Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Trillium Health recognized nationally for its work in one area

Trillium Health has been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure control rates, earning the silver level recognition as part of the Target: BP initiative.   

Trillium Health has been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure control rates, earning the silver level recognition as part of the Target: BP initiativeThe award recognizes practices that have demonstrated a commitment to improving blood pressure control through measurement accuracy. 

“Controlling blood pressure is key for cardiovascular health – especially today, when heart disease and stroke are among the leading causes of death in Rochester and the Finger Lakes,” said Sarah Bolduc, MD, vice president of Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer at Trillium Health. “By helping more people to control their blood pressure and reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke, Trillium Health is helping more people live longer, healthier lives.” 

According to the 2020 Monroe County Health Profile by Common Ground Health, the four leading causes of death in the region were cancer, heart disease, unintentional injury and stroke. In addition, 36 percent of Monroe County residents had physician-diagnosed hypertension. 

Target: BP is a national collaboration between the American Heart Association and American Medical Association aimed at reducing the number of adults in the U.S. who suffer from heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize blood pressure control.  

The initiative aims to help health care organizations to improve blood pressure control rates by using evidence-based protocols. 

[email protected] / (585) 653-4021 

Collaborative helps keep children on track

Children’s Institute, Causewave Community Partners and a collaborative of child-serving organizations this week announced a new community campaign to ensure families are aware of the benefits and availability of free developmental checks for young children.

Organizers noted that just 20 to 30 percent of children with health, behavioral and development problems are identified and receive appropriate interventions prior to entering school. The Get Ready to GROW collaborative, led by Children’s Institute, features screenings designed to support a child’s doctor by providing complementary information that they would not get during a typical well visit.

In addition to height, weight, vision and hearing, the development checks will look at movement, dental, speech and language, thinking and reasoning and more.

“This campaign helps parents know about Get Ready to GROW’s comprehensive, convenient and fun checks – with trusted follow-up and support. Every parent should have as many people as possible in their corner and help at their fingertips, as growth is rapid during childhood and a worry can rise quickly,” said Children’s Institute Executive Director Ann Marie White.

Regional advertising agency Mower donated time and talent totaling more than $90,000 to develop the Let Their Greatness GROW campaign. The initiative is designed to raise awareness and educate parents about the screenings. The advertising acknowledges that parents often see things in their child’s behavior they are unsure of or think will go away with time. With the help of a screening they can uncover their child’s strengths and if a need is identified take action to ensure their development is on track. Additional pro bono production support for the campaign was donated by PushMP and dPost.

“This was a complex challenge as parents have a lot on their plates, and it can be scary to think about your child needing help in order to thrive,” said Causewave President and CEO Todd Butler. “We needed the team at Mower to come up with a messaging strategy that was clear, focused, optimistic and empowers parents to take action for their child. They really delivered.”

The Get Ready to GROW comprehensive screening model is more than just a one-time check. A GROW navigator partners with the family, school, child care providers and physicians to better understand a child’s developmental path. Navigators will assist parents and work with the support network to help ensure the child is prepared for success in school.

“Get Ready to GROW screenings are more comprehensive than what I would normally be able to do in the office and provide links to services and navigation support not typically available,” said Sarah Collins-McGowan M.D., a pediatrician with Rochester Regional Health at Genesee Pediatrics and the Center for Refugee Health. “It’s so easy to work with the GROW team as a provider. They figured out what our office needed and personalized processes for maximum efficiency and value.”

Initial funding came from Rochester’s Child, Rochester Area Community Foundation, Greater Rochester Health Foundation, United Way of Greater Rochester Inc., the city of Rochester, New York State Education Department and Rochester City School District to launch the development of the screening model and has been vital in getting the initiative to where it is today, officials said. Value-based payment in healthcare also is a source of funding, recognizing the value of early intervention and reimbursing screening costs.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

Report: Highland Hospital among best for not ordering unnecessary tests

Highland Hospital has been named among the top hospitals nationwide in a new study that looked at avoiding unnecessary hospital tests and procedures.

