Kiran Batheja: Our moon-shot opportunity
When President John F. Kennedy made a once-in-a-generation commitment to put an American on the moon, his words were simple and unmistakable. The moon shot, he said, was a challenge that “we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win.” America would choose its destiny rather than…
Jill Geisler: What kind of micromanager are you?
Don’t take offense at this column’s headline. Yes, it assumes you are a micromanager. But even though micromanaging has a negative reputation, it isn’t always a sign of poor leadership. Sometimes it’s exactly what you should do. Before we dig into the when, why and how of micromanagement, let me share my description: Micromanagers are supervisors who exercise a high degree of scrutiny…
Networking ‘with a little help from my friends’
On Sunday mornings, I listen to my local rock radio station’s “Breakfast with the Beatles” show (yes, that dates me). Thanks to the internet, my Gen Z daughter — a college student in Boston — can also stream it. Despite our wildly different musical tastes, our shared love of the Beatles is a special way…
Aligning for a Sustainable Healthcare Future
Segments of the U.S. healthcare system often operate at cross purposes, meaning improved alignment will be vital to achieving systemic progress. Fragmentation is apparent not only between payers and providers or clinicians and administrators, but also in the tension between efforts to innovate while keeping care cost-effective, and between formulating policy and putting it into…
People: Mercy CFO Cheryl Matejka retires after more than 35 years in healthcare
Cheryl Matejka, MBA, CFO at St. Louis-based Mercy, is retiring on Dec. 31, 2025, after more than 35 years of providing financial leadership in the healthcare industry. For more than 17 years before joining Mercy, she held various finance roles at St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare, from internal audit to vice president, financial operations and analysis.…
HFMA Empire New York Chapter leverages CRCR crash course to promote pedal tour
When planning its second annual pedal tour, the HFMA Empire New York Chapter also was identifying ways to engage enterprise member Kaleida Health, which joined HFMA in 2024 and brought 233 new members to the Chapter, increasing its membership by more than 20%. To encourage pedal tour attendance and involve its new members, Chapter leaders…
Kiran Batheja: Deliver results. Drive innovation.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon once said, “Whatever you’ve been asked to do, whatever your role is today, do it really well, deliver results, and do it with integrity.” As HFMA members, we know our North Star is delivering results that enable our organizations to serve our patients. Even in the most challenging times, impactful leaders…
Mentorship initiative offers HFMA members career growth opportunities
HFMA kicked off the second six-month-long Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program in September, with nearly 200 HFMA members participating in each cohort after the April-October 2024 pilot program proved successful. “We allow up to 100 pairs for each cohort,” said Brianna Slominski, MBA, HFMA’s manager, volunteer experience. “So it’s important for HFMA members who want to…
Jill Geisler: How leaders can help their staffs navigate ambiguity
Managing change has long been a common topic for me in my teaching sessions. After all, change is a constant. But recently, I’ve been asked to help leaders with something related but different: ambiguity. More than ever, it seems, leaders are managing in a climate of unknowns, with uncertainties lying around the corner. Factors driving…
People: Alyson Belz recognized as a member of 40 Under 40 Class of 2025
Selected from hundreds of fellow nominees, Alyson Belz, FHFMA, MBA, has been named to Crain’s New York Business 40 under 40, which highlights dynamic young professionals across industries who demonstrate meaningful leadership in their communities. The honor caps Belz’s more than a decade of leadership experience focused on improving outcomes and reducing inefficiencies. She currently…