How To Build Value-Based Payer Partnerships: An OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Best Practices In Marketing, Negotiating, & Contracting With Health Plans
Across the country, managed care organizations are successfully delivering treatment services to large populations and doing it in a way that saves states significant sums of money. These demonstrated savings show that value-based reimbursement and managed care arrangements aren’t going anywhere, which means that executives of provider organizations must find a way to position themselves to work closely with managed care companies.
How? By developing relationships with the payers in your market, considering what metrics they are tied to and how you can help them to meet their performance requirements, discussing how you can align programs and services with the goals of the payers and health plans in your market, and providing data that proves your service lines can achieve both high quality outcomes and lower costs. In this crucial seminar, we will discuss:
- How to start strategic conversations with health plans
- How to demonstrate your organization’s value in way that will capture health plan's interest
- How to secure and optimize service agreements with health plans
Registration & Executive Networking Breakfast
Check-in at the registration desk to get your name badge and program materials, then join us in the exhibit hall for breakfast. Take some time to meet your fellow attendees, talk to our partners, and prepare for the day ahead.
Key Issues Shaping The Market For Complex Consumers: The Health Plan Perspective On What Executives Need To Know To Succeed
Health and human service provider organizations are facing many new challenges – the shift to value-based reimbursement, the payer push towards integrated care management, new disruptive competitors, and the emergence of new technologies. This evolving landscape requires the development of new operational competencies, the development of new services and treatment programs to meet payer requirements, and the ability to build new partnerships with health plans. For executive teams, this can be a tall order—but the place to start is understanding your market, your competitors, and your payer partners. During this feature session, William Lopez, M.D., CPE, Senior Medical Director, Behavioral Health of Cigna Behavioral Health will offer his perspective on the change drivers and market disruptors that are shaping the health and human service market, and discuss how Cigna is working with provider organizations to manag chronic conditions and support consumers with complex needs.
Non-Profit Board Management: Keys To Attracting & Managing A Board That Can Operate In A Competitive Market
With the change in funding, the role of governance boards has changed. Organizations need to attract board members that are not only competent and strategic, but are familiar with the major environmental forces affecting the market and are aware of the resources needed to meet the organization’s mission while remaining competitive. In this informative panel discussion, we will hear from former chief executive officers who will provide insight on board selection and effective board management for creating a competitive advantage and long-term sustainability.
Howard Shiffman
Mr. Shiffman has over 30 years of successful organizational and business experience in human service fields including expertise in executive management, strategic planning, business development, finance, marketing, market intelligence research, fundraising, and board development. He has hands-on expertise that comes from successful management and consulting with a number of programs. Prior to joining OPEN MINDS Mr. Shiffman served as Chief Executive Officer of Griffith Centers for Children, a COA-accredited, full-service treatment program for severely troubled youth and their families. He also developed one of the first offense-specific sex offender program in the United States.
Positioning For Success – General John Buford & The High Ground: The Beginning Of The Battle Of Gettysburg
During this session, we will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where licensed battlefield guide Robert Prosperi will lead a tour of the important sites of day one of the Battle of Gettysburg. This session will include a review of General Buford’s actions, a discussion of the history of the battlefield sites, and time for questions and discussion with our guide. To provide the proper context for this session, a handout including a brief introduction to General John Buford and the Battle of Gettysburg will be made available to attendees. After we leave the battlefield OPEN MINDS' Senior Associate, Ken Carr will wrap up the session with a classroom discussion of the leadership lessons learned from General Buford and the application of those lessons to the health care market today.
General John Buford played a critical role in the first day of the battle of Gettysburg; his defense of the “high ground” set the stage for the Union’s eventual victory over the Confederate army. General Buford believed that a leader’s duty is to ensure their team is “positioned and prepared” for the challenges ahead – a good lesson for any leader, whether in the midst of a battle or in the midst of health care reform.
Before the start of the Battle of Gettysburg, General Buford’s troops were some of the first Union forces to enter the town of Gettysburg. Recognizing that he was facing a large concentration of Confederate troops, General Buford had positioned his forces to maintain the high ground of Cemetery Hill, South of Gettysburg, where they were able to hold off the Confederates until reinforcements could arrive. By maintaining the tactically superior position in Gettysburg for the Union, General Buford set in motion the eventual victory over the South at Gettysburg. General Buford’s case study highlights the importance of strategic positioning and anticipatory leadership.
Robert Prosperi
Robert H. Prosperi is one of the foremost experts on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a U.S. Army veteran. He served for 17 years as one of the two historians at the Gettysburg National Military Park. During this time he served as a personal tour guide and battlefield escort for numerous dignitaries and celebrities. He had the distinct privilege of providing a personal tour for Presidents Carter and Sadat and Prime Minister Begin during the Camp David Summit.
Thought Leader Discussion With William Lopez, M.D., Senior Medical Director-Behavioral Health, Cigna Behavioral Health
Join us for a follow-up session with our featured speaker, William Lopez, M.D., Senior Medical Director-Behavioral Health, Cigna. Use this time to ask questions and continue the morning’s discussion with Dr. Lopez and OPEN MINDS chief executive officer Monica E. Oss.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S., Chief Executive Officer and Senior Associate, is the founder of OPEN MINDS. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. Ms. Oss is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field. She has unique expertise in payer financing models, provider rate setting, and service pricing. She has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, managed care programs, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
How To Build A Strategy For Success: Best Practices In Strategy, Portfolio Management, & Scenario-Based Planning
Planning in stable markets is relatively easy. Chaotic, complex markets make planning a challenge. That’s not a surprise to most executives in the health and human service space. But many executives don’t realize that their planning model also needs to change. The shifting landscape is changing market fundamentals—the health and human service system value chain is upset with new and disruptive competition. Those are the key areas of focus in the new “best practice” planning model—how to redefine competitive advantage in a way that assures financial stability and sustainability. This session will include a presentation on OPEN MINDS' tried and true best practices for strategic planning, and we will hear from an organization that recently went through the process of developing a strategic plan.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M., Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Breathing Through Stress & Using The Principles Of Yoga To Manage People
Over the past several years, the world of health and human services has been changing at a rapid pace. As executives, the responsibility of leading your organization successfully through this time of disruption falls squarely on your shoulders. In this challenging environment, executives are particularly susceptible to stress, fatigue, and burnout. In this interactive session, we’ll review how you can utilize the principals of yoga to de-stress and lead your team with focus and clarity.
