Arkansas Hospitals, Winter 2023

WINTER 2023

SOLUTIONS FOR

SECURITY SPECIAL SECTION

Annual Meeting Recap ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 1

YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH IS A BIG DEAL. Arkansas Children’s is the state’s only health system built just for kids. By working within the communities we serve, it’s our mission to make children better today and healthier tomorrow.

We are Champions for Children where they live, learn and play.

Our Promise: Unprecedented Child Health.

Defined and Delivered. archildrens.org | 501-430-3142 2 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

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4 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

HEALTH CARE SECURITY WINTER 2023

FEATURES

14 Planning Strategically for Threats to Health Care 17 Protecting Health Care Workers 18 When Cyberattacks Strike Hospitals 22 Workplace Security Toolkit: Trauma Support 52 Staff’s Critical Role in Health

Care Security 56 Prescription for Privacy and Security

2023 ANNUAL MEETING RECAP 29 Annual Meeting in Photos 37 Meet Our Sponsors

IN EVERY ISSUE

7 President’s Message 9 Editor’s Letter 10 Event Calendar 12 Hospital Newsmakers 60 AHA Services Presents 62 Coach’s Playbook 64 Where We Stand

Arkansas Hospitals is published by The Arkansas Hospital Association

419 Natural Resources Drive | Little Rock, AR 72205 To advertise, please contact Brooke Wallace magazine@arkhospitals.org Ashley Warren, Editor in Chief

Nancy Robertson, Senior Editor & Contributing Writer Mike Spain, Graphic Designer

Roland R. Gladden, Advertising Traffic Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Larry Shackelford, Fayetteville / Chairman Greg Crain, Little Rock / Chairman-Elect Michelle Krause, Little Rock / Treasurer

Ron Peterson, Mountain Home / Past-Chairman Ryan Gehrig, Rogers / At-Large Chris Barber, Jonesboro David Deaton, Clinton Phil Gilmore, Crossett

Michael Givens, Jonesboro

Bob Honeycutt, Russellville James Magee, Piggott

Guy Patteson, Jonesboro Gary Paxson, Batesville Eric Pianalto, Rogers

Douglas Ross, Hot Springs

Neta Sue Stamps, Berryville Michael Stewart, Benton Brian Thomas, Pine Bluff

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Robert “Bo” Ryall / President and CEO Jodiane Tritt / Executive Vice President Tina Creel / President of AHA Services, Inc. Pam Brown / Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety Lyndsey Dumas / Vice President of Education Debbie Love / CFO

DISTRIBUTION: Arkansas Hospitals is distributed quarterly to hospital executives, managers and trustees throughout the United States; to physicians, state legislators, the congressional delegation, and other friends of the hospitals of Arkansas. Arkansas Hospitals is produced quarterly by Central Arkansas Media. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR and additional mailing offices. The contents of Arkansas Hospitals are copyrighted, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the Arkansas Hospital Association.

Articles in Arkansas Hospitals should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by the Arkansas Hospital Association. To advertise, email magazine@arkhospitals.org.

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on your business checking account!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Feeling Secure T he issue of employee safety in the health care field has always been important to hospital leaders, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the spotlight on workplace safety and how hospitals and health care entities can best deal with this challenge. The rise of aggressive behavior ­– by patients, families, and others – documented during the pandemic has not subsided. Our workers need to feel secure.

We often speak of each hospital’s Culture of Safety, bringing to mind an adherence to quality protocols, patient safety efforts, involvement of patients and families in their care plans, and the values, beliefs, and norms that guide and are shared by health care staff in influencing the care of patients.

But the Culture of Safety also refers to your safety as an employee in a health care organization.

Identifying and resolving safety concerns at the staff/employee level is just as important as the measures we take to protect our patients.

Providing safety and security allows health workers to deliver care mindfully, attentively, and with more complete focus.

Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering the SAVE Act, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act. It is currently working its way through the congressional process as H.R. 2584 and S. 2768, both of which have bipartisan support.

The SAVE Act, in a nutshell, would make it a federal crime to assault or intimidate a hospital employee (and to thereby interfere with the ability of that employee to perform their duties). It is modeled after the federal statute protecting aircraft and airport workers, and it would carry with it enhanced penalties for people harming or intimidating health care workers with dangerous weapons or causing them bodily harm.

The American Hospital Association is championing the SAVE Act, as are we in the Arkansas Hospital Association. In a letter to the congressional co-sponsors of the SAVE Act, American Hospital Association President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Pollack states our feelings exactly: “Violence in the health care setting has implications beyond the injuries sustained by the dedicated men and women of our workforce.

Our member hospitals and health systems report that workplace violence and intimidation make it more difficult for clinical staff to provide quality patient care. Nurses and physicians cannot provide attentive care when they are afraid for their personal safety, distracted by disruptive patients or family members, or traumatized from prior attacks.”

We know that reported instances of intimidation and workplace violence are on the rise. Especially troubling is the fear that many more cases go unreported as health workers absorb verbal abuse by patients and families or physical violence as “part of the job.”

Let me state this clearly: It is not acceptable, nor is it a part of your job, to accept workplace violence as a “norm.”

We ask that our hospitals and health care organizations promote the reporting of this type of behavior and that each incident be reported to the proper law enforcement authorities. We also advocate for prosecuting attorneys to follow through by prosecuting these crimes. Legal tools for doing so exist, and we should use them to protect those who work within our organizations.

This edition of Arkansas Hospitals is dedicated to Health Care Security – and we include a look at the National Health Security Strategies, cybersecurity strategies tailored to health care, and a toolkit for hospital staff to utilize after a traumatic incident occurs.

But most important is the protection of health workers from violence and abuse while on the job, and we support the SAVE Act as an additional tool that will help in this important endeavor.

Bo Ryall

President and CEO Arkansas Hospital Association ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 7

What does it mean to be taken care of?

At Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, it means providing peace of mind. We’ve been taking care of Arkansans for over 75 years, providing affordable, reliable health insurance … to keep Arkansans healthy and to help them heal. We’re investing in communities to keep this diverse and wonderful state strong. We’re committed to a whole person approach to health, including physical and behavioral well-being. And we recognize that total health is influenced by many factors, including medical history, genetics, lifestyle, environment, nutrition, safety and physical activity. We also realize that it will take all healthcare providers working together to ensure future generations of Arkansans can live their best life their whole life long. Let’s take good care, Arkansas.

00845.01.02-1123

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Playing it Safe W

e tend to take the security of the health care field – our workers, our buildings, our information – for granted. Though the pandemic shined a light on the fragility of health workers’ security and the news shouts every day about information systems being compromised, we still look unflinchingly to our hospitals as places of safety and hope.

In this issue, we’re exploring tools and resources available to our hospitals that support the goal of site security – places that are safe and secure for patients, for visitors, for health care providers, and for all hospital employees. In the 2020s, this certainly looks different than it ever has in the past.

We’ve brought together information from leading national experts from the U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, or ASPR; the American Hospital Association, and Hospitals Against Violence – each of whom gives hospital leaders actionable steps they can take to ensure that Arkansans who seek care in our hospitals, as well as those who provide care in our hospitals, can do so without the threat of physical or emotional harm – and without the threat of exposure of their private health and financial information.

And, as we always do in our Winter issue, we’re looking back at this year’s annual meeting and the learning, networking, collaboration, and fellowship that took place. We welcomed Boomer Esiason to the Natural State, and he shared what he’s learned from overcoming challenges in his own life; Phil Gwoke led a full-day workshop on how to engage with

employees in ways that resonate most with them based on their generational perspectives; Louie Gravance, a former professor at the Disney Institute, gave us examples of how “wow” moments in customer service enrich both the served and the server; and a panel of experienced, insightful attorneys who practice in the state of Arkansas offered perspectives from closer to home on recent developments in legal and risk management, so that hospital leaders can be better informed as they craft their own litigation risk and defense strategies. And these are just a few of the informative and enriching sessions we offered over the course of two days.

Attendees enjoyed performances by the immensely talented Rodney Block Collective and the Guido Ritchie Duo, and we welcomed members of the Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association for our Keynote Session – a colorful crowd that always infuses the event with their enthusiasm and energy. Please also explore the pages dedicated to our award winners for 2023 – they are among the hospital leaders who, every day, are changing the lives of their employees and their patients for the better.

Of course, there is no Annual Meeting without our faithful sponsors; it requires contributions at all levels to pull it all off. Flip through the pages following the Annual Meeting recap to “meet” them and learn more about how their products and services support the work of our hospitals.

We hope you enjoy this look back at this year’s Annual Meeting and its many facets, and we hope that your organization can make use of the health care security tools and resources presented in the pages of this magazine.

As we look toward 2024, we know that security in the health care field will remain a focus. Rest assured that the AHA will continue to support our hospitals and the people in their employ. Secure health care is the backbone of every community, and the AHA stands with Arkansas’s hospitals as they serve all Arkansans now and into the future.

Ashley Warren Editor in Chief

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2024 Winter Calendar JANUARY January 8

The 2024 Great American Eclipse in Arkansas: ADH Presentation Virtual event

January 12

AHA Board Meeting AHA Board Room

January 16

340B Quarterly Meeting Virtual event

January 17

The Patient Payment Conundrum: Provider and Patient Impacts AHASI Webinar

January 17

AHA Healthcare Cybersecurity Alliance AHA Classroom

January 18 Quality Forum Virtual event

January 31

CAH Leadership Quarterly Forum AHA Classroom

FEBRUARY February 9

AHA Board Meeting AHA Board Room

February 21

AHA Healthcare Cybersecurity Alliance Virtual event

February 21

Presentation by Vizient AHASI Webinar

MARCH March 7

Quality Forum Virtual event

February 15

Arkansas Hospital Association Workers’ Comp Self-Insured Trust (AHAWCSIT) Board Meeting Virtual event

February 20

March 8

The 2024 Great American Eclipse in Arkansas: ADH Presentation Virtual event

AHA Board Meeting AHA Board Room

March 14-15

Arkansas Healthcare Human Resources Association (AHHRA) 2024 Spring Conference DoubleTree by Hilton, Hot Springs

March 14

Quality Forum Virtual event

March 20

AHA Healthcare Cybersecurity Alliance Virtual event

March 20

Presentation by ChartSpan AHASI Webinar

March 25-28

ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership Hyatt Regency Chicago

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Event Highlights JOIN US! Quarterly Critical Access Hospital Leadership Meetings

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he Office of Rural Health and the Arkansas Hospital Association are collaborating in 2024 to offer Quarterly Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Leadership Meetings.

Offering an agenda that supports the specific needs of our small, rural hospitals, these meetings will provide a forum to identify and problem-solve around the unique challenges our CAH members face.

Meeting topics will include policy, funding resources, quality improvement, health equity, governance, and more.

“The entire AHA team looks forward to working with the Office of Rural Health as, together, we focus on the needs of our

Critical Access Hospitals,” says Pamela Brown, RN, BSN, CPHQ, Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety for the AHA. “These quarterly forums will not only allow us to share information and resources but will also help us get feedback that will strengthen our efforts to support our Critical Access Hospitals in the vital work they do in our communities.”

We encourage leadership staff members from Arkansas CAHs to participate. The first in-person meeting will be January 31, 2024, at the AHA offices in Little Rock. Please mark your calendars and look for registration information coming soon.

Arkansas Hospitals Prepare for the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse

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n April 8, 2024, Arkansas will be in the path of a total solar eclipse, offering a remarkable celestial event for residents and visitors in our state. During this event, the moon will align between the Earth and the Sun, temporarily casting a complete shadow over the state of Arkansas with over two-thirds of our state (approximately 52 counties) in the path of totality and the remainder of the counties in the state seeing a partial solar eclipse with up to 94% darkness.

The path of totality covers the southwest corner to the northeast corner of Arkansas. This will include several highly populated cites including Texarkana, Hot Springs, Little Rock, and Jonesboro, as well as any smaller cities and towns within its path. Total solar eclipses are rare and draw significant amounts of visitors to these events. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism has estimated that 1.5 million visitors will travel to Arkansas to witness the eclipse. The large influx of visitors will significantly strain the state’s infrastructure, from the highways and county roads to EMS systems and hospitals across the state.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), working alongside the Arkansas Ambulance Association, the Arkansas Hospital Association, and our other support agencies has established a

workgroup to discuss the upcoming 2024 eclipse. We have identified three primary areas of focus during these workgroup meetings.

First, there is a potential for a surge in the state’s health care systems, particularly in the path of totality where the state’s two level-1 trauma centers and the majority of level-2 and level-3 centers are located. Second, the estimated 1.5 million visitors are expected to cause road congestion on the state’s primary, secondary, and tertiary roads, which will also be a challenge for EMS emergent transports during and following this event. Finally, the large influx of visitors to our state will put a strain on our communication needs and make redundant means of communication vital for hospitals and emergency services.

The ADH and partners recommend your organization attend local emergency planning committees and be involved, so that you are prepared for issues that may occur during this event. For any questions regarding attending local emergency planning committees please reach out to your local county Office of Emergency Management.

