Thirty-three certified value analysis healthcare professionals – the inaugural class of CVAHPs – were recognized this fall at the 12th Annual Education Conference & Supplier Showcase of the Association of Healthcare Value Analysis Professionals (AHVAP). It’s a sure sign that the value analysis profession continues to mature.
Two years in the making, the newly launched certification program “validates and recognizes the role the value analysis professional plays within healthcare delivery systems,” says AHVAP President-Elect Dr. Gloria Graham, DNP, RN, CVAHP, clinical materials specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Conference itself – held in Frisco, Texas – was another sign of AHVAP’s maturity and growing strength, says Graham. Attendance was 117, highest ever; 39 companies exhibited their products and services – more than ever.
“I have been involved in value analysis for eight years, and have gone to every AHVAP Conference since transitioning from clinical into supply chain/value analysis,” says Graham, an ER/trauma nurse. “It was exciting to see the number of people there, and the energy. Everybody was hungry to learn about what we can do, how we can improve, and how we can share best practices amongst each other.”
Value analysis programs around the country continue to move forward, says Graham. “We are making sure value analysis aligns with the processes used within the clinical world, meaning our processes have to be patient-centric and outcomes-driven. We can’t operate in silos.”
Nor can providers operate independently of their suppliers, she continues. “At the end of the day, our focus is on patient-centric, outcomes-driven care,” she says. “Collaborating with suppliers is vital for healthcare organizations to achieve that.”
Topics covered at the AHVAP Conference included:
- What clinicians need to know about value analysis.
- A practice model for physician leaders in navigating toward outcomes-driven, patient-centered value analysis.
- Value analysis: A lean approach to supply utilization.
- The future of value analysis: Evidence, outcomes and interventions.
Graham looks forward to influencing, growing and strengthening AHVAP once she steps into the role of president, effective Jan 1. She intends to spend the next year developing, documenting and deploying operational policies, procedures and guidelines. Four more goals:
- Increase the profile of value analysis professionals across the country by providing industry best practices; and increasing AHVAP’s visibility by being in the forefront of those leading best practices within value analysis.
- Leverage social media e.g. Twitter, Facebook, etc., to capture new members and spread AHVAP’s message and information.
- Strengthen the value analysis community through engagement and empowerment of the members.
- Focus on succession planning by attracting members from all generations and use the strengths from each generation to help AHVAP grow.
“It’s very exciting to see how far we’ve come, but we still have a long way to go.”