 2024.
The three public rate files must be in machine-readable format and updated monthly. The in-network rate file must include plan ID, provider ID, medical code, Place of Service (POS) code and negotiated rate for each service. The out-of-network file must include the same identifiers as the in-network file, plus billed charge and allowed amount. The pharmacy file must include identifiers for pharmacy, national drug code (NDC), negotiated rate, and net discounted price.
Assuring compliance and avoiding the costs of non-compliance for hospitals Regulators have begun auditing hospital websites to see if mandated machinereadable files and consumer shoppable files, each containing the required information, have been posted. Regardless of the challenges presented to hospitals to comply with the rule, CMS has outlined specific penalties they may levy against healthcare organizations that do not comply: • Letter to non-compliant hospital or health system detailing the non-compliance with a request for a corrective action plan. • $300 per day penalty for non-compliance. • Escalating monetary penalties for continued noncompliance. • Reporting non-compliant hospitals and health systems on the CMS website. • Ceasing Medicare payments for services levied against flagrant non-compliant facilities. “While transparency in hospitals’ pricing may be beneficial to the average consumer and healthcare researchers, the implementation of this policy by hospitals has many hurdles to overcome before it can be useful.” Assuring compliance and avoiding the costs of noncompliance for health plans Healthcare Bluebook, developer of an online tool that enables consumers to find the best prices for healthcare services, reports enforcement of the rule will use the same framework as for the ACA market reform requirements. • Failure to comply would subject a health plan to monetary penalties of $100 per day per violation per affected member. • The rule includes a good faith allowance for data error or omission provided it is corrected, a temporary website interruption, or a reliance on third-party information. • Potential changes to requirements and timing may be impacted a new administration that may amend the implementation.
Because price transparency has major implications for a health plan, providers and plan sponsors should consider creating a strategic taskforce on price transparency. Critical voices at the table should include the CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Member or Patient Experience Officer, and a senior member of the public relations team. If the hospital or plan has a patient or member advisory council that provides input into operations, that council’s voice should also be heard and incorporated into planning for compliance. Building a credible, proactive messaging platform that addresses both external and internal stakeholders is critical to successfully positioning your benefit plan in the pricing transparency environment. Transparency will have strategic implications for health plans and hospitals beyond compliance concerns
Price transparency has far-reaching implications beyond just complying with components of the regulation. While consumers and members are the intended primary audience, competitor hospitals and health plans as well as employers are poised to digest, analyze and act upon the reported data. Pricing data will reveal the high- and low-cost providers in the market. Payer contracting strategies will seek to exploit this vulnerability as leverage for future negotiations.
Health systems are likely to cite outcomes quality data or clinical severity of caseloads to justify higher prices. Consumer demand based on non-cost attributes (e.g., brand loyalty, perceived quality, convenience of access) will also give health systems leverage to negotiate a differentiated rate structure. However, health systems will find it difficult to justify the broad discrepancies in price variation that currently exist in payer contract negotiations.
How valuable will provider price information be to consumers and members? Will they use it?
“It’s very good news for consumers,” said George Nation, a professor of law and business at Lehigh University who studies hospital pricing, referring to the transparency rules. “Individuals will be able to get price information, although how much they are going to use it will remain to be seen.”
Industry experts agree that pricing data alone won’t make much of a difference for most consumers. Why? Because many people have insurance coverage that pays defined copayments for components of care like physician office visits, medications or hospital stays that have no relation to the amounts charged by a hospital. Additionally, patients will continue to depend on advice from their physicians about how to and where to receive care. Loyalty to a hospital brand or to particular physicians will cause some patients to disregard price as the decisive factor in pursuing care.
Even if consumers use the pricing information to help inform their decision about where to get care, they may find that the low-cost provider is not in their insurance company’s contracted network, making the hospital outof-network and much more expensive. In addition, some employers are using cost incentives to drive utilization to preferred providers, with high out-of-pocket costs passed along to employees who choose to use non-preferred providers.
Finally, prices posted by hospitals and health plans will only represent one piece of the final amount consumers will pay for their care. Prices posted by hospitals for specific services, and cost-sharing information posted by insurers will be ballpark figures. An estimate on the cost of a surgery, for example, might prove inexact. If all goes as expected, the price quoted likely will be close, but unexpected complications could arise, adding to the cost.
