¡Aviso!News from the Trinity University Health Care Administration Alumni Association | May 2013

Avery happy May to all of you. Asmy first official message to the alumni, I want to thank you for your commit-ment to Trinity University’s health careadministration department and for yourcontinued support of our combined goalsfor the Alumni Association. Secondly, Iwould like to thank Brett McClung for hismany years of dedicated service to theAssociation. We appreciate his leadershipand look forward to his insight and ex-pertise as the immediate past president. This past March, we were able once

again to help the first-year students at-tend the annual American College ofHealthcare Executives Congress inChicago. This year actually marks thefirst time that we have also offered thisopportunity of financial assistance tostudents in the Executive Program. Weare pleased to have been able to expandthis offering to all of our first-year stu-dents, as in the eyes of the Alumni Asso-ciation, they are truly equal programs.During our meeting in Chicago, we wel-comed two new Alumni Board members:Vanessa Saenz Smith BS ’94, MS-HCAD ’99and Sally Hurt-Deitch ’03—both Execu-tive Program graduates! You may have

partnership; and 3. Increase the long-term financial

viability of the Alumni Associationthrough Lifetime Memberships andother fundraising opportunities. I look forward to working with all of

you and getting to know you better. Ouralumni continue to have great reputa-tions in the industry and that is mainlydue to the start they were given duringtheir education at Trinity. Thank you allfor being a part of our program’s con-tinued success.

Ashley S. Hixon ’00, FACHEPresident, Trinity University Health CareAdministration Alumni AssociationDivision Operations Officer, Methodist Healthcare SystemSan Antonio

seen the article featuring Sally in theprevious ¡Aviso! newsletter. We also havePatrick Halinski ’11 and Chuck Spicer ’95who joined us this year as new members.Please take the time to welcome our newvolunteers when you get the chance. Our stay in Chicago always culmi-

nates in the exciting annual Dean DuceAwards Dinner—and this year was noexception—where we honored KenNewman ’70. We had a fantastic turnoutdespite tough competition from theTom Dolan retirement dinner. We trulyappreciate the attendance from MikeFischer, vice president for faculty andstudent affairs, and his wife, Kim. Andwe were also honored that Lisa Baronio,vice president for alumni relations anddevelopment, attended. Lisa spoke to us about her role and how the HCADAlumni Association fits into the goals anddirection of the University as a whole.As the new president of the Alumni

Association, my focus will be on a fewdifferent items:1. Improve the relationship and coor-

dination between the Alumni Associa-tion and the University administration; 2. Strengthen the Executive class

HCADAA President’sR E P O R T

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Ashley S. Hixon ’00, FACHEPresidentDivision Operations OfficerMethodist Health Care SystemSan Antonio

James C. Bohnsack, BS ’97, MS-HCAD ’99President-Elect and Finance ChairVice President - Business DevelopmentTransUnion Healthcare, LLCChicago, Illinois

Brett S. McClung ’92, FACHEImmediate Past President and Nominating ChairExecutive Vice President, Chief OperationsLeader North ZoneTexas Health ResourcesFort Worth

R. Brent Hardaway ’85Strategic Planning ChairVice PresidentPremier Healthcare AllianceAustin

Heidi J. Pandya, BS ’00, MS-HCAD ’05Events/Fundraising ChairHealth Industries AdvisoryPricewaterhouseCoopersDallas

Vanessa Saenz Smith, BS ’94, MS-HCAD ’99 Membership/Communications ChairRegional Vice PresidentUnited Surgical Partners InternationalHouston

John Hyde, Ph.D. ’81, FACHEBylaws ChairProfessor of Clinical Health SystemsUniversity of Mississippi Medical CenterJackson, Mississippi

Dorothy A. Benavidez ’89MembershipSenior Vice PresidentCRAssociates, Inc.Newington, Virginia

Sally Hurt-Deitch ’03, FACHEChief Executive OfficerSierra Providence East Medical Center Tenet HealthcareEl Paso

Kevin M. Ormand ’98, FACHERevenue Cycle Solution Line DirectormaxIT-VCS, an SAIC companyAustin

Patrick Halinski ’11Director, Strategic Development and Operational ImprovementBaptist Health SystemSan Antonio

Chuck Spicer ’95, FACHEPresident and CEOOU Medical CenterOklahoma City, Oklahoma

2013-2014 HCADAA Board Members

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Patrick Halinski ’11, VanessaSaenz Smith BS ’94, MS-HCAD ’99,and Chuck Spicer ’95 are thenewest members of the TrinityUniversity Health Care Adminis-tration Alumni Association Board.The wide spectrum of their respec-tive backgrounds, experiences, andpassions to make a positive differ-ence in the lives of others will takethe HCAD Alumni Association tothe next level.

Please tell us a bit about your careerpath. What is your current job title andemployer? How long have you held thisposition and what does it entail?

Chuck: In January 2013, I became presi-dent and CEO of the Oklahoma Univer-sity (OU) Medical System, which includesThe OU Medical Center, The Children’sHospital and OU Medical Center Edmond,and a joint venture rehab hospital namedValir. For the last five and a half years, I was CEO of The Children’s Hospital.The medical system is affiliated with HCAand OU is a teaching hospital. Previously,I was an assistant administrator for TexasHealth Resources (THR) for six years andworked as COO at UT in Tyler and nowam in Oklahoma. I completed my HCADresidency at Presbyterian in Dallas. Vanessa: I started my health care careerdirectly out of undergraduate school withPrudential Healthcare in their providerrelations department and spent manyyears in several different sectors of theindustry. I landed in practice manage-ment and health care operations and havebeen there ever since. I have been withUnited Surgical Partners Internationalsince August 2007 as their regional vice

president operations. I am responsiblefor the overall financial and clinical oper-ations for a number of their surgery centersin the Houston market. Before that, Ispent six years in Las Vegas as the CEOfor a large orthopedic practice.

