The KHA Leadership Institute graduated its 13th class of 32 students on Aug. 22 at the Critical Issues Summit in Wichita. Students, including John Moshier from Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington, Donita from St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center in Great Bend, 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 2014 Leadership Institute class was diverse. They represented a wide geographic distribution of hospitals from Colby to Leavenworth and Parsons to Liberal – there was representation from all parts of the state. Students had 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 brand new to management positions. Some students also are supervisors, supervising a range of employees from a few to more than 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 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 team building - including how to lead a team and how to be part of a team. Course #3 focused on enhancing communication skills and examining ethics. Course #4 examined conflict and how to effectively manage it. Courses #5 and #6 were at the KHA Critical Issues Summit. Students learned about governance and the challenges facing health care in the future.