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive expertise and a wide range of experience in health plan management, clinical operations management, and technology. A recognized thought leader among her peers, Ms. Hicks is a regular keynote speaker at industry conferences and association meetings, as well as an author of hundreds of articles and resources for professionals in both clinical and executive roles.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system. She served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC’s managed behavioral health organization responsible for $800 million in annual revenue. At Community Care, Ms. Hicks was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations, including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. She also managed the day-to-day operations of human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served in a variety of tech leadership roles for UPMC. In 2002, she was appointed as the Vice President of Technology Strategy for the UPMC Insurance Services Division before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, a leading provider of electronic health record software for behavioral health and social service organizations. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth and profitability of the company and the direction of software development. In addition, Ms. Hicks was the President of U Squared Interactive, a UPMC-owned organization with the exclusive United States rights to Beating The Blues – the renowned computerized cognitive behavioral therapy solution for treating anxiety and depression.
Ms. Hicks started her impressive career as a psychiatric social worker and an Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Point Park College, Pittsburgh, PA.
Lunch On Your Own
Jumping The ‘Strategy-To-Execution Gap’: How To Build An Implementation Plan & Develop KPIs For Long-Term Strategy Management
Developing a strategic plan is only one leg of the strategy triangle. Peter Drucker said that “plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work”—likewise, strategy is meaningless without implementation and execution. Successful strategy implementation and execution requires a detailed plan, the right managers at the helm on implementation, and robust performance metrics to keep the organization “on course” toward its strategic objectives. In this session, we'll review the OPEN MINDS best practice approach to strategic planning execution, discuss how to overcome the common challenges to strategy implementation, and hear case studies from two provider organization executives on their experiences with strategy implementation.
Addressing The Challenges Of The Complex Consumer Market: A Market Intelligence Update
There is certainly a lot of uncertainty in the health and human service world these days. The new Trump administration, the future of Medicaid expansion, what happens to parity, and the possibility of more state control of Medicaid and human service funding are all factors shaping the market. Fortunately, in this changing market, there are a lot of opportunities for provider organizations to consider. Unfortunately, there is no right answer to this strategic puzzle – organizational competencies, the payer landscape in the service area, competitive program offerings, and organizational assets (both human and financial) are part of this complex equation. The place to start is by understanding your environment, your payers, and your consumers. This can’t-miss session is designed to do just that – OPEN MINDS Chief Executive Officer Monica E. Oss will discuss the national and local trends that are shaping the market for organizations serving complex consumers, her predictions for the years ahead, and most importantly, how you can position your organization for success in our shifting market.
Positioning For Success – General John Buford & The High Ground: The Beginning Of The Battle Of Gettysburg
During this session, we will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where licensed battlefield guide Robert Prosperi will lead a tour of the important sites of day one of the Battle of Gettysburg. This session will include a review of General Buford’s actions, a discussion of the history of the battlefield sites, and time for questions and discussion with our guide. To provide the proper context for this session, a handout including a brief introduction to General John Buford and the Battle of Gettysburg will be made available to attendees. After we leave the battlefield OPEN MINDS' Senior Associate, Ken Carr will wrap up the session with a classroom discussion of the leadership lessons learned from General Buford and the application of those lessons to the health care market today.
General John Buford played a critical role in the first day of the battle of Gettysburg; his defense of the “high ground” set the stage for the Union’s eventual victory over the Confederate army. General Buford believed that a leader’s duty is to ensure their team is “positioned and prepared” for the challenges ahead – a good lesson for any leader, whether in the midst of a battle or in the midst of health care reform.
Before the start of the Battle of Gettysburg, General Buford’s troops were some of the first Union forces to enter the town of Gettysburg. Recognizing that he was facing a large concentration of Confederate troops, General Buford had positioned his forces to maintain the high ground of Cemetery Hill, South of Gettysburg, where they were able to hold off the Confederates until reinforcements could arrive. By maintaining the tactically superior position in Gettysburg for the Union, General Buford set in motion the eventual victory over the South at Gettysburg. General Buford’s case study highlights the importance of strategic positioning and anticipatory leadership.
Robert Prosperi
Robert H. Prosperi is one of the foremost experts on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a U.S. Army veteran. He served for 17 years as one of the two historians at the Gettysburg National Military Park. During this time he served as a personal tour guide and battlefield escort for numerous dignitaries and celebrities. He had the distinct privilege of providing a personal tour for Presidents Carter and Sadat and Prime Minister Begin during the Camp David Summit.
Women In Leadership: A Discussion Session On Supporting Women In Management Roles
Though the world is evolving, there remains a large gender gap in leadership roles and women in leadership often face different challenges than their male counterpart. To build strong leadership within their organization, executive teams need determine how they can continue to foster female career-growth in leadership positions. Our panel, comprised of dynamic women in leadership roles, will lead a discussion on ways to support, advance, and empower women executives in the workplace and share their leadership stories and lessons learned.
Sarah C. Threnhauser, MPA
Ms. Threnhauser has experience in all areas of health and human service management, including strategic planning, market research, and financial management. As Executive Vice President, Ms. Threnhauser develops and manages content for all of OPEN MINDS publications, including the OPEN MINDS Circle, the Weekly News Wire, the RFP HotLine, RFP Contact Awards Announcements, and the Monthly Management Newsletter, as well as all of OPEN MINDS education events.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Threnhauser worked with the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in the Bureau of Financial Operations. In that role, Ms. Threnhauser served as the liaison between the state government and local service providers and county administrators. She also analyzed and assessed the effects of fiscal regulation and policy on OMHSAS’ budget and assisted in the development and allocation of state community mental health funds and federal grants/appropriations.
