AHF Prepares for HC Reform in Future

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT. Swedish Health Services’ Kris Schroeder (c.) accepts the AHF Lifetime Achievement Award from past AHF presidents Deanne Carlisle (l.) and Bruce Thomas.

Healthcare reform is coming, and rapidly, regardless of how challenges to the Obama administration's healthcare reform legislation play out in the courts. Its implications will be far reaching, rewarding efficient healthcare providers for outcomes rather than fee-for-service models, while penalizing inefficient providers and creating a new breed of private sector insurer-provider partnership. It will also offer creative opportunities for innovative foodservice directors who can take advantage of them.

So said Don Wegmiller, chairman emeritus of Integrated Healthcare Strategies and chairman of C-suite Resources, a healthcare exutive advisory firm, in a keynote presentation to attendees of the Association for Healthcare Foodservice's annual conference in June.

Design and Conquer

Themed, Destination by Design, the event hosted more than 600 members of the organization, who met to explore ways self-operated healthcare foodservices can manage people, financials and results more effectively.

Above and clockwise: Ecolab’s Barbara Kane (l.) accepts the “Making a Difference” award from Schwan’s Foods’ Marie Nelson; outgoing president Denisa Cate passes the AHF bullhorn to incoming President Patti Oliver; and Mimi Wang accepts the AHF Exemplary Leadership award from past president Kris Schroeder.

Other sessions included seminars on creating employee engagement, encouraging stronger chef/dietitian partnerships, and new flavor trends. Workshops focused on room service strategy, stronger public relations initiatives and benchmarking. The meeting was rounded out by a series of networking events and the annual Culinary Competition.

At the annual Award Banquet, AHF recognized Kris Schroeder, of Swedish Health Services in Seattle, with its Lifetime Achievement award. Its Exemplary Leadership award went to Mimi Wang, of the VA New York Harbor HC System.

The AHF “Making a Difference” award, recognizing business and media partners of the organization, was presented to Ecolab's Barbara Kane, and the “Future Horizons” award went to Tamara Almquist from Geisinger Marworth.

Partnership in Leadership awards were given to Angelo Mojica, University of North Carolina Hospitals, and Cyndi Roberts, Saint Joseph Memorial Hospital.

In the Culinary Competition, the team from NYU Langone Medical Center took first place with its “Soy Paper Tropical Rice Roll filled with Chicken Thich and accompanied by Crisp Organic Vegetable Salad. Second and third place awards went to Raleigh NC's Rex Healthcare and UNC Healthcare, respectively.

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AHF 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award