South Texas Chapter event exceeds expectations
HFMA’s South Texas Chapter hosted a women’s leadership conference on Jan. 20 in Austin, Texas. The theme was Empower, Encourage, Elevate, and it was the first event of its kind for the Chapter. Things went so well that they’re already planning to do it again next year. Trying something different Amy Raymond, vice president of…
Joe Fifer: The courage to reframe healthcare to encompass ‘health’
Whether you’ve worked in this field for a day or a decade, when someone asks you what business you’re in, the answer is easy: Healthcare. And your meaning is clear. Imagine if you had answered, “health,” instead. Suddenly, that word raises more questions than it answers. Does the health business refer to fitness or nutrition,…
Aaron Crane: There’s real value to be found in exhibit halls
Workforce gaps, cost inflation and revenue cycle inefficiency are driving unprecedented pressure on margins, while our communities demand greater value. Today’s healthcare finance leaders are grappling with at least one ― if not all ― of these issues. And they’re looking for solutions. As I travel around the country to various HFMA regional and chapter…
David Johnson: Why healthcare’s cupboard is bare — its funding gravy train has run out of steam
Gravy train is a railroad term that originated in the early 1900s. It described a well-paid train run that didn’t require much effort. In modern parlance, speakers use it to describe easy-to-do tasks and cushy situations. The problem with gravy trains is that riding them too long engenders lazy, sloppy and wasteful behaviors. New York…
Bank failures highlight importance of measuring counterparty risk
The recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank have focused attention on an often-overlooked issue: bank counterparty risk. From a treasurer’s perspective, banks are much more than account-holding institutions. They provide an array of critical payment and collection services, and the impact of losing access to these services cannot be overstated. The Federal…
Jill Geisler: 4 ways to give positive feedback with impact
May I give you a pleasant assignment? Think about a high performer on your team. Next, write a few bullet points about what that person does to earn your high regard. Finally, take 90 seconds and format it as a message to that person. This is a class exercise I use when teaching managers about…
Why the idea of disruption is so hard for healthcare leaders to understand
It’s time to talk about the word disruption – what it is and what it isn’t – because right now in healthcare it seems to be generating more angst than strategy. First, some good news. Disruption (shorthand for “disruptive innovation”) is just a theory. It’s an idea. That’s all. It was first introduced in the…
Dan Heckathorne: Healthcare CFOs need a guiding philosophy and a mantra
What are the qualities that make a successful healthcare CFO? Is it leadership skills? Financial acumen? General management skills? Teaching and/or mentoring skills? A commitment to continued learning to maintain or acquire new skills? Answers vary. But for Dan Heckathorne, CFO of San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital (SGMH) in Banning, California, success in the CFO role…
2022 midterms aftermath: Gridlock or bipartisanship?
Studies conducted over the past several years have found the polarization is increasing in American society.a And not surprisingly, the 2022 midterm elections reflected the deep divisions. Two fiercely contested Senate seats in this past election are emblematic. Democrat John Fetterman won Pennsylvania’s hotly contested Senate race over Republican Mehmet Oz, MD, taking over the seat…
Brent Feickert joins Jefferson County Health Center as CFO
Jefferson County Health Center (JCHC) recently welcomed Brent Feickert, MBA, as its new CFO. In addition to providing fiscal leadership for Iowa’s oldest county hospital, Feickert will oversee several departments at JCHC, including the business office, main hospital registration, materials management and environmental services. A current member of HFMA’s Iowa Chapter, Feickert has more than…