OSHFM Receives 2025 ASHE Chapter Award

he Ohio Department of Aging will host six statewide town halls in August and September to gather public input for the 2027-2030 State Plan on Aging. Older adults, caregivers and community members are encouraged to participate and share ideas to help Ohioans age with dignity, autonomy and improved health. The first session will take place Aug. 15 in Findlay, with additional events in Cambridge, Norwalk, Oxford, Columbus and Uniontown. Feedback collected will guide future aging policies and build on previous statewide listening sessions. Registration and a statewide needs assessment survey are available online here.

OHA invites members to join "Working Smarter Together," a 12-part webinar series running Sept. 2 through Nov. 18. Sessions will explore innovative strategies, technology and operational improvements to optimize revenue cycle performance. Each 45-60 minute webinar offers practical takeaways to help hospitals boost efficiency, financial resilience and patient outcomes. This webinar series is complimentary for OHA members. Registration required for each session. A full schedule and further session details are coming soon on the OHA Education & Events Calendar.

Two OHA member hospitals are sharing insights on how generative AI is transforming pediatric care. Dayton Children’s Hospital and Akron Children’s Hospital recently published whitepapers highlighting their use of Abridge, an AI platform for clinical documentation. Dayton Children’s CIO J.D. Whitlock emphasized the value of pediatrician-led design in Abridge’s development, helping clinicians give families their full attention. At Akron Children’s, Abridge led to a 95% retention rate among clinicians across 22 specialties and helped reduce burnout by 45%. Both hospitals report improved documentation efficiency, better coding accuracy and enhanced patient-provider interactions. Read more using the links for both hospitals above.

Twelve member leaders have been appointed to an ad hoc committee of the OHA Board to advise on development of a Rural Health Transformation Plan and allocation of resources from a new fund created by the federal reconciliation bill. The funding is to be used to implement the plan, which includes improving access, outcomes, prevention and chronic disease management, clinician recruitment and retention, and other strategies for rural residents. Member leaders serving on the committee are: Brent Burkey, MD, Fisher-Titus Health; Chad Ross, Mary Rutan Health; Rodney Stout, MD, Holzer Health System; Michael Gentry, Kettering Health; Arturo Polizzi, ProMedica, Jennifer Ranly,…