This panel has been approved for 1.50 ACHE Virtual Interactive Education Credits.

Note: If you are a registrant of the in-person (May 14) portion of the 2026 ACHE East-North-Midwest Texas Multi-Chapter Education Symposium, you are eligible to purchase your ticket for the below referenced virtual panel at a 25% discount. The promo code for that discount is provided to you in your confirmation email from Eventbrite for the May 14 event.

The Emergency Department is considered the “Front Door” to the hospital. Hospital executives recognize that in many cases most hospital admissions come in directly through the ED. Over the past several years, there has been a significant push by hospitals across the country to promote emergency department service standards, with the objective of attracting new patients, retaining current patients, and positioning the hospital in a favorable light to the community. Before a hospital embarks on an emergency department service standard it is imperative that they recognize the comprehensive house-wide approach that is required to provide, sustain, and reap the benefits.

Focusing on a variety of emergency department types (suburban hospital ED; satellite ED and urban hospital ED) this presentation will address various approaches with respect to ED service standards. This presentation will address the operational requirements, the impact on patient safety, required resource allocation, physical plant requirements and marketing requirements necessary for the successful implementation of emergency department service standards across a variety of hospitals, in addition to addressing the commitment required by the C-suite and respective departments for long-term sustainability and success.

Moderator: Ken Hutchenrider, Jr., FACHE – President, Methodist Richardson

Panelists:
Ryan Tamula, Admin Director Emergency Services, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances
Justin John, Business Operations Manager, Emergency Services, JPS
Dr. Tony Briningstool, CEO, Emergency Medicine, Sound Physicians

Speakers’ Bios:

Dr. Tony Briningstool leads Sound Physicians’ Emergency Medicine specialty. As an experienced physician executive, Tony is deeply passionate about the impact we can make in the lives of our patients, our physicians, and the communities we serve. With a relentless pursuit of excellence and a strong Patient‑First culture, he brings a nuanced understanding of the challenges facing healthcare today and values the dedication required to achieve clinical, fiscal, and operational success for our partnerships.

By intentionally empowering our physician leaders, Tony is fostering high‑performing teams capable of elevating patient care processes while ensuring long‑term practice sustainability. Our investments in team wellness strengthen engagement and collaboration—foundations that enable our hospital partnerships to thrive and consistently deliver exceptional care to every patient.

A board-certified emergency medicine physician, Tony earned his Doctor of Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and attended Michigan State University, where he also played football.

Ken Hutchenrider joined Methodist Richardson Medical Center as President in July, 2010.

He has more than 30 years of executive experience with a result oriented record of substantially increasing financial stability and strengthening team management to build a tradition of providing the best care possible to the communities served.

During his tenure, Ken administered the assimilation of the hospital into the Methodist Health System, as well as the development of a $120M replacement hospital and its subsequent and ongoing expansions. Additional accomplishments include the establishment of a new wound care center, Level III Nursery, development of the Da Vinci surgical program, Level 3 Trauma Program, Comprehensive Stroke program and the successful recruitment/employment of new medical staff members. Under his direction, Methodist Richardson has received accreditations as a Chest Pain Center, a Stroke Center, and achieved nursing Magnet Designation.

Prior to July 2010, Ken served as the Chief Executive Officer of Galesburg Cottage Hospital, in Galesburg, Illinois. Previously in his career, Ken served in executive roles including Chief Executive Officer of the Terre Haute Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. Ken started his career in a clinical position as a Paramedic Shift Supervisor in Pasadena, Texas.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston, Clear Lake.

In 2018, Ken was proudly elected to serve on the Richardson City Council in Place 5.

He is actively involved in the community and has served as the Chairman of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and President of the Plano Independent School District Foundation. Ken is an enthusiastic supporter of the PISD and RISD Health Sciences Academy. Currently, Ken serves as the Regent for Northern Texas for the American College of Healthcare Executives

Ken has received many accolades, including the Chamber’s Education Hero Award, the American Heart Association SOAR Award, the Community Health System Outstanding Achievement Award, and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

On a personal note, Ken and his wife Melinda have two teenage daughters. When he’s not spending time with his family, you are most likely to find Ken on the golf course.

Justin John serves as the Business Operations Manager for Emergency Services at JPS Health Network, a Level 1 Trauma Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Justin oversees cross-functional operational initiatives spanning finance, supply chain, IT, facilities, and construction. Prior to his current role, Justin was an Administrative Fellow at JPS, in which he helped lead major enterprise initiatives. Justin holds a Master of Health Administration from Saint Louis University. Justin actively contributes to the healthcare leadership community through his involvement with ACHE of North Texas.

Ryan Tamula began his career in emergency medicine at just 19 years old as an EKG technician, launching what would become a lifelong commitment to frontline patient care. Before entering nursing, he represented the Philippine National Water Polo Team, an experience that shaped his approach to teamwork, composure under pressure, and disciplined execution.

After earning his nursing credentials, Ryan joined Los Angeles General Hospital (formerly LAC+USC Medical Center), one of the busiest emergency departments on the West Coast. He served as Charge Nurse there for five years, leading high-acuity teams in a large safety-net hospital environment and mentoring nurses through complex clinical, operational, and throughput challenges.

He later practiced at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, gaining experience in an integrated delivery model before joining CHRISTUS Health in 2019.

At CHRISTUS, Ryan was part of the leadership team that opened the Bradley Thompson Tower at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, his scope as Administrative Director of Emergency Care Centers includes oversight of six emergency departments in and around the Tyler and East Texas, including the 56-bed Level II Trauma Center at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler. Ryan’s leadership philosophy centers on remaining grounded in his nursing foundation, focusing on strengthening frontline teams, advancing emergency care delivery, and supporting high-reliability operations.