Patrick: After graduationfrom the University ofTexas with a degree in gov-ernment, I went to work atthe state capital. That pathled me to work for two

different legislative-based organizations,ending up in Jackson, Mississippi. I movedto Dallas and went to work selling med-ical supplies and logistics for a companycalled Owens and Minor and I quicklyfell in love with the medical field. I wasalso fortunate enough to marry KateHupfeld, whose dad (Stan Hupfeld) hasbeen in health care his entire career. Heencouraged me to earn my MHA andstart working inside a hospital. I took hisadvice, went to Trinity, and am now a director of strategic development andoperational improvement for BaptistHealth System in San Antonio. My mainfocus is to ensure that as we plan strate-gically, we are able to produce on the operations side. It is an exciting positionand one that allows me to see all aspectsof what makes a health care system run.

Why did you select the HCAD Program?

Chuck: I knew I wanted to stay in Texas.From the beginning, Trinity just felt likethe right choice. I also appreciated theclose connections with faculty. The pro-gram offered me opportunities beyondmy expectations.Vanessa: I selected the HCAD programbecause it allowed me the flexibility tocontinue to gain work experience in thefield while pursuing my graduate degree.Patrick:My father-in-law is a TrinityHCAD alumnus and he played a signifi-

cant role in the selection process. Afterchecking around with my current hos-pital connections, it seemed that theprogram had a great reputation andproduced strong leaders in the region.Couple this with the unique experienceoffered by the residency and I was sold.

What did you enjoy most about theHCAD Program?

Chuck: I most enjoyed how my learn-ing had such practical application tothe health care management field. Thecollegiality with classmates and the teamenvironment were very encouraging.The Friday seminars and field experi-ences ignited my passion for this field.The networking aspect among fellowalumni has been extremely helpful. Ihave four very close friends from theHCAD program. I consider myselfvery blessed to have reached my goal ofbeing a CEO at this time in my career.Vanessa: I enjoyed being in the pro-gram with other health care leaders whohad already spent time in the industry.It gave me an opportunity to not justlearn from the academics of the pro-gram, but also from the real world ex-periences my classmates brought intothe classroom. More important, I wasable to take what we were learning inthe program into the day-to-day chal-lenges I was facing in my job. Patrick:What I enjoyed most was the chance to forge new relationships with fellow students, professors, andHCAD alumni.

What benefits and opportunities haveyou experienced in your career as agraduate of the HCAD Program?

Chuck: Trinity allows you to create and build a large network of contacts.(continued on next page)

Three New Alumni Complete HCADAA Board

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(continued from page 3)I have benefitted tremendously fromcareer advancement opportunities as aresult of being associated with this pro-gram. My opportunities have led me invirtually every segment of health care.Having Doug Hawthorne, BS ’69, MS-HCAD ’72 and Phil Wentworth ’67 asmentors at THR was an incredibleboost to my career. Vanessa: The reputation of the pro-

gram has definitelyopened doors for me. Youcan find alumni of theprogram in almost everysector of our field. Forme, the group of profes-

sionals I spent three years with weren’tjust my network throughout the pro-gram but will be for my entire career. Patrick: The guidance of other alumniin the Trinity network has been hum-bling to say the least. There have beenmany executives that came to variousevents during my on-campus time thatI have since reached out to for advice.Time after time I am amazed by theirwillingness to answer my questions andanswer them honestly.

What advice would you share with in-dividuals considering pursuing a mas-ter's in health care administration inTrinity's HCAD Program?

Chuck: Never lose sight of your endgoal, be flexible and take advantage ofopportunities along the way. Continueto build your network with your col-leagues and coworkers. Vanessa:A benefit of the Trinity programis that it affords students the opportunityto meet and collaborate with otherhealth care professionals from acrossthe country, whether in the classroomor as part of the larger Trinity commu-nity. The Trinity MHA doesn’t box youinto one sector of the health care indus-try; your degree can be utilized in anyhealth care-related occupation.Patrick: Talk to the faculty about all ofthe opportunities that can assist studentsinterested in Trinity. From scholarships

to alumni experiences, there is a wealthof untapped opportunity for new ap-plicants. Health care is a fascinating,fast-paced, and ever-changing fieldwith a noble purpose. If you want thebest start you can get, I can’t think ofany place better than Trinity.

Recently, you were named a newboard member of Trinity University’sHealth Care Administration AlumniAssociation. Congratulations! Howcan the Alumni Association be a re-source for its graduates?

Chuck: I look forward to interacting with andsupporting new genera-tions of HCAD studentsand graduates. I plan togive back, both in terms

of time and resources. I have been veryfortunate in my career, and I’d like tohelp create that same experience forfuture graduates. Vanessa: The Association can act as aforum where alumni can gather andexchange ideas and expertise about issuesfacing health care systems and admin-istration in today’s changing world. Patrick: I am honored and excited tobe on the board. The board shouldprovide a bridge between HCADalumni and the students. We should bethere to create exciting opportunitiesto keep alumni engaged as a way togrow our greatest asset, which is theTrinity network. Anything our Boarddoes to support the program (scholar-ships, promoting faculty achievement,etc.) can only further enhance what itmeans to be a graduate of our program.

What book(s) or other resources haveyou found most helpful in the develop-ment of your career as a health careadministrator?

Chuck: I appreciate the value of mentorssuch as Joel Allison ’73 throughout mycareer and have developed many longlasting relationships with many Trinity

HCAD alumni. These relationships bringa whole spectrum of perspectives andinsight, and offer helpful feedback andguidance to make me become a moreeffective manager and leader. Vanessa: FYI: For Your Improvement,A Guide for Development and Coachingby Michael M. Lombardo and RobertW. Eichinger. I have used the conceptsover the last few years to help assessmy professional strengths and get ridof some bad habits! Patrick: Find a mentor! Find five ofthem! Have people invested in yourlife who can help you with the toughdecisions. I have also become a fan ofthe following health care organizationsand health care leaders on Twitter. Itprovides a totally random but usefullook at things going on in health careoutside of my own world. On theLEAN side of what I do, The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement byEliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox, wenta long way toward helping me under-stand how products (in our world, patients) flow through a process andwhere to look to make improvements.

