The Alliance had an incredible week here in National Harbor, Maryland! From days full of valuable education sessions to networking events on the harbor front, the healthcare CPD community has emerged, overcome and led their way into the future.
Be Indispensable
Wednesday morning — the second full day of sessions — kicked off with “Be Indispensable: Focus CPD on Improving Patient Outcomes.” This panel discussion featured industry icons who brought a variety of perspectives to the main message of improving and making CE units indispensable in organizations. The panelists discussed the importance of bringing in interprofessional perspectives when building a CE program and advised that CE professionals partner with colleagues and the Alliance community. They also shared the following pearls for becoming indispensable and expanding beyond knowledge-driven education to be part of an outcomes-based system of care:
- Take small steps
- Identify a team of champions
- Use data
- Build on successes and learn from failures
- Identify internal and external resources and expertise
- Celebrate success
- Think of initiatives, not one-and-done solutions
If you enjoyed this session, catch up with a few of the five panelists on the Alliance Podcast Legends Interview series:
Emphasis on Education
Wednesday continued with a full lineup of concurrent sessions. From perspectives on global CME/CPD to creating a digital learning strategy, divine outcomes design, and leveling up the educational activity evaluation process, attendees had a busy and thought-provoking morning.
After lunch, the Almanac staff stopped by a few sessions to listen in to how healthcare CPD professionals are emerging and leading the profession into the future. First, the morning’s panelists hosted an expansion session focused on implementing a CPD model prioritizing patient outcomes. Erin Schwarz and Joe LiVigni helped attendees navigate hard conversations. They started by giving attendees a model for identifying whether or not a difficult conversation needs to happen in the first place, then LiVigni continued on with steps and strategies to follow if this conversation is necessary. Schwarz and LiVigni previewed this session topic on the Alliance Podcast.
Meanwhile, Susan Yarbrough, CHCP, and Chanise Reese-Queen, EdD, MSA, presented the Professional Development Showcase. Yarbrough discussed finding your voice and advice she wishes she had 15 years ago, including seeking a mentor, take chances even if you’re scared, and — most importantly — get a skincare routine. Reese-Queen took the stage next, where she led attendees in exploring perceptions and advantages of self-promotion and bragging. This became an interactive session, as she asked the audience to write down five adjectives to describe themselves and later practiced self-promotion.
As the day continued, CPD professionals gathered to learn more about strategic reorganization, meeting the challenge of delivering effective CE strategies, optimizing efficiency with technology, best practices for managing a Regularly Scheduled Series (RSS) and more. Stay tuned into the Alliance Podcast for an upcoming episode diving deep into the RSS session with presenters Rebecca Kolb, MA; Magna Patel; and Tina Miller.
Prioritizing the Patient Perspective
After a full day of sessions on Wednesday, #Alliance23 attendees gathered first thing Thursday morning for the final keynote of the week — “It’s My Life: Valuing the Patient Perspective” with Swapna Kakani, MPH. Kakani’s personal account of her experience living with Short Bowel Syndrome was incredibly moving and inspiring to the audience. Kakani encouraged CME providers to be the patient’s champion. She asked them to consider what “positive patient outcomes” means to the patient and how outcomes impact the patient’s health and life together. It is evident that attendees left the closing keynote session feeling inspired and motivated to continue making patients their utmost priority.
See You in NOLA!
Have you heard? The Alliance 2024 Annual Conference is heading south to New Orleans! 2024 Program Planning Committee Chair Christine Keenan, RN, MSN, announced next year’s conference location, and we already can’t wait to gather once again with the healthcare CPD community. Thank you so much for joining us in National Harbor to emerge, overcome and lead the way forward. And before we head to New Orleans, join the Alliance for the Alliance Industry Summit (AIS), May 1–3 in Philadelphia.
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