The Iroquois Mission
To serve as a resource and leader to support our members and the communities they serve through advocacy, education, information, cost-saving initiatives and business solutions.
IHA is a nonprofit regional healthcare trade organization
representing more than 50 hospitals and health systems (rural, small community safety-net providers to large, academic medical centers),
spanning over 28,000 square miles,
across 32 counties of Upstate NY
IHA’s Advocacy Team represents member interests and communicates with key decision-makers, promoting a broader understanding of, and building support for, the health care systems serving Upstate NY
IHA conducts a number of initiatives on behalf of its membership, including data collection, workforce projects, emergency preparedness and many other member benefit programs
IHA is responsible for the creation of the Caring Gene® - a brand and international award-winning multi-media campaign designed to address the dire long-term caregiver shortage
United Iroquois Shared Services (UISS) is a regional group purchasing organization representing the interests of acute, non-acute and non-healthcare facilities - Your Total Cost Management Solution for Supplies and Purchased Services
IHA Creates Alternative to Traditional Healthcare Staffing Agencies
The Iroquois Healthcare Association (IHA) has created Upstate Works an innovative and sustainable solution for its members to battle exorbitant rates charged by healthcare temporary staffing agencies.
“The actions that we take now are going to disrupt the face of temporary healthcare staffing in New York,” said IHA President & CEO, Gary J. Fitzgerald. “We cannot continue to sit idly by while Hospitals are made to pay a projected $1.2B to staffing agencies during a health care staffing crisis. Upstate Works will help hospitals save precious resources and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to care in Upstate.”
IHA found that there are roughly 20,000 open staff positions in hospitals across Upstate and Western New York. Because of this staff vacancy crisis hospitals have had to use staffing agencies in order to continue to ensure patient safety and essential operations in service to their communities. The unfortunate consequence of this reliance is skyrocketing costs further jeopardizing hospitals’ already fragile fiscal condition.
To help solve this problem for our members, IHA launched its own unique staffing agency, Upstate Works.
Please Join IHA in Welcoming Our Newest Team Member, Francine Freise!
Francine will be working with the UISS team to identify cost savings and margin improvement opportunities in supply chain and purchase services for the IHA/UISS membership.
Francine has a diverse background in healthcare consulting, data analytics, project management, and supply chain optimization. Prior to joining us, she was a Senior Director with Premier Acurity. During this time, she provided operational support, identified opportunities for supply chain optimization, and led quarterly and annual executive updates.
IHA Survey Finds Upstate New York Hospitals at Critical Level of Financial Distress
A survey conducted by the Iroquois Healthcare Association (IHA) shows that hospitals in Upstate New York continue to face disastrous financial circumstances.
IHA is keenly aware of the challenges that Upstate and rural New York hospitals and health systems are facing. With a base of more than 50-member hospitals across 32 counties in Upstate New York, IHA regularly surveys its members to inform its advocacy, understand in real time the workforce and operational issues faced, and relay those facts to State policymakers.
“Hospitals have been running on fumes for far too long,” said IHA President & CEO, Gary J. Fitzgerald. “The numbers we are seeing are striking, and will assuredly worsen without adequate intervention. It is clear that in order to preserve the health and economic viability of Upstate communities, the State needs to ensure financial assistance for our member hospitals is priority number one.”
Click on the button below to read the full press release.
Gary J. Fitzgerald, President and CEO of Iroquois Healthcare Alliance, Calls on State Leaders to act on the Budget Priorities of Upstate Hospitals
Governor Hochul’s 2023 Executive budget is a great start in addressing the needs of the State’s health care system, however more work is necessary to address the longstanding needs of hospitals in Upstate and rural New York.
Too often the needs of Upstate and Rural hospitals are overshadowed by the needs of our Downstate colleagues.
“IHA is immensely grateful to Governor Hochul for acknowledging IHA’s intense and weeks-long advocacy regarding the devastating effects if the February COVID-19 vaccination booster mandate was not suspended,” said Gary J. Fitzgerald, President and CEO, Iroquois Healthcare Alliance “This is what leadership looks like.”