And finally, tell us briefly about whatyou enjoy outside of work.

Chuck: I spend my free time with mywife and two children, ages 12 and 14.I am an avid golfer, I enjoy travelingand snow skiing, and I appreciategood food and wine. Vanessa: I enjoy running around aftermy two little girls, ages 6 and 2½.Since I’m always on the run, I decidedto add running as a sport. My 2013New Year’s resolution is to participatein one 5K a month. I have five downand seven to go! My goal is to run myfirst 10K before the end of the year.Patrick: I have a beautiful wife and twoamazing girls and spend most of myfree time soaking up as much of themas I can get. Other than that I reallyenjoy playing golf, especially roundswith my father-in-law who continuesto beat me despite my best efforts.

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Recently, I had the privilege of speakingwith James “Ken” Newman ’70, the 2012Dean Duce Award recipient. Our conversa-tion was brief, but it had a positive and lasting impact on me. Ken’s work and lifephilosophy is inspiring and compelling and is a model for other HCAD graduates to follow in the challenging yet rewarding fieldof health care administration. Ken and hiswife, Ann, attended the Duce Dinner inChicago on March 12 and were pleased tomeet several HCAD graduates from UnitedSurgical Partners International, Inc., wherehe has served as a board member for severalyears. Additionally, Ken and Ann were able to meet a couple of students who had receivedthe endowed scholarship through the New-man Family Foundation.

What was the best piece ofadvice you received prior to taking on your variousroles at Horizon HealthCorporation?

I am an entrepreneur atheart. My lifetime mentor,Jack Anderson, who was theChairman and CEO of Hos-pital Affiliates, shared a valu-able piece of advice with mewhen I served as senior vicepresident for the company.In 1981, Hospital Affiliatesmerged with HCA and manyof Hospital Affiliates’ leaderswere offered positions at HCA.Only one accepted an HCAposition, and the rest startedtheir own companies. Ulti-mately, I acted on the soundadvice from Jack and followedmy passion to begin my owncompany and to continue theculture of entrepreneurshipsolidified through HospitalAffiliates.

Did Health Care Adminis-tration end up being whatyou thought it would be whenyou were a graduate student?

Yes, there were about a dozenhealth care administrationprograms in the countrywhen I was a graduate stu-dent, compared to about 70accredited programs today.At the time I was looking atschools, Trinity’s was theonly program in Texas, and I knew I needed to advancemy health care administra-tion education. I wanted tolearn about the health careindustry and to be able tohave a connection with aschool with the fine reputa-tion Trinity has been able tobuild throughout the years. Ideeply admired Leonard Duce,the first dean of the graduateprogram at Trinity, and histeachings served me well.

by Elizabeth Ford BA ’93, MS-HCAD ’96

INTERVIEW WITH

Ken Newman ’702012 Leonard Duce Award recipient

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How has the industry changedfrom when you first enteredthe health care administra-tion field until now?

Although reimbursementand technology have pro-vided the greatest changes inthe health care industry, thedoctors “still run theshow”— a constant sincethey are the ones practicingmedicine. I believe that thestructures and drivers ofmanaged care and reim-bursement will be dependentupon the evolving dynamicsof the relationships amonghealth care administratorsand physicians. They mustcontinue to work together tobe successful and be a benefitfor the good of all.

This can be a very demand-ing profession. How did youstay motivated during thetoughest times of your career?

When I was challenged, I focused my involvement onprojects with potential tohave real return on investment.Fortunately, I was rewardedeconomically almost everyyear of my career. As I lookat the recent names of theDuce Award recipients, I notethat several graduates havemade a health care career infor-profit companies. WhenI graduated from the HCADprogram, entering the for-profit sector was “not highlythought of” and was not ascommon as nowadays. I was

one of a handful of gradu-ates who decided to take theroad less traveled back then.Obviously, the tables of non-profit and for-profit haveturned and the common goalis the desire that graduatesare able to make a positivedifference in the lives of othersthrough health care delivery.For me, my approach was totake the perspective that Icould effect change best bylooking at situations as “oppor-tunities rather than problems.”

In terms of your career, whatare the accomplishmentsyou are most proud of?

I have made a career as anentrepreneur and have alwayschallenged myself. I am mostproud of being able to start a company called HorizonHealth Corporation in 1981,which became publicly heldin 19 months, soon appear-ing on NASDAQ. The com-pany owned psychiatrichospitals and was the leadingcontract manager of psychi-atric and physical rehabilita-tion clinical programs. I wasthe president, CEO, andchairman of the company. In retirement, I was asked tostep back into the CEO roleand serve a second term afterour CEO passed away sudden-

ly. I was involved with Horizonoff and on for 27 years.

You have been instrumentalin serving on the SteeringCommittee for the Campaignof Trinity University’s HealthCare Administration Programas well as a strong advocateof health care students byendowing a scholarshipthrough the Newman Fam-ily Foundation. What advicewould you share with currentHCAD students and residents?

I began my career in the1960s very interested in theMedicare law. At the time,many had a poor perceptionof physicians. With the pas-sage of the Affordable CareAct in 2010, I see that Medi-care funding is plentiful forproviders, given the properstrategies, and effective sys-tem reimbursement. I wouldstrongly encourage anyoneinterested in the health careadministration field to viewthe coming years as a “boomtime.” Health care is one ofthe few industries that willcontinue to grow, expand,and strengthen in time.

From your perspective, how different is health caregoing to look in 15 years?

I think the largest problem in health care has been the“fee for service” structure ofreimbursement, which hasresulted in poor incentivesfor health care providers—

thinking that “more is alwaysbetter.” In 15 years, I envisionus having a true system thatrewards quality over quantityand that we will all have med-ical homes. Everyone in theU.S. will have health care cov-erage and there will be an endto the “haves and the have nots.”

What do you enjoy doingnow that you are retired?