The Lown Institute Hospitals Index ranked the Rochester hospital fourth among nearly 3,200 facilities nationwide, behind just Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; and West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, N.D.

The institute found that more than 1 million tests and procedures performed in hospitals on Medicare patients from 2016 to 2018 met established criteria for overuse. Among the 12 low-value services measured, hysterectomy for benign disease, the placement of coronary stents for stable heart disease, and diagnostic tests like head imaging for fainting were particularly widespread, with more than 90 percent of hospitals overusing these tests or procedures.

“Overuse in American hospitals is a pervasive problem that needs to be addressed,” said Vikas Saini M.D., president of the Lown Institute. “Hospitals want to do better and these objective measures of performance can help them move forward.”

The nation’s top hospitals for avoiding overuse are not the most well-known institutions in the country, but regional health care providers, the report notes. Providers in the southern U.S. are absent from the list of top hospitals and, in fact, occupy the bottom five positions on the list.

Out of the 50 top-performing hospitals, nine are in New England and 10 in the Pacific Northwest, making those regions stand out at the top of the list. The South was home to 41 of the 50 lowest-performing hospitals, with five of the bottom 10 located in Florida, the report’s authors noted.

The Cleveland Clinic (58th) was the only hospital from the current U.S. News honor roll to break into the Lown top 100 for avoiding overuse.

Other notable findings:

• Nationwide, 64 percent of hysterectomies analyzed met established criteria for overuse. In North Dakota and Wyoming, the rate of hysterectomy overuse was 90 percent and 94 percent, respectively.
• Nearly one in four coronary stent procedures met established criteria for overuse nationwide. As many as 200,000 patients may have had stents placed unnecessarily over the years studied.
• Vertebroplasty, a procedure to inject cement into the spine, which has been found to be ineffective for osteoporosis-related fractures in numerous trials, is still overused by many hospitals. In Florida, more than 3,600 vertebroplasties were performed in the years studied.

The Lown Institute was founded in 1973 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Bernard Lown M.D., developer of the defibrillator and cardioverter.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

Rural health agencies awarded $7.6 million to increase workforce

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, has allocated more than $7.6 million to recipients in New York state to increase their health workforce in rural and underserved communities.

Nationally, HHS awarded more than $107 million to communities in 45 states and U.S. territories to improve the quality, distribution and diversity of health professionals serving in communities across the country.

“Supporting a strong health workforce is essential to improving health in rural and underserved communities,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar in a recent statement. “We’ve seen stark disparities in health and health care access contribute to the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Trump Administration’s work to address health disparities, these grants provide support for training of healthcare workers in rural and underserved communities.”

Awardees will be able to develop and retain clinicians in high-need areas to meet the vital health needs of the most disadvantaged communities, officials said.

“Access to a robust and high-quality health care workforce is essential for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases in underserved areas,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. “These awards help meet the demand for health care from individuals who urgently need it.”

The awards support programs such as the Nurse Faculty Loan Program; postdoctoral training in general, pediatric and public health dentistry; scholarships for disadvantaged students; and more.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

The future of healthcare to be explored at 2019 Healthcare Innovations Conference

web-sig_travis-heider_Pandion Optimization Alliance is proud to announce that registration is now open for its third annual Healthcare Innovations Conference. This full-day educational event will be held Nov. 13 at the Rochester Riverside Hotel. Last year, more than 200 healthcare administrators, clinicians and business owners attended the conference, representing more than 70 organizations across upstate New York. Anyone interested in the future of healthcare is welcome to attend.

Pandion has secured an excellent keynote speaker: Emmanuel Fombu M.D, a physician, author, speaker and healthcare executive turned Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He is the author of the book, “The Future of Healthcare: Human and Machines Partnering for Better Outcomes.” Fombu was the winner of the prestigious New York City Health Business Leaders Boldest Digital Health Influencer Award.

The keynote address will be followed by a vendor fair showcasing some of the latest technologies in healthcare. This year, there will be a new feature: 6×6 presentations by local startup companies. Each presenter will have six minutes to present six slides and answer questions.

