I am humbled and honored to address you as the new American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) Advisory Board president. ASHE has played an essential role throughout my extensive career in health care. During this period, I have been enriched tremendously by the friendship and guidance of my fellow members.
As we begin a new year, I am urged to remind you that the duty of the ASHE Advisory Board is to serve our members by enacting ASHE’s strategic plan, which was developed to address the needs of the profession as we navigate this dynamic field together. My mission as president aligns with that plan in three key areas.
The world of health care is changing rapidly. We must embrace innovation to proactively meet change by optimizing our processes through active communication as well as collaborating with ASHE Chapters, vendor partners and other health care professional organizations. We need to continue to invest in education to expand our workforce and train a new generation of health care facilities leaders.
I am also committed to influencing the health care regulatory environment to benefit the patients we serve. By leveraging meaningful data and partnering with regulatory experts in our field, I will see that ASHE continues to succeed in its longstanding effort to align overlapping and contradictory codes and ease the regulatory burden on those who maintain and build healing environments.
Finally, we will continue to elevate our profession. By partnering with ASHE Chapters and mobilizing relationships with allies such as the American College of Healthcare Executives, we can build pathways to professional advancement that empower members and allow them to effectively represent the needs of the health care physical environment with health care leadership.
Each one of you plays an important role in your workplaces and communities. Caregivers and patients rely on health care facilities professionals to maintain the hospital’s infrastructure and ensure its operation around the clock. This is no small task, but one you never need to face alone. So please don’t hesitate to reach out to the ASHE Advisory Board and staff — we are here to serve!