The AHA has posted resources for hospitals on the AHA website. Watch for more information about seminars and eclipse information that will be hosted/posted by ADH and its partner groups.

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HOSPITAL NEWSMAKERS Arkansas Hospital Association member hospitals Ashley County Medical Center (Crossett), Chambers Memorial Hospital (Danville), VA Medical Center–Fayetteville, and Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital (Fayetteville) recently achieved fivestar ratings from CMS in the area of patient experience.

Arkansas Children’s was granted $50 million in national opioid settlement funds in November for the establishment of the National Center for Opioid Research & Clinical Effectiveness (NCOR). NCOR will be devoted to studying the impacts of the opioid crisis on fetuses, newborns, and developing children, and will accelerate development of effective, evidence-based treatments that radically improve child health and inform state and national policy efforts. Construction of the 45,000-square-foot facility, to be located in Little Rock, will begin in 2024.

Brad Bloemer, MHA, is the new CEO at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer at the hospital, and he has also served as CFO at hospitals in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri.

Scott Bailey is the new CEO at National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs. He had been serving the hospital as its Interim CEO since July 24. He previously served as CEO at Saint Mary’s Regional Health Center in Russellville.

White River Health earned an Achievement Award at this year's Arkansas Governor's Quality Awards. From left, front row, Jennifer Sandage, Gary Paxson, Chris Poole, and Kathy Thomas. From left, back row, Stephanie Welch, Ashtin Rogers, Amy Finster, and Dr. Roy Kamoga.

White River Health in Batesville was recently honored with an Arkansas Governor’s Quality Award at the 29th Annual Awards Celebration, held in Little Rock. White River Health progressed to the Achievement Award, the third of four award levels.

Arkansas’s awards align with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards and the Baldrige Excellence Framework.

Drew Memorial Health System in Monticello is now a part of the Baptist Health network. The system includes Drew Memorial Hospital, two clinics, and a home health program. The new name for the hospital is Baptist Health Medical Center–Drew County.

The April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse is expected to bring more than 1.5 million visitors to the state of Arkansas to view the event. This number of visitors will have a significant impact on Arkansas’s infrastructure, including our health care delivery system. The Arkansas Department of Transportation estimates that 600,000 vehicles above the norm will crowd Arkansas roads during the days immediately preceding and following the eclipse. For information on how hospitals are gearing up to handle increased volume, please visit arkhospitals.org, key word “eclipse.”

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Arkansas Legislative Council Approves ARPA Funds for Hospitals

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This architectural rendering depicts the UAMS Health Orthopedics & Sports Performance Center in Springdale. A groundbreaking for the facility was held earlier this fall.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences recently broke ground on its Health Orthopedics & Sports Performance Center in Springdale. The 115,000-square-foot center will be the home for all UAMS Health orthopedic clinics in Northwest Arkansas, and will include sports performance, therapy, and MRI facilities. Completion is expected in 2025.

Washington Regional Medical Center was recently named a Blue Distinction Center+ for Spine Surgery by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The hospital joins Baptist Health Medical Center–Little Rock, UAMS, and Arkansas Surgical Hospital as Arkansas hospitals with this designation.

St. Bernards Medical Center (Jonesboro) and its Advanced Heart Surgery Program was recently certified for the implantation of artificial heart pumps on patients with advanced heart failure. Certification was granted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Arkansas is the first state in the nation to make Pulsara app technology available to all hospitals, affiliated healthcare facilities, public health, EMS, public safety, and emergency management organizations. The mobile app allows providers anywhere in the state to coordinate patient care using any smart device, desktop, laptop, or browser. Funding for the program was provided by the Arkansas Department of Health.

The UAMS Office of Community Health & Research and AR Health Ventures, in a program funded by the CDC, are partnering with other institutions in the state to help rural, diabetic Arkansans better understand and manage their diabetes. The program – Reaching Every Arkansan by Connecting Health (REACH) Resources to Reduce Diabetes Disparities – will improve access to diabetes self-management education and support for rural and underserved populations in 61 high-need counties in Arkansas.

ural Arkansas hospitals are receiving special funding via the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and its Emergency Aid Relief to Hospitals. The funding has been allocated to hospitals that meet narrow criteria first established by the Department of Human Services in the fall of 2022 and refined in early 2023.

Thirteen hospitals have been approved for funding by the Arkansas Legislative Council as of press time.

Those hospitals include: Arkansas Methodist Medical Center (Paragould) Baxter Health (Mountain Home) Chicot Memorial Medical Center (Lake Village) Delta Memorial Hospital (Dumas) Dewitt Hospital and Nursing Home Drew Memorial Health System (Monticello) Eureka Springs Hospital Fulton County Hospital (Salem) Howard Memorial Hospital (Nashville) Magnolia Regional Medical Center North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (Harrison) Ouachita County Medical Center (Camden) Piggott Community Hospital

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Planning Strategically

For Threats to Health Care

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very four years, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) develops a National Health Security Strategy (NHSS) to enhance the security of the nation’s health in times of crisis. The NHSS is a roadmap to strengthen and adapt health care, public health, and emergency preparedness and response, no matter the threat. It includes resources that can be adapted to health care organizations of every size and governance structure.

The 2023-2026 NHSS includes an enhanced focus on several health care and public health challenges that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent public health emergencies including supply chain resiliency, health care and public health workforce capacity, risk communication, and health equity.

Built to guide federal actions and recommend implementation activities at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, the 2023-2026 NHSS Implementation Plan examines actions taken between 2019 and 2022 at the height of the COVID-19 emergency and seeks to provide a strategic direction that can be used to better protect people in communities nationwide from health security threats in years to come.

GOALS OF THE 2023-2026 NHSS

Strategic Goal 1: Strengthen health care and public health systems to prepare for and respond to concurrent health emergencies, including those that arise from unknown threats.

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Health care and public health systems (HPH) play a vital role in maintaining national health security during both steady state and emergency response. As seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, health care facilities and public health departments endured surges in patients, workforce shortages, and supply scarcity. Underserved communities, which face ongoing challenges accessing health care, are disproportionally impacted by emergencies. Additionally, extreme weather, infectious disease spread, and cyberattacks can occur simultaneously, further stressing HPH infrastructure and workforce.

A bolstered and diverse health workforce along with resilient and adaptable health infrastructure can strengthen the nation’s preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities and capacity.

Focus areas include tailoring response and recovery actions to the specific needs of a community, building adaptive and resilient HPH systems and infrastructure that are ready to respond to any health security threat, bolstering the recruitment, retention, and preparedness of the health care and public health workforce, and improving public health risk communications during emergencies.

Strategic Goal 2: Improve capabilities to safeguard and protect against an array of health security threats, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially zoonotic diseases.

Siloed human, animal, plant, food, and environmental health surveillance systems can reduce data sharing capacity and hinder response. By modernizing these surveillance

National Health Security Strategy

Implementation Plan

2023 – 2026

aspr.hhs.gov/nhss U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response

systems, the U.S. can facilitate swifter, more seamless electronic data exchange and implement a more rapid emergency response.

Furthermore, expanding the collection of demographic data would allow U.S. public health surveillance systems to better capture health impacts on underserved communities and at-risk individuals.

Focus areas include improving domestic and global health surveillance of human, animal, plant, food, and environmental health, expanding public health surveillance and data of underserved communities and at-risk individuals, strengthening safeguards for agriculture production systems, and enhancing cybersecurity of health care systems and technologies.

Strategic Goal 3: Ensure a resilient and sustainable public health industrial base and supply chain that can rapidly develop and deploy safe medical countermeasures.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the nation’s ability to provide public health supplies critical to mitigating the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and to reducing morbidity and mortality. Many of these supply chain challenges are not unique to the COVID-19 pandemic. Offshore manufacturing and just-in-time supply chain practices can disrupt the U.S. public health supply chain in the event of extreme weather, shifting geopolitical forces, global competition for resources – especially in times of high demand – and other factors, including concerns related to ethical production. These challenges illustrate the need to build more sustainable domestic manufacturing capacities that are resilient to shifting demand, can be adapted for new and emerging health security threats, and can meet the health needs of the whole population, especially during public health emergencies and disasters.

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Focus areas include expanding public health supply chain manufacturing capacity and flexibility, strengthening partnerships between the U.S. Government and medical countermeasure industry, and promoting innovative and adaptable medical countermeasure development.

ASSESSING PRIORITY HEALTH SECURITY THREATS

The new NHSS offers an assessment of the current and future threat environment, including: • Emerging Infectious Diseases. Pandemic pathogens can spread quickly, upend daily life, and have cascading health, social, economic, and political consequences. Additionally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to threaten human, animal, and environmental health as pathogens adapt to evade the current repertoire of drugs used to combat them.

• Unknown Threats and Concurrent Public Health Emergencies and Disasters. Concurrent incidents with negative health consequences strain the public health supply chain and response personnel, leading to economic instability and adverse impacts on patient care.

Communities with chronic health disparities are especially vulnerable to compounding climate risks, such as a hurricane during an extreme heat wave.

WORKING TOGETHER: FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL PARTNERS

Achieving health security requires a collective effort between all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and communities. Partnerships and collaboration are crucial to preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the adverse health effects of public health emergencies and disasters. Key national health security partners include: • State, local, tribal, and territorial governments, including public health authorities and emergency managers.

• Health care facilities.

• Animal, plant, food, and environmental health organizations.

• Behavioral health and at-risk individual groups and organizations.

• International partners.

• Research and diagnostic laboratories.

• Pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors.

• Information technology and cybersecurity experts.

Everyone has a role in saving lives and protecting the nation from modern and evolving health security threats.

• Climate Change. Climate change can disrupt critical infrastructure, worsen chronic health conditions, mental health, and health disparities, and drive the spread of disease.

As global temperatures rise and more extreme physical effects of climate change occur, there is an increased risk of global competition for resources and surges in international population displacement.

• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Threats and Biotechnology.

Advancements in biotechnology increase the risk of accidental biological incidents, laboratoryacquired infections, and misuse such as the creation of bioweapons. Intentional use of CBRN materials continues to be a threat to the U.S. •Cyberattacks. Cyberattacks on health technology can disrupt patient care and supply chains, put electronic patient data at risk, and worsen health outcomes. (See related article on page 18.)

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WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO MY HOSPITAL/COMMUNITY?

Everyone has a role in saving lives and protecting the nation from modern and evolving health security threats. Regional, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private partners may opt to use the NHSS as a roadmap to customize the strategies, objectives, and suggested implementation actions in the NHSS to address health security needs relevant to their agency, community, or business interests. For additional information, view more of the 2023-2026 NHSS at aspr.hhs.gov/NHSS.

Protecting Health Care Workers Who Care for and Protect All of Us

By Rick Pollack, President and CEO, American Hospital Association

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ospitals are places of healing, effects, no federal law exists to health, and hope. They strive protect health care workers. These to create safe spaces for the caring professionals are the heart of patients and communities they serve our nation’s health care system and and the dedicated team members deserve an environment free from who work there each and every day. violence in which to care for patients.

To do this, hospitals have We are hopeful that help is on implemented a number of innovative the way from Congress. In late Richard J. Pollack strategies, including focusing on September, Sens. Joe Manchin, technology and training to mitigate D-West Virginia, and Marco Rubio risk, redesigning facilities and workflows to R-Florida, introduced the bipartisan Safety from prioritize safety, and reimagining relationships Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, with hospital security and surrounding S. 2768. Their legislation would give health care communities to support prevention and crisis workers similar protections against assault to response. The American Hospital Association those that flight crews and airport workers have (AHA), through our Hospitals Against Violence by criminalizing such behavior under federal law.

(HAV) initiative, shares these resources, strategies, We commend Sens. Manchin and Rubio for their and best practices to promote a culture of safety leadership on this issue. across the field.

The Senate bill is similar to H.R. 2584, We appreciate the leadership of the HAV which was introduced by Reps. Larry Bucshon, Advisory Group, which is co-chaired by AHA R-Indiana, and Madeleine Dean, D-Pennsylvania, Board Members Mary Beth Kingston, Executive in April.

Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer with The federal laws criminalizing assault against Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, aircraft and airport workers have made an and Mary Ann Fuchs, Senior Vice President and impact. Vigorous enforcement of these statutes Chief Nurse Executive for Centra Health in has helped create a safer traveling environment, Lynchburg, Virginia, in developing a framework deterred violent behavior, and ensured that for addressing workplace violence. We are also offenders face severe consequences for their appreciative of the American Organization for actions. The SAVE Act will offer the same Nursing Leadership and other partners in helping protections to our irreplaceable health care us lead this important work. teams, who deserve no less.

Despite hospitals’ sustained efforts, our health The AHA strongly supports making the safety care workforce is embattled by a sharp increase of our caregivers a national priority. Enactment of in workplace violence, especially since the start this critically important bipartisan legislation of the pandemic. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor would be a significant step forward in protecting Statistics has found that health care workers are our health care workforce. five times more likely than any other type of Editor's Note: this article is reprinted with permission worker to be physically attacked on the job. of the American Hospital Association.

The effects of violence against health care workers extend far beyond their physical injuries.

Workplace violence can disrupt and delay care in hospitals, demoralize staff and make it difficult to attract and retain workers.

