Dr. Stephanie Kivi Named to MHA Physician Leadership Council
New council will give physicians greater voice in MHA policy, advocacy efforts
(MONTGOMERY, MN - April 7, 2010) – The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) has created a new group to help identify public policy issues and related proposed solutions to improve the efforts of hospital-aligned physicians to provide accessible, high-quality and low-cost care.
The MHA Physician Leadership Council met for the first time Monday, April 5. Its 24 members include chief medical officers, other physician leaders and hospital administrators from MHA member hospitals and integrated health systems.
The initiative was driven by a commitment - set forth in MHA's new strategic plan - to develop a common voice with physicians and to more directly engage them in the association's policy development and advocacy activities, said MHA President and Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Massa.
"This new council will provide an opportunity for our members' physicians to influence the laws, regulations and policies that affect their day-to-day work," he said. "That effort, in turn, will help improve the ability of Minnesota's hospitals and health systems to best care for their patients and to best serve their communities."
The traditional interests of hospitals and health systems are converging with the interests of their physicians, Massa said in a recent e-mail about the initiative to member CEOs. For example, greater demands on health care providers to measure the quality and cost of their care increase pressure for provider collaboration, he added. And new payment methods based on episodes of care, accountable care organizations and gain sharing indicate that hospitals' and health systems' relationships with physicians will take on greater financial significance for everyone involved.
Following are the members of the MHA Physician Leadership Council:
- Rocklon B. Chapin, Co-chair, executive vice president/senior officer, SMDC hospital division, SMDC Health System, Duluth
- Jeffrey Garland, M.D., co-chair, associate chief of hospital-based services, SMDC Medical Center, Duluth
- David Agerter, M.D., president and CEO, Austin Medical Center - Mayo Health System
- Brent Asplin, M.D., chair, emergency department, Saint Marys Hospital, Rochester
- Joel Beiswenger, chief executive officer, Tri-County Health Care, Wadena
- James Breitenbucher, M.D., vice president of medical affairs, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, Minneapolis
- Raymond G. Christensen, M.D., assistant dean, rural health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth
- Steven Connelly, M.D., chief medical officer, Park Nicollet Health Services, Minneapolis
- Michael Hagen, CEO and administrator, Riverwood Healthcare Center, Aitkin
- Mark Heggem, M.D., chief medical officer, Riverwood Healthcare Center
- Allen L. Horn, M.D., president, CentraCare Clinics - River Campus, St. Cloud
- Phillip M. Kibort, M.D., chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, St. Paul
- Stephanie A. Kivi, M.D., medical director, Montgomery Medical Clinic
- Steve Kolar, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer, HealthEast Care System, St. Paul
- Rahul Koranne, M.D., medical director, Bethesda Hospital and Home Care, St. Paul
- David Milbrandt, M.D., vice president of medical affairs, Fairview Lakes Medical Center, Wyoming
- Steven Mulder, M.D., president and CEO, Hutchinson Area Health Care
- Mark J. Murphy, vice president of operations, CentraCare Clinic, St. Cloud
- John S. Piatkowski, M.D., vice president and executive medical director, Bethesda Hospital, St. Paul
- Abigail Ring, M.D., chief medical officer, Innovis Health Detroit Lakes
- Tim Schmitt, M.D., chief medical officer, Wadena Medical Center, Ltd.
- Craig Svendsen, M.D., chief medical quality officer, HealthEast Care System, St. Paul
- Thomas R. Thompson, president and CEO, St. Mary's Innovis Health, Detroit Lakes
- Roy A. Yawn, M.D., president, Olmsted Medical Center, Rochester