With one crisis behind us, Upstate Hospitals are still in the throes of an on-going workforce crisis, which has plagued them since long before the pandemic.
Click on the button below to read the full press release.
IHA Submits Testimony in Response to FY2023 Budget
Iroquois Healthcare Alliance (IHA) President and CEO, Gary J. Fitzgerald, delivered testimony in response to Governor Hochul’s fiscal year 2022-2023 Executive Budget.
“There is no doubt that Governor Hochul has clearly recognized the need to invest in Upstate New York hospitals and the workforce that supports them,” said Gary J. Fitzgerald, President and CEO, Iroquois Healthcare Alliance. “This recognition is emblematic of a new governing style.”
Click on the button below to read the full testimony.
IHA Responds to FY2023 Budget Address
Today, Governor Hochul delivered her Fiscal Year 2023 budget address. Although we are awaiting details, we applaud the Governor for making such a strong commitment to healthcare and the healthcare workforce.
IHA commends Governor Hochul for taking bold and long overdue action by proposing a $10 Billion investment in New York’s healthcare system. IHA has been a leader in regularly sharing industry data with policymakers to demonstrate the need for this kind of investment. We are gratified that our message is resonating.
Click on the button below to read the full statement!
IHA Responds to 2022 Hochul State of the State
Today, Governor Hochul delivered her first and historic State of the State address. I commend Governor Hochul on outlining a very ambitious and much need healthcare agenda for New York in the coming year and beyond.
IHA is very pleased that Governor Hochul has outlined in her address several major policy priorities that IHA has been advocating. These are long-held priorities that have been overlooked for far too long.
Click on the button below to read the full statement!
Keep Up With IHA In The News
IHA President, Gary Fitzgerald, continues IHA’s strong advocacy ahead of the 2022 legislative session for significant state investment to combat the health care workforce crisis. His op-ed was published in The Troy Record, The Saratogian, and Syracuse.com.
Click on the button below to learn more!
Workforce Training Programs
for Acute Care Providers
Building upon the work of the Iroquois Healthcare Association Workforce Investment Organization (IHA WIO), IHA applied for and received funding from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to extend our WIO workforce training programs to acute care providers in Upstate New York.
While we have focused our initial efforts on our IHA membership, we now have funding left for non-IHA members in UNY.
Is your organization interested in participating in this program? Click below to learn more.
CALLING ALL HOSPITALS
Join the NYS Donate Life Registry Partner Program
Every day, hospitals and healthcare systems help create a donation-friendly New York by engaging in activities to increase organ and tissue donation. In 2020, nearly 2,500 lifesaving organ transplants were performed in NYS, and the lives of thousands of others were healed through tissue and corneal donation. Thanks to your commitment, each year between 500 and 600 families are provided comfort knowing their loved ones’ legacies live on in patients whose lives were saved or healed through their selfless gift of donation.
To further support hospitals and healthcare systems’ efforts to increase organ and tissue donation, Iroquois Healthcare Association is collaborating with Donate Life NYS to introduce the New York State Donate Life Registry Partner Program.
We hope you will support the efforts of Iroquois Hospital Association and Donate Life NYS to increase enrollment in the NYS Donate Life Registry. Click below to learn more.
News
Press Release: The Iroquois Healthcare Association Creates Alternative to Traditional Healthcare Staffing Agencies
November 2, 2022 update
Press Release: Health Care Associations to Host Virtual Workforce Summit on Recruitment, Training and Retention
May 16, 2022 update
Press Release: Iroquois President and CEO, Gary Fitzgerald, Calls on State Leaders to Ensure Adequate Funding for Upstate Hospitals in Final State Budget
March 24, 2022 update
New Opportunities for our Hospital Members Provided by IHA WIO & The Caring Gene®
March 22, 2022 update
Events
IHA-AHP Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Healthcare Leadership Series: Webinar 5 – Keeping It Fresh: Best Practices in Employee Engagement
Tuesday, November 15 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm
IHA-AHP Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Healthcare Leadership Series: Webinar 6 – Bolstering the Workforce: Resiliency, Workplace Wellbeing and Retention
Tuesday, December 13 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm
