—Al Rogers, COO, GlobalSchoolNet.org
RYAN Associates will return to Boston, the site of its first national conference, in October for its 24th annual meeting on providing healthcare services to employers.
The curriculum for the program, Prospering in a Changing Occupational Health Environment, will emphasize cost-effective operations, strategic business development, and clinical quality in response to national healthcare reforms, state and regional influences, and local market demands.
The conference will be held Oct. 11-13 at the Hyatt Regency, which is conveniently located in the theater district and a short walk from Boston Common. The conference will be preceded for the first time by two pre-conference courses offered in conjunction with the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: Medical Review Officer I: Fast Track Course and the OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Process.
As always, RYAN Associates’ mission is to ensure that everyone who attends the conference obtains knowledge about proven practices and innovative ideas to implement in their own organization.
Conference-Day One Monday, October 11
The educational portion of the conference will kick off with a keynote presentation on Trends in 21st Century Occupational Health Practice by John Howard, M.D., director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses. Dr. Howard also serves as coordinator of World Trade Center Health Programs, a post-Sept. 11, 2001, medical surveillance initiative.
“It is important for us to generate the science that can inform good policy,” Dr. Howard said at the annual American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition in May. He said NIOSH is anxious to support the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regulatory agenda.
In other forums, Dr. Howard has identified several areas of change that are reshaping the workplace health and safety landscape, including cultural diversity, the aging workforce (or what he refers to as “chronologically gifted” workers), and the impact of a growing cadre of non-traditional employment relationships such as telecommuting, workforce decentralization, self-employment, part-time and sub-contractor arrangements, and flex-time. He has noted that new legal structures for occupational health and safety may need to be developed to address these types of relationships.
Dr. Howard was first appointed NIOSH Director in 2002 and served until 2008. In 2008 and 2009, he worked as a consultant with the U.S. Government’s Afghanistan Health Initiative and with the Public Health Law Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He served as chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency from 1991 through 2002.
Dr. Howard is board-certified in internal medicine and occupational medicine. He is admitted to practice medicine and law in California and the District of Columbia, and he is a member the U.S. Supreme Court bar. He received the James Keogh Award from NIOSH in 2009 in recognition of his efforts to “improve the relevance, impact, and stakeholder responsiveness of NIOSH research through strong and effective partnerships with labor and industry.” He was acknowledged, in particular, for his early work on hazards associated with the nanotechnology industry and for his support of Prevention Through Design, a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at “designing out” work-related hazards and risks in tools, processes and work environments.
- Following Dr. Howard’s presentation, the program will feature three concurrent courses:
- Course I: 10 Steps to Transform Challenges Into Opportunities
- Course II: 10 Ways to Achieve Exceptional Clinical Management
- Course III: RYAN Associates’ Occupational Health Program Building Blocks
Course 3 will span the duration of the conference and prepare participants for the National Association of Occupational Health Professional’s examination to obtain a Certificate of Competency in Occupational Health Practice Management. The exam will be offered to any individuals who wish to take it after the conference via an approved proctor, regardless of whether they attend the course or the conference.
After lunch, a fourth course, 20 Things You Need to Know Today About the Urgent Care Market of Tomorrow, will run concurrently with the other three courses. The day will wrap up with a fast-paced session featuring brief presentations by conference exhibitors: Occupational Health Toolbox: 15 Products and Services to Capture More Business.
The annual evening Icebreaker Reception, sponsored by Occupational Health Research/SYSTOC, will be held on the 4th Floor Terrace of the Hyatt Regency.
Vendor Exhibit Day Tuesday, October 12
Tuesday is Vendor Exhibit Day. The exhibits will begin at 7:30 a.m. and stay open throughout the day. The schedule allows for ample time to visit all the exhibits, including those who presented their material at the previous day’s Toolbox session.
Courses will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a general session featuring an expert panel on Using National Reforms and Health Interventions as a Springboard to Success. Panelists will include Jay Himmelstein, M.D., M.P.H., Ron Loeppke, M.D., M.P.H., and Catherine Pepler, C.O.H.N.-S/C.M.
Dr. Himmelstein is a professor at UMass Medical School and chief health policy strategist at the school’s Center for Health Policy and Research, where he leads two groups: Disability and Employment Policy and Public Sector Health Information Technology. He also is the founding director of Work Without Limits, a Massachusetts disability employment initiative. Dr. Loeppke is vice president of the board, of U.S. Preventive Medicine, Inc., and an internationally known expert on health and productivity management. Ms. Pepler is director of site operations for Take Care Health Systems, a Walgreens subsidiary, and president-elect of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.
The educational day will continue with Occupational Health Program Building Blocks (Day Two) and two other concurrent courses:
• Course V: 6 Capabilities to Answer Market Demand and Generate Revenue
• Course VI: 6 Methods for Providers and Stakeholders to Keep People Working
After lunch, there will be two additional concurrent courses:
• Course VII: Valuable Lessons From 4 Cutting-Edge Programs
• Course VIII: Expert Panel Discussion: Applying State-of-the-Art Sales and Marketing Principles to Heighten Program Visibility
The educational day will conclude with 9 Proven Strategies and Innovations to Implement When You Get Home, featuring the nine members of the NAOHP Board. Each board member will offer a valuable tip on occupational health program operations.
For the 17th consecutive year, Integritas, Inc., will sponsor the lively NAOHP reception, joined for the first time by co-sponsor, Reed Group. The perennially popular reception will be held at MJ O’Connor’s, a traditional Boston Irish pub.
Half-Day Standouts Wednesday, October 13
New and long-standing members of the NAOHP are invited to attend the association’s annual Board Open Business Meeting and continental breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on the final day of the conference. Courses following the meeting will include the last segment of Occupational Health Program Building Blocks and: Course IX: Using National Survey Data to Benchmark Your Program’s
