March 3 – 5, 2010
Hyatt Regency, Sacramento

Overview

Celebrate the strength and spirit of California’s rural hospitals at the 25th Annual Rural Health Care Symposium. Join with other rural hospital executives as we share expertise, tackle the tough issues, and move forward together.

This year’s symposium features subject matter that is current, relevant and resource driven. Hospital executives will learn about health information technology that meets “meaningful use” requirements, the key components to a successful capital expansion, and why palliative care programs are an especially good fit for rural facilities. Plus, federal updates on recent rules and regulations and critical access hospitals will bring attendees current on pressing issues.

Come prepared to listen, learn and return home with tools and action items that can be put into practice immediately. Make plans now to attend.

Corporate Sponsors

On behalf of the California Hospital Association, we would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their support of the 25th Annual Rural Health Care Symposium.

2010 Platinum Sponsor:
HFS Consultants
State Office of Rural Health

2010 Gold Sponsors:
EmCare
Turner Construction

2010 Silver Sponsors:
AdvanTell Networks
ANOVA Architects, Inc.
California Association of Nurse Anesthetists (CANA)
Capital Program Management Inc.
Cerner Corporation
Devenney Group Architects
Kaplan University
Michael R. Bell & Co. PLLC
Pacific Hospital Management
Siemens
The Inline Group

2010 Bronze Sponsor:
TRAC TPA, a Zahorik Financial Services affiliate
 

Agenda

Day One: Wednesday, March 3

8:30 am – 3:30 pm
CHA’s Health Policy Legislative Day
Back-to-Back Events for Health Care Executives
Rural hospital executives are encouraged to arrive a day early and attend CHA’s Health Policy Legislative Day. Don’t miss this opportunity to influence public policy and discuss important health care issues with your legislators at the state Capitol—as a health care leader it’s critical to attend both events. Separate registration is required. For more information or to register, go to www.calhospital.org.

3:30 – 5:30 pm
Symposium Check In/Registration

4:00 – 5:30 pm
Rural Health Care Center Advisory Board Meeting
The Rural Healthcare Center’s leadership conducts its first quarterly meeting of 2010. All symposium attendees are encouraged to attend.

5:30 – 7:00 pm
Welcome Reception
Renew friendships and meet new colleagues at this informal event.

Day Two: Thursday, March 4

7:30 – 9:00 am
Symposium Check In/Registration

8:00 – 9:00 am
Pre-Conference Session
California Rural Health Policy Council Public Meeting
David M. Carlisle, MD, PhD, Director, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development; Leslie Cummings, Executive Director, Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board; David Maxwell-Jolly, PhD, Director, Department of Health Care Services; Stephen W. Mayberg, PhD, Director, Department of Mental Health; Steven Tharratt, MD, Director, Emergency Medical Services Authority; Michael S. Cunningham, (representing Director, Renée Zito), Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs; representative of the Department of Public Health (to be announced)
Join California’s preeminent health care leaders for an interactive discussion of rural health care policy.

9:00 - 9:15 am
Opening and Welcome
Evan Rayner, Chair, Rural Healthcare Center and Advisory Board and Chief Executive Officer, North Sonoma County Healthcare District and Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President, Rural Health Care and Governance, California Hospital Association

9:15 - 10:15 am
General Sessions
Reflecting on Our Past, Present and Future—Panel Discussion
Moderator, Evan Rayner, Chief Executive Officer, North Sonoma County Healthcare District; former rural Chief Executive Officers Dwayne Jones, James Hoss and Jerald Fikes; and C. Duane Dauner, President, California Hospital Association
To learn what the future may hold, it helps to understand our past. Former and present rural leaders will reflect on landmark events that shaped the course of rural health care and offer predictions for the future.

10:30 – 11:30 am
The Federal Landscape for Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
John Supplitt, Senior Director, American Hospital Association
We are one year into a new administration. What can we expect going forward? Hear an update on federal rules and regulations impacting small, rural and critical access hospitals.

11:30 am – 12:45 pm
Hosted Luncheon
Network with peers and honor past rural health care leadership.

