Perspective

Perspective / en Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:16:22 -0500 Fri, 25 Apr 25 08:19:26 -0500 Hospitals Are Cornerstones of Communities. We Must Tell Our Stories to Protect Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-04-25-hospitals-are-cornerstones-communities-we-must-tell-our-stories-protect-access-care One year ago, a nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado went above and beyond in a way that a very young patient and her family will never forget.&nbsp;Kayla McCarthy specializes in working with young children awaiting or recovering from organ transplants. In May 2024, she was approved as a living organ donor and <a href="https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/colorado-news/nurse-donates-liver-to-patient-childrens-hospital-colorado/73-2549bc86-61a8-4ca4-ba3b-aea5f60579d3" target="_blank" title="Article: Nurse helps to save a child&apos;s life">contributed a piece of her liver to a young toddler in her hospital, helping to save the child’s life</a>.&nbsp;McCarthy’s remarkable gift symbolizes with a single gesture what hospitals and their phenomenal care teams mean to the people and communities they serve. It is more than just the doors that are always open to all, any time of day or night. It is even more than the dependable, quality, compassionate care delivered to patients every minute of every day in every corner of the nation.&nbsp;The bond between hospitals and their communities reaches deeper. Hospitals and health systems offer programs that provide healthy food, preventive wellness education and maternal support services to ensure healthy births. Hospitals and health systems provide critical behavioral and mental health services. Hospitals and health systems are major employers, supporting families and businesses while providing a financial foundation that helps communities to thrive. And hospitals and health systems partner with community organizations to address the unique needs of the patients and neighborhoods they serve.&nbsp;For example:&nbsp;<ul><li><a href="/role-hospitals-shodair-childrens-hospital-launches-hope-campaign" target="_blank" title="The Hope Campaign Story">Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena, Mont., has launched the Hope Campaign</a> to reduce stigma and encourage conversations about youth mental health.</li><li><a href="/role-hospitals-virtual-singing-walking-groups-dartmouth-healths-programs-older-adults-enhance-health" target="_blank" title="Dartmouth Health free educational classes">Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, N.H., offers free educational classes, support and services to improve the minds, bodies and spirits of older adults and their families</a>. Older adults can take a class or series of classes to improve their balance, get help using their iPhone, learn strategies for coping with symptoms of chronic disease and get tips for eating healthy.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.tenethealth.com/our-stories/our-stories-detail/our-stories/2025/03/18/the-hospitals-of-providence-unveils-new-perinatal-center" target="_blank" title="Tenet Health&apos;s caring for mothers story">Tenet Health’s The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, Texas, recently unveiled a new center dedicated to caring for mothers experiencing a high-risk pregnancy</a>.&nbsp;</li></ul>Every hospital and health system has many stories of how they are healing patients and advancing health for communities. Hundreds of these examples can be found on <a href="/tellingthehospitalstory" target="_blank" title="Telling the Hospital Story web page">AHA’s Telling the Hospital Story</a> webpages.&nbsp;These stories are powerful. They inform and inspire. It’s important that we share these stories with our communities and with our legislators, especially as Congress continues to consider funding cuts and policy changes that would jeopardize access to care for millions of Americans across the nation.&nbsp;Next week, Congress returns to Washington, D.C., and congressional committees will begin marking up portions of the budget reconciliation bill to enact key pieces of President Trump’s agenda. On May 7, we expect the House Energy and Commerce Committee to begin marking up its portion of the bill and the potential for significant cuts to the Medicaid program remain on the table. &nbsp;That week, we’ll have more than 1,000 hospital and health system leaders in Washington for <a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org/registration" target="_blank" title="AHA&apos;s Annual Membership Meeting web site">AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting</a> May 4-6. You can still register to attend if you have not done so yet.&nbsp;Whether you are at the Annual Meeting or not, you can tell your story to your legislators and explain how certain policies would jeopardize access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals and health systems provide.&nbsp;We need to talk about protecting access to care by rejecting cuts to Medicaid, additional so-called site-neutral payment policies and harmful changes to the 340B program. At the same time, we need to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of Americans access affordable private insurance; strengthen and support the health care workforce; and provide relief from burdensome regulations and policies that inhibit care.Please see our recent <a href="/action-alert/2025-04-14-take-action-urge-lawmakers-reject-medicaid-cuts-protect-access-care" target="_blank" title="AHA Action Alert with details and resources to support advocacy efforts.">Action Alert</a> for more details and resources to support your advocacy efforts.&nbsp;At the end of the day, the policies we are fighting for will protect access to care and services for patients, as well as help caregivers like Kayla McCarthy continue to do what they do best: heal, comfort and make lives better.