Ms. Threnhauser earned her Master’s degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and her Bachelor’s degree in English from York College of Pennsylvania.
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive expertise and a wide range of experience in health plan management, clinical operations management, and technology. A recognized thought leader among her peers, Ms. Hicks is a regular keynote speaker at industry conferences and association meetings, as well as an author of hundreds of articles and resources for professionals in both clinical and executive roles.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system. She served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC’s managed behavioral health organization responsible for $800 million in annual revenue. At Community Care, Ms. Hicks was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations, including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. She also managed the day-to-day operations of human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served in a variety of tech leadership roles for UPMC. In 2002, she was appointed as the Vice President of Technology Strategy for the UPMC Insurance Services Division before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, a leading provider of electronic health record software for behavioral health and social service organizations. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth and profitability of the company and the direction of software development. In addition, Ms. Hicks was the President of U Squared Interactive, a UPMC-owned organization with the exclusive United States rights to Beating The Blues – the renowned computerized cognitive behavioral therapy solution for treating anxiety and depression.
Ms. Hicks started her impressive career as a psychiatric social worker and an Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Point Park College, Pittsburgh, PA.
Executive Compensation: How To Negotiate & Manage The Compensation Process
As many executives can tell you, merit alone cannot always guarantee a strong compensation package – in many circumstances it comes down to the power of negotiation. But what are the considerations? How has the compensation landscape changed? And how can you assure that you find the best possible package for both you and the organization you are serving? In this unique session, OPEN MINDS Senior Associate Richard Louis III, will lead the panel discussion on everything executives need to consider when negotiating compensation packages.
Howard Shiffman
Mr. Shiffman has over 30 years of successful organizational and business experience in human service fields including expertise in executive management, strategic planning, business development, finance, marketing, market intelligence research, fundraising, and board development. He has hands-on expertise that comes from successful management and consulting with a number of programs. Prior to joining OPEN MINDS Mr. Shiffman served as Chief Executive Officer of Griffith Centers for Children, a COA-accredited, full-service treatment program for severely troubled youth and their families. He also developed one of the first offense-specific sex offender program in the United States.
Night At The Museum & Networking Reception
Don’t miss one of the most anticipated events at this year’s retreat – a night out at the museum! This is an evening attendees won’t soon forget, complete with exclusive access to the entire museum for Leadership Retreat attendees.
Exclusive After-Hours Access To Museum Exhibit Galleries & Bookstore
The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor’s Center is home to thousands of Civil War artifacts and relics from the Battle of Gettysburg. Institute attendees will have private, after-hours access to all areas of the museum, including the book store/gift shop. National Park Service employees and our licensed battlefield guide, Robert Prosperi, will be on hand throughout the evening to answer all of your questions.
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Private Showing Of The Film “A New Birth Of Freedom”
Just a few months after the battle of Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln called for a “new birth of freedom” during his now-famous Gettysburg Address. This film, sponsored by the History Channel and narrated by award winning actor Morgan Freeman, places the Battle of Gettysburg in the larger context of American history and gives an in-depth overview of how the events of the Battle shaped a nation.
8:00pm – 8:30 pm: Exhibition Of The Famous Gettysburg Cyclorama
Paul Philippoteaux’s 1883 cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg is among the last surviving cycloramas in the United States. This breathtaking painting literally surrounds you and stands longer than a football field and as tall as a four-story structure. Newly-restored, the painting provides a unique 360° view of all the details of the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg and gives viewers a true sense of what occurred during the battle.
Executive Networking Breakfast In The Institute Exhibit Hall
Next Generation Models For Health Plan Behavioral Health Services
The increase in integrated care coordination and value-based reimbursement is changing financing and care delivery models for behavioral health care provider organizations and leading to innovative models of care management for complex consumer populations. In this feature session, we’ll take a look at an example of this “next generation” care model and its impact on behavioral health. Debra Smyers, Senior Vice President, Health Services, Sunshine Health will review Centene’s new models of care management for behavioral health, explore changing expectations for behavioral health provider organizations in a value-based market, and discuss her perspective on the future models of health plan reimbursement and service delivery for consumers with complex needs.
Changing Executive Team Roles: New Executive Competencies For A New Market
The field has shifted from complicated to complex – moving from a highly regulated field with structured compensation, to a field that is still highly regulated, but is now competitive. The difference is subtle but important. Complicated systems may have many parts but when the parts interact they do not change each other. In complex systems, on the other hand, when things interact, they change one another in unexpected and irreversible ways. The key here is that complicated systems and complex systems demand different leadership skills. So who will be the successful leaders in a time of complexity? They are executives who are familiar with uncertainty; able to foster innovation; willing to take risk; and comfortable with tension, conflict, and lack of consensus. In this session, we'll review how the changing market is simultaneously changing leadership team requirements, explore the new executive competences leaders need to make their organization successful, and discuss the challenges of developing these competencies within your own executive team.
Strategic Decisionmaking In Times Of Change – Colonel Joshua Chamberlain & Little Round Top: Defending The Union Line
During this session, we will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where Robert Prosperi, Licensed Battlefield Guide, will lead a private walking tour of Little Round Top and the surrounding area. This session will include a review of the Union army’s defenses on day two of the battle, a discussion of the history of the battlefield site, and time for questions and discussion with our guide. To provide the proper context for this session, a handout including a brief introduction to Colonel Chamberlain and the Battle of Gettysburg will be made available to attendees. After we leave the battlefield, OPEN MINDS' Senior Associate, Joseph Naughton-Travers will wrap up the session with a classroom discussion of the leadership lessons learned from the Colonel Chamberlain and the application of those lessons for managing your health care team.
Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and his 20th Maine regiment’s defense of Little Round Top is perhaps one of the most famous confrontations of the Battle of Gettysburg. This session examines how Colonel Chamberlain, in times of great distress, recognized the power of strategic thinking, made the necessary quick decisions, and preserved the overall goal of the Union Army. Colonel Chamberlain’s own battlefield experiences help us to realize the importance of good leadership, and to examine transactional and transformational leadership styles.