12:45 – 1:15 pm
OSHPD Plan Review and Seismic Mandate Relief Updates
Paul Coleman, Deputy Director, Facilities Development Division, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
Capital projects that move quickly save time and money. Learn how the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) is reorganizing to streamline plan review and area compliance activities. An overview on seismic mandate relief available to hospitals will also be discussed.

1:15 – 2:45 pm
Moving Capital Projects Forward—Panel Presentation
Anne Platt, Chief Executive Officer, Sutter Amador Hospital; Virna Cothrin, Project and Budgeting Operations Manager, Capital Program Management, Inc.; Lalo Trujillo, Vice President, Piper Jaffray & Co; Catherine Lew, Esq., President and Chief Executive Officer, The Lew Edwards Group; and Michael Ryan, Senior Principal, Anova Architects
Whether you are planning a large expansion or small capital expenditure, this session will explain what you need to know to run a successful project. Panel members will walk attendees through a simulated project and outline budget planning, financing and fundraising options including bond campaigns, coordination of plan reviews, and the development and execution of the design plan. Take home tools and checklists to help plan and execute future projects.

3:00 – 4:30 pm
Where Does Quality Begin—Relational Answers to Operational Problems
Brian Wong, MD, Chief Executive Officer, The Bedside Trust
Achieving quality of care is more about changing minds, than changing processes. By encouraging an operational culture built on trust, great things can happen including higher patient satisfaction and improved clinical care. This session will help you define the current state of your organization, identify root causes of your problems, and provide tools and guidance necessary to overcome operational challenges.

4:30– 5:30 pm
The Business Case for Patient-Centered Palliative Care
Helen McNeal, Executive Director, Center for Palliative Studies, Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice
There are precious few programs that improve patient quality of care, strengthen operations and complement rural health care practice. Palliative care programs can do just that. Hospitals with palliative programs reap significant benefits in decreased readmissions and lower utilization of unnecessary services. And, patients receiving palliative services report higher satisfaction with care. Learn how to launch a palliative program using your existing resources.

5:30– 7:00 pm
Exhibitor Fair and Reception
Meet with rural industry vendors displaying the latest products and services while enjoying wine and hors d’ oeuvres.

Day Three: Friday, March 5

7:30 – 8:30 am
Breakfast Sessions (choose one)
Rural Health Clinic Update
Gail Nickerson, Director of Clinic Services, Adventist Health and founder of the California Association of Rural Health Clinics and Linda Findley, Association Coordinator, California Association of Rural Health Clinics
Rural health clinic providers will network with their peers, hear an update on federal activities and discuss the California Association of Rural Health Clinics’ recent activities and plans for the coming year.

The Financial Health of California’s Critical Access Hospitals
David O’Neill, Senior Program Director, California HealthCare Foundation and Shelly Oberlin, Manager, Kurt Salmon and Associates
How are California’s Critical Access Hospitals doing? The California HealthCare Foundation is preparing a comprehensive report assessing the financial health of CAHs. This session will offer a preview of the report which highlights the effects of CAH conversion on financial performance.

8:30 – 10:00 am
General Sessions
Annual CEO Panel Discussion
Moderator, Steve Rousso, Principal, HFS Consultants; rural Chief Executive Officers Kevin Erich, Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital; Elizabeth Woodyard, Banner Lassen Medical Center; Robert Wentz, Oroville Hospital; and Katherine Medeiros, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
Listen to your colleagues from across the state discuss their successes and challenges on numerous topics including physician recruitment, revenue resources and community partnering projects. Audience participation is encouraged for this lively, interactive session.

10:15 – 11:15 am
Moving Rural Providers toward “Meaningful Use” of Health Information
Mark Freitas, Director, Business and IT Services and Margaret Leonard, EHR Project Manager, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital; and Pamela Lane, MS, RHIA, CPHIMS, Vice President of Health Informatics, California Hospital Association
By 2016, hospitals receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments must have an electronic health record (EHR), or face monetary penalties. To kick start the process, CMS is offering incentive payments to hospitals who can demonstrate “meaningful use” of implemented EHRs. Financial considerations aside, there are sound clinical reasons to get on board with the EHR process. Hear an update on the EHR regulations and learn how one facility achieved exciting results after implementation.