&nbsp; &nbsp; Fri, 25 Apr 2025 08:19:26 -0500 Perspective All Eyes on Washington and All Voices Speaking Up to Protect Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-04-18-all-eyes-washington-and-all-voices-speaking-protect-access-care Just 16 days from now, more than 1,000 hospital and health system leaders from across the country will arrive in Washington, D.C., for the <a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting">2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting</a>.&nbsp;Every year, this important gathering puts specific issues into focus as we discuss the best ways to fulfill our mission of advancing health. This year, it’s an understatement to say the stakes are extremely high as Congress is in the middle of considering legislation that could significantly jeopardize access to patient care across the country and further challenge hospitals’ ability to deliver the care and services that our nation depends on.&nbsp;To help our members navigate the shifting landscape and dynamics on Capitol Hill, we’ve built a program highlighted by nationally recognized speakers who are influential in the administration and Congress, as well as special forums that bring together strategic ideas and relevant research with thought leaders driving policy on the biggest issues affecting our field.On the House side, we’ll hear from lawmakers who serve on the important Energy and Commerce Committee, including Reps. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., who chairs its Subcommittee on Health; Robin Kelly, D-Ill., who likewise serves on the Subcommittee on Health and is a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus; and Kim Schrier, D-Wash., who is the first pediatrician elected to Congress. Energy and Commerce is the all-important committee where the focus will be on major Medicaid cuts. We’ll also hear from Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and tax policies, and Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb. Moran and Flood are respectively executive board member and vice chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus, a solutions-focused group of 80-plus conservative members. Also joining us is Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., chair of the New Democratic Coalition, the largest Democratic caucus in the House and focused on pro-economic growth and fiscal responsibility. On the Senate side, we’ll hear from Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., as well as a panel with two key freshman senators: Elissa Slotkin,&nbsp;D-Mich., and Jon Husted, R-Ohio.In addition, Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services Chief of Staff and Deputy Administrator Stephanie Carlton and CMS Deputy Administrator and Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer John Brooks will join us for a special conversation about the agency’s health priorities.We’ll also gain insights from a number of advisers to President Donald Trump, such as Kellyanne Conway,&nbsp;former senior counselor to President Trump, who will discuss “Shifting Voices: Changes in Political Communications,” and Chris LaCivita, senior adviser and co-campaign manager of the Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign.&nbsp;We’ll do a deep dive into economic issues, including the impact of tariffs, with Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, who will lead a discussion on “Decoding the Fiscal Cliff:&nbsp;Economic &amp; Fiscal Policy Outlook”&nbsp;&nbsp;with panelists Rana Foroohar, CNN’s global economic analyst, Lanhee Chen, a Hoover Institution Fellow in American public policy studies and former advisor to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, and Jason Furman, former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.We’ll hear from people making and breaking news, as well as providing insight on “Navigating the New Political Landscape,” a discussion featuring Jonathan Martin, politics bureau chief at Politico, Leigh Ann Caldwell, chief Washington correspondent&nbsp; for Puck News, and Jake Sherman,&nbsp;co-founder of Punchbowl News.&nbsp; We’ll have insightful conversations with Hoda Kotb, former “Today Show” co-anchor, who will participate in the AHA’s luncheon recognizing award-winning leaders in our field. Interested attendees can join Eugene Daniels, senior Washington correspondent for MSNBC and president of the White House Correspondents Association, for a Government Relations Officers Network Lunch. And we’re pleased to be joined by retired four-star Gen. Stanley McCrystal, who wrote about his leadership experience in Iraq in 2004 in “Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex Field.”Throughout the conference, we have dynamic sessions featuring top leaders in our field and in the administration discussing post-acute care, rural health care and governance, just to name a few. It’s a very full agenda, but we’ve also built in time for you to connect with colleagues from across the country and have those personal connections that we know are so valuable.The Annual Membership Meeting comes at a critical time as key congressional committees, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee, could begin marking up reconciliation legislation with the potential for significant cuts to the Medicaid program.The timing provides a great opportunity for your visit to Capitol Hill to drive home several key messages. Those include protecting access to care by rejecting cuts to Medicaid, additional so-called site-neutral payments and harmful changes to the 340B program. At the same time, we need to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of Americans have access to affordable private insurance. We also will talk about ways to provide relief from burdensome