|
|
|
Connecting With Important Healthcare Issues
William D. PetasnickPresident and CEO, Froedtert Hospital
I wish to thank so many of you for your letters of congratulations on my election as chair-elect to the American Hospital Association (AHA) Board of Trustees. In the 100 year history of the AHA, only four other Wisconsin hospital leaders have held this position. It is not only a great personal honor, but also a reflection of the entire Froedtert & Community Health organization, our management team, outstanding physicians and staff.
My national role will also provide opportunities to highlight Wisconsin and the innovative practices occurring here, such as the Wisconsin Collaborative on Healthcare Quality and the leadership role of the Wisconsin Hospital Association in fostering price transparency through the Price Point system at wipricepoint.org.
The AHA represents and serves all types of hospitals, healthcare networks and, by extension, their patients and communities. It has about 5,000 hospitals and 37,000 individual members. The AHA ensures that the perspectives of hospitals and healthcare providers are heard and addressed in national health policy development and legislative and regulatory activities.
More importantly, the AHA is a connector, linking hospital leaders and healthcare providers and offering a forum for sharing ideas and learning from others’ experiences. Through these connections, we identify and share best practices, spot and respond to trends and develop appropriate responses to changes in the healthcare delivery system.
In many ways, it is the best of times and the worst of times in health care. Advances in medicine and technology save and enhance countless lives, offer cures and reduce suffering. Citizens of the world look to us for hope and help in caring for the sick and injured. At the same time, too many Americans are without health insurance and without access to the care they need.
Around the nation, states, cities, hospitals and businesses are trying innovative strategies from price transparency to wellness initiatives to consumer accountability to expanding the reach of health insurance. In Massachusetts, a new plan to provide health insurance coverage for all residents has been passed. In Florida, a new Medicaid pilot project is under way, allowing patients to buy private insurance and providing incentives for wellness activities.
Through our active participation in the AHA, we will have a bird’s-eye view of these developments. I believe this vantage point will benefit Froedtert & Community Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, our other strategic partners and the communities and patients we serve.
Source: Froedtert Today Date: September 2006 |
|
|