“And WHAT Difference are YOU making?” 

Those were the words on the bumper sticker on the car ahead of me driving home one night recently. That simple phrase gave me something to think about on the cold, dark commute. Had I made a difference? What was it? Would I know…now or sometime in the future?

We’re all fortunate, as leaders in health care, to be in positions where we CAN make a difference. And often, if not usually, it seems we’re in positions where we are expected to make a difference.

If you are anything like me, you are continually looking for opportunities to make the time to do the things that matter, in the way that matters. How do we recognize those opportunities? Self-reflection, feedback from others, and inspiration from role models are some of the ways we learn how we are making a difference and the possibilities to make more of a difference.

I’m delighted that we’ll all have opportunity to be inspired from and learn from an exemplary role model at this year’s Forum when Sister Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, speaks on “Making a Difference: A Matter of Integrity.”

Sister Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, is President/CEO of SSM Health Care, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the United States (23,500 employees and 5,000 affiliated physicians serving 20 hospitals and 3 nursing homes). SSM Health Care was the first health care organization to win the Baldrige Award, the nation’s premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement.

During her 20-year tenure, Sr. Ryan has emphasized three key themes: preservation of the Earth’s resources, valuing ethnic and gender diversity, and commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement. Sr. Ryan has received many awards, including the Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award (National Conference of Community & Justice); Governor’s Quality Leadership Award (Missouri) 1997 & 2004; named among the 25 Most Influential Women in Business in St. Louis; and recognized by Modern Healthcare in 2003, 2004 & 2005 as one of the “Top 25 Women in Health Care”.

Sr. Ryan serves on several national, state and local boards, including the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, United Way of Greater St. Louis, and Excellence in Missouri Foundation.

Sr. Ryan received a nursing diploma at St. Mary’s Medical Center (Madison, WI), a Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing from Saint Louis University, and a Master’s Degree in Hospital and Health Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati. She has been a Franciscan Sister of Mary for more than 40 years.

Please join us on April 19th as Sr. Ryan shares her experiences and insights on Making a Difference!

Forum 2007 Schedule – April 19, 2007
3:00 Tour Health Partners Simulation Training Center
4:30 Sister Mary Jean Ryan, Speaker
5:30 Reception and Networking
Location: Metropolitan State University, New Main

Members in the News
 
Ecumen announced that Kathy Bakkenist has been named COO and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations. She is also Chair of the Public Policy Committee for the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST). CAST is a national organization comprised of over 500 technology companies, universities/research institutions, government agencies, aging services providers and others. The purpose of CAST is to lead the National charge to develop and deploy technologies that can improve the aging experience in America.

Mary Ann Blade, Chief Executive Officer of Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency (MVNA), is the 2006 recipient o the Shotwell Award from the Hennepin Medical Society. Mary Ann received this annual award in recognition of her role sine 1990 overseeing MVNA, the largest public health home visiting nurse service in the state.

Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal has named Mary Brainerd their 2007 Executive of the Year. An awards luncheon will take place Wednesday, February 28, 2007, 11:30 a.m. at the Minneapolis Hilton.

Kathy Burek has been appointed to the Unitarian Universalist Association's (UUA) Health Plan Board of Trustees. This Board will oversee the newly created self-funded health plan which the UUA has established to provide affordable health insurance for its central office and district staff, as well as the religious and lay employees of local UU churches.

Following completion of her Master's in Public Health in August of 2006, Heather Case was competitively selected by the American Veterinary Medical Association for a one year Congressional Fellowship. The Fellowship is administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Heather is working as a legislative assistant for Democratic Congressman Rob Andrews of New Jersey?s first congressional district.

Blue Cross Foundation announced that Joan Cleary has been promoted to Vice President. She now has responsibilities for the day-to-day leadership of the Blue Cross Foundation including grantmaking, communications and new initiatives.

Jan Cronquist, Cronquist Group has been retained to manage the search for a Vice President, Network Development, BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota

Susan Gunderson was elected to serve a four-year term on the Minnesota Medical Foundation Board.

Eide Bailley announced that Naomi Horsager, a tax senior manager, has been appointed to a three-year term on the Great Lakes Area TE/GE Council. The purpose of the Council, which is part of the IRS office of Exempt Organizations and Government Entities, is to provide the IRS with input and advice regarding procedural and systemic matters and to provide tax professionals with a forum to share concerns regarding policies, specific tax issues and procedures for exempt organizations.

Lori Hough has been named Vice President, Consumer Health of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

TRUST member and webmaster Kathleen Kuha Cameron has completed law school, passed the Bar and is under contract until June at Evercare.

Alison Page received the 2006 MAPS award for Individual Leadership in Patient Safety.

Ann Robinow has started her own independent consultanting business. Along with consulting for Medica on a number of projects she is doing an assortment of projects for other local and national clients and she continues to speak on health care trends and issues at a variety of forums.

NEWS TO KNOW

Modern Healthcare, January 29, 2007 announced that HealthPartners was named winner of the National Quality Healthcare Award from the National Quality Forum. The award is based on the following criteria: effective prioritization of performance improvement goals; use of ?dashboards? to measure and manage system performance; use of data-driven improvement and demonstrated results; and commitment to transparency. Per NQF President and CEO, Janet Corridan, "The bar was higher than in prior years, and organizations had to show a commitment to public reporting and standardized quality measures. HealthPartners in an extrodinary example of a system that has embraced both. In many ways, they're leading the way."

The National Association for Corporate Directors (NACD) recently named HealthPartners a Leadership in Board Diversity Award winner. The Bloomington-based health system was recognized for its commitment to maintaining a board that represents a broad range of members, patients, employees and communities, officials said. "HealthPartners is committed to eliminating health-care disparities and this can better be accomplished through the valued perspectives resulting from board diversity," said Karen Dobbins, HealthPartners senior director of diversity and inclusion. The other two 2006 winners were General Mills and Select Comfort.

Joan Quinn, Editorial Board Chair for the Journal of Care Management and Home Care, is soliciting care and case management articles over the next one to two years for consideration in the journal. Topics sought are on care management, targeted toward any age group, any setting or environment, and any condition. The requested format is 12-15 pages double spaced (3,000-4,000 words) with a 200-word abstract. Please submit through email or on computer disk. For more information contact Joan L. Quinn, Executive Director, Evercare, United-Health Group, cT030-03NB, 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103 or 1-860-702-8497 or joan_L_quinn@uhc.com.