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HCA's 2008 Annual Conference
'The Power of Association'
HCA Community Gathers for Three Days of Learning, Networking and Motivation at 30th Anniverary Annual Conference
The HCA community gathered for a full slate of insightful education sessions, social events and networking opportunities at HCA's 30th Anniversary Annual Conference on June 1-3 in Rye Brook, New York.
The Conference was also an important occasion for HCA members to regroup, reflect on the past year, and collaborate toward a unified direction for the future — what HCA President Joanne Cunningham referred to as the "Power of Association" in her June 2 address to the membership.
What follows is an HCA Annual Conference Daybook, chroncling day-by-day some of the highlights of this year's signature HCA event.
June 1, 2008
HCA Honors Exceptional Service to Home Care on Annual Conference Opening Night
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From left are: Caring Award Winner Martha Vauss; HCA Board Chair Charles Blum; Advocacy Award Winner Judy Duhl; Caring Award Winner Gloria Madrid; Ruth F. Wilson Award Winner Eli Feldman; Caring Award Winner Bob O'Hara; Caring Award Winner Alisa Huggins and HCA President Joanne Cunningham (photo by Margaret Fox) |
Their stories epitomize the very core of the home care mission — compassion, dedication, determination and integrity.
On Sunday, June 1, The Home Care Association of New York State (HCA) honored the people behind those stories of unparalleled service during HCA's Annual Awards Dinner, capping an eventful day-one of HCA's signature event, its three-day 30th Anniversary Annual Conference at the Hilton Rye Town in Rye Brook, New York.
There were the stories of RN Alisa Huggins' tireless efforts to help an HIV patient become medically compliant and regain control of his health management, as well as the uncommon resolve of Home Health Aides Gloria Madrid, Bob O'Hara and Martha Vauss to provide exceptional patient care.
Each received HCA's Caring Award for recipients who have "exhibited the compassion, skills and service that sets their contribution apart, or whose actions on a particular day, or over a period of time, exemplify outstanding compassion."
Ms. Madrid was honored for her vigilance and resourcefulness in securing a safe living environment for her patient; Mr. O'Hara, was commended for his novel approach to patient care, drawing upon a strategy of gently encouraging patients into medical compliance; and Ms. Vauss was recognized for her commitment to mentoring colleagues in ways that have strengthened overall patient care at her agency.
Attendees also heard about Judy Duhl's vigorous advocacy on behalf of the home care community, as well as the vision of Eli Feldman in helping to furnish the groundwork for New York's modern home care system. Ms. Duhl, Director of Government Affairs for VNS of New York, was awarded the Advocacy "Giraffe" Award, which "recognizes a provider agency or person who took risks or 'stuck their neck out' to improve the home care industry, clients and workers through their advocacy efforts"; Mr. Feldman, President and CEO of Metropolitan Jewish Health System, received HCA's highest honor, the Ruth F. Wilson Award for "an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and has made a significant contribution to home care over a period of time."
To read more about the award winners, please download the Award Winner Announcement from HCA's website.
Gaining a first taste of the insightful education sessions that awaited Conference attendees in the days ahead, June 1 Conference-goers also learned about practical solutions for improving their agency's performance during two informative pre-Conference sessions presented by James Orlikoff and Melanie Duerr: "Practical, Dynamic Leadership Strategies to Strengthen and Improve Your Organization" and "The Hunt for Underpayment." |
June 2, 2008
Afterburner Keynote Launches Day Two of HCA's Annual Conference
In the afterburner debriefing room, it doesn't matter if you're a top commander or the new recruit — you better be able to take the heat, and learn from it.
Afterburner Jim Demarest, a keynote speaker on day-two of HCA's Annual Conference on June 2, deployed this bit of Air-Force wisdom — along with other quality-control strategies employed by top military brass — in his multimedia presentation "Plan, Execute, Debrief, and Win," a maxim that also applies to the task of ensuring quality patient care in the world of home care.
