AHA Board Elects John Bluford Chair-Elect...( WASHINGTON July 23 ...),Health

WASHINGTON, July 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Hospital Association's (AHA) Board of Trustees has elected John W. Bluford, president and CEO of Truman Medical Centers in Kansas City, Mo. as its chair-elect designate. Bluford will assume the chairmanship in 2011, becoming the top elected official of the national organization that represents America's hospitals and health systems.

Bluford has been chief executive officer and executive director of Truman Medical Centers (TMC) since 1999. TMC is a non-profit system made up of Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill, Truman Medical Center Lakewood, Truman Medical Center Behavioral Health Network and the Jackson County Health Department. TMC is the primary teaching hospital for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Schools of Health Sciences.

"Hospitals support extending coverage to millions of Americans while keeping hospitals strong to fulfill their mission of caring for communities. It is an honor to be chosen to represent my colleagues in the field at this critical juncture in our nation's history," said Bluford. "A special area of focus for me will be finding ways to create a culture of wellness among health care employees that hopefully will extend into the communities they serve."

Prior to his chairmanship, Bluford will become chairman-elect on Jan. 1, 2010. As chairman-elect, he will preside over AHA's Long-Range Policy Committee, which identifies the association's priority initiatives. Bluford will succeed Richard P. de Filippi, who as the current chairman-elect of the AHA will become its next chairman of the board. De Filippi is a trustee of the Cambridge Health Alliance, a major Bostonarea, safetynet academic health care system with three inpatient campuses and more than 20 community health centers. De Filippi also is managing partner of the Ariano Partnership, a consulting group that has
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