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When Cyberattacks Happen,

Hospitals Have Allies, Resources

By John Riggi, American Hospital Association

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“It was in the late morning. I was between meetings, and I went to check my email. My email was down, which I thought was odd, but not, you know, crazy unusual,” Leffler told the American Hospital Association in a January 2023 podcast. “I didn’t think a lot of it. And I went to my next meeting; when I got back, my email was still down.”

Leffler started hearing from staff members.

Their email was down as well, as was the internet, including the hospital’s electronic medical record system. The calls started coming in; critical systems were down. UVM’s

© WILSON RING ASSOCIATED PRESS

hen considering the likelihood of cyberattacks, government officials will probably tell you something along the lines of, “It’s not a matter of if, but when.”

The University of Vermont Medical Center’s “when” was a crisp autumn day in 2020, not unlike the ones that attract visitors from out-of-state seeking a glimpse of radiant foliage and the lure of pleasant afternoons.

The threat wasn’t obvious to UVM President and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Leffler, M.D., until his email went down.

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incident command center was activated. By 2 p.m., it was evident that the hospital was under siege via a ransomware attack.

“It was basically a note text file deposited on one of our servers,” says Douglas Gentile, M.D. Gentile, UVM’s chief medical information officer, found it curious – a ransom note lacking the traditional demand. “It did not have a dollar amount.

It simply said, ‘We have encrypted your information.

Here’s how you contact us.’”

Hospitals are increasingly popular targets for cybercriminals. Most of these bad actors favor ransomware attacks, in which files and data are encrypted following an incursion by a malicious computer program.

Health care data is rendered unavailable, internal computer networks are lost, and the organization is cut off from the internet. The organization is denied access to encrypted files and data until the attacker’s demands are met. Many ransomware attacks originate from foreign-based hacking groups whose safe havens include Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.

But for hospitals, ransomware attacks are more than inconveniences. They can result in extended disruption and delays to health care delivery. This makes these attacks direct risks to patient safety, a risk so profound that the U.S. government officially recognizes and responds to ransomware attacks against hospitals as threat-to-life crimes. Ransomware attacks on hospitals can result in the cancelation of elective surgeries, delays in cancer treatment, denied access to electronic medical records at critical moments – including drug allergy information – and the diversion of ambulances carrying stroke, cardiac, and trauma patients to emergency departments further away.

www.aha.org/cyb

BUILDING RESILIENCY, ONE HOSPITAL AT A TIME

ersecurity

The good news is that, while hospitals will remain high value targets to cyber criminals, they can proactively take steps to build up their defenses to prevent attacks and boost their resiliency to sustain operations and recover.

www.cisa.gov

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Collaborate. Collaboration is key to creating emergency response plans for cyber incidents. Within your organization, take a multidisciplinary approach – involve not just IT teams, but all leadership across your organization as well as clinical staff, emergency managers, and other stakeholders.

To mitigate the effects of a cyberattack across your region, leverage existing regional health care emergency management plans. Utilize existing relationships, information-sharing channels and mutual aid agreements.

www.cisa.gov

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Include “cyberattack” as one of the hazards covered by regional emergency management plans.

Expect cyberattacks to occur and plan for longer recovery periods, as attacks can last for several weeks. UVM was without its EHR for 28 days during its ransomware attack; its regional lab could not get lab results back to other hospitals in its network or across the state and its radiology system went down for six weeks. Other hospitals have experienced the same lengthy types of health care technology disruptions. That’s why the American Hospital Association recommends downtime contingency plans accounting for loss-of-life and mission-critical technology for upwards of three to four weeks.

Prioritize your cybersecurity investments and consider the long-term effectiveness and reliability of technology solutions. Educate and train your staff by conducting regular phishing exercises. And

put into place robust incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans. By integrating cyber incident response planning with emergency response planning, you’ll be able to also develop departmentspecific cyber disaster plans to help identify high-risk patients and ensure continuity of care during an attack (See related articles on pages 52 and 56.).

Build an evidence base of best cybersecurity practices. Hospitals are urged to invest in research to evaluate the effectiveness of cybersecurity interventions, the findings of which should be shared with the entire health care sector to elevate the field’s cybersecurity.

Evaluate new technologies and vendors carefully. It takes due diligence when evaluating third-party resources to reduce attack surfaces. That includes accountability, evidence-based practices, and stronger security measures from technology vendors.

Keep your friends close.

Your local FBI office is an asset, with resources and connections that reach far beyond your community. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has been very effective working across governmental agencies and with the private sector. Combined, they offer a whole-of-nation approach, with coordinated efforts that help sound the alarm when issues arise and muster resources when organizations need assistance.

Follow the news. Hospitals are urged to review threat alerts and bulletins released by the FBI, CISA, and the Department of Health and Human Services. These agencies routinely share guidance on cyber risk mitigation procedures (https://www.cisa.gov) and ransomware readiness (https://www.cisa. gov/stopransomware). The American Hospital Association (AHA) also provides hospitalspecific resources and regular cyber updates (https://www.aha.org/cybersecurity).

FACING AN EVOLVING LANDSCAPE

Like any other profitable enterprise, opportunity begets growth – and in the case

of cybercriminals, there is ample incentive to continue their ways and evolve their methods.

In the future, ransomware may seem like a quaint novelty in comparison to a threat environment driven by artificial intelligence.

Right now, our adversaries are leveraging AI to design and execute their attacks. AI is deployed to enhance the sophistication of phishing emails, lend convincing tones to impersonation attacks, and identify and rapidly exploit system vulnerabilities. We’re seeing a possibility of increasingly complex malware code, deeper target reconnaissance, automation of attacks, and wider, more evasive and, frankly, overwhelming campaigns to disrupt health care operations and steal information.

FORTUNATELY, TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME

Arms races must have two sides. There are the "bad guys," all our cyber adversaries, and there are the "good guys," hospital IT staff, network defenders, and the U.S. government and our counterparts in allied nations. Cyber defenders are tapping into AI to detect advanced threats and to put into place controls to help try to block those threats. It will require ongoing investment in people and technology, but the cost of not doing so may jeopardize public health and safety.

The AHA is prepared to serve as a resource and facilitator for hospitals that are threatened or are seeking to harden their defenses. Hospitals are encouraged to reach out early and often, share what they know and have experienced, and keep their focus on what they do best: care for patients and communities.

One good resource is AHA’s “What Boards Should Know about Cybersecurity” e-book (https://trustees.aha.org/whatboards-should-know-about-cybersecurity), which is free for AHA members, and provides hospital governing boards with what they need to know about cybersecurity and the questions to ask CEOs and their teams to ensure necessary plans and precautions are in place.

JOHN RIGGI is the American Hospital Association’s national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. He can be reached at jriggi@aha.org.

AHA Seats Its 2023-2024 Board of Directors The 2023-2024 Board of Directors for the Arkansas Hospital Association was approved at a business meeting held during the AHA’s Annual Meeting in early November.

Serving on the Executive Committee are: Larry Shackelford, CEO, Washington Regional Medical System, Fayetteville / Chairman Greg Crain, President, Central Region, Baptist Health, Little Rock / Chairman-Elect Michelle Krause, MD, Senior Vice Chancellor, UAMS Health and CEO, UAMS Medical Center, Little Rock / Treasurer Ron Peterson, CEO, Baxter Health, Mountain Home / Past-Chairman Ryan Gehrig, President, Mercy Hospitals Arkansas, Rogers / At-Large Serving as District Board Delegates are: Arkansas Valley District – Bob Honeycutt, CEO, Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Russellville Metropolitan District – Michael Stewart, CEO, Saline Memorial Hospital, Benton Northeast District – Michael Givens, Administrator, St. Bernards Medical Center, Jonesboro Northwest District – Eric Pianalto, Chief Strategic Growth Officer, Mercy Hospitals Arkansas, Rogers North Central District – David Deaton, CEO, Ozark Health Medical Center, Clinton Southeast District – Brian Thomas, CEO, Jefferson Regional, Pine Bluff Southwest District – Douglas Ross, MD, President, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs, Hot Springs Serving as the Delegate to the American Hospital Association is: Chris Barber, President/CEO, St. Bernards Healthcare, Jonesboro Serving as Trustee to the Arkansas State Board of Health is: Phil Gilmore, CEO, Ashley County Medical Center, Crossett Serving as Representative, Arkansas’s QIO (Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care) is: Gary Paxson, CEO, White River Health System, Batesville Serving as Ex-Officio Members are: James Magee, Executive Director, Piggott Community Hospital, Piggott Neta Sue Stamps, President, Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association, Berryville Guy Patteson, President, Arkansas Association of Hospital Trustees, Jonesboro ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 21

Workplace Security

CDC Reports Increase in Health Worker Harassment, Poor Mental Health A Hospitals Against Violence Toolkit for Hospitals

T

he share of health workers who reported feeling threatened or harassed by patients or others at work more than doubled between 2018 and 2022 to 13.4%, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report based on national survey data.

Health care workers reporting harassment were five times more likely to report anxiety, three times more likely to report depression, and six times more likely to report burnout than workers who did not.

About 46% of health workers reported feeling burnout often or very often in 2022, while 86% reported feeling pretty happy or very happy and 82% said their working conditions allow them to be productive. Surveyed health workers reported an average of 4.5 poor mental health days in the past month, up from 3.3 in 2018.

“In this study, we saw that when working conditions are positive, and where health workers are supported and have the potential to thrive, poor mental health outcomes were less likely,” says L. Casey Chosewood, M.D., director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Office for Total Worker Health. “Employers can make a critical difference here by taking preventive actions and

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improving difficult working conditions that are linked with anxiety, depression, and burnout.”

The American Hospital Association strongly supports the bipartisan, bicameral Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, legislation that would give health care workers the same legal protections against assault and intimidation that flight crews and airport workers have under federal law.

In addition, AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence and workforce initiatives offer a wide array of resources, strategies and best practices to support workforce well-being and promote a culture of safety.

To support our hospitals, the following guide and resource toolkit, published in late October, will help hospital leaders mitigate trauma that can affect the health care workforce following incidents of violence or threats of violence occurring in the workplace or the community.

This toolkit offers ideas, focus questions, case studies, and action steps that can be adapted and adopted in hospitals of every size and demographic.

More information is available by searching article titles under the “Additional Learning” section at the report’s conclusion.

Hospital Resource Toolkit:

Building a Safe Workplace and Community

Providing Trauma Support to Your Workforce Following an Incident or Threat of Violence

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Introduction Trauma Support

Culture of Safety

EDUCATI ON

ITY

Leadership IL

DATA

In 2021, the American Hospital Association’s Hospitals Against Violence (HAV) Advisory Group developed the Building a Safe Workplace and Community framework to guide health care leaders in their efforts to prevent and mitigate violence. The framework focuses on four pillars necessary for implementing a comprehensive violence mitigation strategy: culture of safety, violence intervention, trauma support and risk mitigation. For each domain, the advisory group develops an issue brief to examine that area of focus.

This issue brief examines trauma AB support for hospital and health system ACC NT U O team members. It was developed from discussions the HAV Advisory Group Violence had with the Medical University of Intervention South Carolina’s National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center (NMVVRC) team about the challenges and opportunities to provide trauma support to health care workers following an incident or threat of violence.

Mitigate Risk

Trauma, Violence and Your Workforce: What Leaders Need to Know According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior and other aspects of functioning. Traumatic events include those caused by human behavior as well as by nature and often challenge an individual’s view of the world as a just, safe and predictable place (APA, 2023).

Experiencing, witnessing, or responding to violence and threats of violence in the health care setting can be a traumatic experience for many health care workers and team members, regardless of their role within an organization. Whether experiencing verbal or physical violence directly inflicted by a patient or their family member, encountering incivility from a colleague, or providing care to patients in the wake of a community or mass violence incident, many health care workers may need support in coping with violent and traumatic events.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA)’s Three Es of Trauma Framework explains how individual trauma occurs: EVENT Event occurs that can cause actual or threatened physical or psychological harm

EXPERIENCE The individual experiences the event and determines if the event is traumatic to them

©2023 American Hospital Association | October 2023 Page 2 | www.aha.org 24 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

EFFECT Individual experiences effects of trauma, including adverse physical, social, emotional or spiritual consequences

Whether a health care worker perceives a violent incident as traumatic can be determined by a range of factors, including their proximity to and/or their involvement in the violent situation, their available social support system, their life experiences, and their cultural beliefs. Two health care workers who experienced the exact same violent incident may perceive the event very differently, and as a result, there may need to be different levels and types of support moving forward based on their experiences and perceptions of the event.

It is possible for health care workers who have experienced trauma caused by witnessing, experiencing, and responding to violence to learn to cope and heal when they have the right types of support in place to help them. Health care organizations play a critical role in ensuring health care workers experiencing the effects of trauma receive the resources, care, and tools they need to start and stay on a path to recovery.

Providing Violence-focused Trauma Support Health care organizations should strive to offer a wide range of supportive services to the workforce after a violent incident or threat occurs. However, this does not mean that an entirely new approach or program needs to be implemented to provide this type of support. Violence-focused trauma support services can and should be incorporated into the spectrum of well-being programs already offered by an organization.