Little Round Top is one of two rocky hills located in the South of Gettysburg, and the position of the far-left flank of the Union army during the Battle of Gettysburg. On the second day of the battle, Union troops left this strategic ground undefended, leaving the Union line open to attack from Confederate forces. Colonel Chamberlain was ordered to guard this position and quickly understood the strategic significance of the small hill – meaning that his regiment must hold the Union line at all costs. In the last moments, as all seemed lost, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge that swung around almost doubling back on its own line and capturing over one hundred soldiers and maintaining the Union defense of the high ground of the battlefield.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M., Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Robert Prosperi
Robert H. Prosperi is one of the foremost experts on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a U.S. Army veteran. He served for 17 years as one of the two historians at the Gettysburg National Military Park. During this time he served as a personal tour guide and battlefield escort for numerous dignitaries and celebrities. He had the distinct privilege of providing a personal tour for Presidents Carter and Sadat and Prime Minister Begin during the Camp David Summit.
Thought Leader Discussion With Debra Smyers, Plan Product President, Sunshine Health
Join us for a follow-up session with our keynote speaker, Debra Smyers, Plan Product President, Sunshine Health. Use this time to ask questions and continue the morning’s discussion with Ms. Smyers and OPEN MINDS senior associate Annie Medina.
When Technology Becomes Integral To Strategy: Leading In A Virtual Environment
There are now thousands of new digital technologies and technology-enabled services focused on the health and human service market, and as these technologies gain adoption, they are fundamentally changing service delivery and consumer relationships for provider organizations. But it isn’t only front-line staff whose work worlds are being remade by technology. Leaders in organizations also need to be adaptable, but at a completely different level. Technology has remade the transactional and transformational leadership roles of executives. The transactional part is more apparent – new processes, new data, and new organizational relationships to manage. But the transformational one is not so apparent – being the force that overcomes apathy and resentment of technology-driven change. In this session, we'll discuss the strategic challenges technology brings to organizational sustainability, explore how technology changes the role of the executive team, and review best practices for integrating technology into your strategy for sustainability.
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive expertise and a wide range of experience in health plan management, clinical operations management, and technology. A recognized thought leader among her peers, Ms. Hicks is a regular keynote speaker at industry conferences and association meetings, as well as an author of hundreds of articles and resources for professionals in both clinical and executive roles.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system. She served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC’s managed behavioral health organization responsible for $800 million in annual revenue. At Community Care, Ms. Hicks was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations, including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. She also managed the day-to-day operations of human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served in a variety of tech leadership roles for UPMC. In 2002, she was appointed as the Vice President of Technology Strategy for the UPMC Insurance Services Division before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, a leading provider of electronic health record software for behavioral health and social service organizations. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth and profitability of the company and the direction of software development. In addition, Ms. Hicks was the President of U Squared Interactive, a UPMC-owned organization with the exclusive United States rights to Beating The Blues – the renowned computerized cognitive behavioral therapy solution for treating anxiety and depression.
Ms. Hicks started her impressive career as a psychiatric social worker and an Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Point Park College, Pittsburgh, PA.
The New Leadership Challenge: Culture & Change Management In A Value Based Market
As the value-based market evolves, effectively leading organizational change is vital to your organization’s sustainability. A formal approach for managing change, beginning with the leadership team, should be developed early, but adapted often as change moves through an organization. Change is inherently unsettling for people at all levels of an organization, and all eyes will turn to the leadership team for support and direction. Executive teams that work well together, that are aligned and committed to the direction of change, and that understand the culture it will introduce are best positioned for success. In this informative session, we will discuss how to address the challenges of change management and strategies that will create and sustain a strong organizational culture.
Lunch On Your Own
I’ve Got Patient Data. Now What? Transforming Outcomes Today
Sponsored by Business of Healthcare (BOH)
We all know the problem: unnecessary suffering from untreated conditions, massive consumer need for behavioral health and addiction care, provider shortages and misaligned financial incentives. While not a panacea, many believe artificial intelligence, virtual health, digital patient engagement, data interoperability and realigned economic incentives will lead to better access, patient experience and outcomes. But it all sounds like science fiction.
Can you deliver better behavioral health today leveraging current technologies? Are better efficiencies and financial outcomes already happening? In this BOH-hosted panel, experts in artificial intelligence, behavioral health managed care, digital patient engagement, integrated ‘bricks & clicks’ patient care, and secure EHR data interoperability show their independent work in action. Speakers articulate why better patient experience, access, and outcome as well as provider and payer financial benefit is accruing now.
BOH host Matthew Hanis facilitates this carefully planned discussion and with real-time audience feedback. Innovators New Directions Behavioral Health, Raiven Healthcare, Foothold Technology, and VPAC Clinical share their current work changing the future today:
- a transformational payer serving the heaviest utilizers
- artificial intelligence detecting patients and determining optimal treatment plans
- digital engagement initiating diagnosis
- data interoperability between medical, behavioral, and social service providers
- integrated virtual and in-person care providing diagnosis, treatment, and reassessment for the whole patient.
Audience members provide real-time input and feedback.
This experiential session, including buffet lunch, will be recorded and later published to the BOH audience of 19,000 senior healthcare executives.
Creating An IT Strategy That Excites & Unites: Generating Support From The Board To The Front Lines With A Comprehensive Plan To Leverage IT As A Differentiator In The Marketplace
Sponsored by Netsmart
The shift to value-based contracting. Shared risk for patient outcomes. A major focus on interoperability and coordinated care. The challenges and benefits of data optimization. The emergence of population health management. Increasing market consolidation and new competitive threats.
Is your organization’s strategic and operational IT plan ahead of the curve to address these and other major trends…or behind it? This session will provide insights and practical take-aways for crafting a successful plan in a time of rapid change.
