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Each year, when Thanksgiving comes around and I think about what America’s hospitals and health systems should be thankful for, the first thing that always comes to mind is our people: the physicians, nurses, clinicians, caregivers and team members who make our hospitals and health systems the special places they are.
 
These are the people who provide the help and the hope we need when we are at our most vulnerable. These are the people who will hold your hand when you’re wheeled in for surgery, and go the extra mile to make you comfortable. These are the people who make sure that when you walk through our doors, you will get the best available care. These are the people who promote health throughout the community. These are the people making home visits, meeting patients in community clinics and working to address the social determinants of health, such as access to housing, transportation and food. In other words: These are the people who are saving lives, performing miracles and keeping people healthy.
 
This is a time of great transformation in health care. New technology, artificial intelligence, precision medicine and other advancements allow us to care for patients like never before. As we build the future of health care, some things will never change: We will always be able to count on America’s hospitals and health systems in times of need … and the empathy and human touch in caring that our teams provide will always be there for patients.
 
This is true every year and every holiday season. I think you’ll agree that we can never be too thankful for the dedicated and compassionate women and men who make sure we’re always there, ready to care.
 
From all of us at the AHA, Happy Thanksgiving to your teams and your families. And thank you for everything you do — throughout the entire year — to advance health in America.