Members Only

MEDIA CONTACT: Rebecca Davis, Executive Director
270-925-5611
RDavis@NCHN.org

RELEASE DATE: MAY 1, 2009

NCHN ELECTS LEADERSHIP FOR 2009-10 AND RECOGNIZES THREE HEALTH NETWORKS ACROSS THE NATION FOR EXCELLENCE

MEDIA CONTACT: Rebecca Davis, Executive Director RELEASE DATE: MAY 1, 2009
270-925-5611
RDavis@NCHN.org

NCHN ELECTS LEADERSHIP FOR 2009-10 AND
RECOGNIZES THREE HEALTH NETWORKS ACROSS THE NATION FOR EXCELLENCE

In late April, 2009, the National Cooperative of Health Networks Association (NCHN) held their annual conference in Charleston, SC, where they recognized health network leaders from around the country and charted a path for 2009-10 leadership. Award winners were nominated and chosen by their national peers.

• Outstanding New and Emerging Health Network Leader of 2009:
Tara Cramer, Executive Director, East Georgia Health Cooperative, Sandersville, GA

The NCHN Outstanding New & Emerging Network Leader of the Year Award recognizes extraordinary leadership activities demonstrated by a new health network leader with less than five years experience in the field. Cramer was specifically recognized for her demonstrated ability to seek out national best practices, to fine tune enhancements to existing service offerings at a cost savings, and to work closely with board members to be certain that all strategies for delivery of these health services met the needs and realities of the local communities they serve.

• Outstanding Health Network Leader of 2009:
Tim Cox, President, Northland Healthcare Alliance, Bismarck, ND


The Outstanding Network Leader of the Year Award recognizes a network leader with at least 5 years experience for leadership in managing a successful health network organization. This award is meant to be inclusive of all types of health networks, alliances, collaboratives, and consortiums. Under Cox’s leadership, the Northland Healthcare Alliance has been able to secure over $10 million in funding for members and network programs. The Alliance is focused on becoming a form of a RHIO (Regional Health Information Organization) with the objective of serving as a clearinghouse for patient medical information for hospitals in the region.

• Outstanding Health Network of 2009:
Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, Sauk City, WI

The Outstanding Health Network of the Year Award recognizes a network that has improved access to health services in its service area and has improved the coordination of resources for members using particularly innovative and comprehensive approaches. The Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative was specifically recognized for their understanding of healthcare needs at hospitals and in the surrounding communities, as well as the high degree of successful collaboration with member CEOs.

Additionally, NCHN elected and inducted the 2009-10 slate of officers including:

• Keith Williams, NCHN President
CEO, Community Health Network, Oakdale, TN
• Mary Kay Chess, NCHN Vice President
Executive Director, Health Future, Inc., Medford, OR
• Jack King, NCHN Secretary
Executive Director, Northcentral Montana Healthcare Alliance, Great Falls, MT
• Greg Dent, NCHN Treasurer
CEO, Community Health Works, Forsyth, GA
• Jon Smith, elected to serve a three year term on the NCHN Board of Directors
Executive Director, The Hospital Cooperative, Pocatello, ID


The Association also honored immediate past President, Terry Hill, for his outstanding service. Hill is the Executive Director of the Northern Lakes Health Consortium headquartered in Duluth, MN. Most notable among the Association’s accomplishments under Hill’s leadership are the implementation of the Executive Coaching Program, a peer to peer coaching program among network leaders, as well as the new precedent to offer more frequent regional meetings across the country to drive information sharing around best practices. Hill will continue to serve on the NCHN Board of Directors for 2009 as the Immediate Past President.


Other Directors on the NCHN Board are: Jason Friesen, Director of Operations with the Pioneer Health Network in Garden City, KS; Linda Weiss, Network Director of the Regional Behavior Health Network in Mattoon, IL and Carolyn Witherspoon, Executive Director of the Coalition of Health Services in Amarillo, TX.

NCHN is a national level professional membership organization of health network leaders across the nation. Its mission is to support and strengthen health alliances through collaboration, networking, leadership development and education. The Association has members in 33 states. Its major focus in 2009 will be a continued emphasis on supporting Network Leaders across the nation through the expansion of the Executive Coaching Program, ongoing regional conferences and workshops, and the development of a specialized training curriculum around Health Network Governance. This Governance learning opportunity will include strategies for success around Board selection, training, and coordination.

By definition, health networks are formed when three or more health care providers formally come together to better meet the needs of patients in their service area. These providers often include hospitals, community health centers, critical access hospitals, physician practices, mental health providers, rural health clinics and other for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations. These networks work to increase access to quality health care for local patients and streamline the cost of that care, as well.