In this season of Thanksgiving, it occurred to me that one thing I’m deeply grateful for is the opportunity to give.

Since well before the inception of Healthcare Plus Solutions Group (HPSG), my colleague, Quint Studer, and I have tried to demonstrate a closeness to the healthcare industry…and part of that closeness is illustrated by looking for opportunities to give back.  One of the most tangible illustrations was the amount of time that Quint has devoted to presenting to MHA students and professors across the country at no cost to those programs.  Quint has long been dedicated to education at large, but even more so recently to assisting this next generation of healthcare leaders be prepared to enter the applied world of our industry.As the world progressed through and beyond the pandemic, Quint returned to writing to provide healthcare workers with solutions to some of the challenges we all faced.  Beyond his practical advice and guidance, he also wanted to ensure that vital segments of the industry could benefit and so as his book “The Calling” came to be published, he chose three organizations as beneficiaries of the book sales:  The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and the Daisy Foundation.  From education to professional development to recognition of nurses, Quint felt that these entities would be the right recipients based upon their respective missions.

Finally, Quint wanted to assist in recognizing both students and professors within Healthcare Administration academic programs by establishing both the CAHME/Quint Studer Excellence in Healthcare Mentorship Scholarship Award (which recognizes graduate students in CAHME Accredited or Certified programs who demonstrate exceptional skills in educating, mentoring, and tutoring other students or members of the public in the healthcare field) as well as the Quint Studer Gratitude Prize for Teaching Excellence (which recognizes individuals from AUPHA member programs for outstanding teaching and mentoring; leadership in educational programming and dissemination of innovative and promising practices for teaching and mentoring, and course and curriculum development).

The intentionality of giving is probably what brings the most joy.  Whether it’s the opportunity to mentor soon-to-be graduates of MHA programs or leaders who simply want to elevate their performance, giving back into an industry like healthcare just seems to work.  When I volunteered my testimony before the House Committee on Veterans affairs almost a decade ago, I remember finishing my opening statement with the words “I come before you today not only as a healthcare professional, but as the step-son of a deceased Marine Corp veteran whom I saw all too often let down by the V.A.”  Giving back has always been in our DNA…on behalf of both caregivers and their patients.

Fast forward to 2021: As HPSG was formed, Quint and I wanted to ensure that our core values of Generosity and Gratitude were more than just words on a website.

To serve an industry, we believe organizations and leaders have to stay close to an industry:

• It’s why we’ve continued to make the “Well-Being Handbook” and other well-being tools and resources available at no charge.
• It’s why we chose to fund two landmark research projects with the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), and Joslin Insight to study emerging models of care and, even more importantly, the dynamic of relationships between leaders and the front-line workforce in nursing.
• It’s why we chose to help sponsor the latest rounds of AONL Think Tanks relative to workforce development.
• It’s why, when we published our newest book “Rewiring Excellence: From Hardwired to Rewired”, we chose to make the e-book version available at no charge.

We feel these opportunities represent more than everyday philanthropy…they represent an opportunity to put our money where our mission is: “To have a positive impact on those that receive care and those that provide care.”

I’m personally grateful for the team we have built at HPSG, the opportunity to learn from colleagues, partners, and industry leaders, and the ability to travel the country sharing these learnings with leaders that will impact so many lives.

To those with whom we’ve had the opportunity to work over the past two years, please know you are in our team’s thoughts of thanks not only this week but year-round.