Looking Back on ACHE 2023 Congress

Karissa Smith, MHA

Consultant, Tria Federal

ACHE of Central Florida Communications Chair

The American College of Healthcare Executives held its Annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership from March 20th to the 23rd in Chicago, Illinois, where a record breaking 5,000+ attendees attended to engage in professional education and networking events. Now more than ever before, this level of participation proves our healthcare workforce remains steadfast in their commitment to advancing healthcare excellence.

I would be remiss if I didn’t add that joining this magnanimous group of healthcare executives were more than 30 ACHE of Central Florida members and students. United with other Florida chapters by our East Florida Regent Neil Mangus, MHA, FACHE, our local community of healthcare executives took full advantage of their time by inspiring and empowering one another to make the most of every minute, coming together in the late afternoons to network and share feedback on their key takeaways from the day. 

We even had the distinct pleasure to hear from one of our own, Dr. Kim Adelman, who gave a presentation on reducing unplanned readmissions for high-risk patients. The presentation provided ways to overcome these difficulties and challenged healthcare professionals to work together to improve patient outcomes and reduce readmissions.

Perhaps one of the most profound sessions I attended, however odd it may sound, was one where healthcare wasn’t mentioned at all. I hurried into my luncheon session, slightly late and absolutely starving, to find myself with over 200 other healthcare executives, listening and learning from MTV Star of “The Buried Life,” Ben Nemtin. I had never heard of Ben, despite the fact that I was well into my twenties by the time his show aired. Unlike my other sessions on HRO principles or health equity that were clearly defined by the title alone, I didn’t know what to expect from the tall, dark-haired 30-something standing on the stage. However, he certainly didn’t disappoint.

Ben and his three friends in their late teens decided to travel around the U.S. and Canada in an old bus and film themselves checking everything they could off of one big bucket list. They vowed that for each item they checked off their list, they would help someone else do the same. What began as a coming-of-age pursuit of adventure and freedom, in the end became an experience full of connection and purpose. All because they didn’t let doubt stand in the way of achieving what some might have said was impossible.

I could go on and on about his presentation and its impact on me that day, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll leave you with this—his five steps to make the impossible, possible:

• Write your bucket list.

• Share your goals and dreams.

• Be unstoppable/relentless.

• Dream big. Take moonshots.

• Give back.

If you weren’t able to go and experience the magic of ACHE Congress this year, I hope you’ll join us for the next one. Mark your calendars now to save the date for Congress from March 24th-28th, 2024, in Chicago, IL. I can’t wait to meet you there.