NJHA and continuing education

Founded in 1918, the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) has, as its mission, the advocacy for health care services provided by New Jersey hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care institutions. Through its current membership of 126 institutions, the Association seeks to provide guidance in shaping policy and in improving the organization and delivery of quality health care. Along with other affiliated organizations, based at its Center for Health Affairs in Princeton, NJHA offers a variety of services. For example, NJHA: represents member institutions on legislative and regulatory problems before the Health Care Administration Board, Hospital Rate-Setting Commission, and other regulatory and legislative bodies; assists member hospitals in assessing and providing solutions to manpower needs; communicates common problems and accomplishments among member institutions through several publications and other media; and joins with MSNJ in conducting continuing medical education programs for physicians and hospital administrators, jointly working to develop position papers on health care issues. The following article presents an opinion piece by the president of NJHA, in which he addresses a current major concern of his organization, that is, how quality CME can be maintained given the severe economic constraints imposed by today's health care economy.