Leading the charge to Argentum 2018

Loren Shook got straight to the point about what's on everyone's mind: how long-term care will be impacted by the Trump administration.

Shook, addressing a more than 2,700 attendees at the annual Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference in Nashville, didn't shy away from the challenges ahead.

Changes at the federal and state level are likely, says Shook, President and CEO of Silverado and Chairman of the Argentum Board of Directors.

"In this time, which, to many, can seem like it is fraught with tumultuous uncertainty, remember the common denominator of a solution is the delivery of quality care and quality of life results within a value structure that creates affordability at so many levels," he says.

Shook spoke about potential ways to improve quality, reduce costs and increased customer satisfaction through new partnerships to integrate health delivery systems. And obviously, those opportunities are not always found in obvious places.

Shook laid out a scenario of partnering with healthcare entities in local markets–hospitals, telehealth, nurse practitioners–to reduce the number of emergency department visits and rehospitalizations. That partnership could cause a ripple effect: changing a residents' life or a local community, and rippling all the way up to regulatory changes.

And the cost to the system will drop as the demand on the entire system is reduced, he says. That's a win for the residents' quality of life, a win for the system's costs and a win for providers.

Shook called for members to collaborate with other healthcare providers, including the Alzheimer's Association, AARP, NCAL and other organizations that the might be seen erroneously as the competition.

"Let's circle around these groups that have common vision and common thought and partner together," he says. "Things like this can be done for the benefit all of us and more importantly enhance the quality of life for those who we serve."

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.