Chad Thompson: Why earning and holding all HFMA certifications is beneficial

Chad Thompson, CHFP, CSPPM, CRCR, CSBI, CSMC, CSAF, MBA, says earning and holding all of the HFMA certifications gave him more confidence to dive into financial leadership and helped him gain the in-depth knowledge required in the financial settings of hospitals and clinics.

“Finances seem to be one of the biggest struggles for rural hospitals,” Thompson said.

“I believe any additional training or education you can achieve will only enhance the hospitals or clinics that you work in.”

A member of the Sunflower (Kansas) Chapter, Thompson earned his CHFP certification in 2016, and when HFMA offered the all-inclusive membership, he decided to obtain the remaining certifications. He earned his final HFMA certification in March 2020.

He also suggested that fellow HFMA members obtain certifications, as he knows from personal experience members can gain a lot from them.

“[The certifications] are rewarding and can do wonders for your career,” said Thompson. “As a CEO, I made sure my organization paid for the HFMA membership for directors and executives if they were involved in any of the areas [where] they could get certified. I [saw] it not only as [an] investment in those individuals, but also an investment in the organization.” 

Huffman publishes article in Nurse Leader magazine

Mona Huffman, CHFP, MSN, MBA, value-based care strategy system manager for Northside Hospital System in Atlanta, Georgia, and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Nursing, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama, recently had an article published in Nurse Leader magazine. Read her article, “Value-based care: An executive briefing” online. Huffman is a member of HFMA’s Georgia Chapter.

Thompson accepts vice president role with Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital

Kent Thompson, FHFMA, has accepted the role of vice president of finance/CFO for Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital in Elkin, North Carolina. Previously, he served as senior manager with DHG Healthcare in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thompson is a member of the North Carolina Chapter and currently serves on the Chapter board.

Eskew lands CCO job with Millennia

Shay Eskew, MBA, is now chief commercial officer at Millennia in Raleigh, North Carolina. His previous job was chief development officer at Kemberton in Franklin, Tennessee. Eskew is a Florida Chapter member who has organized 5K fun runs at some of the Chapter’s events. He is also a best-selling author of What the Fire Ignited: How Life’s Worst Helped Me Achieve My Best. Eskew’s other HFMA involvement includes being:

• A motivational speaker on the HFMA circuit
• A 2020 Western Symposium keynote speaker
• A 2019 LTC keynote speaker
• A 2019 Region 8 keynote speaker