Andy Fitzgerald Appointed to American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board

Andy Fitzgerald, CEO of Campbell County Health (CCH), has been appointed as an alternate delegate to the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board (RBP), representing Region 8.

Mr. Fitzgerald will serve a three-year term on the RPB. The Region 8 RPB invites all delegates and alternate delegates to attend all meetings and both are encouraged to fully participate. As an alternate delegate, Mr. Fitzgerald is also an ex-officio officer on the Wyoming Hospital Association Board of Directors.

AHA divides the country into nine Regions geographically. Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming constitute Region 8. Each Region has a Regional Policy Board (RPB). RPBs are comprised of hospital and health system CEOs representing each state in the region, trustees, physician leaders, and representatives from AHA Constituency Sections. AHA looks to the state hospital associations for selection of individuals to represent their state.

The RPBs meet three times a year to foster communication between the AHA, its members and state hospital associations. The RPBs provide input on public policy issues considered by the Board of Trustees, serve as ad hoc policy development committees when appropriate, and identify needs unique to a region and assist in developing programs to meet those needs. RPBs help AHA assess and evaluate issues of concern to the field, their impact and importance, and the advocacy action AHA should take to address them. RPBs help the association develop policy positions, shape advocacy strategies and identify emerging issues. They also guide the association's operations. Input from the nine RPBs is fed directly to the AHA Board and the chairmen of each RPB sits on the AHA Board. David Entwistle, CEO, University of Utah Health Care—Hospital and Clinics , Salt lake City, Utah will be the RPB 8 Chair in 2016.