Page 31 - CANNABIS NEWS FLORIDA JULY 2020

Cover Story: Peter Powers - Section 1557 of the Affordable Care

New CEO of Memorial Regional Hospital Act and The Bostock Decision

Continued from page 1 employees, the community and physi- On June 12, 2020, the U.S. December 31, 2016 in
Executives (FACHE) and recently served cians, while taking necessary steps to min- Department of Health and Franciscan Alliance, Inc.
on the Red Rocks Community College imize the financial impacts of COVID-19 Human Services (HHS) et al v. Burwell. In the rul-
Advisory Board, Jefferson County is seriously impressive. The quality of our announced its roll-back on ing, the federal court
Economic Development Commission leaders – both management and clinical is Section 1557 of the enjoined the Section
Board of Directors and the American Heart unique. The way we have addressed the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 1557 regulation that pro-
Ball Executive Committee. Powers recent- needs of our community is a huge credit to As it stood, the law prohibit- hibited discrimination on
ly moved to Davie with his wife and two the very talented and tenured leadership ed discrimination on the the basis of gender identi-
children. team we have. basis of race, color, national ty and termination of
Despite his busy schedule, Powers origin, sex, age, or disability pregnancy. Consequently,
recently took some time to address some What are the most important by health programs and HHS was and continues
of our questions lessons you have learned in activities receiving federal to be unable to enforce
your career to date? funds, administered by a fed- BY KOMAL S. MIRZA, the anti-discrimination
What attracted you to the A few things come to mind – the first is eral agency, or entities par- ESQ. provisions of Section
position of CEO? nothing beats hard work. If you work hard ticipating in the healthcare 1557.
I come from a healthcare family with my you make your own luck and good things insurance marketplace. The definition of However, in light of the U.S. Supreme
father and brother both being doctors, will happen. Second, relationships are sex discrimination was expanded to pro- Court’s June 15, 2020 ruling in Bostock
mom and one sister are nurses and anoth- everything. It is critical to have strong rela- vide protection based on gender identi- v. Clayton County, HHS may find itself
er sister who is a speech pathologist. I was tionships at all levels of the organization ties defined as “male, female, neither or revisiting Section 1557’s anti-discrimina-
the youngest of four and growing up I was and in the community. Third, always do a combination of male and female,” and tion provisions and its new roll-back
often given the choice of getting dragged the right thing no matter what. Integrity is to those seeking to terminate a pregnan- provisions. In the groundbreaking deci-
to my brother and sisters sports practices everything. cy. The Section expounded upon previ- sion, the Court held “an employer vio-
or going and making rounds with my dad. ously well-established civil rights laws lates Title VII when it intentionally fires
My dad was the type who rounded seven What skills are essential for a including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act an individual employee based in part on
days a week his entire career and I often health system CEO in of 1964 and Title IX of the Education sex.” The Court goes on to reason that it
accompanied him. I was lucky enough to today's healthcare climate, Amendment of 1972, among others. is impossible to discriminate against a
land a couple of internships with the local beyond traditional financial With the Trump Administration’s roll- person for being homosexual or trans-
hospital CEO during my undergraduate and business acumen? back of Section 1557, the HHS is revert- gender without discriminating against
years and fell in love with the business and The ability to lead through change is ing to the plain meaning of those terms. that individual based on sex. This land-
leadership side of healthcare. I think the essential in today’s healthcare climate. We In plain terms, the Section’s anti-dis- mark case has created a foundation
perspective of the rest of my family being must position our organizations to be on crimination protections apply solely to through which protections against sex
on the clinical side has made a big impact the front end of this while making sure our those who identify as either male or discrimination can be expanded to
on my overall leadership and approach employees and physicians feel included in female. Under the reversion, a transgen- include any discrimination against an
with physicians and caregivers. the process and understand the why der person may be refused health care; individual based on their gender identity
behind the change. The keys to this are and if abortion violates a physician’s or sexual orientation.
Can you tell us about some of communication, transparency, trust and moral or religious beliefs, they may deny
your goals for Memorial inclusion. Also, the ability to partner with such care to a patient. According to the Komal S. Mirza, Esq. is an attorney with
Regional Hospital in the short and work collaboratively with physicians HHS website, the roll-back is the result Healthcare Law Partners, L.L.C. For more
and long term? is absolutely critical. of a ruling made by U.S. District Court information, visit
Short term is to continue to manage for the Northern District of Texas on www.HealthcareAttorney.net.
through the COVID-19 pandemic and its What is the greatest challenge
impacts. We are cautiously resuming elec- facing Memorial
tive surgeries and ramping up our busi- Regional Hospital today?
ness. The challenging part is that we do Memorial Regional Hospital is an older
not fully understand yet what the “new building, so we need to continually update
normal” will look like. One positive out- our infrastructure. We are in the process of Broward Health Names Vice
come of COVID-19 has been the growth of developing our Strategic Master Plan to
telehealth. Memorial Healthcare System meet the needs of our patients and physi- President Of External Affairs
has made, and continues to make, signifi- cians. This engagement was put on hold
cant investments in our telemedicine plat- by COVID-19 and will be resumed soon.
forms – which is part of both short and Ashley Boxer has joined Broward
long term plans. Long term for Memorial What has been your greatest Health as the healthcare system’s vice
Regional Hospital, we will continue to accomplishment in your career? president of external affairs. She is
grow our key programs such as the My greatest accomplishment would be responsible for the strategic leadership
Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute the relationships created. I am proud to and oversight of government relations
where we are the only 3-star STS program have developed relationships at all levels and public affairs for the healthcare sys-
in South Florida. Other key programs of the organizations where I have worked. tem, as well business operations at
poised for growth are the Memorial I have been a part of building great pro- Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment
Cancer Institute, Memorial Transplant grams and impactful projects, but at the Center.
Institute, Memorial Neuroscience end of the day I am most proud of the rela- In her role, Boxer develops, imple-
Institute, the Family Birthplace and our tionships above all else. ments and executes Broward Health’s
Level 1 Trauma Center. We have every- public policy initiatives and its legisla-
thing you need here in the Memorial sys- Anything else you'd like the tive affairs on healthcare policies and Ashley Boxer
tem, and we have destination quality pro- readers to know about issues. This includes community
grams to attract patients from afar. you or Memorial Healthcare engagement for Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center.
System that I did not ask? “Ashley has diverse experience leading government relations at
Tell our readers what distin- I am passionate about the role of exer- the local, statewide and national levels,” said Gino Santorio, presi-
guishes Memorial Regional cise, prevention and wellness being the dent and CEO of Broward Health. “We welcome her leadership and
Hospital from other healthcare focal point of healthcare reform. I would look forward to her driving strategies that benefit our patients and
systems? love to see those be central to the discus- the South Florida community.”
Our culture sets us apart. This was sion about proactive strategies to make our Boxer most recently served as the assistant city manager of Fort
quickly apparent to me as I came into the communities healthier. Lauderdale. Previously, she worked as director of government affairs
job in the middle of the COVID-19 pan- at Maxim Healthcare, corporate director of government relations at
demic. The way we take care of our To learn more, visit mhs.net. Memorial Healthcare System and corporate manager of government
and community relations for Baptist Health South Florida.
Boxer earned her bachelor’s degree in telecommunication news
from the University of Florida and her Master of Business
Visit us on the web at Administration from Nova Southeastern University.
www.southfloridahospitalnews.com
www.southfloridahospitalnews.com

6 July 2020 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News