I actually am busier now thatI am retired. I remain activeon four boards, which takeme to San Francisco fourtimes a year and New Yorkfour times a year. The twoother boards include UnitedSurgical Partners Interna-tional and the University ofNorth Texas Foundation,where I am the chairman.One of the companies,Springstone Inc., of which Iam chairman, is buildingfreestanding psychiatric hos-pitals all over the country.We started the company twoyears ago and have 10 hospi-tals, either open or in variousstages of development. In ad-dition to our home in Den-ton, my family and I have ahome in Colorado and ahome in Scottsdale, wherewe enjoy visiting our son,Matt, a psychology professorat Arizona State University,and our granddaughter,Harper Jayne. Our daughter,Katie, is an architect, work-ing with a developmentcompany in Dallas.

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As I write this, the 2012-2013 academic year is drawing to a close. Ouron-campus students are in the throes of procuring residency placementsand our executive students are preparing to visit campus for the start oftheir summer semester. Faculty are winding up their spring courses andlooking forward to the more relaxed pace of the summer semester.It has been another good year for us! We continue to enjoy strong sup-

port from the HCAD Alumni Association and the Advisory Council. Theresidency placement process for the 2013 residents is going smoothly, andall of this year’s graduates are employed full-time in the health care field. Very shortly, Merritt Hawkins will be releasing the results of its survey

of HCAD graduates assessing alumni satisfaction and health system trends.This takes the pulse of our alumni reaction to the changing health care environment and compares it to results of other Merritt Hawkins surveysof physician attitudes. The survey also provides some insights into howwell our program prepares its graduates for the field of practice. Watch forthe press release—the results are fascinating and very encouraging!Earlier this spring, we hosted Paul Batalden, M.D. for our annual Leaders

in Health Management Symposium. Dr. Batalden, now professor emeritusfrom Dartmouth’s Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, hasbeen a leader in the quality movement in the United States throughout hiscareer. His public address focused on “Sustainably Improving Health Care”in the years to come. He also met separately with our students and encour-aged them to think in terms of how they would personally connect withtheir future organizational setting. Dr. Batalden is a wonderful teacher, and all of us benefitted from the two days he spent at Trinity. Finally, this is a time of transition for me and for our program. After

nearly 25 years in an administrative role at Trinity (first as departmentchair, then as division dean, and as department chair again for the past 12years), it’s time for me to try my hand at something else. I’m privileged tobe granted a year-long academic leave for 2013-14. After that, I’ll rejoin the faculty and serve as director of our Center for Leadership Development.In that role, I’ll focus on our external and community relations. Of course,I’ll also teach and pursue scholarly and professional interests. Ed Schumacher,who was just promoted to full professor, will quite ably fill the role of department chair beginning in August. We are fortunate to have him.I very much appreciate all the support and encouragement I’ve received

from Trinity alumni over all these years.

Mary E. Stefl, Ph.D.Professor/ChairTrinity University Health Care Administration

Department Chair’sMESSAGE

Dr. Amer KaissiAmer Kaissi, Ph.D., published the paper, “How Satisfied are Hospital Systems with their Ownership ofRetail Clinics?” in the March/April 2013 issue of the Journal of Health Care Management. His whitepaper “A Roadmap for Trust: Enhancing Physician Engagement,” prepared for the Regina Qu’AppelleHealth Region (Saskatchewan, Canada), was published by the Canadian Policy Network. He has alsobeen elected to represent the departments of health care administration, business administration andeconomics on the Committee on Curricular Review, a University-wide committee that is charged withenvisioning a new curriculum for Trinity for the next ten years and beyond.

Dr. William McCaughrinBill McCaughrin, Ph.D., teaches the popular undergraduate course HCAD 3350: The U.S. Health CareSystem, which has served as a “feeder” class to the HCAD graduate program for many years. The coursediscusses the development, organization, and evolution of the U.S. health care system, as well as analyzes theimpacts of major changes in the values and behavior of both consumers and providers of health care services.There is particular emphasis on the influence that our nation’s second largest “business” has in contem-porary society and on the human consequences that result. He also teaches Health Services and Organi-zation Policy to our on-campus and executive program students, as well as Managerial Epidemiology.

Dr. Jody RogersJody Rogers, Ph.D., FACHE, traveled to Saudi Arabia for eight days in mid-December to speak to seniorhealth care executives from the King Faisal Specialty Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) in Riyadhand Jeddah. The topic was health care leadership, especially during times of great change and challenge.KFSHRC is one of the top medical centers in Saudi Arabia and is growing rapidly. The medical industryin Saudi Arabia has tremendous potential to be an international center of excellence for health services.In addition, he is overseeing the preparation of his third Army Medical Department Journal devoted toleadership and leader development since 2007.

Dr. Edward SchumacherEdward Schumacher, Ph.D., was promoted to professor of health care administration. He will also takeover the duties of department chair at the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year. He presented thepaper, "Union Elections and Nursing Wages," at the Western Economic Association’s Annual Meeting inSan Francisco in July. He specializes in the economic aspects of health care and teaches a handful ofcourses including Quantitative Methods and Operations Management, Health Information Systems inHCA, and Health Care Economics.

Full-Time Faculty FOCUS

Dr. Mary SteflMary Stefl, Ph.D., made a presentation in May to the San Antonio Medical Foundation on the changingtrends in the local health care landscape. In addition to teaching courses for both the on-campus andexecutive programs, she is also on the Board of Directors for Goodwill San Antonio, as well as a memberof the AUPHA (Association of University Programs in Health Administration) CEO Search Committeeand the Standards Council for CAHME (Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education). She moderated a panel discussion on “Building the Hospital of Tomorrow” for the SouthTexas Chapter of ACHE at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital in May.

