Todd W. Williams, M.D.
Chief of Staff
Brown County Regional HealthCARE
Georgetown

A look inside Todd’s nomination –
Dr. Williams is truly an asset to Brown County Regional HealthCARE. He has touched the lives of his co-workers, friends, family and most of all those in the community for whom he provides excellent care. Dr. Williams epitomizes the values of Brown County Regional HealthCARE and other healthcare organizations in Ohio who continually strive for excellence. Dr. Williams goes far beyond the call of duty to help others, gives back to the community of which he has grown since childhood to become a great leader.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006
OHA’s Political Action Committee Launches Voter Education Campaign
Friends of Ohio Hospitals is focusing on preparation for the fall election with the launch of a newly revamped Web site, www.FriendsofOhioHospitals.org. The new site includes everything voters who are concerned about hospitals need to know about the Nov. 7 statewide general election, providing easy-to-access, non-partisan candidate information, educational materials on ballot issues, and useful tools to help hospital employees register to vote, vote early with Ohio's new no-fault absentee voting, or vote in person at the right time and right place. (Stacey Conrad, staceyc@ohanet.org)

Thursday, August 24, 2006
Bush Signs Health Care IT Order
President George Bush this week signed an executive order outlining an effort to promote greater transparency and value-based competition throughout the U.S. health care system.  The executive order requires the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense, Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management to take action through:

• Adoption, whenever possible, of compatible computer systems and electronic health records to help track patients’ medical care and condition.

• Development of quality information to encourage consumers to choose high-performing providers.
• Transparency with respect to prices for specific health care services and procedures.
• Implementation of pay-for-performance incentives to reward clinicians and facilities that deliver high-quality care.

The president noted that these steps are designed to help consumers take a more active role in their health care decisions with the help of reliable, user-friendly data. (Jonathan Archey, jonathana@ohanet.org)

Hospitals’ Heartbeat

A 2006 nominee for the Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award

Carol Wise       

Director of Quality Resource Management                                 

The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton                                 

Dayton            

A look inside Carol’s nomination –

As director of quality resource management for The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton, Carol Wise believes passionately in maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and quality for all of the children in the Miami Valley region. A member of Dayton Children’s staff for 18 years, Carol has led the hospital to outstanding Joint Commission scores by maintaining rigorous standards for education and compliance throughout the hospital. She is creative in her approach to educating Dayton Children’s staff and strives to make certain every member of the staff understands their role in the survey. An outstanding leader, she holds several state positions related to quality and patient safety. In addition to her tireless work for Dayton Children’s, Carol is active with her four children and her church community, coordinating several team activities.

“Carol is the ideal employee,” says Thomas Murphy, MD, vice president for medical affairs at Dayton Children’s. “She helps build a culture that encourages safety and puts kids at the center of everything we do."

Friday, August 25, 2006
OHA Board August Meeting Action-Packed