WMU conference to study the business of health care

Health care professionals will gather on the campus of Western Michigan University for an all-day conference on “Sustaining the Business of Health Care in America” on Saturday, September 25, 2010.

The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Schneider Hall – Brown Auditorium. Open to the public, the event is designed to promote awareness of the importance of health care and the well-being of Americans in the 21st century.

"There aren’t very many conferences out there that bring together physicians, business leaders and IT professionals who develop a practical and theoretical approach towards the well-being, wisdom and health of Americans," says Dr. Andrew Targowski, WMU professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices and conference chairman. "Americans need improvement in IQ and mental health predominantly, because without wisdom we cannot have healthy lifestyles.”

The keynote presentations represent the teamwork required from IT and medical professionals. "Without the input from primary care physicians, any health care program cannot be successful," says Dr. Gary Ruoff, a conference co-chair and family health care practitioner.

Schedule of speakers includes:
· 8:30 a.m. - What is Happening to Caring Physicians? – Dr. Gary Ruoff, M.D.
. 9:30 a.m. - Examining the Health Care Reform Bill, 2010 – Dr. Tom George, M.D., Michigan State Rep.
· 10:30 a.m. - Well Being, Wisdom and Health – Dr. Andrew Targowski, WMU Professor
· 12:30 a.m. - The Medical School and Revival of Kalamazoo – Dr. John M. Dunn, WMU President
· 2 p.m. - What Can IT Do for Physicians?

In addition to the speakers, the event will feature an exhibition of medications, products and systems.

A Best Papers Competition is open to business professionals, faculty and students. Visit the conference website for further information at:
http://www.wmich.edu/business/sustainability/documents/healthcare-conference.pdf.

The conference is sponsored by WMU's Haworth College of Business Center for Sustainable Business Practices and the WMU Center of Health IT Advancement.

Admission is free and includes lunch.

Western Michigan University’s SHRM Student Chapter Receives Distinguished Award

The WMU Chapter of the Society for Excellence in Human Resources (SEHR) has received the Superior Merit Award designation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in Alexandria, VA, for an exceptional job of providing opportunities for growth and development to its student chapter members.


The WMU student chapter of the Society for Excellence in Human Resources took on a large project this year in hosting the Michigan HR Games 2010. Pictured are Kelsey Reber, Ashley Heckman and Megan Pierce at the jeopardy-style competition. Overall, WMU placed second in the event.

The student chapter receives a specialized plaque to display at the university, and will be recognized in SHRM’s publications and at its conferences. “This is the third year in the row that SEHR has received the Superior Merit Award and has cemented its position as one of the most active student chapters of SHRM in the United States,” says Dr. Satish P. Deshpande, professor of management and faculty advisor to SEHR. "We are all very proud of our student group.”

The SHRM student chapter merit award program, which began in 1972, exists to develop more effective student chapters, and to promote outstanding activities and projects by student chapters in four areas: basic student chapter requirements, chapter programming and professional development of members, support of the human resource profession and partnership with SHRM.

“SHRM is proud to recognize our Superior Merit and Merit Award winning student chapters. They have demonstrated leadership through their proven ability to serve the networking and educational needs of human resources students and the advancement of the human resources profession,” said Chuck Salvetti, SHRM’s student programs manager.

Representing more than 250,000 professional and student members in over 140 countries, SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. The Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated professional chapters and more than 450 student chapters within the United States as well as subsidiary offices in China and India.