President’s Letter

By Cathy Bennett, President and CEO, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ) On Mar 28, 2018

The New Jersey Hospital Association has brought together the state’s healthcare provider community for 100 years. As NJHA’s sixth president and CEO, I feel fortunate to be part of this organization committed to the health of our state. Our members, quite simply, take care of people and that is pretty awesome. 

NJHA provides leadership on healthcare policy and advocacy, quality improvement, data and education. Each of these areas of expertise were developed within NJHA to address the various challenges healthcare providers face. Our legacy includes being the first state to promote the use of penicillin, of creating a precursor to the Blue Cross insurance program, and being one of just two states in the nation to require all hospitals to provide care to anyone who enters their doors regardless of their ability to pay. More recently, we’ve used innovative collaboratives and data to focus on ways to keep our patients well and the factors of their lives and environment that may be barriers to good health. Each and every day, the work that we do has the potential to be historic for the people in our care.

NJHA also was one of the first state associations in the country to recognize that good care cannot be provided by hospitals in a vacuum. So, today, we have close to 400 members spanning acute care hospitals, specialty hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, rehabilitation facilities, assisted living, hospice, PACE and other provider types. With a large, diverse membership, it can be a challenge to always be on the same page. That’s why in our 100^th year, we’re refocusing our mission on a simple, yet difficult, goal that unites us all – to improve the health of the people of New Jersey.

I’ll never claim to have a crystal ball to see what is coming down the road in healthcare. But I believe that if we stay dedicated to our mission, NJHA and its members will be at the forefront of good health for the next century and beyond.

In good health,

Cathy Bennett,
President and CEO,
New Jersey Hospital Association

 

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