As you work to identify the best approaches to develop or expand current well-being efforts, take the time at the senior leadership team level to review what exists, how successful you have been, and where the continued needs are. These assessments will help direct next steps. It is important to include perspectives from human resources, clinical, operational, facilities, quality, technology, chaplaincy, and patient experience teams to review current activities and outline an approach for the organization to engage in well-being.

Safety Strategies that Worked

Centra Health

Response Toolkit Guides Staff to Resources after Workplace Violence Centra Health, based in Lynchburg, Va., is a regional nonprofit health care system with 7,300 employees serving as the dominant provider of critical medical services in Central and Southern Virginia. Understanding how workplace violence and the mental well-being of the workforce can be connected to each other, Centra Health has systems in place to provide the tools and support their workforce needs after a violent event occurs.

Centra Health’s workplace violence response toolkit guides leaders and staff on the steps to take following an incident of violence. The toolkit includes a letter from the chaplaincy team, an infographic on what feelings to expect after an incident occurs and contact information for supportive resources, such as the organization’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The toolkit is distributed to all employees and can also be accessed 24/7 via the employee portal.

The toolkit encourages five key actions: • Pause: After the employee is safe, take a pause to evaluate the situation and determine next steps.

• Communicate: Immediately communicate the event to the employee’s supervisor, human resources and the EAP. • Treat the Injury: Coordinate for the employee to have their physical and emotional injuries treated before returning to work.

• Report: Help the employee report the incident.

• Provide Resources: Ensure the employee has access to the workplace violence toolkit so they have easy access to resources later.

©2023 American Hospital Association | October 2023 Page 3 | www.aha.org

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ACTION STEP

Inventory Organizational Well-being Support Services • Review your organization’s current well-being programming offerings. Understand what you already have in place to support the mental and physical well-being of your workforce and consider how you can use those tools and resources to support workers when they encounter violence.

• Does your Employee Assistance Program include behavioral health services that can be easily and confidentially accessed?

• Does your organization’s health insurance plan adequately cover services from a variety of behavioral health providers who can accommodate the schedules and unique experience of health care workers?

• Do you have a peer support or second victim program in place that is prepared to support employees after they encounter violence?

• Do you offer an option for a trained mental health professional to lead a debrief with employees after they experience a potentially traumatic event?

Safety Strategies that Worked

Personnel Crisis Response Team Coordinates Interdisciplinary Response to Crisis Situations

Geisinger Health

Located in Pennsylvania, Geisinger Health employs more than 25,000 individuals who work in 10 hospitals and 133 clinics across 67 counties. Under the guidance of Geisinger’s Center for Well-being, the Personnel Crisis Response Team (PCRT) was developed to better support their workforce after incidents that create significant impact.

A “personnel crisis” is defined as an active event where business unit continuity is disrupted due to the emotional state of the staff. This can include workplace violence or other significant sentinel events.

The PCRT can be activated by the administrator on call, any leader at the director level or above, or human resources. When activated, a message is sent to the PCRT coordinator, who gathers information about the crisis and formulates a plan of action. The coordinator then huddles with the Office of Well-Being, Human Resources, Spiritual Care, Bioethics,, and the Department of Behavioral Health to create a response plan. By responding as a team as opposed to independently, Geisinger is able to utilize the resources available more appropriately and free other teams to focus on other priorities.

Geisinger found that having a central point of emotional impact coordination allows leaders to focus on business continuity, managing risk, safety, and other key operational challenges that arise in crisis. The crisis response mechanism also facilitates ongoing follow up with teams and individuals for weeks following the initial event, acknowledging that the emotional impact from a crisis does not end after the first contact or intervention. Because Geisinger has numerous behavioral health and well-being resources, the response team allows experts to ensure the correct resources are being used in appropriate scenarios. The team also has the opportunity to improve access and awareness of these resources. Since its inception in June of 2022, the PCRT has been activated 37 times, impacting over 100 teams, and reaching more than 1,300 individuals.

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• Examine the availability of both individually and organizationally focused well-being resources and ensure that both types of resources are available to the entire workforce. Some members of the workforce may opt to seek support alone, while others may be interested in finding connection with others who have also encountered violence. Ensure both options are available and easily accessible.

• Explore the opportunity to partner with community-based organizations that can provide additional support to your workforce. Connect with your community’s local social service, victim and survivor assistance and mental health organizations to see what types of trauma support services they offer to community members that you might recommend to your workforce.

ACTION STEP

Offer Training Opportunities • Invest in well-being programming that facilitates continual education, training, and support for your workforce, such as those from The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. Consider programs such as Schwartz Rounds and Stress First Aid that aim to improve psychological safety and encourage sharing, empowerment and support amongst the members of your workforce.

• Provide de-escalation training to enable team members to confidently and safely play a role in preventing workplace violence.

• Empower your workforce to intervene when witnessing harassment, discrimination, incivility, and lateral violence through regularly offering Bystander Intervention Training and Cognitive Rehearsal Training.

• Ensure affected members of your workforce have access to trained and licensed professionals to facilitate evidence-informed early interventions after a traumatic event occurs. See below for more about Critical Incident Stress Debriefing.

FOCUS

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: Helpful or Harmful?

A

ccording to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), early intervention of some kind should be offered to those affected by a potentially traumatic event. This intervention can be offered either individually or in a group setting. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is a commonly used debriefing methodology, but evidence about its efficacy is conflicting. Research suggests that some debriefing components, such as sharing details of the actual event in a group format, may not necessarily improve recovery and could be potentially harmful to some. Debriefing may be useful for low stress exposure events, but for individuals with severe exposure to trauma or acute grief,

debriefing may not be recommended. Over the years, CISD models have shifted as part of a large Critical Incident Stress Management approach.

Guidelines for early intervention after trauma and disaster are to promote safety, calm, connectedness, self-efficacy and group efficacy, and hope. Components should include: (1) facilitating screening of those at risk (e.g., direct exposure to life threat, prior trauma exposures, prior mental health difficulties, and low social support); (2) disseminating education about trauma, mental health resources; and referral information; (3) improving organizational morale; (4) connecting to social support; and (5) monitoring recovery.

©2023 American Hospital Association | October 2023 Page 5 | www.aha.org

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ACTION STEP

FOCUS

Empower Managers and Leaders to Identify Trauma and Provide Support

Common Responses to Trauma

• Teach managers and leaders to identify some common reactions that may occur after a traumatic event so they can identify team members who might benefit from trauma support resources (see Common Responses to Trauma, right).

• Psychological: losing hope for the future, feeling detached, losing a sense of concern about others, being unable to concentrate or make decisions, startling easily, feeling on guard and alert, having upsetting dreams and memories, having problems at work, avoiding people, places and things related to the traumatic event.

• Educate managers and leaders on the types of well-being resources available at your organization so they can easily share those resources with their teams. Ensure managers and leaders know who the point person or team is that is coordinating response resources so employees can be connected to the appropriate support services.

• Provide each manager with a summary resource that includes information about how to access services. Encourage managers to proactively share this summary resource with their teams.

(Adapted from: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD)

• Physical: Stomach upset, trouble sleeping, fatigue, pounding heart, rapid breathing, shakiness, sweating, increased substance use, reduced interest in keeping up with regular self-care, exercise or diet.

• Emotional: Feeling nervous, helpless, fearful, or sad, feeling numb, feeling irritable or angry, getting easily upset or agitated, selfblaming, trouble trusting others, withdrawing from relationships, feeling detached.

• Encourage managers and leaders to consider how they can proactively communicate and support their team members who were not directly involved in a traumatic violent event, but still may be affected by the event.

• Implement a system to consistently check-in with the managers and leaders who are providing support to employees who have experienced violence to ensure that they also feel supported and able to connect with resources as needed.

• Discuss employee well-being and trauma support regularly at leadership and board meetings to ensure the organization is proactively ready to respond to team members’ needs.

ADDITIONAL LEARNING

GENERAL RESOURCES • AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence Initiative • Medical University of South Carolina’s National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center • The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare

• Collective Trauma: Respond Effectively as an Organization, American Medical Association (2022) • Well-Being Playbook 2.0: A COVID-19 Resource for Hospital and Health System Leaders (2021) • Well-Being Playbook: A Guide for Hospital and Health System Leaders (2019)

LEARNING MORE ABOUT TRAUMA • U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • How Recovery Leads to Resilience (2022) • Mass Violence is a Public Health Crisis (2022) • Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center, Center for Health Care Strategies • SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach

LEARNING MORE ABOUT DEBRIEFING • Single session debriefing after psychological trauma: a meta-analysis • Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD): Efficacy in Question • Behavioral Health Interventions Following Mass Violence

TOOLS TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSE TO TRAUMA • Supporting the Health Care Workforce: Lessons Following the COVID-19 Pandemic (2023) • Suicide Prevention: Evidence-Informed Interventions for the Health Care Workforce (2022) • Strengthening the Health Care Workforce: Strategies for Now, Near and Far (2022)

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CASE EXAMPLES • Members in Action: Northwell Health Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery (2022) • Preventing Suicides in the Health Care Workforce: The Role of Resilience (2022) • Trauma-Informed Leadership with Henry Ford Hospital and Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital (2022) • Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care (2021) • What is Trauma-Informed Care? (2019)

Boomer Esiason presents the Keynote Address to hospital leaders and volunteers.

T

2023 AHA Annual Meeting

he AHA Annual Meeting returned this year to Little Rock, where leaders from hospitals throughout the state gathered to learn from industry experts, inspirational speakers, and each other. We would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting, as well as all of our sponsors, who are highlighted in the special Sponsor Advertorial section beginning on page 37.

On day one, Phil Gwoke presented a full-day leadership workshop that offered attendees an array of insights about how generational differences among employees and leadership alike can become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. On day two, Boomer Esiason delivered an inspirational talk about how overcoming life’s challenges can be an ultimately enriching experience. Many other presenters and experts offered actionable takeaways to Arkansas hospital leaders throughout the meeting, and we look forward to seeing how that translates into improvements in health care delivery in our state.

Planning is already underway for next year’s meeting, which will be held October 30-31 at the Little Rock Marriott.

Concurrent, specialized sessions allowed attendees representing various aspects of hospital operations, from marketing and public relations to nursing and finance, to hear from experts relevant to their own work.

Katherine Meese (above, left) presents at the ACHE Face-to-Face Workshop with a focus on helping teams flourish, and Kristie Tobias (above, right) presents to communications and marketing professionals about how inclusivity can be built-in to both the internal and external health care environments.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 29

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30 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Attendees of the Keynote Session were welcomed once again this year by the fun and funky tunes of the Rodney Block Collective. It's difficult to stay in your seat when they take the stage!

This year's Keynote Presentation was delivered by none other than Boomer Esiason! He shared from the heart what he has learned about how to overcome the toughest times and grow in character and courage, even when it feels like hope is lost.

Top-level contributors to the AHA PAC were invited to meet Boomer Esiason in a short meet-and-greet session prior to his presentation.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 31

Readmission Report The SHARE 90 day readmission report is a summary of patients that have been discharged from your facility and were readmitted to any of our 116 connected hospitals within a 90 day time frame.

Your 1st Step To Reducing Readmissions!

This timely information can be used to: Reduce re-admission penalties Inform quality improvement Improve transitions of care Identify patients at high risk for readmission Contact Us | 501.410.1999 | SHAREhealth@arkansas.gov | www.sharearkansas.com

JOIN OUR CLINICAL FACULTY! New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University is actively recruiting physicians to join our Department of Clinical Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine in Jonesboro.

We offer: • • • • • •

Opportunities to work in a hospital, ER, or our on-campus clinic Loan repayment options Competitive salary Employer-funded retirement with employee contribution Significant PTO and flexible schedule to provide ideal work/life balance Fulfillment of investing in future physicians to help address significant needs in our state and region

For more information, contact Dr. Shane Speights, Dean of NYITCOM at A-State, at 870-680-8882 or sspeights@nyit.edu.

Visit us online at nyit.edu/Arkansas 32 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

WELCOME, AUXILIANS!

There's never a dull moment when the Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association (AHAA) comes to visit!

Volunteers' bright uniforms and brighter smiles infuse the event with a burst of celebratory energy.

Their association's outgoing President, Judy Shaffer, presented the AHAA's Administrator of the Year Award to Sammie Cribbs, CEO of North Arkansas Regional Medical Center.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 33

2023 AWARD WINNERS A. Allen Weintraub Memorial Award BARRY DAVIS, FACHE Arkansas Methodist Medical Center Paragould ACHE Regent’s Award: Senior-Level Career Healthcare Executive TERRY AMSTUTZ, FACHE CEO, McGehee Hospital McGehee ACHE Regent’s Award: Early Career Healthcare Executive MACKENZIE CLYBURN AVP of Hospital Operations, Baptist Health Medical Center Little Rock C.E. Melville Young Administrator of the Year Award JOSH CONLEE President, Lawrence Healthcare Walnut Ridge Distinguished Service Award ALICE LAWSON Pine Bluff Barry Davis (top), accepts the A. Allen Weintraub award, the AHA's highest honor. Terry Amstutz (right) accepts the ACHE Regent's Award for Senior-Level Healthcare Executive from Greg Crain, President, Central Region, for Baptist Health.

