News Releases

200+ Community Leaders Gathered for The Center for Health Affairs 2024 Annual Meeting

The Center for Health Affairs welcomed more than 200 people this week to ConnectNEO, our Annual Meeting in Cleveland. Featuring a fireside chat with hospital leaders, panels discussions on social determinants of health, workforce and policies impacting healthcare, and presentations from the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition on access to equitable behavioral healthcare and from Greater Cleveland Partnership on the sustainability of our region, the agenda was filled with insightful presentations and discussions.

“This year, we have dubbed our event Connect Northeast Ohio, because that is exactly what we are seeking to do,” said The Center for Health Affairs and CHAMPS President & CEO Brian Lane, in opening remarks. “Building on last year’s success, we have again this year had the good fortune of attaining the participation of a stellar assembly of speakers and panelists on some of the most pertinent issues we are facing in healthcare.”

We at The Center extend our thanks to all the speakers, moderators and panelists who contributed their time and expertise to a rewarding and engaging day of conversation:

• Bill Young, Southwest General; Daniel Simon, MD, University Hospitals; Donald Malone, Jr, MD, Cleveland Clinic; Jill Dietrich Mellon, VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System; Julie Idoine, Select Specialty Hospital; and Olusegun Ishmael, MD, The MetroHealth System, who joined The Center’s Brian Lane for a fireside chat about issues ranging from the financial pressures on hospitals to growing cybersecurity risks to opportunities for innovation.
• Carrie Almasi, Health Policy Institute of Ohio; Dan Bucci, American Hospital Association; Kate Huffman, Ohio Hospital Association; and Adam Winston, The MetroHealth System, who discussed the national, state and local policies impacting care and emphasized the importance of hospitals engaging in and informing policy development.
• Baiji Shah, President & CEO, Greater Cleveland Partnership, who spoke on the sustainability of our region and highlighted many of the region's economic successes.
• Joan Englund, Executive Director, Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition, who discussed the important research her organization is engaged in to help improve access to and equity in behavioral healthcare.
• Kim Byas, Sr, PhD, SDoH Lead, The Center for Health Affairs; India Birdsong Terry, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority; John Litten, Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity; Lisa Ramirez, PhD, The MetroHealth System; Linda Uvegas, The City Mission; and Myesha Watkins, Cleveland Peacemakers Inc., who shared insights into the connection between health and social determinants such as jobs, housing, transportation and exposure to violence.
• David Giesige, Greater Cleveland Career Consortium; Kelly Hancock, Cleveland Clinic; Tiffany Short, The MetroHealth System; and Kim Shelnick, University Hospitals Health System, who discussed the truly collaborative nature of the work among the three health systems to grow the region's healthcare workforce.

Also an important part of the day were the event sponsors, who were essential partners and supporters and whose contributions helped make the event possible. The Center extends its gratitude to:

• Presenting sponsor, Premier.
• Gold sponsors: Adaptive Workforce Solutions; CCSI; Trellis Point; Indivior.
• Silver sponsor, Strategy Solution, Inc.
• Lunch sponsor, Home Instead.
• Raffle sponsor, JorieAI.
• Photo backdrop sponsor, Maven Language Solutions.
• Lanyard sponsor, Maloney + Novotny.
• Bronze sponsors, AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio; Global Industrial; Carleton McKenna Investment Banking Services; Graystone Consulting; Greater Cleveland Partnership; Xerox.
• Platinum sponsor, CHAMPS Group Purchasing.

At its core, the mission of The Center’s Connect Northeast Ohio is to bring together members, partners, leaders, and members of the community for a day of learning, information sharing, and relationship building, all with the aim of advancing our collective efforts to serve and advance the well-being of our community.