WHCC 2007 | World Congress

Thomas J. Donohue is president and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce, the Federation’s largest business, representing 3 million companies, associations and local chambers, and American Chambers of Commerce abroad.

Since taking office in 1997, Donohue has revitalized the organization of the company to significantly increase enrollment and revenues, strengthening relations with national and local chambers, and expansion of the weight of the House in Washington DC, and its international activities in the world.

Donohue has more than tripled the size of the advocacy team of the House, adding dozens of policy experts recognized nationally for staff. The House once again expanded the political agenda has supported, financed and helped to elect pro-business candidates in close congressional races.

These and other initiatives Donohue, the Chamber led to significant legislative achievements such as major tax cuts, a trade agreement with China, and increased funding for transportation and the defeat of the fight against the trade such as the new ergonomics regulations and increased business tax.

Donohue led by less than a new body of law reform has been created to challenge the class action trial lawyers, judicial reform, and elect judges fair. Aggressive National Litigation Center, the Chamber of Commerce, Office of General Counsel, has won more than 70 cases over the past two years alone save American business over $ 100 billion a year.

According to Industry Week magazine, is the Ministry of Donohue “more aggressive, energetic and animated than at any time in its history.” The Washington Post wrote: “Nobody has mastered the new game better than Washington’s Tom Donohue. … ”

Declaring that “business should stop apologizing” to provide Americans with 130 million jobs, retirement benefits for 90 million, and healthcare for 177 million, is Donohue and companies of all sizes Chamber hub through major challenges that will shape the future of America. These challenges include the promotion of free trade, modernize our transportation infrastructure, strengthen our country’s leadership in technology, increasing the supply of skilled and available, and advocate for legal and tax reform law.

Prior to his current post, Donohue served for 13 years as president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the national organization for the trucking industry. He was the driving force in making ATA one of the most powerful and effective lobbies in Washington, DC

Before leaving ATA, Donohue served as vice president of the American Chamber of Commerce for eight years. Before that, he was postmaster general assistant vice president in Washington, DC, general regional assistant postmaster in San Francisco and New York and vice president of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Donohue also serves on several boards, including Union Pacific Corporation, Qwest, XM Satellite Radio, Sunrise Assisted Living Corporation and Marymount University.

He is also a member of the Advisory Committee of the Chairman of the Committee for Trade Negotiations and the President of the Council of the 21st century workforce.

Donohue is also President of the Center for International Private Enterprise program, the National Endowment for Democracy, which is dedicated to developing market-oriented institutions around the world.

Born in New York City in 1938, Donohue earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and a Masters in Business Administration from Adelphi University. He also received honorary degrees from Adelphi, St. John’s, and Marymount Universities.

Tom Donohue and his wife, Liz, live in Potomac, Maryland. They have three son.

The Washington Convention Center has been in crisis as the health industry and nearly 2,000 political advisors gathered for the 4 th World Congress of Health. The standard policy topics of cost, quality and coverage have been discussed, competition, efficiency, transparency, and, of course, reform. For the full posts on the event, visit the Director Global Health Care Blog. Here are some snapshots of yesterday’s speakers:

Data Quality: After posting a slide on “Outcomes Assessment Gone Bad,” Brent James, vice president for Medical Research, Intermountain Health, explained that there are 3 ways to get better data on quality of results:

1. Measure, manage and improve the system, which he acknowledged “difficult.”

2. Sub-optimized

3. numbers game in order to look good data, rather than improve the system. James said he has collected examples.

James also noted the difficulty for consumers in using quality data once they are handmade. In his decision, he said, “stories of strength data and histories active relationships.”

Pay-for-performance: The former British health minister Tom Sackville has discussed his concerns with physician payment penalties / rewards. “Doctors are highly educated, employed and have their pride. If some distant civil servant starts withholding money or throwing [physicians] bits of fish, they will begin to behave like naughty children or trained seals. ”

for physicians on the quality of payment: In a Q & A on the payment of Medicare, the American Medical Association President-elect William Plestan confirmed the opinion that doctors resent the payment of quality programs. “Quality is a work of the AMA since its founding…. The real crisis is going to pay.” He continued: “We are not able to follow the dictates of those who have no medical training.” He concluded by asking ” pell-mell rush to pay for the performance today. ”

AARP weighs on quality:. John Rother, policy director of AARP, argued that “.. The quality makes a big difference, he will depart” He said, “Adherence to evidence-based medicine is the most highest form of medical ethics This is a discussion based on ethics …. The only way to improve quality is to measure it. ”

CMS on quality: Herb Kuhn, deputy director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recognized the difficulties inherent in efforts to Medicare for measuring quality performance and the Institute of PRP incentives. “Because it is difficult does not mean it is not worth doing” [audience applause].

Consumer Driven Plans: Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda Springer noted that nearly 20,000 government employees in the United States are now in high deductible insurance plans, consumer-driven. She expected to increase that. Larry Glass Cock, Chairman, CEO and president of WellPoint Inc., plans to put its consumer-focused first on its list of 4 steps to help curb the unsustainable growth in health spending U.S.. These plans “to put the consumer back in the middle of making health-care exactly where consumers need to be.”

Price Transparency: The panelists discussed the need for price transparency to consumers for consumption of these plans increasingly called upon to take consumers more cost conscious and informed. Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove said his organization “transparency unit” and “unity of the dollar value of health care.” However, when asked whether Cleveland Clinic publishes its tariffs for the services, said it was “difficult.. .. What we publish? Actual costs? Different reimbursement rates?” And therein lies the difficulty consumers, even when an organization whose leadership has a goal of transparency can not publish a price list for comparison.

“I do not know any other meeting that has grown so rapidly and placed in the leadership quality in all areas of health.”

- Prasad Chalasani, MD, surgeon in charge, Parkway Hospital, President of Medical Technology Systems

“The meeting really good … the best for the healthcare industry.”

-Warner L. Thomas, President and Chief Operating Officer, Ochsner Health System

“A very useful and interesting. Very impressive faculty and speakers.”

Catherine M. Baas, MD, global director of health services, Dow Chemical Company

“The speakers are awesome and I always enjoy the caliber of delegate and conversations started at this meeting.”

-Jeff Cava, Vice President, Human Resources, Wendy’s International

“The working groups have been a great forum for interaction and pave the way for the rest of the event.”

Daniel Varga, MD, chief medical officer, SSM Health

“Great speakers and the incredible participation as expected.”

Bruce Metz, CIO of Thomas Jefferson University

“I go every year WHCC. You are doing a great job producing a first class event.”

Ashok Chainani, Director of Strategy and Reimbursement Managed Care, Talecris Biotherapeutics

“If you agree or disagree with them, all the speakers were great and reflection.”

-Mark A. Brown, responsible actuary, HealthCare Select

“The speakers are top notch, and very well trained in the presentation of talking points and concise data. This format keeps my interest and I ride with valuable information.”

-Kathy Migita, director, health care, lacera

“WHCC 2007 was a big learning curve, especially after seeing so many others in Europe and Asia. The conference was exceptional and exceeded all my expectations. I want the Medical Board of Greece to come next year!”

Thurairajan-Aruna, President and CEO of Overseas Medical Services Canada, Inc.