Next, attendees will be able to choose from six different educational tracks:

  1. Consumer, Patient Engagement, and Digitally Connected Health;
  2. Clinical Informatics and Clinician Engagement;
  3. Cybersecurity, Privacy and Security;
  4. Leadership, Governance, and Strategic Planning;
  5. Long-term Care; or
  6. Supply Chain Management.

The Consumer, Patient Engagement, and Digitally Connected Health track will feature a presentation by Michael J. Hasselberg on virtual reality cognitive behavioral therapy. From apps to music, Hasselberg takes a multidisciplinary approach to mental health at the touch of a button. He is currently an assistant professor of psychiatry and clinical nursing at the University of Rochester.

The Clinical Informatics and Clinician Engagement track will include a talk by Luke Probst, the executive director of pharmacy at SUNY Upstate Medical Center. SUNY Upstate has developed an innovative approach to reducing readmission rates by providing prescriptions to a patient’s bedside before being discharged. This helps to promote medication adherence and support a safe transition from hospital to home. It also helps to significantly reduce readmission rates.

The Cybersecurity, Privacy and Security track will feature a presentation by Dan Bowden, vice president and CISO of Sentara Healthcare in Norfolk, Virginia. Bowden oversees information security for Sentara Healthcare’s 12 hospitals and 28,000 team members. He works with universities to develop the next generation of cybersecurity experts and has experience with cybersecurity solutions for the cloud as well as digital platforms. Becker Hospital Review just voted Bowden a 2019 “Chief Information Security Officer to Know.”

The Leadership, Governance, and Strategic Planning track will include a presentation by three healthcare providers at Rochester Regional Health: Hiloni Bhavsar M.D., chief quality officer; Scott Feitall D.O.; and James Williams, vice president of integration. Over the past few years, Rochester Regional Health has launched a system-wide effort to reduce variation in care, improve clinical outcomes and lower costs. The panel will share their experiences in championing successful clinical optimization methodology to drive improvements throughout the health system.

In addition, Pandion will be bringing an expert from Premier, Inc., to discuss long-term care. Sandra Garcia is a certified joint commission professional with over 33 years of experience in consulting and working as a nurse executive. Garcia will deliver two presentations about how hospitals and long-term care facilities can be better prepared for audits. She will also discuss how to work towards improving overall patient safety in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Finally, Pandion will provide an educational track on supply chain management. Karen Niven will be discussing Premier’s Value Based Contracting Strategy. With more than 33 years of experience in PeriOperative Services, Karen understands what makes a product or service relevant to a hospital. She will discuss strategies in reducing the cost of care, improving clinical quality and safety, and improving the patient experience while keeping the hospital’s mission in mind throughout the purchasing process.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the Pandion Optimization Alliance website at www.pandionalliance.com/2019conference.

Travis Heider is president and CEO of Pandion Healthcare: Education and Advocacy, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 association whose membership comprises 17 hospitals and their related health systems in the nine counties of Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Allegany, Steuben and Chemung. The association works closely with the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and the American Hospital Association (AHA), collaborating on many issues and activities.

 

Upstate New York faces unique healthcare challenges

web-sig_travis-heider_Regardless of your party affiliation, the fact is, ever since the New York State Senate flipped to Democratic control, Upstate New York has lost power in the New York State Legislature. Throughout Rochester and the Finger Lakes, not a single senator is in the majority—a complete reverse from the past decade. This is unfortunate because legislation has been proposed in Albany that would be detrimental to upstate New York hospitals, which have unique needs and special circumstances. We cannot let our hospitals be overshadowed by downstate interests.

The most concerning issue in upstate New York is the negative impact that government-mandated staffing ratios would have on local hospitals and nursing homes. Additionally, we’re increasingly concerned about how future funding is distributed across the state via “Transformation Funds,” or through capital grants to healthcare providers, or via disproportionate share funds, that there is regional equity for Upstate New York. Legislation proposed by the New York State Nurses Association, a downstate labor union, would impose rigid nurse-to-patient ratios in every New York hospital and nursing home, overriding the professional judgement of nurses and healthcare professionals (A.2054/S.1032). These rigid, one-size-fits-all ratios would apply to all facilities regardless of size, location, or the needs of their patients.

