NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2021 - 11

During the 2021 Leadership & Advocacy Conference, NHPCO hosted a live roundtable
discussion focused on next generation leadership. This discussion, along with the work of
NHPCO's Next Generation Leadership Council, offers insights into the importance of
investing in the next generation of hospice and palliative care leaders.
Much of the hospice and palliative care field chooses
this vocation because they believe in the work and
want to see the model of person-centered care
preserved for years to come. One of the keys to keeping
hospice and palliative care successful and helping it
grow and innovate is making sure that leadership is
ready to keep moving everything forward.
Health care can be disrupted; the COVID-19
pandemic was a prime example of that. The way the
health care field adapted to the pandemic will likely
be the impetus for future change, especially in
home-based care. The hospice and palliative care
field needs to ensure it is always well prepared to
keep pushing forward and moving forward - not just
for the next few years, but for generations to come.
Patients and families that deserve that.
Passion for the future spurred the creation of
NHPCO's Next Generation Leadership Council. The
Next Generation Leadership Council provides the
opportunity for young leaders to have an impact on
their national organization to help shape the
hospice and palliative care field.
The Importance of Next
Generation Leaders in
Hospice and Palliative Care
As many early hospices began as family-run
organizations, the importance of bringing in the
next generation into the workforce often began at
home. Darren Bertram, Chief Executive Officer of
Infinity Hospice Care, was brought into hospice
through his mother and considers himself part of a
next generation of leaders.
Mary Bertram, President and founder of Infinity
Hospice Care, started her organization with the idea
of her sons coming to work for her. Mary considered
it a measure of success in how well a leader can
duplicate themselves in another person who can
later take their place.
Carla Davis, CEO of Heart of Hospice, echoed the
sentiment of the importance of people - including
next generation leaders - as one of the greatest
assets of an organization. She considers building
them up a smart move from a business standpoint
because the organization will have people that can
achieve the results they need.
" From my perspective, it makes sense to get people
who have fresh ideas, who have energy, who haven't
done it that way, who think about this work from a
different perspective, who have a diversity of
thought. That makes us a stronger organization, "
Davis said.
Among diversity of thought, experience, and
perspective there can be a shared mission. Many of
those who choose the vocation of hospice and
palliative care do so with a passion for caring for
those with a serious or life-limiting illness. That
common vision draws strength between the
generations working within an organization.
" I think it's intergenerational that people are going
to be drawn to help people no matter what. So in
that regard, I'm super hopeful, " said Brent Korte,
Chief Home Care Officer of Evergreen Health Home
Care Services, when reflecting on the next
generation of leaders in the field.
Hesitation to Fully Invest in the Next
Generation
Providing next generational leaders support and
opportunities for growth can make a strong impact
in an organization's success, especially from a
Newsline / Summer 2021
11
https://www.nhpco.org/about-nhpco/committees-and-councils/next-generation-leadership-council/
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2021
