James A. Rice, Ph.D., FACHE, Vice Chairman, The Governance Institute
Given the intense focus on board performance, accountability, and transparency, it is now more important than ever for board members to understand their fiduciary duties and core responsibilities. This session provides an update on those topics and explores recent research from The Governance Institute on recommended practices for boards.

Don Seymour, President, Don Seymour & Associates
Mr. Seymour will lead an interactive discussion of the toughest governance issues you can identify. Participants will have a chance to discuss their organization’s governance challenges and learn from their colleagues’ experiences.

Brian D. Wong, M.D., M.P.H., Founder & CEO,The Bedside Trust, LLC
Every physician uses the same approach to clinical problem solving (history, physical, differential diagnosis and treatment plan) for every patient, every time. In this problem-solving session, follow a four-step approach to define an organization’s ideal state, current state, root cause of the current state, and countermeasures. The findings will lead to discovering relational answers to operational problems.

Emily Friedman, Independent Health Policy & Ethics Analyst
Okay—the “reform” bills were passed; deals were struck; and promises were made. The timeline for implementation is from 2010 through 2018, so some provisions are already in effect. The tinkering has begun as well. So what does it all mean, and for whom? What is real and what is not, and what are the potential consequences for hospitals and health systems?

Nathan S. Kaufman, Managing Director, Kaufman Strategic Advisors
Since healthcare reform is the law of the land, it is probable many reforms will accelerate the crises rather than solve them, resulting in new legislation to “fix” the underlying problems. This session will discuss the likely impact of healthcare reform on providers, forecast likely legislative fixes to the current reform law, and define specific strategies to optimize performance in the new post-reform environment.

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

Emily Friedman
Many analysts have commented on “sleeper” provisions in the health “reform” legislation. One such item is the establishment of the federally funded (although private) Patient-Centered Outcomes Institute, whose purpose is to further comparative effectiveness research and apply it to healthcare. Other similar initiatives are already under way. How—if they succeed—will these activities affect healthcare providers?

Richard L. Buck, M.D., M.P.H., FACPM, Independent Health Care Strategist
One of the major challenges for leaders in healthcare is how to deal with the increasing number and complexity of issues arising every day. Drawing on his experience as a hospital CEO as well as on the work of Peter Senge, Dr. Buck will describe specific actions healthcare leaders can take to get to “the simplicity on the other side of complexity.”

Brian D. Wong, M.D., M.P.H.
There is a huge disconnect between strategic plans and initiatives created by senior leaders and the front line staff who have to implement them. When people are overloaded with unrealistic tasks, they do only what they need to do to survive in the system. In this interactive, problem-solving session, discover how to build a trust-based, communicative culture, leading to a self-organized, impassioned workforce that solves problems together.

Don Seymour
Mr. Seymour will facilitate an interactive, participant-directed discussion, focusing on strategy and physician integration challenges.

Brian D. Wong, M.D., M.P.H.
Join Dr. Wong in an interactive Q & A session built on the lessons learned from his previous sessions. Identify ways to implement the Cultural Operating System™ (COS) in your organization. Connect with other conference attendees and recognize that hospitals are far more alike than different. Discover how this new connection-building capacity can help redesign an organization’s current culture.

Richard L. Buck, M.D., M.P.H., FACPM
Best estimates state only 20% of medical treatments/interventions are based on clear scientific evidence, and the other 80% are based on best professional judgment. This 80% accounts for much of the wide variation in treatments/interventions seen nationwide. Drawing on his experience as a hospital CEO as well as a clinical researcher, Dr. Buck will provide an overview of using evidence-based medicine in making therapeutic decisions, and outline key implications for hospital leaders and boards.

Martin Buser, M.P.H., FACHE, Partner, Hospitalist Management Resources, LLC
Hospitals across America are racing to implement and expand hospitalist programs. Properly staffed and financed, hospitalist programs can support the hospital’s efforts to reduce cost and improve quality. The challenge is to design a state-of-the-art program able to attract and retain high-performing physicians.

David B. Nash, M.D., M.B.A., FACP, Dean, Jefferson School of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University
Dr. Nash will review the growing recognition of community hospital boards that bear the responsibility for medical quality and safety. These boards must be trained in this area and demonstrate their competencies too. Receive a detailed overview of this trend with recommendations for the future.

Martin Buser, M.P.H., FACHE
Hospitals across the nation are experiencing varying degrees of difficulties with designing ED call panel compensation programs. The ED on-call issues are creating contentious relationships between administration and the medical staff. Learn from the experience of a consultant who has assisted over 125 hospitals with the design and implementation of ED call panel compensation solutions.

David B. Nash, M.D., M.B.A., FACP
In this breakout session, Dr. Nash will outline how a board quality and safety committee should be constituted, review its charge, and provide a sample agenda. Learn some specific recommendations regarding the quality and safety dashboard and its implementation at the governance level.

Kent Bottles, M.D., President, Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement
Dr. Bottles will review the causes of conflict within the employees of a hospital system, with special attention to the tension caused by having a workforce composed of a mix of Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millenials. Savvy hospital leaders will recognize the importance of engaging each of these generations in the challenging work of transformation of the system during a time of federal reform.

Kent Bottles, M.D.
Dr. Bottles will give an overview of the use of social media technologies as an important tool to embrace patients in an era of healthcare reform. Dr. Bottles has extensive personal experience in using social media to engage empowered patients who use Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to exchange medical advice and knowledge with other patients.

Don Seymour
Mr. Seymour will integrate the topics presented at this conference into a cohesive framework. Leave with 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.