Missouri Health Care Executive Assistants 21st Annual Conference

Thursday, April 25

Preconference Sessions
Cost: $100 (attend one or both sessions)
This is an instructor-led workshop; you do not need to bring a laptop but can if you want.

9 a.m. — Registration

9:30 a.m. — Session 1 Preconference – Save Your Sanity When Using Office 365

Marie Herman
MRH Enterprises LLC

Do you find yourself doing the same tasks over and over again and wondering if there is a faster way to do them? Is there some new feature that could streamline your workload? Are there any artificial intelligence (AI) functions that have been added to Microsoft Office 365 that would save you time and effort? Join us for this fun program where we will explore some of the lesser used and extra useful and potentially newer features in Office 365 that are designed to make our work lives easier.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• • create macros, including making them pause so you can customize them
  • utilize boilerplate text for frequent requests
  • take advantage of Excel’s AI data analysis tools to streamline creating pivot tables
  • start with a Word document and transform it into a beautiful PowerPoint presentation automatically
  • set up automated rules for processing Outlook emails quickly
  • and more!

Noon — Lunch (provided)

1 p.m. — Session 2 Preconference – AI 101

Marie Herman
MRH Enterprises LLC

You have been hearing about artificial intelligence (AI) for months (heck, maybe years), but what is it actually and how will it impact our profession? What can it do right now and what do we expect it to be able to do in the future? Are there any legal, privacy, ethical or other concerns that we should have? Join us as we explore the world of AI and ponder the possibilities.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• • gain a basic understanding of what artificial intelligence is
  • explore some of the AI software to see what it can do
  • discuss the ethical, legal, security and other issues that need to be considered before or while using AI
  • receive insights on how AI will directly impact the administrative professional

2:30 p.m. — Break

2:45 p.m. — Session 2 Preconference – AI 101 (Continued)

4:30 p.m. — District Meetings

5:30 p.m. — New Members and First-Time Attendees Reception

Anyone who joined MHCEA after April 2023 — or if this is your first MHCEA Conference — please plan to attend this reception.

6 p.m. —Welcome/Social Hour (Casual dress)

Take this opportunity to renew friendships and welcome new members or those attending for the first time. It is sure to set the pace for a conference that is both informative and educational.

7 p.m. — Networking Dinner — Ticket Required (Casual dress)

Friday, April 26

7 a.m. — Breakfast (on your own)

7:30 a.m. — Registration

8:15 a.m. — Welcome

Jennifer Street
MHCEA President

8:30 a.m. — Wellness and Self-Care

Rachel Jones
Missouri Department of Mental Health

Work and life are deeply intertwined and wellness programs need to support stressed-out, overwhelmed employees in more ways than one. If you’re interested in learning the importance of self-care, then this session is for you. Get ready to stretch, breath and move because the facilitator will also guide participants through Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction techniques in real-time.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• • learn the eight dimensions of wellness, defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • identify phases of compassion fatigue and burnout
  • list three ways individuals and teams can promote well-being and stress reduction

9:30 a.m. — Break and Hotel Check Out 

10 a.m. —  MHA Update

Jon D. Doolittle
President and CEO
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.

Jon D. Doolittle, MHA President and CEO, will present an overview of the Missouri Hospital Association and issues facing health care in today’s fast-paced world.

11 a.m. — Laughter Yoga and Joy in the Workplace

Patricia Brawner
Certified Laughing Yoga Coach

Laughter is a universal language that has the power to bring people together, boost morale and create a positive work environment. In this presentation, we will explore the benefits of laughter yoga, how it can be incorporated into the workplace and the positive impact it can have on employee well-being and productivity. Learn the history of the importance of laughter in our daily lives, as well as the physiological and psychological effects of laughter on the body and mind. Patty will share how laughter yoga became a part of her life and will engage participants in the act of laughter yoga.

Noon —  Lunch (provided) and Annual Business Meeting

1:30 p.m. — Mayberry Method

Rik Roberts
Clean Comedy & Creative Keynotes

Borrowing from the time-tested lessons of the Andy Griffith Show, “The Mayberry Method” provides applicable takeaways in the world of business. Eliminating distractions, focusing on your mission and serving others above and beyond their expectations are at the core of this program. Creating a community that is built to serve with focus is a powerful tool. This program will give you actionable items that can improve the overall performance of your organization. And you will laugh as you learn throughout the program as well.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

• • identify consistent distractions that keep you from doing your best work
  • designate specific times for your most focused efforts that generate the greatest results
  • streamline your goal-setting criteria for maximum impact
  • learn the key to serving others beyond their expectations

