Kenny Koerner, CRCE-I, AAHAM Treasurer wanted to share his personal story regarding how AAHAM has proven to be such a major force in his professional life and how it has also given his hospital a platform to be heard at the national level.

“I’ve been attending the AAHAM Legislative day event for the past 8 years. I have been meeting with my US representative in Congress, Cheri Bustos, since she was elected to represent my congressional district in 2013, which is the 17th district in Illinois.  By attending the AAHAM Legislative Day event, and by meeting with Congresswoman Bustos and her staff each of those years, I have been able to develop a relationship with her office that has provided me with the ability to call and email her staff whenever I have an issue that I’d like my voice and the voice of my hospital to be heard on.

Just this year at Legislative Day, I was honored to have a senior policy advisor for Congresswoman Bustos present a special statement that was added to the official Congressional Record recognizing and honoring AAHAM on our 50th anniversary. 

This same senior policy advisor for Congresswoman Bustos reached out to me via email this week to tell me that Cheri thought it was important to touch base with some important healthcare stakeholders regarding the recent infrastructure package that had been discussed by President Trump, Senator Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer.  She asked if the congresswoman could come out to my hospital to meet with us to find out what was important for us to be in any infrastructure package that might be agreed upon.  We were honored to host Congresswoman Bustos today at my hospital!

Attached is a picture of me with Cheri from today’s visit.  Without AAHAM and without the AAHAM annual Legislative Day event, I don’t believe that I would have the platform to make these personal relationships with members of Congress.  Without these personal relationships, I don’t believe that my hospital would have the voice that it has in Washington.  I truly believe in the power of AAHAM, and believe that AAHAM stands out from my other professional organization’s that I am a member of because of the value that AAHAM provides back to me and other members in the dedication and commitment to legislative issues that truly impact my hospital. 

I just wanted to share my story, and why I have such a passion for AAHAM and all the wonderful opportunities it has provided to me.”

(photo from left to right, Dana McCoy, Director of Marketing, CGH Medical Center,  Cheri Bustos, Illinois US Representative, Kenny Koerner, Director of Revenue Cycle CGH Medical Center)