The Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute graduated its fourteenth class of 34 students on Sept. 10 at the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Wichita. Students were nominated by their hospital’s CEO to be part of this select group. They represent the future leaders of Kansas hospitals. Helping to build future health care leaders is important to the Kansas Hospital Association. “We are committed to strengthening and promoting the leadership capacity of hospital employees in Kansas,” said Tom Bell, president and CEO, Kansas Hospital Association. The KHA Leadership Institute was established to help hospitals provide professional development opportunities that accentuate the personal skills and abilities needed to facilitate positive change and innovation in Kansas hospitals.
The 2015 KHA Leadership Institute class was diverse. They represented a wide geographic distribution of hospitals from Colby to Leavenworth and Parsons to Meade – there was representation from all parts of the state. Students in the class have been working in health care for as little as one year to more than 20 years. Several students have been in management positions for more than 10 years while others were new to management positions. Some students also are supervisors, supervising from a few to 50 employees.
It is important to note that the students nominated to participate in this program were not selected because they needed to learn “management skills.” They were nominated because their CEO recognized their potential to be future leaders and wanted to help cultivate that development. Each one of these students made a personal and professional commitment to expand their skills by attending all six courses of the KHA
Leadership Institute.
The curriculum was structured to enhance each student’s leadership abilities. Course #1 focused on explaining the difference between leadership and management, identifying organizational values and creating a positive organizational climate. Course #2 focused on enhancing communication skills and examining ethics. Course #3 examined conflict and how to effectively manage it. Course # 4 focused on team building, including how to lead a team and how to be part of a team. Courses #5 and #6 were at the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show. Students learned about the challenges facing health care in the future.
Area graduates included: Jo R. Caley, Stafford County Hospital, Stafford; Michele Collins, Edwards County Hospital and Healthcare Center, Kinsley; Johnathan Durrett, Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington; Kristi Engle, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned; Tiffany Pulley, Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons
The Kansas Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. KHA membership includes 214 member facilities, of which 127 are full-service community hospitals. Founded in 1910, KHA maintains its vision of “an organization of hospitals working together to improve access, quality and the affordability of health care for all Kansans.