3 p.m. — Adjournment

Patricia Brawner has been a registered nurse for 32 years. She received a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing in 1991 from Blessing Rieman College of Nursing in Quincy, Illinois. She then received master’s in nursing and master’s in business administration degrees in 2011 from The University of Phoenix. Patty is board certified through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses in nursing administration. Patty has held multiple nursing leadership positions in several different hospital settings throughout her career. Most recently, she was the vice president of nursing at Hannibal Regional Hospital for the last eight years. She is married to her husband Dennis and has a biological daughter and son, seven step- grandchildren, who call her Grandma Patty, and two biological grandchildren who call her Mimi. She is a certified laughter yoga coach and has enjoyed sharing laughter, and the importance of laughter with thousands of people over the past few years.

Jon D. Doolittle is the President and CEO of the Missouri Hospital Association, the trade association serving the state’s 140 hospitals and 20 health systems. The association provides a variety of services for its members, including federal, state and local governmental representation and advocacy; health care policy development; public and professional education; quality improvement and safety initiatives; research; and public and media relations and communications.

Before joining MHA, Doolittle served as Regional President of Mosaic Medical Center – Albany, formerly known as Northwest Medical Center, which provides care for the people of Northwest Missouri through a critical access hospital, four primary care clinics and a variety of community partnerships.

Doolittle’s health care experience includes more than 11 years working in a variety of roles with Cerner Corporation, a Kansas City-based health care information systems company. Before Cerner, he worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University where he concentrated in government, and a master’s degree in healthcare leadership and management from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Doolittle and his wife Jeni spend time with family and friends, including their six children. They are active in their church, schools, scouting, and a wide variety of athletic and outdoor activities.

Marie Herman is the owner of MRH Enterprises LLC, which provides speaking services, writing, training, consulting, private tutoring and other services. Herman conducts seminars and workshops around the world on technology and professional development topics. She leads online study groups for a variety of certification programs, including the Certified Administrative Professional exam and the Microsoft Office Specialist Master.

Herman worked as an administrative professional for several decades, with past positions including the support of the Chief Technology Officer of Fermilab, a Department of Energy particle accelerator laboratory, and the Chairman Emeritus of ServiceMaster, a Fortune 1000 company.

Rachel Jones is the Director of Trauma Services at the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She provides trauma-informed training, consultation and technical assistance with various projects to further implement trauma-informed knowledge, practices and treatment. She also guides the department in wellness and employee mental well-being initiatives. She is a licensed professional counselor and received a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a minor degree in black studies and a master’s degree in educational, school and counseling psychology from the University of Missouri Columbia.

Rik Roberts is a Nashville-based comedian and speaker who focuses on providing 100% clean comedy and creative keynotes to groups who need a fun and engaging program. As a married man and father of two young kids, Roberts has found there are enough real-life situations that we can all laugh at without being crude. Roberts grew up in Kentucky working alongside his father on tobacco farms. The long days in the hot sun gave him a work ethic and motivation that he still taps into today. He spent eight summers working on thoroughbred horse farms. He often draws upon these experiences along with the rural way of life in his speaking engagements.

Camden on the Lake
2359 Bittersweet Road
Lake Ozark, MO 65049
573-365-5620

Group Code: MHAM0424
Rate: $138 per night (plus tax), single or double occupancy
Cutoff Date: March 25

The MHCEA Board of Directors is pleased to announce six scholarships will be awarded to MHCEA members in 2024. The intent of the MHCEA Scholarship Program is to assist in defraying members’ expenses associated with the annual conference, thereby providing an opportunity to attend the Annual Conference to members who otherwise would not be able to attend.

2024 Scholarship Program Form
Submission deadline: Friday, March 29

View the 2024 Charitable Organization form for CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocates.

The Missouri Hospital Association strongly encourages up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination and adherence to current CDC guidance on in-person gatherings. We will continue to monitor CDC guidelines and conduct meeting protocols accordingly.

Please note that your registration request will be submitted to the organizer for approval. Upon approval, instructional materials will be sent to the email address indicated on the registration form.

If you have special needs addressed by the Americans With Disabilities Act, please contact the Missouri Hospital Association.

MHA Health Institute
P.O. Box 60
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: 573-893-3700
Fax: 573-893-2809

For cancellations received in writing before the established deadline date, the registrant will receive a full refund — minus a $50* processing fee per registrant. After the deadline date, no refunds will be granted. Registrants not in attendance will be responsible for the full registration fee. Substitutions are encouraged. We reserve the right to cancel this program because of insufficient registration.

*Unless otherwise specified in the program details.