| Member Spotlight: Colonel Michael Foutch |
For this month's member spotlight, we feature ACHE Hawai'i member and recently elected Board Member, Colonel Michael Foutch. Mike is the Deputy Command Surgeon, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Joint
Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. He has been a member of ACHE since 2015.
What is your role in your organization?
As Deputy Command Surgeon, I assist the Command Surgeon (the
senior AF Medical Officer in the Pacific area) in the oversight of 9 Military
Treatment Facilities, the operational employment of Medical Forces across the
Pacific, and act as the senior medical advisor to the Commander of Pacific Air
Forces.
What roles have you taken/activities have you been involved
with in ACHE?
My role as a Board member here for our Hawai’i-Pacific
Chapter is my first formal role within ACHE. Prior to this, I have
predominantly taken advantage of ACHE’s educational programs including
leadership seminars and the annual Congress. I have thoroughly enjoyed Congress
attendance in the past. The mix of
outstanding speakers and seeing and engaging with friends at the Congress has
always been a very rewarding experience.
Are you involved in any community activities?
As I just moved to Hawai’i in 2020 during COVID, I have not
had the opportunity to join or be a part of many activities here, but I look
forward to seeking out new opportunities in the coming months. During my
previous assignment in Ohio I was a Board Member for the Greater Dayton Area
Hospital Association and the Buckeye Federal Healthcare Consortium. Both organizations were dedicated to the
improvement, efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare in the greater Dayton
(OH) area.
What are your primary areas of interest or concern as a
health care leader?
I am continuously concerned about ‘burnout’ for our clinical
teams and the constant pressure to continue to produce with fewer and fewer
resources. I am also interested in where the healthcare industry and health
care career fields in general are headed over the next 10-15 years. I think the lessons learned regarding virtual
health as demonstrated during COVID-19 operations are going to change the
landscape of outpatient medicine going forward.
What role(s) would you like to see ACHE play in the local
health care industry?
I believe ACHE plays an important role in assisting in the
continuous education of its members. The
seminars, study courses, leadership assessments, and special topic programs ACHE
offers are invaluable to healthcare leaders setting aside time to continue
their educational growth. I also believe that the opportunities the ACHE
Chapter presents for networking amongst our peers, particularly within a local
Chapter, are invaluable to solving complex problems – particularly when an
issue may arise between competing organizations.
Any wisdom or advice to share with chapter members?
I’m not sure this falls in the category of wisdom, but I
encourage chapter members to say yes to opportunities to learn, grow and build
relationships. We all get very busy
taking care of day-to-day tasks and we often forget to invest in our own
futures. Whether it is through
educational events, leadership seminars or just getting back to going out to
lunch with colleagues; we often need to be reminded to take time for this very
important part of personal growth.
What do you do for fun (bio info with no professional
value)?
My wife and I enjoy being outdoors … water sports, kayaking,
and hiking. I have been an avid golfer most of my life, and was lucky enough to
help coach my son’s HS golf team in Ohio. I also enjoy watching my kids (18,
16, 14) grow and engage in activities they enjoy … baseball, golf, rock band,
acting, sailing, ice skating and theater.
Mahalo Colonel Mike!
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