Government-mandated nurse staffing ratios would disproportionally impact upstate New York. A survey conducted by the hospital associations representing Rochester, Syracuse and Albany revealed that government-mandated staffing ratios, combined with existing vacancies, would require a grand total of 2,441 additional nurses. There simply aren’t enough nurses to fill the demand. Upstate New York hospitals are so desperate to fill vacancies that they’re using temporary staffing agencies for help, which is expensive and less than ideal in the long run.

Unlike New York City, which has plenty of nurses, upstate New York simply can’t attract enough nurses or nursing professors. The University of Rochester, St. John Fischer, Monroe Community College and many other schools have excellent nursing programs; however, there are hundreds of students applying for only a few slots. Nurses do not have a financial incentive to pursue doctorates in order to teach at colleges, which has led to a shortage of nursing classes—and therefore, nurses—in the upstate New York region.

To add insult to injury, government-mandated nurse staffing would not improve patient care. No research has found a direct link between mandated ratios and improved patient care. California was the only state to implement mandated ratios, despite zero evidence of improved quality of care for patients. It’s inconceivable that the government would be put in charge of deciding how to care for patients.

This year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct a study on hospital staffing by Dec. 31, 2019. However, the study did not require the DOH to study the cost of filling those positions. Therefore, Pandion Optimization Alliance and its counterpart in Upstate New York (Iroquois Healthcare Association) conducted their own study to measure the impact it would have on Upstate New York. The Upstate Healthcare Coalition revealed that government-mandated staffing ratios would cost our hospitals over $180 million dollars to implement.

Pandion Optimization Alliance recently traveled to Albany to lobby against the ill-advised staffing ratios. In partnership with HANYS, Pandion representatives and Rochester-area nurses explained to lawmakers how the bill would increase costs statewide by $2 billion for hospitals and $1 billion for long-term care and skilled nursing facilities. Several nurses from UR Medicine-affiliated hospitals provided real-world, first-hand testimony about how it would negatively impact their jobs. Testimonials are available on the Coalition for Safe & Affordable Care website: http://coalitionforsafeandaffordablecare.org.

If government-manded staffing ratios are implanted, critical care programs would decrease, hospital departments would downsize, and some community hospitals and nursing homes would close their doors for good when they could no longer remain financially viable. Access to care for New York’s most vulnerable residents will be seriously impacted. Upstate New York’s health care systems would suffer irreparable harm.

To make matters worse, upstate New York hospitals lost Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding. The University of Rochester Medical Center and Albany Medical Center, both unique assets in upstate New York, offer residency programs across a broad range of disciplines to train the next generation of physicians. Unbelievably, in the FY2020 state budget, the Legislature cut $24.5 million for Graduate Medical Education for Academic Centers of Excellence, and Strong Memorial Hospital lost $4.1 million. URMC is the largest source of new physicians for Upstate New York, and more than 50% of the physicians stay in Upstate New York after their residencies are complete. That’s why Pandion and HANYS support the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 1763/S.348) to increase Medicare-supported residency slots in teaching hospitals.

Rural areas in the Finger Lakes have a poor, aging population, with significant health needs. Most rural hospitals have merged with one of the two large health systems (UR Medicine and Rochester Regional Health) in order to keep their doors open. Rural hospitals are often one of the largest job providers in their areas. GME funding and government-mandated nurse staffing ratios would force rural hospitals to close for good and put thousands of people out of work.

The bottom line is that upstate New York has unique healthcare needs and it cannot be subject to one-size-fits-all legislation. Robert Duffy, president and CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, was right when he called for an Upstate Caucus on these pages some time ago, as a vehicle to support the unique complexities of our region. It should be bipartisan in nature and be made up of members in both the New York State Senate and Assembly. We need our partners in government to speak up and tell the New York State Senate that these proposals simply aren’t sustainable. Hospital associations in Greater Rochester and Upstate New York are speaking out on behalf of the region, but we could use your help. Please visit the Coalition for Safe & Affordable Care website to get involved in the campaign.

