4 Perspectives on What Financial Leaders Must Do Next

From the HFMA chair: Ralph Lawson, executive vice president and CFO of Baptist Health South Florida in Coral Gables and the 2012–2013 HFMA national chair, said CFOs must deal with transformation and prepare their organizations for the future.

"We must be persistent, determined, and patient," he said. "[CFOs] are the ones who have the talent, the energy, and the know-how. Who's better than us to lead this effort to solve the healthcare problem?"

The timing of this year's HFMA national conference couldn't have been more fitting. As financial leaders discussed how to handle the complexities of government mandates, the U.S. Supreme Court was putting the final touches on its Patient Protection and Affordable Care Acxt ruling that effectively upheld the individual mandate and said states couldn't be forced to expand Medicaid. Even without the benefit of the justices' decision, all four speakers at HFMA agreed on one piece of guiding advice for attendees: although it may seem impossible to achieve all that needs to be done in healthcare in the coming years, there is no choice but to continue full speed ahead in an effort to accomplish better care at a reduced cost.