After 2008, the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats vowed issues such as Medicaid funding; private Medicare plans; the uninsured; healthcare costs; private insurer practices; and quality of care would be among the new priorities. A year later, how much has been accomplished? And where do we go from here?

Donald W. Seymour, President, Don Seymour & Associates
Given the intense focus on board performance, accountability, and transparency, it is now more important than ever for new board members to understand their fiduciary duties and core responsibilities. The session provides an update on those topics and explores recent research from The Governance Institute on recommended best practices.

James A. Rice, Ph.D., FACHE, Vice Chairman, The Governance Institute
Research from The Governance Institute has isolated a series of essential structures and behaviors of high-performing hospital and health system boards. Dr. Rice will discuss these strategies and applications to best fit your organization.

Brian D. Wong, M.D., M.P.H., Founder & CEO, The Bedside Trust, LLC
While mistrust, misalignment, and miscommunication are endemic to hospital-physician relationships, it is possible to overcome discord with mutually trustworthy behavior. Dr. Wong will teach methods for creating a TRUST CycleTM—a self-reinforcing cycle of measurable, sustainable improvement to promote engagement, teamwork, and optimal performance within your organization.

Nathan S. Kaufman, Managing Director, Kaufman Strategic Advisors
Under healthcare reform, Medicare reimbursement per unit of service will not keep pace with cost inflation and may actually be reduced. Traditional means of subsidizing the under-funding will not be sufficient to achieve optimal performance in the future. Hospitals and physicians must collaborate in new ways through employment and clinical integration to provide more and better care at a lower cost.

Nathan S. Kaufman
Mr. Kaufman will discuss the critical success factors for successful managed care negotiations—specific steps, financial modeling, appropriate targets, and planning for term. In addition, best practices for employing physicians will be delineated including organization structure, compensation, and other key elements. Learn the pros and cons of physician engagement tactics including directorships, joint ventures, and ED call pay.

James A. Rice, Ph.D., FACHE
This session will review recent developments in patients' and physicians’ search for cost effective medical and surgical care, even if it means traveling to another country. Explore strategies to take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the threats.

Christopher G. Pablo, Esq., Partner, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel
Even if your organization employs government relations professionals and the associations to which your organization belongs are effective in their advocacy—trustees are often the best political advocates. Yet, they are often an underused resource. How can members of boards be more effective in the sometimes confusing and always demanding political arena?

Russell P. Massaro, M.D., FACPE, President, RPM Health Group International, LLC
The link between reimbursement and quality has been forged and the healthcare business landscape is changing, making quality and safety fundamental to success. Learn the nature of these trends and strategies to not only survive, but to thrive in the new world.

Guy M. Masters, M.P.A., Senior Vice President, The Camden Group
Turbulent times create chaos for some and opportunity for others. Leaders must clarify vision, set effective strategy, connect with key constituencies, and help people achieve great results. This session will focus on how to allocate and leverage scarce resources for optimal return as well as strategies for the future. You will never look at your strategic financial and operating plans the same again.

Monte I. Dube, Partner, Proskauer Rose, LLP
Healthcare consumers, no different than many Americans, are disappointed and angry with leadership in the business and political spheres. Charitable hospitals and health systems are not getting a free pass simply by virtue of their non-profit status. This presentation will explore these sensitive topics in a time of heightened scrutiny and accountability.

Russell P. Massaro, M.D., FACPE
Reimbursement and quality are now wed. Delivering predictable and consistent quality performance requires hard-wired systems and a degree of statistical process control. In turn, these capabilities require a culture that 'lives and breathes' quality. Review the nature of these attributes and a strategy to achieve them.

Donald W. Seymour
Technology exists, but implementation of EMRs has been extremely slow. The main impediments—confusion about standards, cultural resistance, and cost—are being overcome. Find out how Google and Wal-Mart are enabling the transition; learn where your hospital stands on an eight-stage adoption model; and leave with questions to take back to your board.

Guy M. Masters, M.P.A.
Learn the 12 steps to creating a “Top 10” medical staff at your hospital.

Brian D. Wong, M.D., M.P.H.
Mistrust is at the root of every problem in healthcare. Therefore, TRUST must be at the root of every solution. The TRUST Cycle™ teaches all healthcare professionals how to build and leverage trust through five fundamentals. Mastery of the five fundamentals will enable healthcare organizations to solve every problem—everywhere, by everyone, over and over again.

Brian D. Wong, M.D., M.P.H.
Conversations often break down when disagreement is present, the stakes are high, and emotions are hot. The environment becomes unsafe for all, including the patients. Learn the five fundamentals of how to gain positive results from even the toughest situations. The result is a conflict-resolution tool, a system that can be employed throughout the organization.

Monte I. Dube
With ever-increasing frequency, marketplace dynamics are requiring non-profit hospitals and health systems to undertake strategically crucial mergers, affiliations, and joint ventures with competing hospitals and physician entrepreneurs. This session will use case study examples of how non-profits have successfully reduced and eliminated key regulatory and public relations risks associated with big deals.

Guy M. Masters, M.P.A.
This session will discuss the 'nuts and bolts' of results-oriented strategic and service line planning—forms, checklists, templates, processes, and advice for growing volume and revenue in key service lines.

Donald W. Seymour
Mr. Seymour will integrate the topics presented at this conference into a cohesive framework. Develop an outline of key strategic initiatives to consider as you position your hospital for long-term success in a world that will be increasingly specialized, integrated, and connected.