ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿

Millions of Americans living in vulnerable rural and urban communities depend upon their hospital as an important, and often only, source of care. However, these communities and their hospitals face many challenges. As the hospital field engages in its most significant transformation to date, many are fighting to survive – potentially leaving their communities at risk for losing access to health care services. Recognizing these challenges and the need for new integrated and comprehensive health care delivery and payment strategies, the AHA Board of Trustees created the Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities. Comprised of 29 hospital and health system leaders and state hospital association CEOs, the task force held meetings, heard from policymakers and conducted field hearings to speak with hospital and community leaders during a 15-month period.

The Task Force work is ongoing. This webpage is just one of the many ways AHA will keep you connected to the latest developments and resources as we address the critical issue of ensuring access to health care services.

Task Force Report

The task force report outlines nine emerging strategies that can help preserve access to health care services in vulnerable communities. These strategies will not apply to or work for every community and each community has the option to choose one or more that are compatible with its needs.

• Executive Summary
• Full Report
• Rural Chart Pack
• Urban Chart Pack

Inpatient/Outpatient Transformation Strategy

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services – Inpatient/Outpatient Transformation

Social Determinants of Health Strategy

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services - Social Determinants

Virtual Care Strategies

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services – Virtual Care Strategies
• Telehealth — Delivering the Right Care, at the Right Place, at the Right Time: Case Examples of AHA Members in Action

Emergency Medical Center Strategy

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services – Emergency Medical Center
• Comparison: Federal Policy Solutions to Ensure Access to Emergency Services
• The Rural Emergency Medical Center Act of 2018
• AHA Action Alert on REMC Act (members-only)
• AHA Letter of Support of the REMC Act (Kind)
• AHA Letter of Support of the REMC Act (Jenkins)
• Press Release Applauds Introduction of REMC Act
• AHA Letter of Support Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital (REACH) Act, S. 1130

Indian Health Services Strategy

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services - IHS
• AHA Letter of Support for IHS Task Force (Walden/Pallone)
• AHA Letter of Support for IHS Task Force (Mullin-Ruiz)

Urgent Care Center Strategy

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access to Health Care Services – Urgent Care Centers
• Is the Urgent Care Center the Right Strategy for your Community

Global Budgets

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access – Global Budgets

Community Conversations

• Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities: Community Conversations Toolkit
• Discussion Guide for Boards and Hospital Leadership
• Engaging Patients and Communities in the Community Health Needs Assessment Process
• Advancing Health in America
• AHA Framework for Engaging Health Care Users
• Leadership Toolkit for Redefining the H: Engaging Trustees and Communities
• The Leadership Role of Nonprofit Health Systems in Improving Community Health
• Critical Conversations on the Changing Health Environment: Physician Engagement

Frontier Health System

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access — Frontier Health System

Rural Hospital-Health Clinic Integration

• Emerging Strategies to Ensure Access — Rural Hospital-Health Clinic Integration

Other Resources

• Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities PowerPoint Presentation