- A look at the human services technology landscape and horizon
- Impact and implications of managed services
- “Must-haves” in a technology partner (or you should look for a different partner)
- How to leverage available tools to support development and communication of your strategy and needed investment
- Plan vs. reality: Setting realistic goals/expectations based on organization and vendor capabilities
- Change management: How to plan for the human side of IT investments and implementations
Ethical Leadership In The Era Of Value-Based Reimbursement
Ethical leadership is a commitment to doing what is right. In the world of non-profit health and human services, this can present many challenges. How do leaders balance the pressure for near-term results with the long-term public good? What is the role of leaders in policy and political issues? How do you weigh your bottom line against your responsibilities as a moral leader? In this session, we’ll test your ability to identify and respond to the tough ethical challenges facing leaders in a new era of value-based care.
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive expertise and a wide range of experience in health plan management, clinical operations management, and technology. A recognized thought leader among her peers, Ms. Hicks is a regular keynote speaker at industry conferences and association meetings, as well as an author of hundreds of articles and resources for professionals in both clinical and executive roles.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system. She served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC’s managed behavioral health organization responsible for $800 million in annual revenue. At Community Care, Ms. Hicks was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations, including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. She also managed the day-to-day operations of human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served in a variety of tech leadership roles for UPMC. In 2002, she was appointed as the Vice President of Technology Strategy for the UPMC Insurance Services Division before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, a leading provider of electronic health record software for behavioral health and social service organizations. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth and profitability of the company and the direction of software development. In addition, Ms. Hicks was the President of U Squared Interactive, a UPMC-owned organization with the exclusive United States rights to Beating The Blues – the renowned computerized cognitive behavioral therapy solution for treating anxiety and depression.
Ms. Hicks started her impressive career as a psychiatric social worker and an Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Point Park College, Pittsburgh, PA.
Building The Management Pipeline: Identifying & Growing Future Leaders
When you set out to identify future leaders to move your organization forward, do you know what to look for? Better yet, if you do not have an HR budget to spend on talent management, do you at least have a basic system and structure in place with the proper tools to evaluate talent? Once you have identified your future leaders, do you have a plan in place to for them to gain new leadership skills? Leadership recruitment and retention have become two of the most challenging issues facing health and human service organizations today. In this timely session, we will discuss:
- The human resource management competencies that your organization needs to succeed
- Keys in developing a management pipeline
- Proven approaches for developing future leaders
Strategic Decisionmaking In Times Of Change – Colonel Joshua Chamberlain & Little Round Top: Defending The Union Line
During this session, we will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where Terry Fox, Licensed Battlefield Guide, will lead a private walking tour of Little Round Top and the surrounding area. This session will include a review of the Union army’s defenses on day two of the battle, a discussion of the history of the battlefield site, and time for questions and discussion with our guide. To provide the proper context for this session, a handout including a brief introduction to Colonel Chamberlain and the Battle of Gettysburg will be made available to attendees. After we leave the battlefield, OPEN MINDS' Senior Associate, Joseph Naughton-Travers will wrap up the session with a classroom discussion of the leadership lessons learned from the Colonel Chamberlain and the application of those lessons for managing your health care team.
Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and his 20th Maine regiment’s defense of Little Round Top is perhaps one of the most famous confrontations of the Battle of Gettysburg. This session examines how Colonel Chamberlain, in times of great distress, recognized the power of strategic thinking, made the necessary quick decisions, and preserved the overall goal of the Union Army. Colonel Chamberlain’s own battlefield experiences help us to realize the importance of good leadership, and to examine transactional and transformational leadership styles.
Little Round Top is one of two rocky hills located in the South of Gettysburg, and the position of the far-left flank of the Union army during the Battle of Gettysburg. On the second day of the battle, Union troops left this strategic ground undefended, leaving the Union line open to attack from Confederate forces. Colonel Chamberlain was ordered to guard this position and quickly understood the strategic significance of the small hill – meaning that his regiment must hold the Union line at all costs. In the last moments, as all seemed lost, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge that swung around almost doubling back on its own line and capturing over one hundred soldiers and maintaining the Union defense of the high ground of the battlefield.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M., Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Terry G. Fox
Terry Fox is a sixth-generation resident of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and a battlefield guide emeritus with Gettysburg National Military Park. He taught American History in the public schools for 33 years, serving as department head and as a member of the Carnegie Foundation for teaching American History. Since his retirement he has taught as an adjunct professor at Gettysburg College and at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. He has presented leadership seminars for U.S. Air Force chief master sergeants as well as employees of the U.S. Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in addition to teaching in Johns Hopkins’ Police Executive Leadership program. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Shippensburg College.
Adding Mindfulness Training To Address PTSD In Veterans
This presentation will focus on the benefits of adding Mindfulness Training in concert with other traditional modalities that address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans. The use of Mindfulness Techniques, such as meditation, can significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety which reduces anger and creates a sense of calm that can break dysfunctional patterns of behavior that accompany PTSD.
An ideal integration of Mindfulness Training emphasizes the impact of stress, basic guidelines for mindfulness practice, a discussion of the attitudes that support practice, and suggestions for how to work with the variety of challenges that commonly arise during mindfulness practice. The program will evolve sequentially with exercises to increase awareness of the impermanence of sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. Exercises to overcome obstacles to practice are employed and exercises that help the practitioner to recognize and experience the unfiltered somatic sensations that may be habitually ignored or overridden are practiced. This connection to physical sensations provides a window into our understanding of trauma and unresolved trauma with an exercise designed to provide a safe channel to release unresolved trauma along with practice in recognizing a flashback to a traumatic event and applying traumatic first aid.
The presentation will also include several brief demonstrations and group exercises to actively involve the participants.
Sustainability To Survive A Turbulent Market: A Strategy Discussion Session For Executives Of Small-Scale Provider Organizations
Designed specifically for executives of small-scale provider organizations, this discussion session will focus on the tools and insights organizations need to strategically reposition themselves for sustainability in today’s changing health and human services environment. Come prepared to discuss the challenges facing your organization and hear from your fellow attendees about their strategies for sustainability.