No Surprises Act ends surprise billing
In addition to the Price Transparency rule, the No Surprises Act was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (HR133). The Act addresses surprise billing at the federal level. It protects patients from receiving surprise medical bills resulting from gaps in coverage for emergency services and certain services provided by out-of-network clinicians at in-network facilities, including by air ambulances. It holds patients liable only for their i-network cost-sharing amount, while giving insurers and providers an opportunity to negotiate reimbursement. The Act also allows insurers and providers to access an independent dispute resolution process in the event disputes arise around reimbursement. The legislation does not set a benchmark reimbursement amount. Finally, the Act requires both health plans and providers to assist members and patients in accessing health care cost information. Healthcare Bluebook summarizes health plan responsibilities under the Act as providing a pre-care Estimate of Benefits to members, insuring provider directory information is up-to-date and accurate, and providing a price transparency tool for members.
In conclusion
Overall, it is unclear whether transparency will lead to decreased prices or consumer savings. However, greater transparency could shine a spotlight on the factors that affect pricing, including rate negotiations between providers and insurers. While many in the healthcare industry agree with the spirit of the effort to be more transparent about hospital and payer pricing in an effort to create more educated consumers, they also agree that this is the first step in what is sure to be a long journey toward using pricing data to impact the overall cost structure of healthcare in the U.S.
1 Hospital Prices Just Got a Lot More Transparent. What Does This Mean for You?, Kaiser Health News, January 5, 2021. 2 ibid 3 Not All Hospitals Complying with New Price Transparency Rule, RevcycleIntelligency.com, Jan. 20, 2021. 4 ibid 5 ibid 6 ibid 7 Legislative Advisory: Detailed Summary of No Surprises Act, American Hospital Association, January 14, 2021.
In one of the most competitive and fastest growing industries, healthcare professionals are notoriously afforded opportunities to augment their specialized areas of expertise, which often leads to notable career advancement and heightened operational efficiency within an organization. One such opportunity is the pursuit of the distinguished FACHE credential, an advanced qualification indicative of Healthcare Management mastery in ten core knowledge competencies. Attainment of the FACHE credential enables one to achieve the ultimate reward of becoming a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and lifetime membership among an elite group of healthcare professionals.
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, healthcare professionals are actively pursuing and securing the FACHE credential in effort to champion a greater standard of excellence within executive leadership. I took a moment to speak with a diverse group of DFW healthcare leaders who generously shared their insights on the professional impact of the FACHE credential.
How long have you been an ACHENTX member and what motivated you to pursue your FACHE Credential?
Ron Norris, MBA, MHSM, FACHE Director of Hospital Operations, UT Southwestern Medical Center: I have been an ACHENTX member for over ten years. My mentor was a Fellow and from day one, he told me that the FACHE credential was the gold standard for healthcare leaders. Having the FACHE credential shows that I am a board -certified professional healthcare management. I have met all the educational and professional requirements of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Jennifer “J” Alexander, FACHE Manager, Operations Imaging, UT Southwestern Medical Center: I joined ACHE in 2012 when I began my graduate journey. My drive to pursue the FACHE came from being an ambassador for the ACHE North Texas Chapter. I am a committed and driven representative of this organization for what it stands for and what I associate with a great NEED. This call to action is to develop and mentor new upcoming healthcare leaders and champion their learning and growth in the healthcare relay.
Melinda Schmidt, MBA, RN, (FACHE Candidate) Clinical Consultant, Vivify Health: I have been an ACHE member for five years and currently focused on obtaining my Fellows. My motivation is as an RN, to advocate for those that cannot and believe a Fellows encompasses the best direction to fulfilling my role.
What challenges did you experience while preparing for the Board of Governors Exam?
Ron Norris, MBA, MHSM, FACHE Director of Hospital Operations, UT Southwestern Medical Center: The Board of Governors exam is one of the most challenging exams I have ever taken. It’s a very comprehensive exam that covers a vast array of healthcare subjects. It was challenging to carve out time to study between working full time, being a new director and having a family at home.
Jennifer “J” Alexander, FACHE Manager, Operations Imaging, UT Southwestern Medical Center: The challenges for me were knowing all ten core knowledge areas: Business, Finance, Governance and Organizational Structure, Healthcare, Human Resources, Healthcare Technology and Information Management, Laws and Regulation, Management and Leadership, Professionalism and Ethics, and Quality and Performance Improvement. Every professional is proficient at a couple of these topics, so it takes some time to get familiar with ones that you don’t know.
Melinda Schmidt, MBA, RN, (FACHE Candidate) Clinical Consultant, Vivify Health: My greatest barrier has been scheduling time in my calendar to have planned focus time to study.
