The Certified in Healthcare Human Resources (CHHR) designation is the only certification specific to professionals in health care HR. The application for the Summer 2018 CHHR Exam Scholarship is open until Friday, July 27. ASHHRA members who apply will be considered to receive a voucher for the full CHHR exam fee (a $295 value!).

AHA News

AHA Chair Nancy Agee recently moderated a panel at the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity's National Leadership and Education Conference. Participants discussed what it really takes for women to be effective leaders of a health system or hospital, as they become increasingly involved in health care leadership.

Today's health care employees know more than ever about how much they're worth, and what kind of salaries are available to them in the industry. You may have a great work environment, but if your compensation and advancement rates aren't up to snuff, you could lose your best employees to the competition. Here are some tips to make sure you have competitive pay strategy in place.

Offense is the best defense when it comes to maintaining good employee health and morale. Maximize employee satisfaction and trim down on sick days by incorporating these strategies into your work environment.

Health care is in a time of drastic changes. Some changes — like AI technology development — have great potential benefits to society, while others — like the disheartening battle against opioid addiction — have harmful or fatal implications. It can be discouraging to weather such an uncertain time, but the health care industry is poised to come through stronger than ever, according to a recent report released by PwC Health Research Institute.

Most of the time, HR is in charge of asking the questions and choosing applicants based on their strengths and relevant skills. But what happens when the tables are turned and HR is in the hot seat — how many of the following essential attributes does your HR department have?

Hospitals often have a small IT presence, yet their servers house some of the most valuable data for hackers. Patients' personal information is at risk when property security measures are not in place, and cybercriminals are taking advantage of this situation more and more each year.

Health care providers must keep focus on treating patients, which often leaves little time for analyzing satisfaction stats or thinking up new ways to make the patient-health care provider interaction even better. The good news is, there are small, consistent strategies that health care organizations can implement today that will greatly improve their work practices and patient comfort over time.

A growing number of nurse practitioners are taking advantage of residency programs and related opportunities, often at primary care facilities. Many believe that the extra clinical experience gives them valuable training and insight, but some naysayers think that nurse practitioners are sufficiently trained to handle complex health situations without the added experience.

While the primary focus for hospitals is on quality medical care, there is a growing interest among patients and their families for unique design elements that will promote greater physical and emotional comfort. Hospitals are paying more attention to the amenities and appeal of their facilities, and a growing number of design companies now offer their services specifically to health care facilities and patients.

Health care organizations are discovering that growing numbers of patients want the ability to manage their health digitally — and they are pressing their health care providers to offer solutions. Common digital requests include payment processing, prescription filling, appointment management, and test results access. A recent survey showed that many patients would leave their current healthcare provider if another one offered better digital options.