Lincoln Into Art Gallery: Gallery Tour With Acclaimed Artist Wendy Allen
Wendy Allen, author of Lincoln Into Art: The First Thirty Years (2013), is known internationally for her extraordinary paintings of Abraham Lincoln, which have exhibited alongside works by Rauschenberg, Dali, and Rockwell. During this session, we will take a short walk from the Gettysburg Hotel to Wendy Allen’s gallery on Baltimore Street, where she will give attendees a private tour of her gallery and discuss her work.
Wendy Allen
Wendy Allen was born in Pittsburgh in 1955. For thirty years, she pursued a career in educational publishing, lastly as Creative Director for a major children’s publisher. In 2007 she left to pursue painting full-time.
Art became Allen’s passion when, in 1983, she painted her first portrait of Abraham Lincoln. He soon became the focus of her artwork. In 2009, the year of the Lincoln Bicentennial, CNN aired an interview about Allen’s unique career. Her work has also been featured at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., alongside Lincoln portraits by Salvador Dali, Robert Rauschenberg, and Norman Rockwell. Most recently, her work was exhibited at the Pensacola Museum of Art in Pensacola, Florida.
Allen serves on Board of Directors for The Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, The Lincoln Forum, and Main Street Gettysburg.
She currently divides her time between her home in New Milford, Connecticut, and her studio/gallery, Lincoln Into Art, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Executive Networking Reception
Join us for this special executive networking reception in the historic Gettysburg Hotel. Take this time to debrief, share your experiences, and make plans to further develop your professional network with our faculty and your fellow attendees.
Executive Networking Breakfast In The Institute Exhibit Hall
How To Retain & Grow Direct Support Professionals
The average turnover rate among direct support professionals (DSP) is around 45%. For most executive teams, this high turnover rate is a familiar problem and for anyone working in the industry, it isn't a surprise. DSPs perform stressful, critical functions, in often less than ideal conditions, for a wage similar to the food service industry. With shrinking budgets and tight margins, simply raising wages is not always a practicable solution for staff retention—instead, organizations need to think more broadly about benefits, culture, advancement opportunities, and work environment. This session will explore the challenges of recruitment and retention of DSPs, discuss how to build an environment that is supportive of staff and offers opportunities for growth, and hear new strategies for retention with executives who are currently managing a direct care workforce.
Diversifying Your Revenue Streams: How To Successfully Launch A New Service Line
In the current environment of changing consumer expectations and new financial models, one essential skill that all executives need to master is the ability to evaluate and modify current services – and to develop new services to meet the challenges and opportunities in the market. In this exciting session, we will review everything you need to know about developing a new service line and hear from an executive who has been there. We will review how to analyze current service lines and determine strategic options for diversification, a structured approach for selecting new services for your organization and ensuring they are financially sustainable, and a target costing model for launching new services.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M., Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Leading In Times Of Uncertainty – Generals Lee & Longstreet At Pickett’s Charge: The High-Water Mark Of The Confederacy
During this session, we will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where licensed battlefield guide Robert Prosperi will lead a tour across the field where Pickett’s Charge took place. This session will include a review of Generals Lee and Longstreet’s relationship and decisionmaking styles and time for questions and discussion with our guide. To provide the proper context for this session, a handout including a brief introduction to Generals Lee and Longstreet and the Battle of Gettysburg will be made available to attendees. After we leave the battlefield, OPEN MINDS' Senior Associate, John Talbot will wrap up the session with a classroom discussion of the leadership lessons learned from the Pickett's Charge and the application of those lessons for today's health care executives.
Pickett’s Charge may be the most infamous incident at the Battle of Gettysburg. We will retrace the steps of General Robert E. Lee and General James Longstreet as they made the decisions that would ultimately determine not only the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg, but possibly the ultimate outcome of the Civil War.
On the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the commander of the entire Confederate army, General Robert E. Lee found himself at odds with his trusted commander, General James Longstreet. General Lee lacked solid intelligence on the Union’s strength, size, and positional advantage; which led him to make the fateful decision to launch an infantry assault on the center of the Union line at Cemetery Ridge – despite the protests of General Longstreet. The assault required the Confederate troops to march nearly a mile over an open field and to climb over several fences under open fire from the Union line. This disastrous end to the battle resulted in a fifty percent casualty rate among the Confederate troops, and is seen as not only the decisive end to the Battle of Gettysburg, but also the turning point in the Civil War.
Robert Prosperi
Robert H. Prosperi is one of the foremost experts on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a U.S. Army veteran. He served for 17 years as one of the two historians at the Gettysburg National Military Park. During this time he served as a personal tour guide and battlefield escort for numerous dignitaries and celebrities. He had the distinct privilege of providing a personal tour for Presidents Carter and Sadat and Prime Minister Begin during the Camp David Summit.
Creating Public/Private Partnerships: Making Meta Leadership Work
Leadership roles are becoming increasingly complex with organizations forming strategic alliances, outsourcing services, operating within flatter non-hierarchical management structures, and employing a diverse multi-generational workforce. Meta-leadership provides a framework for navigating complex situations by pulling together collective knowledge, expertise, and resources to accomplish what may otherwise be unattainable. In this session, we'll discuss the key principles of meta-leadership and learn about one organization, the Cohen Veteran's Network, that has been able to build collaborations throughout the health care market to provide mental health care to veterans and their families.
Crucial Conversations In Leadership: How To Make Authentic Connections & Get The Feedback You Need To Be A Better Leader
Sarah C. Threnhauser, MPA
Ms. Threnhauser has experience in all areas of health and human service management, including strategic planning, market research, and financial management. As Executive Vice President, Ms. Threnhauser develops and manages content for all of OPEN MINDS publications, including the OPEN MINDS Circle, the Weekly News Wire, the RFP HotLine, RFP Contact Awards Announcements, and the Monthly Management Newsletter, as well as all of OPEN MINDS education events.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Threnhauser worked with the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in the Bureau of Financial Operations. In that role, Ms. Threnhauser served as the liaison between the state government and local service providers and county administrators. She also analyzed and assessed the effects of fiscal regulation and policy on OMHSAS’ budget and assisted in the development and allocation of state community mental health funds and federal grants/appropriations.
