Timothy Holahan, DO, CMD
Candidate - Vice Chair, House of Delegates
Personal Statement
First of all, I am greatly honored to be nominated for the PALTmed Vice Chair to the House of Delegates board position. I have been an active member of PALTmed for greater than 10 years, and it continues to be my professional home. I was a futures program participant and from that time forward I knew I wanted to provide my passion, expertise, and knowledge to this organization to improve the care for older adults in post-acute care. I have served on the board of multiple organizations and had various leadership roles within PALTmed which has only strengthened my commitment to this organization as well as its members. I bring board experience from within and outside of the medical field with different leadership as well as organizational structures. I have worked with board members from diverse career backgrounds including physicians, APPs, nurses, administrators, and community members showing my ability to engage with different perspectives with a strong focus on teamwork. My time serving as the current Chair of the PALTmed Public Policy Committee and Past Chair of the PALTmed Ethics Committee has taught me much about this organization and the members it serves. Routinely serving as a delegate for New York at the PALTmed house of delegates and serving as a delegate to the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) has provided me with years of parliamentary procedure experience as well that I will bring to this role if elected. I find this process interesting, fun and necessary to allow membership to bring positive change to an organization. It shapes the policy and mission of an organization so being a part of this awesome process would be a true honor. I will also bring not only my passion for public policy itself to the board but also active engagement, commitment and purpose. I am very approachable and understanding while offering my insights to encourage fair as well as respectable dialogue on the many issues we face. This is an extremely crucial time for our nation's healthcare system, especially how we plan to care for the significantly increasing number of frail older adults in post-acute care facilities. It will take commitment and knowledge of the organization itself but also a wide array of novel ideas to navigate the changing environment we practice in every day. I am honored to be nominated for the PALTmed Vice Chair of the House of Delegates Board position and if elected, promise to serve to the utmost of my ability.
Suggestions to move the organization forward:
One suggestion I feel is very important and am very passionate about is continuing to evolve our advocacy efforts, priorities and perspectives as well as how we engage with membership in regards to public policy. A great example of my commitment to this was being able to co-moderate the first annual PALTmed Advocacy Summit. This was an excellent event providing a safe space for PALTmed members to learn, network and advocate followed by meetings with legislators in Washington DC. Also, I have had the privilege to co-host PALTmed’s recurring Advocacy in Action podcast which shows my commitment to try something different and engage members in exciting new ways. These are just 2 examples of how I feel the organization can continue to grow and provide value to its members. In terms of the functionality of the board, continuing to create a singular purpose and voice within the board itself is important to ensure PALTmed’s voice is strong. I find that often times a board that does not get along despite different perspectives is likely to fail or at a minimum will not achieve many of its goals. Board members also must be quick to respond and willing to actively engage with all members of the organization. This builds trust and a sense of purpose within the organization itself which can trickle down throughout the membership. As in public policy, if this is not achieved at a board level, then an organization may miss its chance to effectively grow and create lasting change. I would lastly continue to show/advertise how PALTmed can impact day to day practice and be the voice of its members. PALTmed not only advocates for its members but provides education and practice management insights that will be even more necessary in the coming years.