regulations and policies that inhibit care and increase costs, as well as opportunities to strengthen and support the health care workforce.Earlier this week, we shared an <a href="/action-alert/2025-04-14-take-action-urge-lawmakers-reject-medicaid-cuts-protect-access-care" target="_blank" title="Advocacy Action Alert PDF">Advocacy Action Alert</a> asking hospital leaders to meet with their senators and representatives to explain to them how cuts to Medicaid and other programs would reduce access to care and services for patients in their communities. We also provided new infographics and resources to support your advocacy efforts.We’ll continue to keep the field updated on the latest from Capitol Hill, and the Annual Membership Meeting will be another opportunity for us to stand up and speak out to protect access to the care that hospitals and health systems provide across America.If you haven’t registered yet, please consider joining us in Washington May 4-6. And if you can’t be in Washington, please continue delivering that message to your representatives and senators throughout the year.In the words of AHA’s 2025 Board Chair, Tina Freese Decker, “When we work together, we speak with a voice that is loud, clear and effective. Because we are here to care for the neighbors in our communities no matter what headwinds we face.” Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:25:52 -0500 Perspective We Must Urge Congress to Protect Access to Medicaid, Patient Care and 24/7 Hospital Services /news/perspective/2025-04-11-we-must-urge-congress-protect-access-medicaid-patient-care-and-247-hospital-services Congressional lawmakers are heading home for a two-week district work period after both the Senate and House passed a revised budget resolution for fiscal year 2025, allowing the chambers to move forward with the <a href="/issue-landing-page/2025-02-07-budget-reconciliation-process-resource-page" target="_blank" title="Reconciliation Process">reconciliation process</a> and begin drafting the specific policies that will be included in the reconciliation bill. This is where the hard work begins.The revised resolution still includes instructions for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut spending by $880 billion, which means cuts to Medicaid and other health programs are very much still on the table.However, this week’s budget action is another step in a long process and no specifics on anything have been decided. It’s important to note that the House Energy and Commerce Committee includes broad jurisdiction over many sectors of the economy beyond health care, and the Senate seems inclined to take a more modest approach. In the meantime, we have been building momentum with lawmakers and the public to demonstrate that devastating cuts to the Medicaid program — and the 72 million individuals who rely on it for coverage — should not be used to pay for the reconciliation bill.We can use the next two weeks while representatives and senators are in their districts and states to drive this point home and explain how significant cuts to Medicaid would stress the availability of health care services for everyone and jeopardize access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals provide.New Polling Shows Widespread Support for Medicaid. New <a href="https://modernmedicaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/MMA-Poll-Memo-4-2-25.pdf" target="_blank" title="New polls show widespread support for Medicaid">polling</a> released this week from President Trump’s 2024 pollster showed that 74% of all voters and 61% of Trump voters have a favorable view of Medicaid. In addition, 70% of total voters, including a majority of Trump voters, opposed cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts. “Our recent survey shows there is no appetite across the political spectrum for cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts,” the poll memo said. “Medicaid is well-liked by most voters, in large part due to the broad impact it has across the electorate and the high level of importance voters place on as many Americans as possible having health insurance.”Advocacy Resources and Advertising. The AHA continues to share new resources that hospitals and health systems can use to assist their advocacy efforts. Visit our <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/medicaid" target="_blank" title="Medicaid Advocacy webpage">Medicaid advocacy webpage</a> for fact sheets, blogs pushing back on misguided reports and other resources you can use in conversations with your lawmakers. And watch for an Action Alert soon with additional resources.At the same time, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, continues to run its <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/coalition-launches-national-ad-campaign-to-protect-medicaid-patients-from-cuts-to-care/" target="_blank" title="Faces of Medicaid national ad compaign">Faces of Medicaid</a> national ad campaign that highlights Medicaid’s critical impact on the tens of millions of people who rely on the program for access to care. During the last two weeks, the Coalition launched two new ads, “<a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/coalition-launches-national-ad-highlighting-president-trumps-promises-to-protect-medicaid/" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare Promises Ad">Promises</a>,” which underscores President Trump’s public commitments about protecting Medicaid and Medicare and calls on Congress not to cut Medicaid, and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAglo-JZzdY&amp;t=1s" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare 30 Million ad">30 Million</a>,” focusing on Medicaid coverage for children. The ads are running on national cable and digitally. In addition, the Coalition continues to engage its 2.6 million advocates in a grassroots campaign to send letters, make phone calls and send social media posts to their legislators urging them to protect access to care and services.Make Your Voices Heard. While the AHA and Coalition provide the air cover in Washington, nothing is more powerful than your voice — and the voices of your team members, trustees, patients and community members — with your senators and representatives. You live, work and, most importantly, vote in their districts and states. You have their attention and can explain to them the impact policy proposals would have for their constituents and your ability to provide care.