ACHCA CEO Bill McGinley

On September 10, 2018, Penn State’s ACHCA club was fortunate enough to have Bill McGinley, CEO of ACHCA, as our virtual guest speaker through the use of Zoom. Mr. McGinley was kind enough to offer plentiful advice, career guidance, and support for the next generation of healthcare administrators.

Mr. McGinley began his discussion with a brief overview of his career path. He has been a licensed Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) since 1982 and has his Bachelor’s degree in biology. He was able to combine his love of healthcare and business/management as an NHA in Massachusetts and has since served as the Executive Director of several retirement communities. Mr. McGinley has served as the President/CEO of ACHCA since December of 2017.

Besides his background, Mr. McGinley also discussed the history of ACHCA. It was founded in 1962 by a group of gerontologists just when Medicare and Medicaid were in their beginning developmental stages. The idea came from the need for administrators to run senior living facilities and care for the increasingly aging population.

Being a member of ACHCA offers a multitude of benefits. College students can obtain a student membership for only $25. Some of the benefits members reap include free monthly webinars (which count as continuing education units), a community forum to post questions/gather advice/share information, and a mentoring program that pairs early career professionals with a fellow in ACHCA. Another positive aspect is that members will be surrounding themselves with the best of the best in the field. Having a network of likeminded people with similar passions can serve as a source of support and valuable feedback. There are also career opportunities when members post job openings, not to mention the immense networking prospects.

There is also a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator Network Facebook page where professionals can seek advice and support. Furthermore, ACHCA’s next national convention will be held in March 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. The cost is only $250 for students to attend, and scholarship opportunities will be available. There is also a student poster session where students can present their research. Additionally, the National Emerging Leaders Summit in DC is another opportunity for young people in the field with industry experience to experience three days of intense learning and leadership development.

Lastly, Mr. McGinley gave insight into shifting trends in long-term care and why a young professional should consider a career in the field. In this industry, staff can spend more quality and enduring time with patients/residents to form lasting and fulfilling relationships. Administrators can also find comfort in the fact that they are caring for people’s families and keeping them in good hands. The biggest challenges to long-term care in the future are thinning profit margins, payment reform, and workforce staffing issues, especially regarding nurses and CNAs.

Thank you, Mr. McGinley for your time and kind words! You truly left a lasting impression on us and helped motivate us to continue the pursuit for a career in healthcare administration.