Owensboro Health 'believes in its people' and transparency

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital's CFO John Hackbarth dusted off an old cliché when describing how his finance department keeps from being trampled in an era of constant change. "How do you eat an elephant?" he asked. "One bite at a time."

Every new project gets put into the form of a strategic plan, he explained, and one staffer is designated to be the project lead. 

"It's all about being transparent, about letting people know how high the hill is that we have to climb," he explained.

These days, of course, it seems that change is the only thing that can be counted onin the healthcare sector. What that change will ultimately look like, of course, can be anyone's guess.

To Hackbarth, the biggest challenge his finance department faces is "knowing what the realistic requirements and expectations will be with Obamacare. What provisions will truly be enacted and enforced and become a part of our everyday operations?"

Regardless of the challenge, he noted, "If you make sure everyone's involved and aware of the goals and targets, you generally don't have an overwhelming situation."

It doesn't hurt, of course, that he views Owensboro as "a great organization that believes in its people. With a great environment, you produce good results."

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