More than 3,000 professionals are expected to attend the 53rd ASHE Annual Conference in Denver, July 10–13. Some of the highlights of this year’s conference include:

• Keynote speaker. Lt. Col. (ret.) Rob “Waldo” Waldman, a former combat pilot and businessman, will explain how to use partnership to reach new heights. He points out that many people think they are flying solo, but have support staff, managers, suppliers, colleagues, family members and others to help. He advocates placing trust in wingmen to accomplish missions.

• Codes and standards. Representatives of accrediting organizations will have office hours at the conference. Representatives from the Joint Commission, DNV GL-Healthcare, HFAP, AAACH and NFPA will be on-site to answer regulatory questions.

• Peer-reviewed sessions. This year offers six educational tracks: compliance tactics; foundations for the new facility manager; operational efficiency; patient experience; planning, design and construction for the facility manager; and the business of facility management. Educational sessions are labeled based on content level (beginning, intermediate or expert).

• Networking. The conference includes a welcome reception on July 10, as well as an exhibit hall reception on July 11. On July 12, the ASHE Annual Outing will be held at Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, a former Air Force base hangar.

• Exhibit hall. The exhibit hall will be open Monday and Tuesday from 10:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Stop by to get lunch, view the Architecture for Health Gallery, explore new apps and gadgets in the Tech Lounge, and visit exhibitor booths to learn about the latest health care solutions.

• CHFM preparation course and exam. ASHE offers its Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) Exam Review Course as a preconference program on July 10. The course reviews the structure of the CHFM exam and gives suggestions in preparation of the exam. The CHFM exam will be offered on July 13, once the conference has ended.

• Leadership development. An optional preconference program on July 10 focuses on leadership development skills that facility professionals need to take their careers to the next level. The course covers communication skills and other management competencies, and shows how you can promote organizational change in a positive and productive manner.

Some of the optional events and courses require additional fees or registration. Visit www.ashe.org/annual to learn more.

Deanna Martin is the membership and communications director at the American Society for Healthcare Engineering.

ASHE INSIGHTS

Important monographs available from ASHE

Following are two recently released monographs that can be accessed by ASHE members as free PDFs at www.ashe.org/resourcelibrary.

• HCAHPS Scores, the Patient Experience, and the Affordable Care Act from the Facility Perspective. This new ASHE monograph explores how the health care physical environment and facility professionals can improve patient satisfaction scores.

• Risk Assessment of Medical Equipment. A key part of the Joint Commission’s environment of care management plans, risk assessments of medical equipment are covered in this new ASHE monograph. It presents a framework for facilities professionals to follow.

Design guidelines available to industry through ASHE

The 2014 editions of the Facility Guidelines Institute’s Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities and the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities can be purchased at www.ASHEstore.com.