Valera Hudson, MD; Chair
The health care issues of children are not always given top priority by agencies allocating health care resources. PHIC works with member hospitals to represent children and their special needs at local and state levels. PHIC attempts to make sure that children are not overlooked when decisions are made concerning resource allocation.

Kathryn Cheek, MD; Chair
Even though many means for communication exist in today’s world, these means may not be used effectively if they are not carefully coordinated. PHIC has worked in the past to help connect providers to health information networks to improve the coordination of patient care. These efforts will be continued in the future to insure that appropriate individuals in all children’s hospitals have important information, in real time, and in concise formats so that health care resources in hospitals can be most effectively managed to improve care.

Natalie Lane, MD; Chair
PHIC has been very active in Emergency Preparedness for children by coordinating between children’s hospitals, communities and local, state and federal governmental stakeholders. When disasters strike, children, especially children with special needs, are as likely to need immediate health care as adults but many health care agents lack the equipment and experience needed for children. The PHIC Emergency Preparedness Committee is working to improve the ability of the state to meet the health care needs of children. Activities include trying to have children included in all major disaster preparedness drills, having systems in place to contact pediatric health care providers in a coordinated fashion and methods for sending critically ill children to the most appropriate care facility and tracking their location.

Will Cagle, MD; Chair
Efforts for quality improvement of the healthcare given to children in children’s hospitals are never ceasing. PHIC is attempting to accelerate select quality improvement efforts by facilitating communication of best practices and successful strategies between hospitals. PHIC is also working to inform member hospitals of effective programs for improving quality.