Ms. Threnhauser earned her Master’s degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and her Bachelor’s degree in English from York College of Pennsylvania.
How Your EHR & IT Systems Can Optimize A Merger, Sales, Or Acquisition
Sponsored by Credible Behavioral Health Software
Credible’s Founder and CEO, Matthew M. Dorman, is a “reformed” investment banker and will share views and lessons learned from his investment banking years and his guidance of Credible from start-up to the 2nd largest Behavioral Software company in the U.S.
Matthew M. Dorman
Matt has more than 30 years of experience in technology management, operations, finance and investment banking as well as 18 years of political and government understanding and knowledge. He has driven Credible from a start-up with a mission to improve the quality of care in behavioral health to a profitable, financially stable company with over 500+ partner agencies spanning 38 states and D.C.; annual revenues exceeding $45,000,000; and more than 150 staff nationwide. Mr. Dorman had earned his MBA in Finance from the University of Maryland and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Delaware.
Lunch On Your Own
After The Merger: How To Ensure A Speedy Integration To Build One Efficient Organization
In recent years, studies have shown mergers to have a high failure rate – sometimes failing as often as 50%-90% of the time. However, economies of scale and organizational size are an integral part of strategy for health and human service organizations. The question – how to develop a merger and acquisition implementation plan that makes your organizational strategy successful? In this crucial session, we will discuss how to overcome the challenges of creating a fully integrated and cohesive organization and hear from executives who will discuss both best practice and making that best practice work.
Leading In Times Of Uncertainty – Generals Lee & Longstreet At Pickett’s Charge: The High-Water Mark Of The Confederacy
During this session, we will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where licensed battlefield guide Terry Fox will lead a tour across the field where Pickett’s Charge took place. This session will include a review of Generals Lee and Longstreet’s relationship and decisionmaking styles and time for questions and discussion with our guide. To provide the proper context for this session, a handout including a brief introduction to Generals Lee and Longstreet and the Battle of Gettysburg will be made available to attendees. After we leave the battlefield, OPEN MINDS' Senior Associate, John Talbot will wrap up the session with a classroom discussion of the leadership lessons learned from the Pickett's Charge and the application of those lessons for today's health care executives.
Pickett’s Charge may be the most infamous incident at the Battle of Gettysburg. We will retrace the steps of General Robert E. Lee and General James Longstreet as they made the decisions that would ultimately determine not only the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg, but possibly the ultimate outcome of the Civil War.
On the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the commander of the entire Confederate army, General Robert E. Lee found himself at odds with his trusted commander, General James Longstreet. General Lee lacked solid intelligence on the Union’s strength, size, and positional advantage; which led him to make the fateful decision to launch an infantry assault on the center of the Union line at Cemetery Ridge – despite the protests of General Longstreet. The assault required the Confederate troops to march nearly a mile over an open field and to climb over several fences under open fire from the Union line. This disastrous end to the battle resulted in a fifty percent casualty rate among the Confederate troops, and is seen as not only the decisive end to the Battle of Gettysburg, but also the turning point in the Civil War.
Terry G. Fox
Terry Fox is a sixth-generation resident of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and a battlefield guide emeritus with Gettysburg National Military Park. He taught American History in the public schools for 33 years, serving as department head and as a member of the Carnegie Foundation for teaching American History. Since his retirement he has taught as an adjunct professor at Gettysburg College and at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. He has presented leadership seminars for U.S. Air Force chief master sergeants as well as employees of the U.S. Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in addition to teaching in Johns Hopkins’ Police Executive Leadership program. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Shippensburg College.
Leadership Lesson #1 – Don’t Be Surprised!
In our current environment, the payer focus is on integration and on reducing the spend on the super-utilizer population by increasing integrated models of care coordination across medical, behavioral, pharmacy, and social support systems. The focus of integrated care coordination is aimed at achieving less acute care services and more home-based services. And this push is paving the way for both value-based reimbursement and the broader use of new technology. In this closing session, OPEN MINDS Chief Executive Officer Monica E. Oss will discuss the essential ingredients to good leadership and review the key responsibilities of executive teams in a market filled with change and challenges.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S., Chief Executive Officer and Senior Associate, is the founder of OPEN MINDS. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. Ms. Oss is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field. She has unique expertise in payer financing models, provider rate setting, and service pricing. She has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, managed care programs, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
The 2018 OPEN MINDS Mergers, Acquisitions, & Affiliations Summit: Networking Reception
Join us for the only mergers and acquisition networking event for the complex consumer market. Before we kick-off the first annual OPEN MINDS Mergers, Acquisitions, & Affiliations Summit on Friday, join us for a night of networking with non-profit executives working with complex consumers, large organizations looking to build new collaborations with non-profit provider organizations, and our team of experienced faculty.
The 2018 OPEN MINDS Mergers, Acquisitions, & Affiliations Summit: Best Practices For Non-Profit Health & Human Service Organizations – A Centerstone & OPEN MINDS Collaboration
Giving executives the strategies and tools they need to overcome the challenges of making mergers and acquisitions work – selecting the right organizations, the M&A process, developing governance and management structures for a newly-merged organization, and the challenges of managing a bigger and more diverse organization.
Mergers and acquisitions are becoming more common in the health and human service space. There was a 13% increase in M&A from 2016 to 2017, and we are expecting 2018 to surpass that number as more healthcare executives identify M&A as their primary growth strategy.
With this strategy taking hold and growing in popularity, there is an increased need among leaders and executives to navigate the process. That is why we developed the Mergers, Acquisitions & Affiliations Summit. This summit will be the go-to event for leaders in need of strategies, guidance and tools to be successful.