&nbsp;Please take advantage of your legislators being home and highlight for them the need to protect Medicaid and access to the 24/7 services that hospitals and health systems provide.In addition, if you haven’t done so yet, there’s still time to make plans to join nearly 1,000 hospital and health system leaders for the <a href="/education-events/2025-aha-annual-membership-meeting" target="_blank" title="AHA Annual Membership Meeting">AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting</a> May 4-6 in Washington, D.C. You’ll hear directly from legislators, policymakers and thought leaders, as well as have the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill to deliver our field’s message about protecting access to care and services, providing relief from burdensome regulations and policies, and strengthening and supporting the health care workforce.We’ve seen time and time again when our field speaks with a strong and united voice, lawmakers hear us. And we get results. That unity will be more important than ever over the next few weeks and months as we stand up for patients to protect access to the care that hospitals and health systems provide in every community across America. Fri, 11 Apr 2025 08:25:31 -0500 Perspective Protecting Health Care Workers and Communities from Violence /news/perspective/2025-04-04-protecting-health-care-workers-and-communities-violence America’s hospitals and health systems are places of healing, hope and health. They strive to deliver quality care every hour of every day for everyone and do so in the safest possible environment for patients and care teams.However, we have seen an increase in violent actions and threats against health care workers and in health care settings. Federal data shows that health care workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than workers overall. Just last month a social media post alleged active planning of a coordinated, multi-city terrorist attack targeting hospitals; thankfully the FBI last week said after an extensive investigation and intelligence review, they did not identify “any specific credible threat targeted against hospitals in any U.S. city.”For nearly a decade, the <a href="/hospitals-against-violence-havhope" target="_blank" title="AHA&apos;s Hospitals Against Violence Initiative">AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence</a> initiative has shone a light on how hospitals and health systems are working to heal victims of violence as well as their communities, prevent further acts of violence, and address violence in the workplace.&nbsp;The AHA collaborates with partner organizations to develop and share many resources for hospitals to use to address community and workplace violence.Because violence can compromise access to and delivery of care, create a difficult work environment, and impact the overall safety and quality of the health care experience,&nbsp; the AHA worked with the FBI to share a <a href="/mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings" target="_blank" title="Mitigating violence in health care settings resource">resource on mitigating targeted violence in health care settings</a>. Other resources include podcasts and webinars, as well as issue briefs focused on providing trauma support for hospital and health system team members and exploring how violence mitigation efforts can fit effectively into an organization’s culture of safety.In addition, the Hospitals Against Violence initiative has shared examples from hospitals and health systems across the country of how they are addressing workplace violence using both best practices and individual solutions that can be tailored based on an organization’s size, resources and culture. Strategies include hospital security and threat assessment teams collaborating with local police departments and other community partners on violence mitigation tactics such as de-escalation training, staff duress alarms, enhanced surveillance security technology and more effective visitor identification policies, among many other measures. Other hospitals are decreasing incidents of workplace violence by upgrading their incident reporting system, boosting prevention education and meticulously tracking data to help prevent future incidents.While hospitals and health systems continue to enhance efforts to keep patients, caregivers and communities safe, the AHA continues to advocate for Congress to pass legislation that would provide health care workers federal protections from violence, similar to those that apply to aircraft and airport workers. The AHA spearheaded the introduction of bipartisan, bicameral legislation during the last Congress and is working to have legislation introduced in this Congress.Violence has no place in our communities or in health care settings.&nbsp;We must keep working together to end the cycle of violence and ensure that our nation’s caregivers can focus on what they do best — advancing health for patients and communities. Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:19:44 -0500 Perspective A Key Stretch for Urging Congress to Protect Medicaid and Access to Care /news/perspective/2025-03-28-key-stretch-urging-congress-protect-medicaid-and-access-care Congress is back in Washington, D.C., for a critical three-week stretch in which House and Senate Republicans are seeking to strike a compromise on a common budget resolution that would allow them to start the budget reconciliation process to push through priorities on taxes, border security, energy and deficit reduction.As we have been sharing for weeks, as part of these efforts Congress is considering proposals that would reduce funding for hospital care — including potentially devastating cuts to the Medicaid program — that would jeopardize access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals provide.Medicaid provides high-quality care for more than 72 million Americans, including hardworking families, children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. More specifically: Medicaid covers 41% of all births in the United States, nearly half of children with special health care needs, 1 in 3 children with cancer, over 1.6 million veterans and 62% of nursing home residents. In addition, many hospitals and health systems, including those in rural areas, rely on Medicaid funding to support access to essential medical services, mental health care and other important programs.Significant cuts to Medicaid would stress the availability of health care services for everyone. Hospitals that serve disproportionately high rates of Medicaid and other public-payer patients routinely operate at a financial loss. Additional reductions in federal support for Medicaid would exacerbate these pressures and could strip essential health care services for entire communities.With such tight margins in the House and the Senate, every senator and representative’s vote is important. That’s why we continue an all-out effort to highlight for lawmakers the real consequences that cutting Medicaid would have for their constituents and their communities.As part of those efforts, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org" target="_blank" title="Coalition to Strengthen America&apos;s Healthcare">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, is running a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVxw6uJ2scO" target="_blank" title="Faces of Medicaid national ad campaign">Faces of Medicaid</a> national ad campaign that highlights Medicaid’s critical impact on the tens of millions of people who rely on the program for access to care. The campaign includes digital targeting of key elected officials, as well as publications inside the Beltway and influential new media outlets. The Coalition also is engaging its 2.6 million advocates in a grassroots campaign to send letters, make phone calls and send social media posts to their legislators urging them to protect access to care and services.&nbsp;While Republican lawmakers hope to reach an agreement on a common budget resolution before the Easter recess — there are still significant differences and issues that need to be ironed out — that would only start the process of committees drafting specifics for what would be included in a reconciliation package. So, while this activity still has a long way to go, with multiple opportunities to make our case to lawmakers ... we are entering a key part of the process.Another excellent opportunity to reinforce our messages will be at the <a href="/education-events/2025-aha-annual-membership-meeting" target="_blank" title="AHA Annual Membership Meeting">AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting</a> May 4-6 in Washington, D.C.&nbsp; At the meeting, attendees will hear from top policymakers, legislators and thought leaders on the most pressing issues facing our field and our country. They’ll also be able to deliver our advocacy messages on key priorities directly to their lawmakers on Capitol Hill.In addition to rejecting cuts to Medicaid, we’ll be discussing, among other priorities, extending the enhanced premium tax credits that expire at the end of this year so millions of low- and middle-income individuals can purchase affordable private insurance on the health care exchanges; protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program that requires drug companies to provide certain hospitals with discounted prices when buying outpatient medicines; and preventing so-called Medicare site-neutral payment policies, which if implemented would reduce access to critical health care services, especially in rural and other underserved communities.With so much at stake in the coming weeks and months, speaking out often and with a unified message is critical. Let’s make sure our lawmakers hear from all of us about the indispensable role hospitals play in their communities and why we must protect access to 24/7 care for patients across America.&nbsp; Fri, 28 Mar 2025 08:27:51 -0500 Perspective Helping Caregivers Tap AI’s Vast Capabilities to Advance Health /news/perspective/2025-03-21-helping-caregivers-tap-ais-vast-capabilities-advance-health America’s hospitals and health systems are incubators of innovation, ideas and medical progress as they are constantly striving to improve patient care and advance health.Today, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform each and every aspect of health care delivery, from the simplest administrative task to the most complex clinical procedures, while improving organizational and patient care outcomes at lower costs. According to a <a href="https://engage.klasresearch.com/blog/what-is-top-of-mind-for-top-health-systems/2922/" target="_blank" title="KLAS Survey">recent survey</a>, 85% of health system leaders cited AI as the “most exciting emerging technology for health care.”AI is already transforming health care delivery at every level, including easing appointment scheduling and discharge, augmenting diagnostic decisions and streamlining resource allocation, just to name a few. Tapping AI’s potential to elevate health