1:15 am – 12:15 pm
Closing Session
Great-Full!
James Lloyd, President and Founder, 9 Screens International
What do we have to be grateful for? Maybe quite a lot—if you’re willing to look at things a new way. By finding the positives, instead of the negatives, wonderful things happen. Moral increases, teamwork becomes the norm and retention improves. Get a fresh perspective on the future of rural health care from our inspirational, and often humorous, closing keynote.

12:30– 2:00pm
Critical Access Hospital Post-Conference Session
Financing New Hospital Projects with FHA Section 242 Mortgage Insurance
Alan P. Richman, President and Chief Executive Officer, InnoVative Capital, LLC
CAHs will learn the benefits of the FHA 242 Mortgage Insurance including the ready access to capital and low cost funds. Gain insight into the underwriter’s perspective and understand how to evaluate debt capacity, commercial borrowing options and alternative municipal bond structures to finance CAH capital needs. Case studies will be used to illustrate potential stumbling blocks and how to deal with the unexpected. (Lunch will be provided.)

Tuition/CEUs

Register by February 9 and save

Members $425
Nonmembers $550
Registrations received after February 9 add $100.

To register click the button on the right side of this page.

Continuing Education Units

Health Care Executives—CHA is authorized to award 8.5 conference hours and 1.5 post-conference hours of preapproved Category II (non-ACHE) continuing education credit for this program toward the advancement, recertification or reappointment in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Nursing—Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #C.E.P.11924, for 9.6 Contact Hours.

Hotel

Discount deadline is February 9

The Hyatt Regency at Capitol Park is the host hotel for the Symposium. Located in the heart of downtown Sacramento and directly across the street from the State Capitol, the Hyatt is close to numerous dining options, shopping and parks. Area attractions such as Sutter's Fort, Old Sacramento and the Historic Railroad Museum are close by.

Click here to be directed to the hotel reservation site or call (888) 421-1442 to make your reservation. Be sure to mention the “California Hospital Association” to receive the discounted rate of $189 single/double occupancy. Don’t delay—the reservation deadline is February 9.

Sponsor/Exhibit

Do you have a product or service of interest to rural hospitals? This annual conference is an opportunity to reach California rural hospital executives all in one place. There are many ways to participate. Choose your level.

Click here for more information.

Contact Lisa Sbragia Hartzell at (916) 552-7502 or lhartzell@calhospital.org.

2010 Sponsors to Date

Platinum Sponsor:
HFS Consultants
State Office of Rural Health

Gold Sponsors:
EmCare
Turner Construction

Silver Sponsors:
AdvanTell Networks
ANOVA Architects, Inc.
California Association of Nurse Anesthetists (CANA)
Capital Program Management Inc.
Cerner Corporation
Devenney Group Architects
Kaplan University
Michael R. Bell & Co. PLLC
Pacific Hospital Management
Siemens
The Inline Group

Bronze Sponsor:
TRAC TPA, a Zahorik Financial Services affiliate 

2010 Exhibitors to Date

AdvanTel Networks
American Fidelity Assurance Company
Amerinet
ANOVA Architects, Inc.
California Association of Nurse Anesthetists (CANA)
CAHHS Unemployment Insurance Division
California Telemedicine & eHealth Center (CTEC)
Capital Program Management Inc.
Cerner Corporation
Devenney Group Architects
EmCare
FreedomPay
Grand Canyon University
HFS Consultants
Hudson Healthcare
Kaplan University
Lincoln Financial Group
Michael R. Bell & Co. PLLC
Modular Services Company
NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company
Pacific Companies
The Inline Group
Rash Curtis & Associates
Siemens
SyTech Solutiosn
Turner Construction
West-Com & T.V., Inc.

Attendees

Click here to view attendees.