His lesson? Even the best-laid plans can have disastrous results if goals aren't clear from the outset, and if formalities like rank impede communication within an operation.
Demarest, who answers to the nickname "Boots," noted that several elite military units undergo a unique system of debriefing after each mission where name tags are removed from uniforms, along with the accompanying identifiers of rank. This policy creates an open, deliberative environment where everyone — from the top general down to the new recruit — is allowed to speak from the same perspective about what went right, and what went wrong, in the execution of a just-completed mission.
Boots' presentation, which launched the day's activities on June 2, was followed by HCA President Joanne Cunningham's overview of the many exciting changes that have occurred at HCA during the past year in her presentation entitled 'The Power of Association.' She described HCA's power and resolve in achieving legislative, policy, advocacy and organizational successes over the past year and her vision of the challenges and opportunities ahead. Ms. Cunningham called for the continued energetic and enthusiastic participation and creative leadership of all HCA members in pursuing the crucial mission of the Association and in navigating the dynamic environment ahead for the home care field.
Attendees also heard keynote speaker Jo Manion's insights on organizational leadership and an array of other educational and instructional offerings from presenters during several concurrent sessions on customer service, strategies for navigating the managed care environment, public relations opportunities and challe nges, and corporate compliance.
Beatlemagic!
Following dinner, Conference-goers morphed into concertgoers, dancing with the vigor of Liverpool's youth on a hard day's night at the Cavern Club back in '62.
Some of the evening's revelers took this transformation a bit further by donning Beatles-era apparel while all tuned in to live entertainment courtesy of Beatlemagic, the Fab Four tribute band.
June 3, 2008
Former CEO of Hearst Publications Closes Conference with Inspiring Stories of Triumph Over Adversity
If nurtured and cultivated, leadership is a quality that grows ably at any climate within the human condition.
Bob Danzig knows.
Mr. Danzig spent much of his childhood in the foster care system. After a modest start in the newspaper business as an office boy at the Albany Times Union, the Capital Region native climbed the company ladder, eventually landing in the publisher's chair, and then, later, at the helm of the paper's parent company, Hearst Newspaper Group. Mr. Danzig attributes his success to the support and encouragement of others who recognized his unique abilities and inherent potential.
HCA's Annual Conference came to a close on June 3 with the inspiring stories of Mr. Danzig's Horatio Alger-like journey to success in two closing presentations "The Leader Within You" and "Softer Values of Success" where he told of the many people who played instrumental roles in helping him achieve leadership status within his profession — valuable lessons for nurturing the home care leaders of tomorrow.
The final day of HCA's Annual Conference also included a discussion from a panel of home care policymakers on "Strategies for Home Care Delivery — Making State Policies Work." Many thanks to Jo-Ann Costantino, CEO of the Eddy, for her role as moderator of this session. Thanks also to our panelists Lana Earle, Director of the State’s Bureau of Long Term Care Reimbursement, and Mark Kissinger, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Health's Office of Long Term Care, for providing an overview of the Governor's Long Term Care program bill, home care-related data, and reform proposals for 2009. HCA members also provided their own insights on these matters, and we appreciate our panelists' reception to these perspectives going forward.
Special Thanks
HCA would also like to extend a very special thanks to our many sponsors and exhibitors at this year's Annual Conference for helping to make this year's event a resounding success. Their support was a critical part of HCA's ability to provide such a blockbuster lineup of speakers, events and social activities this year.
Feedback Sought
So that HCA can extend this year's success into the future, we e-mailed Conference attendees earlier this week seeking their participation in an online survey evaluating this year's Conference. Your feedback is of great value to HCA as we begin planning next year's event, scheduled for May 19-21, 2009, in Saratoga.
The survey can be accessed online at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3UEitiHp9tgaDo1wXYDNng_3d_3d.
2008 Annual Conference Sponsors
HCA would like to thank the following Titanium, Gold and Silver Sponsors for their support:
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Titanium
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Gold
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Silver
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