HERO Objectives for the Next Two Fiscal Years

John Harris, HERO Board Chair

As we begin a new fiscal year, I have both the honor and the As we begin a new fiscal year, I have both the honor and the privilege to serve as the Chair of the Board of HERO for the next two fiscal years. I enter the role with confidence because of the outstanding job my predecessor Andy Creighton did, and because of the fine team we have in place including both our paid staff led by Jerry Noyce, and our incredible volunteers. They make the organization hum and have done an outstanding job in taking the handoff from the founding team of Bill Whitmer and Mark Dundon, to advance us to where we are today.

So what does our future hold? To a great extent
that is up to all of us as members, but it is the duty of the board to set specific objectives for the organization. Working with Jerry, the board has approved the following objectives.  I will share them with you in brief, and provide some commentary.

The Board of HERO has established seven strategic objectives.:

1. Grow HERO membership revenue
2. Expand HERO research efforts
3. Create and enhance our media presence
4. Expand our educational outreach programs
5. Develop collaborations that will move our mission forward
6. Develop industry tools and standards
7. Help shape public policy on health

By accomplishing the seven strategic objectives, we will increase member value, advance the health management industry, and diversify the membership  mix with a focus on employers, both large and small. Employers who join HERO do not necessarily need to be of the traditional corporate nature but can be universities, government agencies, non-profit groups and others in this changing business environment.

To achieve the seven strategic objectives, specific actions must be taken in a number of areas, including:

Programs and Services

• Introduce new HERO member levels including a “Sustaining Level” membership for organizations prepared and able to make a more significant financial commitment to HERO, and a “Friends of HERO” level for groups who are not able to contribute at the current membership fee level we have now. The Board believes that this approach will help HERO grow by both securing  larger commitments from staunch supporters, and by introducing HERO to a new audience that might be the “Sustaining Level” members of tomorrow.
• Advance the HERO research agenda by launching a Center for Health Management Research and beginning a national research grant application process. Research has been the life blood of HERO, and it has been gratifying to get it re-energized over the past few years. These actions will help us continue to progress and lead the industry.
• Create Version 4 of the HERO Scorecard as well as a small employer version. The Scorecard has brought the industry a rich body of data on best-practice that is growing continuously. Updating the Scorecard and making it more diverse is a must.
• Make our Think Tank experience valuable. As our membership grows,  it can become challenging to effectively brainstorm, but we must do it effectively for the good of the industry. We will continually explore the best ways to debate the issues of the day as a group, and to productively advance the best-practices of the industry.
• Other objectives in this area include the release of joint HERO/Care Continuum Alliance industry standards, evaluation of the need for a small employer Think Tank, and investigating international opportunities.

Customers and Markets

• Expansion of HERO services to midsized and smaller employer markets. This will help diversify our membership, enable HERO to serve the entities in which a majority of Americans are employed, and expand the financial wherewithal of the organization.
• Continue  collaborative efforts with like-minded organizations in the U.S. and abroad. HERO must look for efficiencies as it advances the industry, and recognize that there are many opportunities outside the United States,  often with U.S. companies committed to serving their employees located in other countries.
• Explore the opportunity to reach community markets, while making  Think Tank and Forum-type activities available in more places, and more often throughout the  year. This will help HERO maintain momentum and further our ongoing leadership of the industry at the grass roots level.
• Build HERO’s image. This is necessary to make HERO a highly recognizable and highly regarded authority on health management. HERO must establish a media presence, establishing rapport with select news media, and leverage the communications departments of all Think Tank members.

Organizational Development
Assuming an increase in the financial wherewithal of HERO, we will add paid staff in key positions to meet the needs of the organization. We are growing, and while we will always serve our members by operating efficiently, additional paid staff and other resources will be required to continue our growth trajectory.

Infrastructure and Technology

Update the HERO website. Our website is the place where many people meet HERO for the first time. Therefore, the functionality and appearance of the site is critical in attracting new members and effectively serving existing members.

Financial Growth

The financial growth of HERO is dependent on meeting the other objectives stated above. Adding more member categories, increasing membership, continuing our tradition of the Forum being one of the best attended conferences in the industry, and continuing to receive research contributions will all aid in our financial growth. This growth is critical to meeting our other objectives, but in turn, meeting our other objectives will drive our financial growth.

It is evident we still have a way to go. As one of the founding members of HERO, I can assure you we have already come a long way, sometimes completely against the odds. We now have more momentum than ever before, but the issues we have sought to resolve in the employee health management industry do not appear to be going away any time soon. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working to advance our industry. I know I am not alone. With our Think Tank members, volunteer leaders, and HERO staff on the case, I look forward to exciting progress over the next two fiscal years.