President's Perspective – Allen Van Driel to Receive the Charles S. Billings Award

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Please join us for a pneumococcal vaccine update webinar on Tuesday, April 30, noon - 1:00 p.m. and hear from Lynn Fisher, MD, family physician and Gretchen Homan, MD, pediatrician, who will provide updates impacting adult pneumococcal vaccine recommendations for adult and pediatric patients, respectively and Monica Pando, RN, VFC coordinator, who will discuss navigating these updates from a clinic perspective.

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Opioid Educational Webinar: Partnering to Increase Access to SUD Treatment – May 3

Please join us on May 3 to hear how hospitals and communities are partnering to increase access to substance use disorder treatment and harm reduction. The program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours of continuing nursing education and pending approval for 1.0 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education. There is no charge to attend as this program is funded through a grant from our partners at DCCCA.

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President's Perspective – Allen Van Driel to Receive the Charles S. Billings Award

Allen Van Driel (Aug. 11, 2023) – It is a pleasure to announce that Allen Van Driel, CEO, Smith County Memorial Hospital in Smith Center, is the recipient of the Kansas Hospital Association's 2023 Charles S. Billings Award.

The Charles S. Billings Award was created in 1971 to recognize distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the field of health care in Kansas. We reserve this award for those who have truly shown their commitment, leadership and dedication to that noble pursuit. Allen, the 43rd recipient of this award, has certainly demonstrated these qualities during his devoted health care career of more than 40 years.

Allen has served as the CEO at Smith County Memorial since 2013. During those years, he has been a steadfast advocate for Kansas hospitals and the communities they serve. For more than 30 years prior to joining SCMH, he served in a variety of health care-related positions, including as a CEO and chief operating officer in three Critical Access Hospitals. Prior to those leadership positions, Allen worked in clinical positions in respiratory care. He offers a wealth of knowledge and is a source of thoughtful, common-sense guidance.

Allen's commitment and excellence in service to health care have been impactful throughout the Midwest. He is currently a member of the KHA Board of Directors and has served as the chair of the KHA Policy and Advocacy Committee from 2020 to 2022. He also has been a member of other KHA committees, including the health care finance and reimbursement, convention planning and health information technology committees. Allen was a member of the Kansas Health Services Corporation Board from 2015 to 2020, serving as chair from 2019 to 2020. From 2014 to the present, he's been a member of the North Central Kansas Regional Trauma Council. From 2015 to the present, he's been a member of the Great Plains Health Alliance Health Plan Board of Directors. Allen also has served in leadership roles in state and national health care organizations, including the American Hospital Association and the National Rural Health Association.

Allen is a humble leader who has more than 30 years of experience in Emergency Medical Services, most of it as a volunteer. He has served as a clinical adjunct faculty member for education programs in respiratory care, EMS and nurse anesthesia. Allen's career is in health care … but so lies his interests and hobbies.

He also served in the U.S. Air Force for six years as a linguist, including assignments on a combat reconnaissance aircrew. Allen holds a master's degree in health care administration from Central Michigan University and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Congratulations to Allen. We look forward to officially bestowing this prestigious honor to him during the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Wichita. I invite you all to attend the KHA Awards Luncheon at noon on Sept. 7, when Allen will receive the Billings Award and other health care leaders will be recognized.
--Chad Austin

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