More than 400 leaders from 100 children's hospitals and health systems gathered in Phoenix, Arizona, for the Annual Leadership Conference (ALC) to share knowledge, network and learn together. Conference attendees included executive, administrative, strategy, finance, nursing and physician leaders.
Themes for this year's conference included:
- Advances in diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), belonging and anti-racism.
- Lessons to improve advocacy.
- Building blocks of a strong pediatric behavioral health care system.
- Innovations in talent and teams.
Key takeaways
Between 24 education sessions, 10 posters and three keynotes, children’s hospital and health systems leaders shared their best strategies for tackling the industry's most pressing challenges. Here are some key takeaways, including links to articles summarizing several of the sessions.
Lessons to improve advocacy
Key strategies to improve advocacy included collaborating with policymakers to promote children's health care priorities and using storytelling and brand awareness campaigns to engage stakeholders.
Innovations in talent and teams
Workforce approaches emphasized frameworks to improve joy among staff, initiatives to reduce reliance on staffing agencies, and a patient progression hub to enhance care coordination.
Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and anti-racism
Initiatives highlighted cultural consciousness, including improving the collection of accurate demographic data to promote equity, engaging suppliers and vendors to uphold DEI principles, and establishing inclusive leadership programs.
Building a strong pediatric behavioral health care system
Several sessions featured efforts to expand access across the behavioral health continuum, including specialized care pathways and programs to increase early intervention and reduce behavioral health ED visits.
Keynote addresses
Amer Kaissi, executive coach, encouraged low-ego, high-drive leadership, while Heather McGowan, future of work strategist, challenged us to let go of old paradigms and embrace the new rules of work today.
The final keynote was a health care outlook across the aisle with Jaime Herrera Beutler, former U.S. Representative, R-Washington, Melanie Nathanson, federal health policy expert, and Leah Evangelista, chief public affairs officer at Children's Hospital Association. Jaime, Melanie and Leah emphasized the importance of having a unified voice when advocating for children’s health issues with policymakers.