care delivery to new heights requires planning, vision and commitment.A recent Market Insights report from the AHA Center for Health Innovation, “<a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/01/Market_Insights_AI_Report-2025.pdf" target="_blank" title="Market Insights">Building and Implementing an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan for Health Care</a>,” provides health care leaders with an important starting point, a playbook for allocating resources and a road map for hospital and health care executives looking to expand their adoption of AI’s capabilities.The report reveals the three pillars of successful AI integration — making sure the right people, processes&nbsp;and technology&nbsp;are in place — and explains the purpose of each as hospitals and health systems grow more fully into the world of AI. At the same time, the report highlights how challenges related to data privacy, bias and the need for human expertise must be addressed to implement AI responsibly and effectively.Importantly, the report gives real-life examples from seven hospitals and health systems that are navigating the opportunities and challenges of AI to transform health care delivery for their patients and communities. While each organization approached its AI action plan differently, they each put the foundational building blocks in place and then overlaid that foundation with a structured, systematic approach to identifying, vetting and executing AI pilots and projects.AI is not the wave of the future. It is here now and already transforming care and care delivery. AI can help caregivers manage disease and chronic conditions, promote wellness, and achieve efficiency and affordability. And while individual hospitals and health systems will proceed at their own pace, weaving AI-assisted methods and procedures into their care delivery in ways that work best for their organization and the patients they serve, this report provides the foundational building blocks for many institutions who want to create an effective AI action plan.Health care is and will always be about people caring for people. As hospitals and health systems continue to “redefine the H,” an important part of their efforts to make care more convenient and coordinated will be building and implementing an AI action plan. Fri, 21 Mar 2025 08:57:42 -0500 Perspective Prioritizing Patient Safety and Quality Care Every Day for Everyone /news/perspective/2025-03-14-prioritizing-patient-safety-and-quality-care-every-day-everyone It’s hard to believe, but this week marks five years since President Trump declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency and related lockdowns across the globe turned the world we knew upside down.We remember all too well how the surging pandemic changed the way we lived, worked, shopped, educated our children and affected so many other aspects of everyday life.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also remember the bravery, courage and heroics that health care teams across the country demonstrated each and every day as they cared for their friends and neighbors during the most challenging conditions.Former AHA Board Chair Mindy Estes, M.D., who helped lead and inspire the field during the first year of COVID-19, said during that difficult period, “no virus can defeat the human spirit. Because we are stronger than this monumental moment in history, and we are not giving up the fight.”Her successor, Rod Hochman, M.D., who served as AHA Chair in 2021, has described the performance of hospitals and health systems during the pandemic as the “finest hour” in American health care history.While the nation’s daily recognitions of our caregivers have stopped, our respect and admiration for all the caregivers who served and continue to serve on the front lines caring for patients and communities will never be forgotten.The same level of commitment to patient safety and delivering quality care continues today. Every day in every hospital and health system across America, dedicated care teams strive to deliver safe, high-quality care to every patient, continually identifying what drives better outcomes and then implementing changes to improve patient care.This week, which is <a href="/patient-safety-awareness-week" target="_blank" title="Paient Safety Awareness Week">Patient Safety Awareness Week</a>, the AHA released a <a href="/news/headline/2025-03-12-new-report-shows-improvements-patient-safety-and-workforce-resilience" target="_blank" title="AHA Press Ganey Report">report</a> with Press Ganey showing that patients and the health care workforce report improvements in safety, care quality and resilience.Some key findings include:<ul><li>13 million patients surveyed after hospital stays report improvements in their overall care experience and perception of safety.</li><li>Surveys of 1.7 million members of the health care workforce show a rebound in their reported experience, resilience and perceptions of safety culture,&nbsp;following the enormous strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.</li><li>Alongside improvements in safety culture, patient experience and employee experience, there were improvements in key safety outcomes like falls and infections&nbsp;— across more than 25,000 units in 2,430 hospitals.