Maine ACHCA Chapter and Maine Health Care Association form Alliance

The Maine Chapter of the American College of Heath Care Administrators (ACHCA) and the Maine Health Care Association (MHCA) have formed a business alliance. MHCA has been very supportive and helpful to the Chapter as it renewed itself over the past several years. The two organizations have now taken steps to further the ways in which they can work together to benefit their members.

The two organizations have become reciprocal Associate Members. Benefits of the new alliance include access to each other’s publications, mailing lists, educational programs, links to their respective websites, and the opportunity to participate in members-only events. The Maine Chapter also had a table at the MHCA Fall Conference & Expo at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. Saint Joseph's College is a Business Affiliate of the Maine ACHCA Chapter.

Find out more at

ACHCA Chapter: http://www.maineachca.org


MHCA: http://www.mehca.org

National Radiologic Technology Week

In celebration of National Radiologic Technologist Week, November 6th through 12th, we congratulate all Registered Radiologic Technologist and thank you for the vital role that you play in the provision of patient care!

Did you know that Saint Joseph’s College of Maine offers a progressive executive track from the radiology Certificate to an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree and even graduate degree? 

If you are interested and would like to apply, please visit http://online.sjcme.edu/apply.

If you have any questions regarding the admission process, please phone 1-800-752-4723. The admission counselors will be happy to assist you. Please feel free to contact Brenda Rice at brice@sjcme.edu if you have any questions regarding our online programs in Radiologic Science or Health Administration.

For additional information on ways to celebrate and honor your staff, please visit www.asrt.org

Online Learning Netiquette

One of our very own instructors, Valerie Connor, published an article outlining the rules of etiquette that apply to electronic communication, including online courses!!!  This is excellent information and some of her suggestions may surprise you!  Check it out by clicking on the title above.

2011 Health Administration Symposium

The Health Care in the 21st Century: New Challenges, New Opportunities symposium in July on the Saint Joseph's College campus was amazing!!!!  There were ten presentations by experts from various areas of health care.  We learned a lot and had great opportunities to network and learn from each other too.  I wanted to share some of the comments attendees made:

• This topic is very appropriate for healthcare. It is a very diversified subject because of the professional disciplines and respect for each, including the generation gaps. We could talk all day on this topic.

• Good interaction with the audience. I learned much from them as well as from the presenter.

• Fabulous! Really encourages audience/student involvement. My only complaint was that I would laugh so hard he would make me snort - and I am not a snorter. Kidding... his humor was perfect.

• The presenters brought up issues I had never ever considered in regards to sustainability and conservation.

• Excellent information in a simplified way to learn it. Great ideas to bring back to senior leaders and helpful ways to improve processes for frontline staff.

We are already planning the symposium for next year! 

July 23-27, 2012

Save the date!!!!

Article by John Pratt Published

John Pratt co-wrote an article with Marianna Grachek that was published last month in the Long-Term Care Living magazine.  The article was titled "The Path to Leadership" and it discussed the importance of continuous education for leaders.  The article identified some common characteristics of long-term care leaders and suggested the type of learning environment they might find most beneficial!  The article is very well done and we're glad that John is our Assistant Program Director!  If you would like to read the entire article it is linked here - you just click on the title of this blog!

SJC students are amazing!

We've recently learned that one of our current students did an interview at the Florica State Capital with the Executive Director of the Florica Health Care Association.  Debbie did an excellent interview with regard to recent CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) updates and the potential impact on the quality of patient care.  We're proud to note that she's in our health administration program!!!  Check it out here  Great job Debbie!

Schedule for the Annual Health Administration Symposium July 25-29

The schedule of presenters for the 4th Annual Health Administration Symposium at Saint Joseph's College of Maine has been announced!  Join us for the entire week or a single day to learn more about the future of the provision of health care services in the United States!

Monday   7/25/2011

• 8-11AM Healthcare Reform Impact to Medicare and Medicaid with Jay Dennard of Gwinnett Medical Center
• 1-4PM Workforce Challenges with Jay Dennard of Gwinnett Medical Center

Tuesday   7/26/2011

• 8-11AM Concepts to Improve Efficiency with Don Lyons of InterOPERANT
• 1-4PM Roadmap to Sustainability with Walter Vernon of the Green Guide for Healthcare and Laura Brannen of Hospitals for a Health Environment

Wednesday   7/27/2011

• 8-11AM Measuring Quality with Tanya Zucconi of Birham and Women's/Faulkner Hospital
•  1-4PM Chaos to Calm: Effective Leadership with Susan Gilster of Alois Alzheimer Center

Thursday   7/28/2011

• 8-11AM Health Care’s 2nd Curve: Where Will You Be?  with Dr. Martin Merry General Internist specializing in the transformation of health care
• 1-4PM Leadership Competencies for Success with Jon Abeles of Catholic Health Partners

Friday   7/29/2011

• 8-11PM Innovative Initiative Implementation with Gerhard Friedrich of the Consortium for Optimizing Healthcare Performance
• 1-4PM Transforming Healthcare with Jon Abeles of Catholic Health Partners

Great Article by our Faculty Member about Online Learning!

Soon-to-be Dr. Valerie Connor has an article published in USA Today blog about online learning and the benefits of this modality!  Valerie has done an excellent job of capturing the the real advantages of online learning!

2011 Health Administration Symposium

We are pleased to announce that the Saint Joseph's College of Maine Health Administration Symposium will be held on campus from July 25th through 29th this year!!!!  The topic will be:

Healthcare in the 21st Century: New Challenges, New Opportunities

We will post more detail as it becomes available, but we're putting together an amazing lineup of national speakers to bring their expertise to us about a range of issues related to the provision of health care services!!! 

Save the date!

The Future of Long-Term Care!

Dale Thompson and Becky Urbanski, of Benedictine Health Systems, published an article in the Catholic Health Association’s magazine, “Health Progress” last year that sounds the call for the future of healthcare in the US. We’ve have included an excerpt here for your reading pleasure!


Leaders in health care are bracing for the impending “Large wave” — the large group of aging adults of the baby boomer generation who will enter health care systems in ever larger numbers in the next 20 to 30 years. Unsurprisingly, these men and women, accustomed as they are to shaping change and progress over the past four decades, harbor heightened expectations for their health care and lifestyles as they age and are likely to have significant effects on the way health care services are delivered. It is clear, for instance, that boomers expect to continue to participate and contribute to society and enjoy life, preferably at home. For the most they are expected to demand continuation of their current living arrangements with adjustments for ability as needs arise. Eventually, though, many will enter long-term care facilities, and there too, they are expected to require innovative care. Their needs and desires, combined with a strong desire on the part of religious sponsors to see their ministries continue well into the future, pose pressing challenges for delivery of health care across the spectrum and are prompting long-term care facilities to look ahead and think creatively. For those in the field, heads are often spinning.

Please click the link below to access the entire article:

http://www.chausa.org/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=6406