34 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

Clockwise from top left: Barry Davis accepts the A. Allen Weintraub Award; Brian Thomas, CEO of Jefferson Regional, presents the Distinguished Service Award to Alice Lawson; Greg Crain, President, Central Region, for Baptist Health, presents the ACHE Regent's Award for Early Career Healthcare Executive to Mackenzie Clyburn; Josh Conlee accepts the C.E. Melville Young Administrator of the Year Award from Chris Barber, President/CEO of St. Bernards; outgoing AHA Board Chairman, Ron Peterson (CEO of Baxter Health), welcomes incoming Board Chairman, Larry Shackelford, CEO of Washington Regional Medical Center.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 35

2023 DIAMOND AWARDS

T

he AHA Diamond Awards annually recognize excellence and encourage improvement in the quality, effectiveness, and impact of health care marketing and public relations in the state of Arkansas.

Hospitals compete in established marketing categories with other hospitals of similar size (0-25 beds, 26-99 beds, 100-249 beds, 250 or more beds).

We’re proud to honor those organizations taking home 2023 Diamond Awards (in alphabetical order and the categories in which they won): ARKANSAS HOSPICE – Advertising (Total Campaign), Foundation, Social Media ARKANSAS METHODIST MEDICAL CENTER – Advertising (TV/Public Service Announcements) BAPTIST HEALTH – Annual Report, Foundation BAXTER HEALTH – Advertising (Print/Digital) CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM – Annual Report, Visual, Writing DELTA HEALTH SYSTEM – Advertising (Special Visual), Social Media, Publication JEFFERSON REGIONAL – Advertising (Total Campaign), Publication, Writing MCGEHEE HOSPITAL – Annual Report MENA REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM – Publication, Special Events NORTH ARKANSAS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER – Advertising (Print/Digital), Foundation OZARK HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER – Advertising (TV/Public Service Announcements) PIGGOTT HEALTH SYSTEM – Advertising (Print/Digital), Advertising (Total Campaign), Writing SOUTH ARKANSAS REGIONAL HOSPITAL – Special Events ST. BERNARDS FIVE RIVERS – Advertising (Print/Digital) ST. BERNARDS HEALTHCARE – Social Media UAMS MEDICAL CENTER – Advertising (TV/Public Service Announcements) UNITY HEALTH – Special Events WASHINGTON REGIONAL MEDICAL SYSTEM – Advertising (Special Visual) WHITE RIVER HEALTH – Advertising (Total Campaign), Social Media, Publication

36 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

MEET YOUR 2023 ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS We are thrilled that we were able to gather with you in Little Rock for this year’s Arkansas Hospital Association Annual Meeting. Many of our sponsors’ representatives joined us for the event, so that they could learn more about the special challenges our hospitals are facing and speak with hospital leaders face-to-face to help them discern whether their products or services are right for their facility.

Here, as we have for the past three years, we once again offer our Sponsors and Supporters a chance to connect with you from a distance. They continue to support AHA and offer services to our member hospitals, and we remain grateful for their partnership. Please dive right in and learn more about some of the companies that are valued supporters of our state’s hospitals.

DIAMOND LEVEL, p. 38 PLATINUM LEVEL, p. 41 GOLD LEVEL, p. 44 SILVER LEVEL, p. 47 SUPPORTERS, p. 50

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 37

THANKS, DIAMOND LEVEL

AHA Services, Inc. (AHASI) is owned by the AHA membership and was created to serve you. AHASI connects member hospitals throughout the state with products and services that reduce costs and drive performance improvement. All AHASI Endorsed Vendors undergo a strategic vetting process to ensure that their offerings will help AHA member hospitals respond to the ever-shifting health care landscape.

AHASI revenues are reinvested in AHA to provide critical financial support for educational programs and member initiatives in every department of the organization. We invite you to maintain an open line of communication with the team at AHASI and let us know if there's a product or service you're seeking. This not only benefits all AHA members – affording more attractive pricing and benefits from vendors for all when we have stronger participation – it also maintains an important revenue stream that supports all of the other work we do here at the AHA. For these reasons we ask that you look to AHA Services first when there's a solution you're seeking.

Not familiar with what AHA Services offers? Here is a list of just some of the challenges you may be facing and for which we provide solutions. Visit ahaservicesinc.com to learn more!

EDUCATION

• Online Continuing Education • Talent Management • Clinical Student Orientation • Patient and Workforce Violence Training • Resources for Pricing, Price Transparency, Coding, Reimbursement, and Compliance

FINANCE & OPERATIONS

• 340B Split Billing • 340B Contract Pharmacy • 340B Consulting and Solutions • Third-Party Liability and Workers' Compensation Claims Recovery Services • Trusted Digital Marketplace for PPE • Supply Chain and Operational Solutions • Resources for Pricing, Price Transparency, Coding, Reimbursement, and Compliance

INFORMATION

• Translation services • HIPAA Compliance/Quality Risk Analysis • Trusted Digital Marketplace for PPE

INSURANCE

• Workers’ Compensation Program • Employee Benefit Solutions and Consulting • Liability Insurance and Consulting • “On-the-Job” Accident Coverage for Volunteers

38 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

Tina Creel, President, AHA Services, Inc. tcreel@arkhospitals.org (501) 224-7878

The company and its family of affiliates (which includes Health Advantage, Arkansas Blue Medicare, and BlueAdvantage Administrators of Arkansas) are national- and state-level leaders in health plan innovation and offer coverage options to fit any need or budget.

Arkansas Blue Cross offers two basic categories of coverage:

DIAMOND LEVEL

As Arkansas’s oldest and largest health insurer, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield has been helping improve the health, financial security, and peace of mind of the people of Arkansas for nearly 75 years.

Consumer health plans (for individuals) – including a spectrum of health, dental, and vision insurance policies for individuals and families, plus Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement and prescription drug policies.

Employer-sponsored health plans – including fully insured or self-funded versions of group health, dental, and vision plans.

Arkansas Blue Cross employs more than 3,200 people in about a dozen locations throughout the state.

The company serves more than 2 million members – nearly 800,000 people who live, work, learn, and play in and around Arkansas and another 1.2 million through national accounts.

Commitment to policyholders/members As a private, not-for-profit, mutual health insurance company, Arkansas Blue Cross stands apart. Arkansas Blue Cross is not a publicly traded company and does not pay shareholder dividends. Its policyholders, or members, actually own the company.

Commitment to health care providers Health care providers played a key role in the founding of Arkansas Blue Cross, and they continue to be a key ally supporting the company’s mission. The company works closely with health care providers, sharing claims data, exploring new technologies, and collaborating on ways to make the health care system more efficient and effective. Their shared goal is to ensure that each member receives highquality, high-value care at an appropriate cost.

Commitment to communities Arkansas Blue Cross also stands out because of its significant history of giving back to Arkansas – in ways that make life healthier. Arkansas Blue Cross and its employees commit financial resources, time, and energy to address key health-related issues. Since 2001, the company’s nonprofit Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas has awarded grants to thousands of health-promoting programs in communities (in all 75 counties) throughout Arkansas.

The company also annually supports Arkansas civic, cultural, and educational organizations and consistently contributes to disaster-relief efforts.

Arkansas Blue Cross began as a “grassroots” effort to make life better for the people of Arkansas, and today, that philosophy remains at the core of its daily work and vision for the future.

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield www.arkansasbluecross.com

Facebook: @ArkansasBlueCross Twitter: @ArkBlueCross Instagram: @arkansasbluecross LinkedIn.com/company/Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield YouTube: @arkbluecross ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 39

DIAMOND LEVEL SEVIER COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER | EXTERIOR AND LOBBY | DE QUEEN | PHOTOS BY DERO SANFORD

Founded as a small construction company in 1949, Nabholz is a team of industry-leading professionals serving our clients, communities, and each other. Through the decades, we've grown into a national multi-service contractor offering a full range of construction, industrial, excavation, and environmental services. In locations across seven states, we carry on our founder, Bob Nabholz's, vision of a company committed to its guiding principles of service, quality, innovation, and integrity. We operate today with a simple purpose in mind: to grow our people, serve our clients, and build our communities.

We've always believed relationships are built by consistently performing on every project and finding solutions within every client's budget. Of course, there may be no ribbon cuttings for installing a singular MRI, redoing the nurses' station, or even retrofitting light fixtures for LED bulbs. Still, we know every investment in your facility affects employee and patient morale. That's why our goal is to meet you where you are and perform work that makes day-to-day operations smoother for everyone.

We've dedicated time and money to becoming experts in healthcare construction so we can help our clients stay in step with changing technology and patient demands. We've also diversified our service line to be a single-source provider of all construction and facility maintenance services for healthcare clients. We promise that even though it's hard to spell, our name is the only one you need to remember to get things done. Our capabilities include:

CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM | INTENSIVE CARE UNIT | CONWAY PHOTO BY KEN WEST

•

PRECONSTRUCTION & CONSTRUCTION

•

MACHINERY INSTALLATION, MOVING, & SERVICE

•

MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS

•

CRANE & EQUIPMENT RENTAL

•

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD SERVICES

•

INFRASTRUCTURE & EXCAVATION

•

ENERGY PERFORMANCE & SOLAR SERVICES

•

CUSTOM FABRICATION & CABINETRY

WWW.NABHOLZ.COM | 1.877.NABHOLZ Corporate Headquarters: 612 Garland Street, Conway, AR 72032 Facebook: @NabholzCorp | Instagram: @nabholzcorp| LinkedIn.com/company/nabholz-corporation 40 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

At Cadence, your goals come first.

Having the right insurance coverage, employee benefits and business solutions are invaluable to the unique cadence of your business. As your trusted partner, we work with you to achieve your goals and ease your mind. We listen first and then provide tailored solutions focused on your success. Not many insurance brokerages will do that. We do…every day.

William "Bill" Birch Sr. Vice President Risk Consultant

BXS Insurance

© 2023 Cadence Insurance, a division of Cadence Bank. All rights reserved. Cadence Insurance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cadence Bank. Insurance products are: Not a deposit. Not FDIC insured. Not insured by any federal government agency. Not guaranteed by the bank.May go down in value. Cadence Insurance is an insurance agent and not an insurance carrier.

17900 Chenal Parkway Little Rock, AR 72223 (O) (501) 614-1170 (M) 501-454-8687 (F) 501-614-1470 Bill.Birch@cadenceinsurance.com

FOR unmatched industry insight, VISion matters

FORward A S S U RVISion A N C E / Trevives A X / C ONSU LT ING We applaud that the lives you mend begin with your vision of making a positive impact in the world.

Our vision is helping make yours a reality. Whether you’re looking to navigate regulatory compliance, reduce risk, or identify reimbursement opportunities, our forward-thinking professionals can help you prepare forvis.com/healthcare for what’s next.

FORVIS ranks among the nation’s top 10 public accounting firms, helping unlock the potential of our clients, people, and communities. We deliver an Unmatched Client Experience® with assurance, tax, and consulting services that reflect our exceptional capabilities and uncommon commitment to excellence.

ASSURANCE

/

TA X

/

C ONSU LT ING

FORVIS.COM Derek Pierce, CPA, FHFMA Partner LinkedIn.com/company/forvis

forvis.com/healthcare

Derek.pierce@forvis.com

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 41

THANKS, PLATINUM LEVEL

Your Goals. Your Cadence.

PLATINUM LEVEL

Whether you are a hospital, physician group, healthcare provider, or a company that serves provider organizations, you know that the demands on the health sector are complex. At Friday, Eldredge & Clark, our health law practice encompasses a wide range of legal services to address not only issues that arise in the highly regulated healthcare industry, but also the counsel to handle business operation needs, as well.

Our healthcare lawyers have the insight, capability, and experience to effectively address the complex issues inherent in the healthcare industry, including regulatory and compliance matters, contract negotiations and preparations, reimbursement issues, and audit reviews and appeals.

The practice group includes Attorneys Lynda M. Johnson, Timothy C. Ezell and Amie Schoeppel Wilcox For more information, please visit www.fridayfirm.com/ healthlaw.

Friday, Eldredge & Clark 400 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 2000 Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-3522 | www.FridayFirm.com 501-376-2011

Lynda M. Johnson ljohnson@fridayfirm.com

Timothy C. Ezell tezell@fridayfirm.com

Amie Schoeppel Wilcox awilcox@fridayfirm.com

Employee Benefits Consulting Gallagher is a global leader in insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting services. As your local insurance partner and trusted advisor, we empower individuals and businesses like yours to move forward with confidence. With a dedicated team of over 48,000 professionals worldwide, we have strong ties to the communities we serve.

Our mission is to mitigate risk through tailored solutions and a wide range of services. We specialize in helping you build a thriving workforce and uphold the highest ethical standards to tackle any challenge.

