Carla Baum, Regional Vice President for Lutheran Senior Services (LSS), has received the 2016 Health Care Accomplishment Recognition Award — Healthcare Senior Services from the St. Louis chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. Carla is among twelve women from 11 organizations across the St. Louis region to be selected for recognition based on their contributions to the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare.
Carla oversees four LSS assisted living communities in St. Louis in the St. Louis area and leads the organization’s post-acute care strategy, including its participation in the Center for Medicare Services’ Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) Model 3 program. Under Carla’s leadership, the average length of stay in LSS’s REACH short stay rehab services program has been reduced by over 7 days — from 25-27 days to 18-20 days, while the hospital readmission rate has dropped from the 20-25+% range to the low teens and even single digits. At the same time, REACH guest satisfaction rate is in the 95+ percent range.
“Carla is a master visionary who, after 30 plus years in health care, can still re-imagine new ways of care delivery that improve quality and reduce cost,” said Jake Bell, Chief Operating Officer for LSS. “She also has a tremendous ability to identify to grow talented young healthcare business professionals into tomorrow’s leaders in our organization.”
“Carla is a role model for other women in healthcare, and she has forged a path that other healthcare organizations may want to consider as they groom women for leadership,” said chapter president Katherine Joslin, SVP Human Resources & Marketing, Bethesda Health Group, Inc.
Women in healthcare were nominated by peers and the honorees were selected based on the following criteria:
- Making an extraordinary contribution in healthcare that has addressed a pertinent need, problem or issue, or who has made a difference that improves the quality of life for others in the Metro St. Louis area;
- Setting an example to other women through her dedication and passion in the field of healthcare;
- Demonstrating a desire to contribute to her organization, the industry, or to the local healthcare community as a volunteer; and
- Showing a commitment to mentoring other women, providing guidance to learn the necessary skills to become an empowered leader.
All winners will be honored on Sept. 27, 2016 at a luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton St. Louis.
The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) was founded to further the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare. The St. Louis chapter was founded in 2006.