ACE Repeats as Winner of Health Services Competition

The winners are Kay Boyles ’04 (center left) and Luis Rodriguez ’05 (center right) from ACE. Also pictured are Sandra Roberts and Dr. Barry Brock.

two-student team from the School of Adult and Continuing Education recently won first place in the second annual South Florida Health Executives Forum Case Study Competition.

ACE’s undergraduate Health Services Administration program also won last year, and is the only winner of the two-year-old event, which is sponsored by the South Florida chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Kay Boyles from Hollywood and Luis Rodriguez of Fort Lauderdale won the event held at Memorial West Hospital in Pembroke Pines last April. Their academic mentor, Dr. Barry Brock, assistant professor of health services administration, also assisted the ACE team that won last year.

Boyles, who graduated with her BS in health services administration in July, has worked as a licensed practical nurse for eight years. Rodriguez, who works for GE Clinical Services, is scheduled to graduate in July 2005.

Half a dozen graduate and undergraduate teams representing various schools in the area took part in the event. In the competition, teams analyzed internal and external factors affecting a particular regional medical center. Each suggested the best strategic plan of action for the future of that center.

Judges consisted of CEOs and executive-level staff from area hospitals and medical centers.

The Barry team, which was called on last in the four-hour event, elicited a round of applause at the end of its presentation.

“We knew that we did a good job when everyone gave us a standing ovation,” said Rodriguez.