As your experienced healthcare partner, Gallagher offers strategic planning for employee benefits, customized plan designs, cost-effective strategies, benefits administration support, compliance consulting, financial management, and various funding options. Elevate your organization with a strategic, comprehensive, and competitive total rewards program that attracts and retains top talent, enabling you to fulfill your commitment to the community’s well-being.

Contact Information: Chris Newkirk | chris_newkirk@ajg.com Merlin Hagan | merlin_hagan@ajg.com Gallagher | 6325 Ranch Drive | Little Rock, AR 72223 www.ajg.com

42 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

Brennan McCutchen, AIF®

Jonnathan Davis, AIF®

PLATINUM LEVEL

At Qualified Plan Advisors, we truly believe that every organization deserves to work with participant-driven fiduciaries who engage in meaningful conversations, who care deeply about participant success, and who understand the steps needed to successfully reach retirement. Our team is built to serve and make a difference.

Jason Gerber, CFP®, MS, AIF®

Managing Partners, Little Rock

Prime Capital Investment Advisors | Qualified Plan Advisors 6325 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223 p: 501.823.4637 | f: 501.823.0941 | PCIAWealth.com

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 43

THANKS, GOLD LEVEL

A

rkansas patients face difficulties in paying out-of-pocket medical expenses due to escalating costs of deductibles. As a result, costs for hospitals increase, while revenue decreases. A next–generation financial engagement program, AblePay makes paying out-of-pocket medical expenses simple and convenient for patients. This innovative program empowers providers to improve patient revenues, collection efficiency and the overall patient experience.

Contact information:

John Rankin

SVP, Provider Networks John.rankin@ablepayhealth.com • Cell: (214) 213-8162

BENEFITS

• Prompt payment to providers within 14 days (no recourse).

• Patient savings up to 13% on outof-pocket medical expenses or extend payments over time (with savings or no interest).

• Accepts all patients into the program, without credit checks or propensity-to-pay scores.

• Easy implementation and integration (secondary payor processing).

• Maintaining your current internal processes and vendors.

• AblePay assumes all financial risk for members.

AFMC is a private, nonprofit organization helping health care

professionals deliver the best care at the lowest price and empowering patients to take control of their own health. By assisting leaders in our community, our experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated team delivers exceptional value to our customers and partners on time and within budget.

At the forefront of health care reform and practice transformation, AFMC is an established, trusted partner in private, state, and federally led programs for Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers.

SOLUTIONS INCLUDE: • Contact Center Services • Practice Transformation • Security Risk Analysis • Analytics

• Arkansas Medicaid Guidance • Peer Recovery Support • Review Services • Hybrid, Virtual, and In-Person Event Planning

Visit www.afmc.org to learn more about how AFMC can be your problem solver. afmc.org • afmc.tv/ • www.facebook.com/afmcAR • www.twitter.com/afmc www.linkedin.com/company/afmc?trk=company_logo

CareSource PASSE is a Provider-Led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity serving Arkansas Medicaid recipients with complex behavioral health, developmental, and intellectual disabilities. The provider-led partnership includes health care and community leadership from across Arkansas with a shared commitment to transforming the delivery of care for its members by creating innovative community solutions focused on a person-centered approach and engagement through caregivers, providers, and community-based organizations.

For more, visit www.caresource.com/Arkansas, follow @caresource on Twitter, or like CareSource PASSE on Facebook.

44 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

PARTNER WITH US FOR:

CHRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT • 24-hour nurse line • Personalized care plan for each patient • 20 minutes of dedicated care per patient, per month

RPM ENROLLMENT • Dedicated enrollment specialists • Patient marketing

GOLD LEVEL

As the largest full-service Chronic Care Management organization in the U.S., ChartSpan partners with more than 150 practices and health systems to provide value-based care to Medicare beneficiaries. We also offer Annual Wellness Visit software, Remote Patient Monitoring enrollment services, and Quality Improvement services.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SERVICES • Complimentary with CCM services

ANNUAL WELLNESS VISITS • Software for HRAs • Automated eligibility checks

Discover how preventative care programs can improve your patient outcomes, increase your annual revenue, and improve your quality scores. Learn more at www.chartspan.com.

Contact: GARY STICKNEY, gary.stickney@strategichealthcareadvisors.com • +1 (816) 682-4743

HSS Risk Consulting & Training (RCT) is your one-stop shop for compliance, education, and mitigation solutions to keep your organization safe and prepared.

RISK ASSESSMENTS – Regardless of size or organization complexity, HSS security professionals assess the current status of a security program while creating a longer-term security master plan that meets the standard.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TRAINING – HSS’s

nationally-recognized, award-winning Techniques for Effective Aggression Management (TEAM ®) training program takes the guesswork out of compliance with OSHA, CMS, DNV, and TJC requirements.

ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING & PREVENTION – HSS active

shooter exercises and response training saves lives and improves staff confidence while reducing turnover and psychological trauma. Realistic, memorable exercises and trainings resonate with everyone from frontline staff to senior leadership.

Contact: Seth Karnes, Senior Director, Risk, Consulting, & Training skarnes@hss-us.com | 720.641.5209

Medical Waste Management is a business-to-business service company offering solutions tailored to your organization’s needs. Since the company began in 2012 (and with our recent merger with nationally recognized Sharps Medical Waste Services), MWM has continually offered cost-effective solutions to our clients’ medical waste needs while reducing the risk of exposure through compliant working practices. MWM’s significantly expanded services include our Integrated Waste Stream Management program, offering an array of highly specialized solutions in the health care industry including reusable sharps management, pharmaceutical waste, and RCRA hazardous waste management. MWM is truly competitive within the field, and we are a viable option for managing all waste streams in any size facility for our clients while remaining environmentally conscious.

For more information, contact: Mark Steffan, Integrated Waste Executive Office 800-772-5657 | Mobile 985-317-8203

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 45

GOLD LEVEL

SHARE (State Health Alliance for Records Exchange) securely gathers medical information from different participating healthcare providers and creates a more complete picture of Arkansans’ health. SHARE makes it easier, faster, and more secure for providers to exchange health information which helps providers coordinate care, reduce mistakes, and avoid unnecessary duplication of services. With daily reports such as 90 day readmission reports, SHARE makes sure healthcare workers have the information they need when they need it.

State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE) 1501 N. University Ave. Suite 420 Little Rock, AR 72207 (501) 410-1999 sharearkansas.com Facebook @SHAREarkansas, X @SHAREarkansas LinkedIn @SHARE SHAREhealth@arkansas.gov

Vizient, Inc., the nation’s largest health care performance improvement company, serves more than 50% of the nation’s acute care providers, which includes 97% of the nation’s academic medical centers and more than 20% of ambulatory care providers. Vizient provides expertise, analytics, and advisory services, as well as a contract portfolio that represents more than $130 billion in annual purchasing volume. Vizient’s solutions and services improve the delivery of high-value care by aligning cost, quality, and market performance. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vizient has offices throughout the United States.

To learn more, visit www.vizientinc.com vizientinc.com | (800) 842-5146 LinkedIn.com/company/vizient | Twitter: @VizientInc |

Contacts:

Jeneen Ablan Strategic Affiliate Manager 507-313-1185 jeneen.ablan@vizientinc.com

Facebook: @VizientInc

AHA ANNUAL MEETING 2024 | OCT. 30-31 | LITTLE ROCK KEYNOTE: MIKE MASSIMINO, former NASA astronaut, professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University and senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Mike was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1996, and is the veteran of two space flights, the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009. Mike has a team record for the number of hours spacewalking in a single space shuttle mission, and he was also the first person to tweet from space.

During his NASA career he received two NASA Space Flight Medals, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the American Astronautical Society’s Flight Achievement Award, and the Star of Italian Solidarity.

Mike has made numerous television appearances, including a six-time recurring role as himself on the CBS hit comedy The Big Bang Theory.

LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP: PATRICK HOULAHAN Patrick Houlahan is a world-renowned speaker, teacher, leader, and Founder / CEO of Strategic Leadership Consultants LLC. Patrick is a graduate of The Citadel with over 27 years of military service. Rising to the rank of Colonel, Patrick flew the F/A-18 Hornet and graduated from the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, “TOPGUN.” Patrick was also recognized as the United States Marine Corps Instructor Pilot of the year and as a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army War College, receiving a Master’s in Strategic Studies.

46 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

created the Connectivity Consortium for you!

Get your hospital’s maximum funding from the FCC’s Healthcare Connect Fund.

Cut costs in half for Internet, WAN, firewalls, routers, network management, and more.

The 2024 application window is now open!

Need to cut costs? Join your peers and get your share of the funding!

Contact: info@fedfunding.net

CONNECTVITY CONSORTIUM

Our team focuses on specific skills and expertise needed for long-term success – tapping into our deep pool of jobs and candidates. We are dedicated to permanent physician and advanced practice job searches and have developed a methodology that results in the placement of the highest quality clinicians and physician leaders across the complete spectrum of healthcare delivery systems.

Jeff Waddill AMN Leadership Solutions Merritt Hawkins Regional Vice President

Direct: 469-524-7462 | Cell: 972-742-2480

Corporate Headquarters 8840 Cypress Waters Blvd., Suite 300 Dallas, Texas 75019

800-876-0500 | 469-524-1400 | 469-524-1421 fax info@merritthawkins.com

merritthawkins.com linkedin.com/company/merritt-hawkins @MerrittHawkins

AHEF, the local chapter of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE), is a forum for professional development for the state’s healthcare executives.

Since its inception, the association has expanded its membership to all those involved in healthcare-related professions including students in healthcare management programs.

THANKS, SILVER LEVEL

THE ARKANSAS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

Visit ahef.ache.org or ache.org for more information.

Azalea Health is changing the way health IT platforms connect community-based health care providers and patients across the lifecycle of care. Offering a 100% cloud-based integrated solution, Azalea delivers electronic health records and revenue cycle management designed for rural and community practices and hospitals. Quick to deploy and intuitive, Azalea solutions ensure better care coordination and communication – enabling better outcomes and a meaningful competitive advantage.

DAVIS BAYLES

Sales Representative 770-846-6469 6 Concourse Parkway, Suite 2550 Sandy Springs, GA 30328 davis.bayles@azaleahealth.com www.AzaleaHealth.com www.linkedin.com/company/azalea-health www.facebook.com/azaleahealth/ @azaleahealthinnovations @AzaleaHealth ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 47

SILVER LEVEL

PARAREVENUE, a CorroHealth Company, was founded in 1985 to provide reimbursement, pricing, coding, and contract management services to hospitals. Our services encompass all aspects of the healthcare revenue cycle, and we also provide services to physician practices, ambulatory care centers, skilled nursing, and independent testing facilities. During the past 37 years, PARAREVENUE services have resulted in significant improvement for healthcare providers across the nation.

IMPROVE QUALITY, OUTCOMES AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

DataGen® offers analytical insights focusing on payment policy impacts, value-based programs, market dynamics and patient safety.

Violet Archuleta-Chiu Senior Account Executive Office: 800-999-3332 ext. 219 Violet.Archuleta-Chiu@CorroHealth.com www.CorroHealth.com

Our product portfolio includes: • Analytics to support Accountable Care Organizations and Alternative Payment Model programs.

• Custom analytics to evaluate market dynamics, financial and quality outcomes, and community health needs assessments.

• Applications to support Culture of Safety surveys.

DataGen.info info@datagen.info 1.844.DATAGEN LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/ datagen-healthcare-analytics/

IT is critical to businesses across all industries. Today’s technology must be smart. Reliable. Adaptable.

Secure. At Edafio, we deliver IT solutions at the highest level, from cloud computing to proactive cybersecurity strategies. And the team? As impressive as the tech.

Our local collaborative experts deliver practical support focused on one thing: your success. Let’s see what we can do together.

MELISSA SWANN

mswann@edafio.com 479-431-0384 Edafio, 501-221-4100, 5400 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118 www.edafio.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edafio/

48 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

Contact: Crystal Mata, VP of Business Development / Marketing P: 866-931-8882 Ext. 177 C: 469-556-7186 E: cmata@essdoc.com www.essdoc.com

EFB ENGELKES FELTS & BARNHARDT, LTD. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Placing Physicians Who Fit, Succeed, and Stay

Recruiting physicians, physician executives, and advanced practice providers requires a partner with a track record for delivering on the toughest recruiting challenges. With a 97% client satisfaction rate, we are recognized for our culture of service excellence and innovation that accelerates searches. Visit www.jacksonphysiciansearch.com or contact Regional VP Gary Seaberg at gwseaberg@ jacksonphysiciansearch.com.

SILVER LEVEL

JACKSON PHYSICIAN SEARCH

Contact Information: GARY SEABERG 4975 Preston Park Blvd Suite 400 Plano, TX 75093 469.203.7256 www.jacksonphysiciansearch.com

Certified Public Accountants 1225 Front Street Conway, AR 72032 Phone: (501) 329-5613

The Mitchell Williams team of health care lawyers understands the challenges and rapidly changing regulations of the health care industry. We assist hospitals and health systems with: • Risk management and compliance • Physician contracts and non-compete agreements • Fraud and abuse claims and investigations • Legislative and health care public policy • Health care real estate transactions and leasing • Employment and labor matters

Signet Health partners with hospitals and healthcare systems to provide expertise in behavioral healthcare, acute physical rehabilitation, and addiction services.

