Students Travel to Washington, D.C. for AHA Annual Meeting


By: Kate Quigley (MHA ’18)

(From left): Kate Quigley (MHA ’18), Taylor Buresh (MHA ’18), Grinnell Regional Medical Center president and CEO Todd Linden (MHA ’87), and Grinnell Regional Medical Center Board Chair-Elect Bill Menner experience the Depression Breadline sculpture at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.

            The nation’s capital was abuzz May 6th through 9th, not just because I was there, but for the annual meeting of the American Hospital Association (AHA). Taylor Buresh (MHA ’18) and I were thrilled to be able to tag along with our summer internship preceptor, president and CEO of Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Todd Linden (MHA ’87), and board members of Grinnell Regional Medical Center on a trip to Washington, D.C. for the meeting.

            Taylor and I hopped on a plane in Cedar Rapids with a dream and a carry-on suitcase. An early flight brought us to our first activity, neighborhood exploration. Taylor and I introduced ourselves to the lighter side of the capital by touring breweries and indoor markets.  We also had a taste of tourism with trips to the National Archives and the Smithsonian’s American History Museum. After being kicked out for impersonating Nic Cage and stealing the Declaration of Independence (just kidding, we were very respectful), we left the Archives to visit Dorothy’s red slippers. Unfortunately, those were being repaired so we settled for Indiana Jones’s infamous brown hat and whip.

            The fun continued as we headed to the AHA conference and attended a session on rural health updates (obviously, important to Iowa!). Next, Taylor and I snuck into a panel on women in the C-Suite and fangirled over the intelligent and compassionate women leading healthcare across the country.  The annual meeting’s opening session promptly followed, where the new AHA chair was inducted and spoke about his goals and concerns for the industry. After a prime rib and cocktail hour, we wrapped up Sunday with a trip to an Iowa-themed bar.

            Monday proved to be the most jam-packed day of the trip. We started the day with a rural-metropolitan breakfast where heads of rural and metropolitan hospitals were able to mix and mingle. The featured speaker was former Tennessee Representative Harold Ford Jr., who discussed current partisan healthcare reform efforts. Additional sessions included a talk on cyber security by former FBI Director James Comey and an Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) luncheon focused on preparations for the next day’s meeting with Iowa senators. We skedaddled to the National Mall to be dazzled by the monuments and then got ready for a dinner cruise on the Potomac River with the IHA. Taylor and I were thrilled to run into Katie Fredericks, an executive MHA student at Iowa at the dinner!


 

(From left): Taylor Buresh (MHA ’18), Katie Fredericks (MHA ’17), and Kate Quigley (MHA ’18) at an Iowa Hospital Association dinner cruise on the Potomac River.

          Our final day began with a session led by Todd Linden, where Taylor and I learned a lot more about Grinnell Regional Medical Center. Along with representatives from the IHA, we toured the United States Senate and House chambers. We then met with Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to discuss challenges facing Iowa hospitals and how current and future legislation might impact members of the IHA.

            After this important meeting, our tour of Washington, D.C. concluded with the stunning Library of Congress. Walking into the Reading Room was a real Belle from Beauty and the Beast moment for me (shout out to all the Disney fans!). We bid our future preceptor adieu and merci before catching a flight to Cedar Rapids.

            This trip was more than I ever could have asked for. I got to nerd out about the history of our country while learning a lot about my future career in the process. It was the perfect way to kick-off a summer and lead into what I’m sure will be an incredible internship.

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