Travis Heider is president and CEO of Pandion Healthcare: Education and Advocacy, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 association whose membership comprises 17 hospitals and their related health systems in the nine counties of Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Allegany, Steuben and Chemung. The association works closely with the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and the American Hospital Association (AHA), collaborating on many issues and activities.

 

Government-mandated staffing ratios are the wrong approach

web-sig_travis-heider_Nurses are the backbone of hospitals and nursing homes. They have direct contact with patients – implementing doctor’s orders, dispensing medication, using medical equipment, and ensuring that patients receive the best possible care. For 15 consecutive years, nursing has been ranked as the No. 1 most-trusted profession, receiving the highest rankings for ethical standards and honesty. Unfortunately, legislation has been reintroduced in the state government that would completely undermine nurses and take away local control over staffing in hospitals and nursing homes.

The legislation, which would impose government-mandated nurse staffing ratios at all New York hospitals and nursing homes (S.1032/A.2954), has been pushed for many years by a New York City-based labor union that represents a very small percentage of nurses. Pandion Healthcare: Education & Advocacy, which represents 17 hospitals in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, is strongly opposed to government-mandated staffing ratios because they’re rigid, unfunded mandates that would be devastating to nurses, patients and our healthcare system as a whole.

It doesn’t make sense for politicians to dictate the same staffing ratios in every hospital and nursing home—regardless of their size or location—especially in a state as diverse as New York. This legislation would not distinguish between a rural facility in upstate New York or an urban facility in a city of 8.6 million people. All hospitals and nursing homes would be subject to the same staffing ratios at the same time—with no exceptions. This rigid, one-size-fits all approach would be devastating to our local healthcare system, especially to rural hospitals and nursing homes.

There is no scientific evidence that government-mandated staffing ratios would improve the quality of care that patients receive. Instead, it takes a team of experienced healthcare professionals who have the knowledge and the flexibility to respond to their patients’ needs. Government-mandated ratios would have the unintended consequence of eliminating jobs for other healthcare professionals who assist nurses in patient care—including technicians, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other members of the healthcare team.

Voters in Massachusetts rejected a similar ballot initiative on Nov. 6, 2018. An independent study by two research groups determined that government-mandated staffing ratios would have cost Massachusetts hospitals $1.3 billion the first year and $1 billion each year after that, with an additional $100 million in state spending. The Massachusetts legislature would have been forced to significantly raise taxes to comply with the mandate. New York has almost three times the population of Massachusetts—the cost to our healthcare system would be astronomical.

Government-mandated ratios would significantly increase costs for healthcare providers that are already facing significant financial challenges. New York’s hospitals have the second-lowest operating margins in the nation, and some smaller, rural hospitals are struggling to keep their doors open. Many not-for-profit nursing homes are in a similar situation. Fortunately, Gov. Andrew Cuomo recognized the difficulties that healthcare providers face and directed the NYS Department of Health to study the cost of staffing ratios in his FY 2020 executive budget.

Even if the government-mandated staffing ratios were implemented in New York, hospitals and nursing homes would be unable to meet the requirements due to the nursing shortage. There simply aren’t enough nurses. According to a Workforce Development Study conducted by the University at Albany, Certified Nursing Aids (CNAs) are the most difficult specialty to recruit and retain at long-term care facilities. If facilities are forced to limit the number of patients they can receive due to staffing ratios, patients will be forced to stay in the hospital longer, decreasing the number of beds that are available for others. It’s common sense that the state can’t pass legislation that’s impossible to comply with.

Hospitals are the economic drivers of their communities. In Rochester, the top two employers are UR Medicine/The University of Rochester and Rochester Regional Health. Imposing government-mandated staffing ratios would have a devastating impact on the local economy. We’re fortunate to have two excellent healthcare systems in Rochester and the Finger Lakes—why would we put it all at risk?