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“Prior to the opening of this facility,” Mikeexplains “expatriates living in Bangladeshand Bangladeshi families who could afford to would travel out of the country for theirhospital care.” Designed specifically to takepatients of varied economic levels, the newhospital includes six- to eight-bed male andfemale wards, several different intermediatelevel rooms in semi-private and privatenursing units, as well as intensive care unitsfor cardiac, neurosurgical, and general inten-sive care. There are also private suites with ad-jacent sleeping facilities for patients’ families.Many of the clinicians, primarily specialty

physicians and highly trained registerednurses, were hired from India and the Philip-pines. The scope of care includes cardiacsurgery, cardiac catheterization, neurosurgery,in vitro fertilization and essentially all of thespecialties and technology one would expect tofind in a hospital in the Western hemisphere.The hospital’s training program for regis-

tered nurses is based on the Western modeland focuses on patient education and wellness.The hospital also employs physicians andprovides office space for them. Informationcenters have been set up in the region servingas triage units and permitting physicians tovisit patients on a rotating basis. Mike found that providing ‘Western’ style

medical services in an Eastern culture wasboth interesting and enlightening. Interest-ingly, when a Western expat was admitted to the hospital for treatment, they were typically attended by a few family members,perhaps a spouse and maybe a co-workerwith visits from children as allowed by thetreating physician. When a Bangladeshi pa-

tient was admitted, it was not unusual tohave fifteen or twenty family members andfriends in the nearest waiting area.Mike also discovered that Apollo Dhaka

had a higher level of customer service. Forexample, given the predominant Muslimculture, the hospital accommodates the wor-ship practices of its patients and medicalstaff, offering an imam and religious servicesfor daily prayer at the hospital. Although Sat-urday is a worship day, the hospital sees athousand outpatients on Saturday. Fridaytypically is a day of rest. Health care insurance, other than through

Western-owned companies, is a rarity, and attimes, hospital costs are difficult to manage.Cash is the main source of payment. One of Mike’s favorite stories of his tenure

in Dhaka involves a Bangladeshi student livingin New York who was deeply concerned forhis extremely ill grandmother in a govern-ment hospital in northern Bangladesh. Thestudent e-mailed Mike asking for assistance.Thanks to the student’s persistence and Mike’slarge, coordinated network, the grandmotherwas transported by ambulance to ApolloDhaka, where she eventually recovered. Mikesays this exemplifies the high quality of careavailable at this state-of-the-art facility. Now back in the States, Mike retains won-

derful memories of Dhaka and looks forwardto a new chapter in his health care career. Inthe meantime, he is eager to reconnect withthe Trinity HCAD community. He can bereached at mpotter@nwol.net. More informa-tion about Apollo Dhaka can be found atwww.apollodhaka.com.

A CONVERSATION

withMike Potter

Mike Potter BA ’77, MS-

HCAD ’79 has just returned to

North Texas after an overseas

adventure. From January 2010

through December 2011, he served

as CEO of Apollo Hospitals Dhaka

in Bangladesh, a private, 400+

licensed-bed tertiary care facility

that opened in 2005. Boasting a

population of 15 million, Dhaka is

a crowded international capital

filled with embassies and diplomats.

As a Western-trained hospital

administrator with a global perspec-

tive on health care—he was born

in Germany and his father was an

army physician—Mike was inten-

tionally recruited to lead this hospital.

Additionally, Mike was in ROTC

at Trinity and had served in the

Army medical service corps.

Sponsored by the Center for Leader-ship Development in Health Manage-ment, Trinity’s Department of HealthCare Administration presented the2013 Leaders in Health ManagementSymposium on Friday, March 22 inthe Great Hall on the Trinity campus.The keynote speaker was Paul B. Batalden,M.D., Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics,

On Thursday, April 18, alumni and guests gathered

for drinks and dinner at Hotel Zaza in the Houston MuseumDistrict during the inaugural event of the Trinity Health CareAdministration Alumni Association’s Houston Network. Itwas a great time to see colleagues, make connections, andcatch up with former classmates. The aim of Houston’s HCADAlumni Network is to build upon the wide array of expertiseand talents of HCAD alumni in Houston, to encourage con-nectivity among the alumni, and to expand its presence withinthe health care industry. The Houston HCAD Alumni Networklooks forward to its next event!

Save the dates for these events…

Alumni WeekendOctober 11-13, 2013San Antonio

HCAD Alumni Association-sponsored Golf TournamentFriday, October 11 at 8 amThe Quarry Golf Club, 444 E. Basse Road,San Antonio, TX 78209Shotgun start at 8 am | Buffet lunch at 12:30 pmRegister online at trinity.edu/alumniweekend

Congress on Healthcare LeadershipMarch 24-27, 2014Chicago

Annual Duce Award Dinner in ChicagoTuesday, March 25, 2014

Preceptors’ ConferenceMay 2, 2014San Antonio (on the Trinity University campus)

Leaders in Health Management Symposium

Houston HCAD Alumni Kick-Off Event

Community & Family Medicine at The Dartmouth Institutefor Health Policy & Clinical Practice, Dartmouth MedicalSchool, and Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improve-ment. In his address, titled, “Sustainably Improving HealthCare: Linking Care Outcomes, System Performance, and Pro-fessional Development,” Dr. Batalden noted that “health iscreated by individuals, not by health professionals” and thatany sustainable system must have the adaptability to addressthe needs of patients and health care professionals.

Mark yourCALENDAR

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The 2012 Trinity University Health Care AdministrationAlumni Association Golf Tournament was again a huge suc-cess. All 74 golfers, comprised of students and alumni of allskill levels, enjoyed a sunny day on the scenic course at theQuarry Golf Club in San Antonio. Former professor PaulGolliher kicked off the event with his renowned Scottish wel-come address. Golfers received a goodie bag with tiger fans,sleeves of golf balls, tees, snacks, and custom Trinity Universitydivot repair tools. Students drove “thirst-aide carts” to ensurethat players stayed hydrated on the course. ARAMARK hosted a breakfast for all participants prior

to play, and after 18 holes, golfers were treated to a delicioussouthwest buffet lunch at the Quarry restaurant. The afternoon’sraffle included gift cards to Starbucks, Alamo Drafthouse, andGolf Galaxy. Winning teams, as well as losing teams, receivedtrophies, while individual challenge winners were awardedplaques for their victories.Various sponsorship opportunities were available including

