The 2018 Nursing Leadership Retreat has Northwell Health “Reaching for the Stars!”

Under the leadership of health system Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Nurse Executive Maureen White, RN MBA, FNAP, FAAN, over 235 chief nursing officers, directors of patient care services and nursing education, advanced practice nurse leaders and high performing frontline staff convened to take a deep dive into the CMS Star ratings program and nursings key role in the organizations success. Every health system hospital and skilled nursing facility was in attendance along with home care, hospice, health solutions and ambulatory services. Over the course of the two day event this dynamic group engaged with system leaders to develop the plan that will continue to drive Northwell Health as a leader in healthcare.  In the process, attendees were ‘Dancing for the Stars’ which was an unexpected highlight that everyone is still talking about!

The event opened up with a motivating and inspiring presentation by President and CEO Michael Dowling. Mr Dowling presented an encouraging look at the healthcare landscape, Northwells vision and strategy and assured everyone that our passion and desire to do what’s right will be an important beacon as we continue this exciting journey. He shared his own personal journey which, captivated the audience, and left everyone feeling energized and ready to soar!

The first day concluded with a reflective and thought provoking session by Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Solazzo. Recently recognized again as one of the top 25 COO’s in the country by Modern Healthcare magazine, Mr Solazzo drove home key points for our success including continuing to collaborate on ensuring that Northwell remains a best place to work and a place where all employees are engaged and supported.

Other highlights included a session led by SVP and Chief Community Health Investment Officer Dr Ram Raju MD, and Sabina Zak, RPA-c, Vice President for Community Health which explored the Northwell 5 Star Culture of Health Promotion. This focused on getting to know our patients and communities so that we can provide the care they need and want in ways that align with their priorities and realities. It emphasized a new way of looking at patient centeredness and taking into greater consideration, the social determinants of health and the role it plays in the health and wellness.

Employee engagement was a cornerstone of the retreat as strategies and action plans were developed to advance employee engagement. Although engagement is exceedingly high, attendees were raising the bar and reaching for the stars on that as well! David Gill, PhD, Asst Vice President for Employee Experience and Michael Kern, Senior Director for Employee Experience, exemplified engagement as they had the nurse leaders fired up during a lively, interactive session.

A careful analysis of the CMS stars program was led by SVP and Chief Medical Officer Dr David Battinelli MD, SVP and Chief Quality Officer Dr. Mark Jarret, MD and SVP for Population Management Kristopher Smith, MD.  This was a powerful segment that dissected the components of the Stars program and allowed attendees to gain a much better understanding of the program and its many considerations. Nurse leaders developed action plans during this working session and were left with a feeling of greater clarity in understanding how the work they are currently doing will translate into the healthy outcomes they desire for patients.

Teams that have been working on the Patient Care Services (PCS) strategic plan reported out on their progress. Maureen White stated, “I was so impressed with the PCS Strategic Plan presentations which closed out the retreat. Each strategic plan group exceeded expectations in developing the plans of their workgroups.”

Maureen Whites closing speech, a tribute to 77 very special nurses known as The Angels of Bataan, resonated deeply with attendees and they are still moved and inspired by their example. According to attendees, the 2018 Nursing Leadership Retreat was informative and insightful and a huge success. Everyone is already gearing up for next year!