Pandion Healthcare: Education & Advocacy strongly urges state legislators to oppose this legislation. We don’t need another unfunded mandate that would increase costs for both patients and providers, and we don’t need politicians in Albany telling nurses how to do their jobs.

Travis Heider is president and CEO of Pandion Healthcare: Education and Advocacy, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 association whose membership comprises 17 hospitals and their related health systems in the nine counties of Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Allegany, Steuben and Chemung. The association works closely with the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and the American Hospital Association (AHA), collaborating on many issues and activities.

 

Conference explores new technologies and trends in healthcare

web-sig_travis-heider_On Nov. 14, more than 200 medical professionals representing 70 different organizations gathered at the 2018 Healthcare Innovations Conference to learn about some of the latest technologies in healthcare. Sponsored by Pandion Optimization Alliance, the full-day event at the Rochester Riverside Hotel featured discussions on everything from new medical apps to 3D organs—innovative ideas to improve the delivery of healthcare in our community.

The keynote address was delivered by Bryan Bucklew, who was recently named the president and CEO of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California. His speech focused on the successful establishment of Ascend Innovations—a collaboration between three major hospital systems and a product design firm called Kaleidoscope, while he was the president of the Greater Dayton Hospital Association in Dayton, Ohio.

Ascend Innovations is a for-profit product design company made up of clinicians, researchers, industrial designers, engineers and business analysts who collaborate to create innovations in healthcare. They design better products through first-hand research, harnessing the power of data science and delivering cost-effective end-to-end clinical trials. For example, Ascend Innovations partnered with the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to create electronic headsets that improved concentration for soldiers by using the latest technologies and healthcare research.

Bucklew noted that there are many similarities between Rochester, New York, and Dayton, Ohio. Both are mid-sized cities whose top employers are hospitals or healthcare systems. Both have hospital associations that bring competing systems together (Pandion Healthcare Association and the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association). It was inspiring to hear about their successful endeavor to bring hospitals, healthcare systems, and technology companies together to creative innovative products.

To obtain a local perspective, Pandion invited Al Kinel, president of Strategic Interests, to lead a panel discussion on healthcare innovations in Rochester. Strategic Interests, Excell Partners and Greater Rochester Enterprise are working together to attract new healthcare technologies to the region. For example, Art Papier M.D. moved to Rochester and developed an interactive app for both patients and clinicians. With over 2.5 million clinical inquiries and over 59 million images viewed, VisualDx has become a top-rated medical app.

The conference also included a presentation about the impact of the 2018 midterm elections on healthcare by Bea Grause, president of the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS). In addition, there were several breakout sessions hosted by clinical experts from both the University of Rochester Medical Center and Rochester Regional Health.

Speakers discussed 3D surgical models to help surgeons become better prepared for challenging surgeries, mobile apps for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, and the Mobile Stroke Unit from UR Medicine, which aims to decrease time for stroke treatment in the field. The Mobile Stroke Unit, one of only 13 in the nation, was parked outside the hotel during the conference and was available for a guided tour.

In addition, participants had the opportunity to learn from local, national and international healthcare technology companies about the ways they are improving patient experiences. For example, the Rochester-based company, Rendever, showcased virtual reality technology, which can be used with seniors in long-term care and assisted living communities to decrease social islation and improve overall health.

As technology and innovation continues to change the face of medicine, Pandion’s goal is to keep people informed and up-to-date about the latest technology and trends. By convening healthcare leaders from across our region and beyond, we are able to provide them with a forum for discussion of shared challenges, best practices, and possible future collaborations. For more information about our annual Healthcare Innovations Conference, please visit www.pandionalliance.com.

Travis Heider is president and CEO of Pandion Healthcare: Education and Advocacy, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 association whose membership comprises 17 hospitals and their related health systems in the nine counties of Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Allegany, Steuben and Chemung. The association works closely with the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and the American Hospital Association (AHA), collaborating on many issues and activities.