challenge holes such as “closest to the pin” and “longest drive,”as well as a lunch and overall tournament sponsor. The tour-nament raised approximately $2,000 with proceeds helping to fund attendance for current students to the Congress onHealthcare Leadership in Chicago, a professional conferencehosted by the American College of Healthcare Executives.The proceeds also bolster The Paul Golliher Fellowship, awardedto one exceptional student each school year. In addition to generous support from the golfers, this event

could not have been possible or as much fun without the ef-forts and philanthropic support of our sponsors. The AlumniAssociation and Department of Health Care Administrationwould like to thank the following contributors: Texas HealthHarris Southwest, INTEGRIS Health, Methodist HealthcareSystem, and Sierra Providence East Medical Center.Again, we thank you for your continued support of the pro-

gram. Please save the date and join us for the 2013 annualGolf Tournament on October 11 at the Quarry Golf Club witha shotgun start at 8 a.m. We encourage your organization toconsider assisting the event as a sponsor. Sponsorship opportu-nities include Tournament Sponsor, Lunch Sponsor, HoleSponsors and Challenge Holes to include long drives andclosest-to-pin contests. For more information, please contactElizabeth Ford at 210-999-8435 or nford1@trinity.edu.

HCAD Golf Tournament 2012by Skyler Reed, Class of 2013

SPECIAL THANKS to our tournament sponsors:

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Dorothy BenavidezRichard BodakJim BohnsackJohn BradleyLaurie BreedloveJim BrownDavid BrownMatt ChanceRay ChappelleDavid DardenJoe DaSilvaSonal EllisonBrett EmmettCliff GallagherFred GoldsteinJohn GuestBrent HardawayCarrie Harris-KnightArt HastingsJohn HaupertDoug HawthorneScott HermsteinWendy HillAshley HixonStanley HupfeldJohn HydeJavier IruegasCurt Junkins

Join a dynamicALUMNI GROUP

Trinity University’s Health Care Administrationprogram has a long history of turning out the nextgeneration of talented health care leaders. Witheach passing day, the health care industry changes,and our alma mater continues to build on its legacyof excellence. The continued success of TrinityUniversity and the Health Care Administrationprogram is important to each and every one of us.

The Health Care Administration Alumni Association serves to supportthe past, current, and future students of the program. The Golliher Fellowship and ACHE Congress are funded by the Alumni Association.Our continued involvement and financial support are keys to advanc-ing our program’s legacy.There are only three ways the Alumni Association generates funds:

the yearly golf tournament, annual dues, and the phonathon. Take amoment and sign up for annual membership or the lifetime member-ship in support of our alma mater. Please consider becoming a lifetime member and joining the growing

group of 55 of our esteemed and high-caliber fellow alumni listed at right.Your investment in the future of health care will certainly be rewarded!

ANNUALMembership

1st year post-graduation, FREE2nd year post-graduation, $353rd year post-graduation and beyond, $60

LIFETIMEMembershipLifetime membership dues are based on number of previous years you have been an active member in the Association.

5 years or fewer as active member, $750More than 5 years as active member, $500

Roderick La GroneScott LandrumMichael LiebRobert MartinMichael McBrideRebecca McCainBrett McClungKen NewmanDr. Oranefo OkoloKevin OrmandMary PattersonWilliam PoteetMichael PotterDon RicheyJoe RileyWilliam SchlotterScott SchmidlyTim SchmidtWayne SmithWilliam SmithTodd StewardDonald StewartDavid WagnerPhil WentworthDavid WhiteSteven WoernerJay Woodall

The Alumni Association thanks the following Lifetime Members for their support!

(as of May 1, 2013)

Updated as of May 1, 2013

Eleanor Ross Jackson’75 isfully retired as of 2000.

Bob Grimes BA ’77, MS-HCAD ’80 is county commis-sioner of Bandera County,Texas.

Michael Urbach ’80 is thenew senior vice president/chief operating officer forVictory Healthcare in theDallas/Fort Worth area.

Timothy Gibbons ’85 is seniorhealth planning services executive of Total AllianceHealth Partners Interna-tional in Australia.

David Southerland ‘88 ischief operating officer ofDLP Twin County RegionalHealthcare in Galax, Va.

Mike Lieb ’92 accepted theposition of director, physi-cian practice managementfor HealthTech ManagementServices (HTMS) in Dallas.Mike is providing opera-tional and financial consultingservices to physician practicesfor both external clients andHTMS managed entities.

Jason Keibler ’95 is vicepresident, network develop-ment of Coventry HealthCare in Kansas City, Mo.

Chuck Spicer ’95 was ap-pointed president and chiefexecutive officer of the OUMedical System—OU Med-ical Center, The Children’sHospital, and OU MedicalCenter Edmond in Okla-homa City, Okla.

Jeff Brockette ’96, CEO ofTexas Retina Associates, willbe honored on May 30 at the Visionary Awards Dinner for Fueling Research for aBrighter Tomorrow. Jeff livesin Dallas.

Michael Beaver ’97 wasnamed president of St. An-thony Hospital in OklahomaCity, Okla. Michael most re-cently served MethodistHealthcare System as chiefoperating officer for threehospitals with a combinedfull-time staff of 4,300.

Kevin Stoner ’97 was pro-moted to associate vice president, client success atMedeAnalytics, Inc. He is re-sponsible for operations andsales management for all

Trent Mattison ’02 is divi-sional vice president opera-tions of AmSurg in Dallas.

Parker Templeton ’02 is theCEO of Franklin FoundationHospital in New Iberia, La.

Lisa Woods ’03 is the epicimplementation manager-ambulatory clinics at St.Luke’s Episcopal Health Sys-tem in Houston. She has beenin this role since May 2012.

Jason Bray ’05 recently re-ceived the Oklahoma HospitalAssociations (OHA) annualexcellence award for his leader-ship in guiding OklahomaState University MedicalCenter through the largestenterprise-wide implementa-tion in the hospital’s history.

ALUMNI Updates

Kevin Stoner ’97

Greg Haralson ’00

Greg Haralson ’00 is CEO ofMemorial Hermann SugarLand Hospital in SugarLand, Texas.

