Redux, what is the meaning of this word that has its origin from ancient Latin? According to the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary, redux means brought back. So my goal is to bring back to those of you who could not attend the 2014 Summit, some highlights of this outstanding meeting. For those who did attend, hopefully my comments will help you recall the excellent time you had attending the meeting and maybe motivate you to commit to being a speaker or poster presenter at the AAMA 2015 National Summit in Clearwater, Florida.
AAMA 2014 was a very ambitious educational endeavor, covering four days at the end of February 2014, starting on Tuesday, a day packed with six (6) pre-conference activities ranging from preparing for ICD-10 implementation to emergency situations to physician alignment to maximizing one’s AAMA National Summit Experience. The pre-conference activities closed with two (2) social functions: a “meet and greet” for new AAMA members attending the Summit and the Summit Welcome Reception.
During the three (3) main days of the Summit, attendees were able to participate in twenty nine (29) concurrent sessions, covering such diverse topics as:
- Embracing Patient Centered Care
- Physician Alignment: What is it and how to plan, implement and sustain it.
- Achieving Savings without Reducing Important Service
- Behind the Scenes in Your Cancer Center: What You Don’t Know Could Hurt You.
- Black Swan Disasters
- Community Heart and Vascular Health and Wellness
They were also able to hear four (4) stimulating keynote addresses on current issues facing healthcare leaders:
- Healthcare Transformation: Leading in Turbulent Times
- Effective Implementation of Patient Outreach Program
- Healthcare Reform: Riding the Waves of Change
- Why Hospitals Will Never Fly
Participate in one (1) career management workshop:
- Managing Your Career in a Hypercompetitive Digital Age
And attend one (1) poster session where there were five (5) presenters whose topics were:
- Grey Does Matter: Assessing Healthcare Administration Students
- Making Information Useful: Technology for Measuring and Documenting Clinical Value to Improve Reimbursement
- Targeting the Obesity Epidemic: Opportunities for Healthcare Providers Under the Affordable Care Act
- Employer Based Health Insurance: Leveraging Location Specific Advantages
- Master Planning: The Alignment of Function and Program
In addition to all of the educational programs geared toward fulfilling the continuing education needs of the attendees, AAMA 2014 ushered in a new initiative – The CAAMA Certification Examination Preparation Activity. This was a special program designed and facilitated by Renee Mazeroll, RN, MSN, FACCA. From Tuesday through Friday, attendees of the inaugural session of this program were able to participate in a series of highly structured sessions to prepare them to successfully take the AAMA board certification examination in healthcare administration on Friday afternoon. The inaugural class of this new initiative was officers of the Army National Guard who are the Deputy State Surgeons of their respective states. By obtaining this credential, these officers are better prepared for the myriad of duties they face in providing healthcare services to men and women of the National Guard.
In keeping with past annual conferences of the Academy, AAMA 2014 saw the passing of the leadership baton from the 2013 AAMA Board Chair, Linda Larin to the 2014 AAMA Board Chair, Eric Conde. In her final address to the AAMA members in attendance, Linda retraced the proud history of our Academy going back to the 1950s where at that time, the nation leaders in our profession recognized the need to form an organization to develop the fledgling field of professional healthcare administration into a true profession with standards to assume positions of leadership in the healthcare community. In recounting the history of our Academy, Linda spoke of her many conversations with past AAMA board chairs and their strong commitment as well as desire to serve the Academy.
As Eric received the mantle of leadership from Linda, in his first address to members in attendance, he focused on the future; a future where initiatives started by Linda will be built upon to strengthen the AAMA, enhancing its image as nationwide leader in healthcare administration. Eric indicated in his comments his key call to action objectives for 2014:
- Membership
- Increase online resources and increase online discussions
- Education
- Create new educational offerings
- Define long term educational strategy
- Credentials
- Revise the CAAMA exam
- Publications
- Increase relevance and impact of the AAMA journal – The Executive Online
AAMA 2014 was a success because the conference co-chairs Renee Mazeroll and Bruce Hammond, along with their committee of volunteers delivered. The educational content of the Summit met the diverse needs of the members of the various colleges that comprise the Academy in a way that all attendees left having been stimulated and recharged to face the challenges of an ever changing world of healthcare administration. AAMA 2015 planning has already started and the con-chairs of this conference, Jennifer Smith of the ACNA and Karen Giamicchio of the ACOA have a challenge to meet the standard set at AAMA 2014.