Marty Stempniak

Articles

Care Delivery

Talking with millennials about cancer

When you’re young and on top of the world, cancer is likely the last thing on your mind. And yet, cancer rates for millennials and Gen Xers appear to be on the rise. One study from the American Cancer Society last year found that colorectal cancer rates are on the increase for young and middle-age adults. Rectal cancer rates, researchers found, are “increasing particularly fast,” as 3 in 10 rectal cancer diagnoses are made in patients younger than 55.

Quality & Patient Safety, Strategic Planning

When violence hits home: Lessons for hospitals

Trustee talking points

  • In the aftermath of a number of shootings nationwide, hospitals are re-evaluating how well-prepared they are for handling mass casualty events.
  • The American Hospital Association has launched a yearlong initiative, Hospitals Against Violence, to help the field better prepare for mass casualty events as well as incidents that occur inside a facility.
  • Preparation and practice are keys to handling incidents of violence when they occur.
  • Those who responded to attacks in Orlando, Fla

Governance Effectiveness, Strategic Planning

New AHA chairs calling for health care has deep roots

A chance moment kick-started Eugene Woods’ career as a health care leader more than 25 years ago, and a simple health care–related accident that took his aunt Carmen’s life years ago continues to fuel his passion for the field decades later. Now, Woods, 52, is embracing some significant new beginnings. In April, he took the helm as president and CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, N.C. Last month, he began his yearlong role as chair of the American Hospital Association’s board of trustees.

Leadership, Nurses, Workforce

Priorities for todays nurse leader

Maureen Swick, R.N., took the helm as chief nursing officer of the American Hospital Association and CEO of the American Organization of Nurse Executives last summer. She had been top nurse executive at Inova health system in Virginia and is a 30-year veteran in the health care field. Swick recently spoke with Trustee about nurse burnout, workplace violence and other hot topics, as well as AONE’s upcoming 50th anniversary celebration at its annual meeting in March in Baltimore.

So far, what has your new role been like with the AHA?

Delivery System Transformation, Care Delivery, Rural issues, Strategic Planning

9 ways to bolster vulnerable communities

Millions of Americans in both urban and rural communities are unable to access essential health care services. A new report from the American Hospital Association, Task Force on Ensuring Access to Care in Vulnerable Communities, offers nine innovative ways to improve access for vulnerable populations — which the AHA defines as those experiencing lack of access to primary care, a poor economy, high rates of uninsured and low health literacy, among other things.

Governance Effectiveness, Legislation and Legislative Advocacy

AHA appoints new members to board

The American Hospital Association board of trustees has elected eight members to serve three-year terms on the board beginning Jan. 1. In addition, the board recently appointed two new trustees to serve partial terms. The elected trustees are:

Vanessa Ervin, past chair and current board member of the Onslow County Hospital Authority, Jacksonville, N.C., is CEO of Carobell Inc., a nonprofit health care provider in Jacksonville, N.C. Ervin, an ordained minister, will chair Regional Policy Board 3, where she currently serves as a delegate.

How Three of Hospitals Biggest Names Are Tapping Outsiders Like Amazon to Foster Innovation

NEW YORK — I’m fairly certain that if you locked these three men in a room for a week, they could devise solutions to nearly all of health care’s problems.

The three are among the hospital field’s top CEO minds — representing both coasts and the Midwest — and they gathered Tuesday afternoon to talk about the importance of partnerships when trying to transform health care. Combined, the leaders of Providence Health & Services, Northwell Health and Advocate Health Care represent nearly 70 hospitals, 1,400 sites of care and 180,000 employees.