David Shefte BA ’95, MS-HCAD ’01 is the CEO ofHealthSouth RehabilitationHospital of Denver in Little-ton, Colo.

Traci Bentley BS ’00, MS-HCAD ’02 is director of busi-ness development of TempleUniversity Health System inPhiladelphia, Pa.

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Central Region providerclients in the Dallas/FortWorth area.

Toni Feazell Cruz ’98 was appointed to vice president–finance of McBride Orthope-dic Hospital in OklahomaCity, Okla.

Monica Vargas-Mahar ’98is the chief operating officerof Providence MemorialHospital in El Paso. Recently,Monica was recognized byModern Healthcare as one ofthe Up & Comers of 2012.

Jason Bray ’05

This implementation includedthe hospital’s improved elec-tronic health record system,Meditech 6, which will assistthe hospital in meeting mean-ingful use requirements. Jason

(continued on next page)

is the chief information officerfor Oklahoma State UniversityMedical Center, a large aca-demic teaching hospital locatedin Tulsa, Okla.

Nicole Banister ’06movedinto a new role in January asplanning consultant for theSeton Healthcare Family inAustin. She is responsible forstrategic planning, businessdevelopment and forecastingfor the North Market andOncology Program Area.

Craig Desmond ’09 is theCEO of Southwest GeneralHospital in San Antonio.

Kara Witalis ’09 is a consult-ant at HealthWorks, Inc. in

Lafayette, CA. HealthWorksfocuses on strategic and busi-ness planning, trauma centerplanning and development,valuation services, includingcommercial reasonablenessand fair market value analysisacross all categories of hospital-physician agreements, hospitaland physician integration,and litigation support andexpert witness services.

Kelsey Schwarz BS ’10, MS-HCAD’12 is a project coordi-nator for Seton HealthcareFamily in Austin.

Heer leads Baldrige-winning institution

John Heer ’85 is president and CEO of North Mississippi Health

Services. His organization recently received the Malcolm

Baldrige National Quality Award 2012 in the health care cate-

gory. North Mississippi Health Center, the flagship hospital

and referral center in the NMHS system, was honored with a

health care category Baldrige Award in 2006. This is the third time

John has been connected with a Baldrige-winning organization.

Two named for Best Places to Work in Healthcare

Modern Healthcare’s 6th annual Best Places to Work in Health-

care program named two Trinity HCAD alumni recently. Both

Larry Robertson ’87 who serves as president, Texas Health

Center for Diagnostics & Surgery, a surgical hospital located

in Plano, Texas, and Rick W. Merrill ’84 who serves as presi-

dent and CEO, Cook Children’s Health Care System, located

in Fort Worth, received this recognition. This exciting pro-

gram singles out and recognizes outstanding employers in the

health care industry on a national level. Being named one of

Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare can

have a tremendous impact on the mentioned organization.

Three nominated for Young Healthcare Executive of the Year

Spencer Seals ’10, senior construction project manager, Cook

Children’s Health Care System, Jessica Rangel O’Neal ’04,

vice president operations, Methodist Dallas Medical Center and

Karim Kaissi ’07, corporate director of project management,

Texas Health Resources were nominated as the 2012 Young

Healthcare Executive of the Year by the Dallas-Fort Worth

Hospital Council (DFWHC). Although a non-Trinity alumnus,

Andrew Masica, MD, MSCI, vice president, clinical innovation

of Baylor Health Care System, was selected as the recipient,

we applaud the three Trinity alumni who were nominated for

this noteworthy award.

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Kelsey Schwarz ’10, ’12

Kara Witalis ’09

Let us know of any career updates or job changes so we can

include them in our next newsletter! Contact the HCAD Office

at 210-999-8107 or jlopez@trinity.edu.

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The continued excel-lence of Trinity University’sHealth Care Administrationprogram is ensured with theClasses of 2013 and 2014.They have met challengesand expect to deal effectivelywith the many more on thehorizon thanks to our alwaysrelevant education. With thesupport of the Trinity facultyand staff, along with thealumni, the students will exitthe program ready for ourever-changing industry.The members of the Class

of 2013 are nearing the half-way point of their residenciesand, while enjoying the perksof residency life, continue toshine in their early careers.Some have already taken onprojects that would normallybe handled by someone whohas been in the field forsome time. The Class of 2014 is stay-

ing very active this spring semester. Even though welost some time over springbreak, we were able to visit

some organizations outsideof San Antonio. This was awonderful learning opportu-nity because many of ourclassmates will be workingwith organizations outsidethe city. Studying also keepsus busy. There are a largenumber of group projectsthis semester, which havebrought our class closer to-gether and taught us valuablelessons. We also are honingour presentation skills withmany more assignments. The faculty is not afraid to ask the tough questions,which leads to studentgrowth. Every time we pres-ent, we feel more preparedand confident. ACHE Congress this year

occurred during our springbreak. Having it that weekproved to be a challenge, butit was not without reward.Students used this extraor-dinary opportunity to itsfullest and attended manyclasses with amazing speakers.We also had the chance, overmultiple nights, to meet withmany alumni who gave us

great advice and direction in our professional lives. TheClass of 2014 would like tothank the Alumni Associationfor allowing the continuationof this valuable trip. With the semester almost

over, the Preceptor’s Confer-ence was April 19 and was onthe forefront of everyone’smind. There was a collegialatmosphere, which helped to ease the impending stress.Many organizations hadreplied and research ensuredthat each student interviewedwith the organization thatwas the best fit for them. Weappreciated the chance tomeet many great people whoare making a difference intheir organizations.The Class of 2014’s jour-

ney has just begun. The roadmay be long, but each of ushas stepped up to the plate tomeet the challenges that areahead. We are all grateful forthe opportunity to attendsuch a prestigious program,and we look forward to serv-ing others in such a reward-ing industry.

