The Value of Leadership in HBMA’s Continued Success we approach the end of the second quarter of 2014, we can begin to reflect on the changes and commitments we have made this year. In 2014 HBma has not only committed to embracing the changes that are occurring in the healthcare industry, but also to meeting these challenges by making strategic decisions that will ensure the strength and longevity of our association. Forefront among these decisions was our change to a new association management firm. We made this move with the intent of tapping into broader resources to assist the association beyond simply growing our membership, but also to better define and support the HBma of the future. We are approaching the second half of the year with our new management organization fully engaged to lead us into the future and to address some of the very difficult issues that were mentioned in my letter to you in the last issue of Billing. Our new executive director, andre Williams, has been in place just shy of two months. No doubt you have seen some of the announcements about andre. What may not be evident in these messages is that andre possesses many of the leadership characteristics that HBma, as an association, must embody as we brace for the future. When we think of leadership, we often envision an individual, such as an executive director, a president, or a governing board. But I challenge you to consider our association as a leader. HBma is in the role of “senior leader” for our nation as it relates to all-encompassing revenue cycle management and comprehensive practice management services. If we are to be the authoritative voice and prepare our members for the future of healthcare, we must be willing to position ourselves to proactively make the most of the changes before us. Doing this will require taking on risk, and that risk will require extraordinary leadership. In his book Essential Drucker: Management, the Individual and Society, Peter Drucker wrote, “management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” There are certain characteristics that leaders, such as our new executive director, possess. Our organization must also exhibit these characteristics, as outlined here. PRESIDENT’S message Tenacity HBma must hold tight as we weather the future storms of ICD- 10, the affordable Care act, new payment models, healthcare exchanges, high numbers of consolidation, demand for data analytics and increased technology, and reduced profit margins for providers and for our member companies. Forethought HBma cannot live in the past – or even the present. Instead, we must operate with a keen eye on the future to prepare our membership for what may come ahead for their businesses. Dedication above all, HBma, the association, must never lose sight of its real purpose. HBma exists because of its members, and HBma exists for its members. Insight With conflicting messages coming out of Washington, DC, a Congress that often makes decisions in a void, consultants spreading communications of doom and gloom, and hundreds of other associations lobbying for this or that, our association must be discerning and judicious. This means not operating out of fear – no shooting from the hip. Decisiveness With insight comes decisiveness. This can be tough for many organizations. even large, successful organizations wallow in their own inability to make a clear break from previous strategies and vision that brought them success. Take BlackBerry (affectionately known as “CrackBerry” on Wall street and Capitol Hill) as an example. at one time, BlackBerry was the leading technology in mobile devices. as recently as 2009, Fortune magazine named BlackBerry the fastest growing company in the world. However, that has changed. since 2013, BlackBerry holds only three percent of the smartphone market – a veritable free fall in just four years. BlackBerry’s decline is in part due to poor decision making. strong organizations are able to make decisions quickly and confidently. We cannot think, “It will be easier (continued on page 7) THe jOurNal OF THe HealTHCare BIllINg aND maNagemeNT assOCIaTION 3 As
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