Signet is Vizient’s strategic service partner for both service lines and brings an unprecedented amount of knowledge, experience, and passion to its client hospitals nationwide.

Signet has been living its mission of advocating for vulnerable people for nearly 25 years. Contact us today.

PAT DOYLE, Executive VP, Chief Development Officer 940-600-4867 • pdoyle@signethealth.com 9151 Boulevard 26, Suite 175A North Richland Hills, TX 76180

Megan Hargraves Mitchell Williams Law Firm 425 W. Capitol Ave., Suite 1800, Little Rock, AR 72201 501-688-8800 | Mitchellwilliamslaw.com

www.signethealth.com https://www.facebook.com/signethealth https://www.linkedin.com/company/signet-health/

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 49

THANKS, SUPPORTERS

I

n collaboration with Hyve Health and our fellow state hospital associations throughout the U.S., the American Hospital Association's Vitality Index is gathering and sharing data on the claims, denials, and reimbursement performance of hospitals and their commercial payers – while protecting both the confidentiality of patients and sensitive hospital financial information.

Participating hospitals will have access to dashboards that allow them to benchmark their performance on reimbursement metrics such as: • Frequency and cost of claim denials.

• Timeliness of payments.

• Average reimbursement (normalized to protect negotiated payment rates).

• Cost of denials.

To learn more about how your participation can have an impact on state and national advocacy, contact us!

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COVERAGE The AHA Workers’ Compensation SelfInsured Trust program was established in March 2003. The program provides workers’ compensation coverage to the AHA's members. Risk Management Resources, a division of Cadence Insurance, the third party administrator for the program, assists members in the areas of underwriting, claims management, safety, and loss control.

For more information, contact: Tina Creel AHA Vice President of Member Services (501) 224-7878 tcreel@arkhospitals.org

Donald McCormick dmccormick@arkhospitals.org (501) 224-7878

careLearning is an online education company designed to help healthcare organizations by providing reliable, trusted, and easily accessible talent management solutions. When you work with us, you gain access to our Learning Management System (LMS), our Competency and Performance Management Solution, a full course catalog, and much more. Please contact us to learn more!

YOUR ONE-STOP HUB FOR HEALTHCARE SUPPLIES

We support healthcare providers at every step, ensuring you have everything you need for PPE, wound care, urinary supplies, test kits, and IV supplies. Choose bttn as your full-service distributor for unparalleled support. support@bttnusa.com 206.312.2776

50 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

Tony Wegmann Client Engagement Specialist careLearning 866-617-3904 101 Stockton St. Charleston, WV 25387

www.carelearning.com

SUPPORTERS

Welcome to the future of healthcare, where technology meets the human touch.

ADVANCED ANALYTICS. Understand everything— from employee experience to patient safety and beyond—with the most robust tools available.

Morgan Hunter HealthSearch provides leadership recruitment services exclusively for the healthcare industry. Our expertise is at the director-level and above, for both interim and permanent positions. We are a proud partner of AHA Services.

CONNECTED INSIGHTS. Access healthcare’s biggest datasets with insights into how to make your healthcare business better.

MEASURABLE IMPACT. Elevate everyone’s experience of healthcare—from patients and members to employees.

BARRY JACKSON, President Morgan Hunter HealthSearch

www.pressganey.com

Direct: 816-868-9633 bjackson@mhhealthsearch.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ barryjackson5/ www.mhhealthsearch.com

TM

HELPme: YOUR COMPREHENSIVE WELL-BEING COMPANION FOR HEALTHCARE TEAMS

The well-being of healthcare professionals is paramount, and navigating the challenges of a demanding workplace requires a robust support system. HELPme, by STOPit Solutions, is a comprehensive well-being app tailored to meet the unique needs of healthcare teams.

KEY FEATURES: 1. Anonymous Communication Channel 2. Immediate Crisis Support 3. Self-Help Resources 4. Tele-Therapy Options CONTACT US TODAY!

KEVIN ASKEW Chief Revenue Officer 101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Suite 4116 Holmdel, NJ 07733 (o) 732-678-6656 • www.stopitsolutions.com

Voyce equips healthcare organizations with a seamless interpretation experience through ondemand video and audio interpretation.

With advanced EHR integrations, over 2,000 interpreters and all required hardware included, we provide healthcare professionals with access to medically qualified interpreters who speak 240+ languages, often in under 30 seconds. Voyce has 140 million minutes served and is dedicated to growing this number to ensure everyone has a Voyce.

DANNY CHANG (519) 990-3416, danny.chang@voyceglobal.com (855) 568-6509 1301 International Pkwy, Ste 510 Sunrise, FL 33323, USA www.voyceglobal.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/voyce/

BOOK A MEETING WITH ME! ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 51

52 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

Health Care Cybersecurity and Protecting Information T

his edition of Arkansas Hospitals magazine focuses on issues of security within the health care field, including the protection of cybersecurity networks and electronic information.

The following two articles bring cogent perspectives on how your organization can work with all staff members to protect not only your network, but the personal health information with whom so many interface every day. We believe these two perspectives will help inform Privacy and Security Committees and their ongoing education of health workers at every level of the organization.

The Critical Role of Staff for Ensuring Security Awareness

By Randy White

I

n today’s digital age, my company and our business partners, and I’m sure your organizations, too, rely heavily upon technology and information systems.

Because of this reliance, the significance of security awareness among your organization’s staff members cannot be overstated.

As cyber threats evolve and become

more sophisticated, organizations must prioritize educating their employees about potential risks and best practices to ensure sensitive information’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This article delves into the importance of security awareness training for your staff and its role in safeguarding individual and organizational interests.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 53

The rapid digitization of business processes and the increasing reliance on interconnected technologies have expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals.

These malicious actors continuously seek vulnerabilities to exploit, making it crucial for organizations to adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity. While investing in advanced security solutions is essential, these tools are only as effective as those who use them. This is where security awareness training comes into play.

THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN CYBERSECURITY

Your organization’s staff members, from executives to entry-level employees, play a pivotal role in maintaining your organization’s security posture. Many cyberattacks, such as phishing and social engineering, exploit human psychology and behavior rather than directly targeting technical vulnerabilities.

In fact, studies show that a significant percentage of data breaches result from human error, underscoring the need for a well-informed and security-conscious workforce.

BENEFITS OF SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING

1. Risk Mitigation: Educated employees are better equipped to recognize potential threats and respond appropriately. By understanding the tactics employed by cybercriminals, staff members can identify suspicious emails, links, and attachments, reducing the likelihood of falling victim to scams.

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2. Data Protection: Your staff, at every level, handles sensitive information daily.

Security awareness training empowers them to implement data protection best practices, such as proper data handling, encryption, and secure file sharing, thereby reducing the risk of data leaks.

3. Compliance: Many industries, and specifically health care, are subject to regulatory frameworks that mandate the protection of customer data and other confidential information. Security awareness training ensures that employees know these regulations and understand their role in maintaining compliance. Have you considered adding your organization’s cybersecurity training modules, as well as HIPAA, security, and privacy rules, to your intranet?

4. Reputation Management: A data breach can have far-reaching consequences, damaging an organization’s reputation and eroding customer trust. Employees who understand the value of security can actively contribute to maintaining the company’s reputation by preventing security incidents.

5. Cultivating a Security Culture: Security awareness training fosters a culture of vigilance and responsibility within an organization. When security becomes integral to an organization’s values, employees naturally prioritize it in their daily tasks.

BEST PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING

1. Regular Training: Cyber threats and attack techniques evolve rapidly. Regular training sessions ensure that employees stay up to date with the latest security trends and remain vigilant.

2. Real-World Simulations: Hands-on exercises, such as simulated phishing attacks, provide employees with practical experience in recognizing and responding to threats in a controlled environment.

3. Clear Communication: Security concepts can be complex. Presenting information in clear, jargon-free language makes it easier for employees to grasp and retain key concepts.

4. Engagement: Interactive training methods, such as quizzes, gamified scenarios,

and case studies, keep employees engaged and reinforce their understanding of security principles. Our goal is to get our monthly participation scores to a level that confirms all staff engagement.

5. Leadership Support: When your organization’s executives and managers prioritize security awareness, their commitment sets an example for the entire organization.

YOUR CULTURE OF SECURITY

In a world with constant and evolving cyber threats, an organization’s security posture is only as strong as its weakest link. By investing in comprehensive security awareness training for all staff, your organization can empower its employees to become a formidable line of defense against cyberattacks.

This approach not only enhances data protection and risk management, but also contributes to building a culture of security that benefits your organization as a whole. Remember, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that begins with each employee’s understanding and commitment to safeguarding the digital landscape.

RANDY WHITE is the Chief Information Security Office for U.S. Orthopaedic Partners. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, USOP is a full-service, integrated orthopedic care platform that provides the full continuum of musculoskeletal treatment to its patients. Randy is also the brother of Tina White Creel, AHA Vice President of Member Services and President of AHA Services, Inc.

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ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 55

An Effective Prescription for Privacy and Security

By Catherine Bain and Sheree Maeweather, AFMC

H

ealth care entities sadly understand that there are people who, for financial gain or the mere challenge, seek to exploit system vulnerabilities to steal data and/or hold businesses hostage. As health care-related businesses, we are entrusted with particularly sensitive, protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII). As covered entities, we know and understand that we must adhere to national HIPAA standards.

Despite this common understanding, the Office of Civil Rights (the federal agency responsible for enforcing HIPAA privacy and

Monetary penalties are a factor that every health care organization must keep in mind.

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security laws and regulations) reports, as of September 2023, investigating more than 340,000 HIPAA complaints and imposing civil monetary penalties totaling almost $137 million in 137 civil cases since inception of the Privacy Rule in 2003.

These numbers represent a significant allocation of labor, legal, and financial resources that accrue when a health care organization finds itself the focus of an investigation. While it’s not just about the money, monetary penalties are a factor that every health care organization must keep in mind.

There are also less-tangible costs to consider. Each investigation represents an individual or individuals whose PHI/ PII was compromised, and with each compromise comes a resulting loss of trust in the organization that was entrusted with their information. This loss is devastating for the individuals involved, but it is also devastating to the provider’s reputation.

The adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” seems particularly appropriate when applied to the privacy and security of the data we are entrusted to hold.

Mental Illness Impacts Everyone

A PRESCRIPTION FOR PROTECTING PHI

So, what’s a winning formula to protect PHI? Solutions are unique to each business, but what is universal is that protecting information is not the sole responsibility of one person or one team. Privacy and security are the responsibility of every staff member in your organization who has access to your systems. In fact, your staff members represent your most critical firewall against the onslaught of bad actors. You must engage your entire team in the practice of security and awareness.

A prescription for strengthening privacy and security practices within your team is to “take your MEDS.”

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your company. If you don’t have one already, establish a privacy and security team to monitor and investigate what’s happening with the data you hold in your company.

This can be a critical asset. This team will represent your business’s privacy and security champions.

In addition to your privacy and security officer, your team should include representatives from IT, compliance, and human resources.

This team will be responsible for assessing and addressing your business’s privacy and security posture. Team members may perform privacy impact assessments in response to changes in business lines, investigate reported incidents, act on findings, educate your workforce, identify and mitigate processes, and address systems to remediate vulnerabilities.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 57

ENGAGE your staff in combating the

threat. At AFMC, we knew we had to get people involved. We started with a quarterly newsletter but found information needed to be shared more frequently to keep privacy and security top of mind. So, we pivoted and developed a three-pronged approach.

Privacy and security are not optional; they are necessary components in keeping your organization healthy and secure.

privacy and security a priority. Have your privacy and security crew speak in department meetings and present in companywide meetings. Your staff members want to do what is right – help them know what that is. Allowing time in smaller group settings for Q&A helps address real-world questions, experiences, and applications.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but here’s a strong suggestion: Don’t focus solely on work-related awareness. Let’s face it – we are bombarded by challenges to our data privacy at work and at home.

Show your staff that you are invested in their personal privacy and security, too. This focus has the added benefit of strengthening your associates’ security awareness and discernment skills as a part of life, not just work.

STAY CURRENT with what’s out there.

Your privacy and security team should serve as the conduit to your staff for trusted information. By establishing methods of sharing information, your staff members will learn where to look and what to trust. Also, by keeping your staff members informed and engaged, they are better equipped to be that reliable firewall for your company.

We all recognize that we must be mindful and proactive when dealing with PHI/PII. Fostering a corporate culture that prioritizes privacy and security reinforces the critical role each staff member plays in ensuring the safety of PHI and other data with which we are entrusted.

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We created a privacy and security hub on our staff intranet where we post helpful information; we email a succinct monthly tip, story, or quiz, and email as-needed alerts for significant threats. Recent examples include the USPS text scam (smishing), false texts or emails from the CEO or other trusted source (whaling), and texts purportedly from trusted senders that induce targeted individuals to reveal confidential or bank account information (spear phishing).

DISSIMINATE information and make

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Privacy and security are not optional; they are necessary components in keeping your organization healthy and secure.