Stephen Grigar

Class Officers 2014

PresidentStephen Grigar

Vice PresidentTiffany Wetz

SecretaryLindsey Herman

ACHE ChairsGrant MagnessAlison Gizinski

Preceptors’ ChairCallie ReddingKyle Landry

Social ChairsVanessa DuranKristen Castillo

Intramurals ChairTripp Lyles

Service ChairsWil DingmoreKelsey Goodell

STUDENT Report

Stephen Grigar Class of 2014

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Congratulationsto the 13 individuals who wereinducted into the Upsilon PhiDelta Honor Society duringthe Duce Award Dinner inChicago in March. Founded in 1965, Upsilon

Phi Delta is the national aca-demic honor society for studentsin health care administrationwithin the United States. Ad-ministered by the Associationof University Programs inHealth Administration, it wasformed to further the profes-sion of health care adminis-tration and the professionalcompetence and dedication of its members. The Trinity University chap-

ter was established in 2010.Criteria for induction includebeing a full-time, on-campusstudent, having a graduatingGPA of 3.9 or higher, andcompleting at least 20 hoursof community service. Criteriafor executive students includebeing a full-time student inthe Executive program, hav-ing a graduating GPA of 3.9or higher (measured at the endof the summer semester of thesecond year) and having servedon the board of a not-for-profit/community organization.

On-Campus Students

Melissa BrumleyNathanael Budge

Evan GaltDarin Hall

Cameron LewisTom MethvinSkyler Reed

Marisa StansberryHannah Thai

Executive Students

Shane CasadyLaura GivensJosiah MooneyJacquetta Ray

Upsilon Phi Delta inducts 13

Amer Kaissi, associate professor of health care administration, presented certificates to HCADstudents who were inducted into Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society in March. Pictured areNathanael Budge, Skyler Reed, Amer Kaissi, Hannah Thai, and Evan Galt.

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HCAD On-Campus

Class of 2014

Callie ReddingBaylor UniversityB.A., environmental studies

Tiffany WetzTexas Lutheran UniversityB.B.A., business administration

Lindsey HermanUniversity of RichmondB.S., public health and medical ethics

Roy BaskinTrinity UniversityB.A., history

Vanessa DuranNew Mexico State UniversityB.A., business administration

Rendell GazzinganUniversity of California, BerkeleyB.A., public health

Kristin CastilloTexas Christian UniversityB.B.A., entrepreneurial management

Claire ClobbTrinity UniversityB.A., psychology

Stephanie WeikelUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonB.A., interdisciplinary studies

Chris LoumeauUtah Valley UniversityB.S., community health

Kyle LandryUniversity of MichiganB.A. sociology

Kelsey GoodellTrinity UniversityB.S. management; B.A., urban studies

Cullen PabodySouthern Methodist UniversityB.B.A., finance; B.A., Spanish

Wilson DingmoreTexas A&M UniversityB.S., economics

Grant MagnessBaylor UniversityB.B.A., finance and economics

Josh CameronBrigham Young University, IdahoB.S., healthcare administration

Stephen GrigarTexas A&M UniversityB.S., poultry science

Alison GizinskiTrinity UniversityB.S., business admin./marketing

Ashley NelsonVanderbilt UniversityB.A., medicine, health, and society

Alexa CalderonTrinity UniversityB.S., business admin./management

Tripp LylesTexas A&M UniversityB.S., biology

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HCAD ExecutiveClass of 2014

Susan (Susy) J. DickersonCorporate Medical AffairsMolina Healthcare, Inc.Long Beach, CA

Jonathan FantBusiness Office ManagerUnited Surgical Partners Int’l, Inc.Bedford, TX

Yvette GarciaClinical Pharmacist SpecialistRio Grande Regional HospitalMcAllen, TX

Laura R. Tilley, Au. D.Regional DirectorConnect HearingDallas, TX

Silvana VelaHuman Resources ManagerWings Home Health Services, LLCMcAllen, TX

Mary A. WeidnerPoint of Care Coordinator andPhlebotomy SupervisorMethodist Specialty & Transplant HospitalSan Antonio, TX

Neeraj BhatOhioHealthColumbus, Ohio

Melissa D. BrumleyMemorial Hermann Texas Medical CenterHouston

Nathanael BudgeIASIS Healthcare Utah MarketSouth Hordan, Utah

Sam M. BurgessLakeview HospitalBountiful, Utah

AnneMarie CampbellTexas Scottish Rite Hospitalfor ChildrenDallas

Alyssa EndresBaylor Health Care SystemDallas

Evan GaltINTEGRIS HealthOklahoma City

Christine N. GoodUSMD, Inc.Irving, Texas

Darin R. HallSt. John'sSanta Monica, Calif.

Ryan T. HenryHCA Gulf Coast DivisionHouston

Rebecca A. IvaturyMethodist Healthcare SystemSan Antonio

Basma KhurshidGonzaba Medical GroupSan Antonio

Brittany R. LeonardiVA of North Texas Health Care SystemDallas

Cameron M. LewisCarlsbad Medical CenterCarlsbad, N. M.

Tom W. MethvinUT MedicineSan Antonio

Lindsay T. NiemanUniversity Health SystemSan Antonio

Heather L. OutlawVISN 17Arlington, Texas

Adam J. PeganSierra Providence East Medical CenterEl Paso, Texas

Skyler W. ReedSt. David’s HealthcareAustin

Marisa T. Stansberry PricewaterhouseCoopersDallas

Lisa SteelmanTexas Health HarrisMethodist Fort WorthFort Worth

Hannah P. ThaiTexas Health PresbyterianHospital DallasDallas

Sabrina W. TsoHarris Health SystemHouston

RESIDENCY PlacementsClass of 2013

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¡Aviso!News from the Trinity University Health Care Administration Alumni Association

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Remember to follow the HCAD Facebook page. Get involved, stay connected, and learn about upcomingevents. For communication and efficiency purposes,the HCAD Alumni page recently merged with the HCAD page. Check it out often!

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Trinity UniversityAlumni Relations OfficeOne Trinity Place, Box #76San Antonio, TX 78212

210-999-8404

alumni@trinity.edu