7:30 am – 8:00 am
Registration
8:00 am – 8:45 am
Merger, Acquisition, & Affiliations (MA&A) Activity In The Health & Human Service Space - A Look At The Trends
Organizations in the health and human service space are growing larger – by mergers, acquisitions, affiliations, joint operating agreements, and many other tactical approaches. The drivers are many – from a focus on value to a more competitive landscape. In this session, get an overview of drivers of this change – and the view from the ground. This session will include:
- An overview of merger, acquisition, and affiliation activity in the health and human service space
- The changing competitive landscape in health and human services
- The effects of affiliation activity on non-profit provider organization strategy
David C. Guth, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Centerstone
Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS
8:45 am – 10:00 am
The Challenges (& Opportunities) Of Non-Profit Affiliations: The Centerstone Case Study
Explore how one organization successfully approaches the model for a multi-state affiliation structure and the process of leveraging scale for opportunities and capabilities.
David C. Guth, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Centerstone
John Markley, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Centerstone Illinois
Wayne Easterwood, Chief Information Officer, Centerstone
Debbie Cagle, Chief Marketing Officer, Centerstone
Steve Holman, Chief Financial Officer, Centerstone
10:00 am – 10:15 am
Break
10:15 am – 11:30
Finding The Right Organization For Your Merger, Acquisition Or Affiliation
The pace of mergers, acquisitions, and affiliations among health and human service organizations has quickened over the past few years. There are many drivers of these combinations - growth, scale, and diversification to name a few. But how to find the ‘right’ organization? This panel is going to share their best practices in identifying (and courting) prospective organizational partners.
Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS
Craig Albers, RN, MSN, MBA, President & Chief Operation Officer, Mercy Health St. Charles Hospital
Frank Baumann, Chief Operating Officer, BayMark
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Lunch
12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
The MA&A Evaluation Process – Due Diligence, Financial Projections, & Valuation
When the executives of two organizations agree that a merger, acquisition, or affiliation is a good strategic fit, what is the process to go from concept to final decision? This session will focus on the process of going from concept to agreement – looking at due diligence, financial projections, and valuation.
David C. Guth, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Centerstone
Jonathan G. Morphett, Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking, Avondale Partners, LLC
Amanda Verner Thompson, Senior Vice President, Raymond James Healthcare Finance
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Making The MA&A Happen – Negotiation, Contracts, Closing, & MA&A Implementation Planning
Taking a merger, acquisition, or affiliation from concept to reality is a complicated lift. There are many steps from confirming that the combination would work to combining two organizations. The best practices in going from decision to merged organizations is the focus of our panel.
Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS
Gary D. Nettis, Jr., Vice President, Corporate Development, Caregiver, Inc.
Vasanta B. Pundarika, Senior Vice President, Raymond James Healthcare
2:45 pm – 3:00 pm
The Future Of Non-Profit MA&A: The Future View
No issue is more top-of-mind for executives of health and human service organizations than figuring out the strategic implications of the unstoppable flow of mergers and acquisitions announcements. Every day there is a new headline announcing a new partnership, leaving executives to consider their market position and how to build new strategies for sustainability and competitive advantage. In this closing session, industry thought leaders David Guth and Monica Oss will discuss the state of M&A in the health and human service market and their perspective on the future challenges for non-profit organizations that service complex consumers.
David C. Guth, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Centerstone
Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS
How To Develop A Strategic Plan: An OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Best Practices In Strategy, Portfolio Management, & Scenario-Based Planning
In the current health and human service market, executives face their fair share of uncertainty. This leads many executive teams to either avoid or reluctantly initiate any major strategic initiatives that require long-term commitments. Unfortunately, “waiting for the dust to settle,” so to speak, isn’t a wise management choice. Regardless of the specifics of what lies ahead in the market, there are future developments that are likely and need to be addressed in the planning process. A successful strategic planning process will provide your organization with a roadmap – not only for developing plans in uncertain times, but also for putting those plans into action and evaluating their success. In this crucial seminar, we will discuss best practices in strategic plan development and the keys to success in strategic plan implementation.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M., Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Finding An Electronic Health Record System For Your Future: The OPEN MINDS Seminar On Best Practices In EHR Selection, Contracting & Optimization
Over the past twenty years the adoption of electronic health record systems (EHRs) has changed how health services are managed and delivered. But as the health care system has continued to evolve with more value-based reimbursement, the push towards integrated care coordination, and the rise in consumerism, the technology infrastructure needed by provider organizations has changed—including EHRs. For most executives, the EHR is a major investment and choosing the right system (or keeping the wrong system) can make or break any organization.
This seminar is for any executive who is considering a new EHR system—whether it is your organization’s first EHR, or the upgrade of a system that isn’t delivering the functionality needed for sustainability. This essential seminar will guide you through a step-by-step process for selecting an EHR that fits all your organization’s needs. The seminar will cover:
- A best practice model for assessing the tech functionality your organization needs for future success.
- Steps for vetting vendors and their products and services.
- Budgeting for EHR software and implementation.
- Ensuring best value and performance in contract negotiating.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, Ed.M., Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW
Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive expertise and a wide range of experience in health plan management, clinical operations management, and technology. A recognized thought leader among her peers, Ms. Hicks is a regular keynote speaker at industry conferences and association meetings, as well as an author of hundreds of articles and resources for professionals in both clinical and executive roles.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system. She served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC’s managed behavioral health organization responsible for $800 million in annual revenue. At Community Care, Ms. Hicks was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations, including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. She also managed the day-to-day operations of human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served in a variety of tech leadership roles for UPMC. In 2002, she was appointed as the Vice President of Technology Strategy for the UPMC Insurance Services Division before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, a leading provider of electronic health record software for behavioral health and social service organizations. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth and profitability of the company and the direction of software development. In addition, Ms. Hicks was the President of U Squared Interactive, a UPMC-owned organization with the exclusive United States rights to Beating The Blues – the renowned computerized cognitive behavioral therapy solution for treating anxiety and depression.
Ms. Hicks started her impressive career as a psychiatric social worker and an Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Point Park College, Pittsburgh, PA.