We hope you find this “prescription” to be helpful and informative. If you take even one idea back to your business – we’ve accomplished what we set out to do. We’d love to hear if you’ve made changes or what steps you’re making to maintain privacy and security by “taking your MEDS.”

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CONNECT WITH US CATHY BAIN is AFMC’s Senior Vice President of Administrative Services and Privacy & Security Officer. She leads a cross-company team of experts to build a solid corporate culture of privacy and security. With over 30 years’ experience in AFMC’s operations, contract, and legal needs, she champions privacy and security as a fundamental responsibility of all who touch corporate systems.

She emphasizes the importance of privacy and security awareness across all aspects of life so that it becomes second nature to be security conscious.

SHEREE MEAWEATHER is the IT Security Administrator for AFMC and has worked in the information technology (IT) department since 2016. Sheree is a dedicated professional with over a decade of hands-on experience. She is committed to ensuring the security and integrity of IT systems, particularly in the health care sector, where she has completed numerous security risk assessments for hospitals and providers. Sheree is also well-versed in troubleshooting hardware and software issues, offering solutions to keep systems running smoothly. You may reach them by calling the AFMC offices in Little Rock.

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GETTYIMAGES

AHA SERVICES PRESENTS

Elevating Member Hospitals to New Heights

J

ackson Physician Search, an industryleading firm specializing in physician recruitment, is a proud strategic partner of the Arkansas Hospital Association through its AHA Services program. Jackson Physician Search concentrates on the recruitment of physicians, physician leaders, and advanced practice providers, serving hospitals, health systems, and medical groups in Arkansas and across the United States.

In its commitment to improving health care access in Arkansas, the JPS team brings its extensive experience and knowledge to hospitals and health care facilities across Arkansas. Arkansas faces significant staffing shortages which pose challenges for hospitals, providers, and patients who may be at risk of not receiving the care they require.

DELIVERING ON PROMISES FOR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

Jackson Physician Search takes a proactive approach toward improving patient access to care by supporting recruitment efforts that result in quicker placements and increased return on investment. Setting itself apart as the only firm employing an all-digital sourcing strategy, JPS’s innovative approach is complemented by its strong focus on cultivating relationships.

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Rooted in four decades of service in the health care industry, the firm’s mission revolves around consistently delivering on its promises. This dedication is why health care facilities of all sizes trust JPS to find ideal candidates to fill their physician openings and why providers turn to JPS to explore exciting new practice opportunities in Arkansas.

LEADERSHIP IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

Jackson Physician Search is recognized as an industry thought leader. The organization conducts extensive research to enhance physician recruitment and retention practices.

We invite you to explore the firm’s comprehensive reports, which address issues such as physician retirements, burnout, turnover, and the post-pandemic market.

Available reports include: • 2023 Survey Reveals New Insights for More Effective Recruitment and Retention of Early-Career Physicians.

• Preparing for the Wave of Physician Retirements: Survey Results.

• Physician Recruitment Trends: Responding to a Changing Post-Pandemic Market.

• Physician Recruitment Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator.

A NATIONWIDE PRESENCE WITH LOCAL EXPERTISE

JPS not only enhances its ability to serve clients and cultivate stronger ties with local health care organizations, it also solidifies its reputation by being recognized as an exceptional workplace. This commitment to excellence has garnered the company accolades, including Modern Healthcare’s Best Place to Work Award for eight consecutive years and recognition as the top Family-Friendliest Place to Work.

“Jackson Physician Search has experienced dramatic growth during the past decade and especially over the last few years,” says Tony Stajduhar, JPS President. “To continue providing the superior level of service that our clients and candidates have come to appreciate, we have significantly grown our team while supporting associate career growth and well-being and achieving incredibly high retention rates. Creating a

workplace culture rooted in mutual respect and appreciation is key. I have always believed that when we take great care of our people, they will take great care of each other and those we serve. I couldn’t be prouder of this incredibly talented team.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT JACKSON PHYSICIAN SEARCH

If you know JPS, you know it is more than just a service provider. It is an ally in achieving permanent recruitment provider goals and takes the time to understand each client’s unique requirements and culture, a major reason for its successful partnership with AHA Services, Inc.To discover more about Jackson Physician Search, we encourage you to explore the website at www.jacksonphysiciansearch.com. For inquiries or additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Regional Vice President of Business Development, Gary Seaberg, at gwseaberg@jacksonphysiciansearch.com.

ARKANSAS HOSPITALS | WINTER 2023 61

COACH'S PLAYBOOK

It’s Been 22 Years.

Why Are We Still Talking About Patient Safety?

By Kay Kendall

T

he alarm regarding crises facing American health care sounded in 2001, when the Institute of Medicine published Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. This publication proposed new policies, practices, and recommendations for the improvement of Patient Safety in American health care, including performance expectations that would help close the quality gap. And yet, more than two decades later, nearly every day we read or hear about another tragic, life-altering mistake, medical error, or even negligence occurring in health care. What must happen to change the trajectory of continued patient harm?

As a performance improvement coach, I’m a huge fan of best practices. I regularly see

62 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

how adopting or adapting proven, evidencebased approaches accelerates improvement in organizations. One of the recognized high performers in Patient Safety is the 2019 Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, Mary Greeley Medical Center (MGMC) in Ames, Iowa. As the organization’s former coach, I’ve witnessed many of the hospital’s best practices firsthand, but this year I wanted to learn how they’ve continued to achieve ever higher levels of performance in Patient Safety. So, I recently caught up with Karen Kiel Rosser, MGMC’s Vice President and Quality Improvement Officer.

I was curious to know how MGMC’s commitment to Patient Safety began its focus on achieving exceptional results. Karen

attributes it to their Board Chair, who challenged senior leaders to achieve Zero Harm. She was convinced this was an attainable goal. This is reflected in Patient Safety being the top objective in the organization’s four “Big Dot Goals.” (This goal deployment and alignment technique was described in the Spring 2022 edition of Arkansas Hospitals.) Big Dot Goals are a key way to engage the entire workforce – even volunteers – in a focus on Patient Safety.

Another best practice is MGMC’s standing 15-minute safety huddle each morning, attended by a member of every department who reports out on any safety issues or concerns, and the sharing of feedback from recent Rapid Improvement Events and 5S events conducted by people closest to the work. This huddle continued during the pandemic but shifted to a virtual forum. That practice continues to this day, creating increased efficiency and steadfast participation.

“First Fridays” are monthly 15-minute meetings conducted by the CEO in the hospital’s auditorium.

These gatherings serve as a forum for sharing new learnings and best practices along with providing recognition for team members. Those team members who developed the changes are the ones who share their stories, which furthers engagement of the workforce in the culture of continuous improvement.

The CEO and other senior leaders serve as personal role models by attending the safety huddles, participating in various improvement events, and delivering transparent communication. Karen says, “They live it, and they use the Baldrige Excellence Framework and Magnet to keep a relentless focus on how work is done at Mary Greeley.”

I asked Karen of which Patient Safety results she’s most proud. She

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COACH'S PLAYBOOK shared that MGMC’s “falls with major injury” results are the best in the state and exceed the top decile performance in Magnet-designated hospitals. Also, a focus on preventing Stage 3 and Stage 4 hospitalacquired injuries appeared likely to be unattainable because of MGMC’s levels of high acuity patients, but the hospital recently posted 1,100 days – more than three years – without any such incidences.

Is your organization’s Patient Safety performance at a Zero Harm level?

Do you believe that’s actually achievable? As Karen told me, “Choose one small thing and begin. If you wait for perfection, you’ll never get started.

Make your work a little better every day. Become relentless at getting better Patient Safety results.” Where will you start?

The team at BaldrigeCoach would be glad to help guide your hospital’s quest for process improvement. As CEO and Principal of BaldrigeCoach, Kay Kendall coaches organizations on their paths to performance excellence using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria as a framework. Her team, working with health care and other organizations, has mentored 24 National Quality Award recipients. In each edition of Arkansas Hospitals, Kay offers readers quality improvement tips from her coaching playbook. Contact Kay at 972.489.3611 or Kay@Baldrige-Coach.com.

First-Ever AHA Analytics Forum Offers Resources, Collaboration T

Karen Kiel Rosser, Mary Greeley Medical Center

Karen Kiel Rosser serves as the Vice President, Chief Quality & Strategy Officer for Mary Greeley Medical Center. She is responsible for overall quality improvement, strategy development and deployment, and organizational excellence at the medical center. In this role, Kiel Rosser spearheaded the development and implementation of a system-wide framework for performance excellence utilizing criteria from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program as well as the tools of lean and six sigma.

Her positions prior to joining Mary Greeley include Vice President of Performance Excellence and Managed Care at Agnesian HealthCare, an integrated health care de-

he Arkansas Hospital Association held connections and knowledge-sharing its first AHA Analytics Forum October within the Arkansas hospital community.

4, 2023. The event saw an impressive Based upon valuable feedback turnout, with a total of 56 individuals from received from participants during the member hospitals in attendance. Their first meeting, the AHA Analytics team goal was to learn more about how to best is gearing up to offer weekly office compile, organize, and utilize health care hours, providing members with more data to assist in delivering optimal health opportunities to interact and seek care management and decision making at Don McCormick assistance in the areas of hospital data the local hospital level. and analytics.

The forum offered hospital representatives the Additionally, the association will host quarterly opportunity to learn about the array of services AHA Analytics Forums, where we will continue to provided by and planned for the AHA Analytics explore insights, trends, and best practices in health program. A recording of the meeting is available care analytics. from AHA Analytics Director Don McCormick.

For those eager to join the Circle community Sparking attendees’ interest was a live platform and access the wealth of resources offered by demonstration of AHA’s new community platform, the AHA Analytics Program, we invite you to complete Circle. This platform serves as a collaborative hub the registration form at the QR code at right. for all participating staff from member hospitals.

Should you have questions about the AHA The platform is designed to foster meaningful Analytics Program or wish to participate in our

64 WINTER 2023 | ARKANSAS HOSPITALS

livery system in Fond du Lac, WI, Network Development Director at Humana Health Plan in Milwaukee, WI, and Ambulatory Clinic Manager at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, WI. Kiel Rosser holds a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. She serves as an examiner for the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award program and is a coach and lead judge for the Iowa Recognition for Performance Excellence (the state’s Baldrige-equivalent program). She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and is a member of the American College of HealthCare Executives, the Ames Morning Rotary Club, a past board member for the United Way of Story County, and a participant in Leadership Ames (class XXIV) program.

upcoming quarterly meetings, please get in touch with Don McCormick at dmccormick@ arkhospitals.org. We look forward to your active involvement as AHA continues to drive excellence and innovation in the area of health care analytics.

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WHERE WE STAND Staying Cyber Safe in the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Tips for individuals and organizations Cybersecurity defense can be viewed as a large iceberg. The ice above the water is your first line of defense and what attackers see most: employees and physical equipment. Underneath the ice is everything an organization should be doing behind the scenes to ensure an attack on the top of the ice can be defeated.

First Line of Defense Every organization’s first line of defense against cyberattacks is the training of employees and protection of IT equipment. Here are some examples of what you need to secure your first line of defense: • Role-based Cybersecurity Training: Provide robust, customized security training for all employees based on their job function to ensure continuity of security expectations.

• Phishing Simulation Training: Prepare employees to identify and proactively respond to phishing attacks in the workplace environment.

• Asset Management Programs: Ensure that all data, devices, and systems are categorized and inventoried according to their importance to the organization’s objectives.

• Cybersecurity Policies: Create and communicate your organization’s security policies to all employees to level set expectations for protecting patient data.

• Insider Threat Training: Incorporate insider threat training into your on-boarding policies for new employees.

• Physical Security: Put physical controls into the office environment to prevent access to or the use of company computers by unauthorized individuals.

Behind the scenes defenses are equally important to prevent cyberattacks from occurring or spreading through your organization. Every size organization should instill a few of the following practices to protect your organization: • Email System Configurations: Enact controls to enhance the security posture of your e-mail system, such as configuring your email system to tag messages as “EXTERNAL” that are sent from outside of your organization.

• Multi-Factor Authentication: Use at least two of the following to verify a user’s identity: something you know, something you have, and something you are.

• Data Protection Policies: Establish a data classification policy that categorizes data as, for example, Sensitive, Internal Use, or Public Use. • Network segmentation: Partition networks into security zones which can be based on sensitivity of assets within the network or standard perimeter segmentations.

• Intrusion Prevention: Utilize an intrusion prevention system for reading network traffic to detect and prevent potential attacks against your network perimeter, data center, and partner connections.

• Vulnerability Management: Proactively discover vulnerabilities that will enable the organization to classify, evaluate, prioritize, remediate, and mitigate the technical vulnerability footprint from the perspective of an attacker.

• Incident Response Plans: Maintain cyber threat detection and response capabilities by establishing an Incident Response program and a Security Operations Center to manage the plan.

To learn more about how you can protect your patients from cyber threats check out the Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices: Managing Threats and Protecting Patients publication. Check out the available resources 405(d) has to offer by visiting our website at 405d.hhs.gov or our social media pages: @ask405d on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram!

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