What strategies did you use to prepare for the Board of Governors Exam?
Ron Norris, MBA, MHSM, FACHE Director of Hospital Operations, UT Southwestern Medical Center: I paid for and scheduled my exam six months in advance. Next, I attended a FACHE review course and committed to study/ reading one hour a day. Attending a FACHE review course was the best thing to prepare for the exam; the review was phenomenal.
Jennifer “J” Alexander, FACHE Manager, Operations Imaging, UT Southwestern Medical Center: I used a multidisciplinary approach. I subscribed to the ACHE National online course, went to the local chapter ½ day review, and read the Well Managed Healthcare Organization. What I thought really helped were the flashcards, not necessarily the paper ones that you buy, but the ones that can be used on Quizlet. Quizlet has the function of making the terms into test like strategy.
Melinda Schmidt, MBA, RN, (FACHE Candidate) Clinical Consultant, Vivify Health: I found the Board of Governors Review to be extremely beneficial to my studying as it required me to attend the weekly meetings. I am highly driven and prior to each meeting, I reviewed the material and study questions.
Ron, as a Fellow who has been recertified, what is the most effective way to prepare for the FACHE based on your experience?
Ron Norris, MBA, MHSM, FACHE Director of Hospital Operations, UT Southwestern Medical Center: I have recertified twice; my advice is don’t procrastinate. We are fortunate that our chapter ACHENTX has so many learning opportunities. I have also attended face to face seminars, that speakers are always top-notch, and the subject matter is always pertinent to current healthcare topics.
How has becoming a fellow helped your career?
Ron Norris, MBA, MHSM, FACHE Director of Hospital Operations, UT Southwestern Medical Center: The FACHE credential brings constant value to a healthcare leader; when someone knows you are a Fellow, it gives you immediate credibility. The continuing education opportunities help you continue to grow as a leader.
Jennifer “J” Alexander, FACHE Manager, Operations Imaging, UT Southwestern Medical Center: Knowledge is power. Your trajectory is totally built on what you expose yourself to and your continued journey to learn and grow. For an example, when I am in a room of executives, I understand the governance structure. While there may be a lot of visibility of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company, the reality is that they are chosen by a Board of Directors. Many may think that the CEO has a lot of power and influence, but the Board controls the aim. This is important for those who would like to be influential, but not necessarily the CEO of a company. There is plenty of room and other avenues to demonstrate your value and impact in. healthcare. Getting your Fellow is a “knowledge” tool in your toolbox.
What advice would you give to those who aspire to earn their FACHE credential?
Ron Norris, MBA, MHSM, FACHE Director of Hospital Operations, UT Southwestern Medical Center: The simple answer, do it. It will be one of the best career decisions. You will ever make.
Jennifer “J” Alexander, FACHE Manager, Operations Imaging, UT Southwestern Medical Center: You need to have the right mindset, be focused, and study. Ten areas incorporate a lot of material, and it takes time to let all this information soak in. Test-taking can be toll taking and weigh heavy on the candidate’s mind, but be kind to yourself, relax and progress at a nice, even pace. Full disclosure here, I offer this advice from a voice of experience. Many of my colleagues know that I work quickly, which what did the first time I took this exam. There is no shame in taking the exam a second time, which is what happened to me. Blasting through questions is not an intelligent test-taking strategy (I know this), but I also know that I am not perfect and needed to re-adjust my strategy. Course correction and forgiveness is a sign of personal growth. Failure is not an option for me, but grace and learning opportunities are. I openly share this with you because none of us hit it out of the park on the first try. So, no matter what you are trying to achieve, I believe that you will get there. Take care time, relax, and be positive. Remember, it is the journey, not the destination, and we are all in this together!
Melinda Schmidt, MBA, RN, (FACHE Candidate) Clinical Consultant, Vivify Health: Take a chance on yourself and invest in your future!
Are you considering a FACHE credential? Be sure to address these readiness requirements in order to secure your eligibility to sit for the Board of Governors Exam (BOG). Potential candidates must:
- Hold an advanced degree and possess 36 hours of CEU credits within three years prior to submitting an application for consideration - Serve a minimum of five years in an executive healthcare management role - Provide proof of participation in four volunteer activities within three years prior to submitting an application for consideration - Provide two professional references - Submit a $250 application fee
For further information about FACHE or how you can prepare for the BOG exam, please refer to info@achentx.org.
