This week's Connection Newsletter highlights AzHHA's new board chair, John Amos president and chief executive officer of Yavapai Regional Medical Center. You can also find out more about our new AzHHA Affiliated Partners mobile app.
AzHHA announces new chairman and welcomes three new board directors
The AzHHA Board of Directors announced last week John Amos, president and chief executive officer of Yavapai Regional Medical Center as its new board chair. The board also voted to approve the addition of three new executives to the board. Amos will begin his Chairman’s role within his third term on the AzHHA Board, having served since 2014. His background includes over 30 years in healthcare, including 15 years senior-level administrative experience. The AzHHA Board also voted to appoint the following Arizona healthcare leaders to serve a 3-year term on the board:
- Rona Curphy, The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital Chief Executive Officer/Chief Nursing Officer
- Will McConnell, Ph.D., Kingman Regional Medical Center President/Chief Executive Officer
- Catherine Todero, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Creighton University Dean and Professor - College of Nursing, Vice Provost of Health Science Campuses
As we welcome the new board chair and directors, we would like to thank David French, Board Chair for the Kingman Regional Medical Center, for his service and commitment to the healthcare community. French will rotate off of the AzHHA board after nine years of service. To read the full news release, click here.
FDA approves first treatment for COVID-19
In a news release the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of remdesivir under the brand name “Veklury” to treat COVID-19 patients 12 years and older. While other medications have been given Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA for use in patients with COVID-19, remdesivir is the first medication to have been fully approved for the treatment. The medication is only approved for COVID-19 treatment if it is administered in a hospital or other acute inpatient care facility.
According to the National Institute of Health, data from a clinical trial found that patients who were administered remdesivir recovered 31% faster than people who received the placebo (p<0.001). The median time to recovery was 11 days for patients treated with remdesivir compared to 15 days for the placebo group.
Open enrollment starts next week
Enrollment for healthcare coverage through the health insurance marketplace begins Sunday, November 1. All of Arizona's counties will have at least one health insurance company offering Affordable Care Act plans for 2021, and most counties are expected to have more than one. The companies are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Cigna, Oscar, Bright Health and Ambetter from Arizona Complete Health. In addition, United Healthcare will be offering plans in Maricopa County. Open enrollment will be available until December 15. For more information or to pre-view plans, visit healthcare.gov.
Download AzHHA’s affiliated partners mobile app
The AzHHA Affiliated Partners Program offers members access to the AzHHA APP board of Directors' pre-screened and approved vendors which offer tools and resources needed to deliver high-quality, cost-effective patient care in the safest of environments. With the new AzHHA Affiliated Partners mobile app all these resources are available in the palm of your hand. All you have to is download the mobile app on your phone by scanning the QR code in the image below with your phone’s camera. You can also download the AzHHA Affiliated Partners app directly from your phone's Google Play or App Store app.
Phoenix Business Journal’s 2020 Health Care Hero Awards
Each year the Phoenix Business Journal hosts its Health Care Hero Awards. This year, AzHHA is proud to announce Ann-Marie Alameddin, AzHHA president and CEO is nominated for the Health Care Education award. The Health Care Education Award honors people who have made a significant contribution to fostering interest in the health care field in others, including professors, students and administrators. All finalists and the winners will be announced in a virtual ceremony on Monday, November 9. Congratulations to all the finalists. If you would like to attend the virtual event, click here.
Upcoming Events
October 30 – Arizona Public Health Association’s Fall Conference: 6th Annual Adolescent Health and Wellness Summit
The Arizona Public Health Association will be hosting its 6th Annual Adolescent Health and Wellness Summit virtually on October 30 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This year’s guest speaker is Superintendent Kathy Hoffman. To learn more or register, click here.
November 12 - The Paradigm Shift in Health Care: Learning to Live in Tomorrow's Future
This year, in light of COVID-19, longstanding challenges — physician burnout, financial distress, regulation changes — have intensified while new ones have emerged. The resulting paradigm shift is an opportunity to rethink current strategies and make the most of available resources to support care teams, recover revenue, and employ technology to reinforce both patient and financial wellness. Join the AHA in this engaging webinar by clicking here to register.
November 13 – Women Lead HERe Conference
Join the Arizona Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association in its 8th Annual Women Lead HERe Conference. This year’s event will focus on empowHERment, inspiration and connection. Learn more and register for the conference here.
In Other News
Arizona’s top health official warns to stay vigilant as COVID-19 cases rise
KTAR News
Arizona health department changes COVID-19 recommendations for closing schools
AZ Family
U.K. study suggests drop in population’s coronavirus immunity
U.S. News & World Report