</li></ul>The report demonstrates continued positive trends for hospitals and health systems that were outlined in a <a href="/guidesreports/2024-09-12-new-analysis-shows-hospitals-performance-key-patient-safety-measures-surpassing-pre-pandemic-levels" target="_blank" title="AHA, Vizient Report">September&nbsp;2024 report we released in conjunction with Vizient</a>&nbsp;that showed a decrease in adverse patient safety events along with increasing health care screenings — even as hospitals are caring for more higher acuity patients.The reports are part of the AHA’s Patient Safety Initiative, which was launched in 2023 to reaffirm hospital and health system leadership and commitment to patient safety. The initiative provides hospitals with tools and data to advance patient safety, offers a platform for sharing their stories of improvement with peers, and highlights examples of innovation that support, spread and sustain safety improvement.You can see more about these efforts on <a href="/aha-patient-safety-initiative" target="_blank" title="AHA Patient Safety Initiative web page">AHA’s webpage</a>, where among other resources you can view <a href="/leading-safety-aha-quest-quality-series#Q4QVideoSeries" target="_blank" title="Leading for Safety video series">Leading for Safety, a video series</a> hosted by Dr. Estes that explores how health care leaders can drive safer, higher-quality care by fostering a culture of safety and innovation.Health care is about people caring for other people.&nbsp;While hospitals and health systems continue to make progress on their efforts to advance quality and safety, we know that the journey is far from over. Hospitals and health systems will never stop working to advance patient safety and quality. It has been&nbsp;—&nbsp;and will always be&nbsp;—&nbsp;our field’s top priority. Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:22:09 -0500 Perspective Unity, Purpose and Resolve Will Drive AHA’s 2025 Annual Membership Meeting /news/perspective/2025-03-07-unity-purpose-and-resolve-will-drive-ahas-2025-annual-membership-meeting We look forward to welcoming hospital and health system leaders to our <a href="/education-events/2025-aha-annual-membership-meeting" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting website">2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting</a> in Washington, D.C., in less than two months.While the meeting venue will be familiar to attendees who have participated in the conference recently, make no mistake, our nation’s capital is a very different place than it was last year. With new leadership and a new agenda in Washington, the stakes are high as there are a number of opportunities and challenges coming at hospitals and health systems.Our top priorities are clear. We must ensure continued access to health coverage for vulnerable populations and the financial sustainability of hospitals and health systems so they can deliver the care that people and communities depend on.At the top of the list this is preventing potentially devastating cuts to the Medicaid program and extending the enhanced premium tax credits — which expire at the end of this year — so that millions of low- and-middle-income individuals can purchase affordable private insurance on the health care exchanges. As you know, we are putting on a <a href="/news/perspective/2025-02-28-full-court-press-protect-access-care-patients-and-communities" target="_blank">full court press</a> to prevent potential cuts to Medicaid, which is a lifeline for not only providing access to so many vulnerable people — from children and babies to the disabled, veterans, seniors and nursing home patients — but also to so many hard working, low-income folks, whether they are farmers, ranchers or single moms.Other priorities for supporting the financial health of hospitals and their ability to care for patients include protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program that requires drug companies to provide certain hospitals with discounted prices when buying outpatient medicines, and preventing so-called Medicare site-neutral payment policies, which if implemented would reduce access to critical health care services, especially in rural and other underserved communities.These steps to protect access to care are also fundamental to our work to address disparities in health outcomes.&nbsp;This work ensures the highest quality of care for all patients in every community.The stories of our patients’ and caregivers’ challenges are central to our message. For all of these issues and many others, we need to make the case to our lawmakers about the real-world impact their proposals would have on the people and communities they represent.&nbsp;&nbsp;That’s why this year’s Annual Membership Meeting, perhaps more so than any other in recent years, is so pivotal. It’s an important opportunity for us to unite and deliver a powerful message to lawmakers as we continue to make the case for protecting the ability of hospitals and health systems to deliver the care patients and communities depend on.We are putting finishing touches on the final program for the meeting, but you can count on insightful conversations with top policymakers, legislators and thought leaders on the most pressing issues facing our field and our country. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the nation to share strategies on innovative efforts that are transforming the way we deliver care to patients and communities.We hope you can <a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org/registration" target="_blank" title="2025 Annual Membership Meeting registration">join us</a> May 4 – 6 and be a part of the important story we must tell. It’s about highlighting the tremendous work caregivers do every hour of every day, preserving access to the 24/7 care and services that only hospitals and health systems provide, and protecting the special role hospitals and health systems play as cornerstones of their communities throughout the country.With so much at stake in the coming weeks and months, it is vital that we continue to face health care’s challenges together, speaking as one voice to protect the blue and white “H” that is a beacon of health, healing and hope in every community across the nation.As AHA’s 2025 Board Chair Tina Freese Decker reminds us, “We can do hard things.” Our field has risen to meet many difficult challenges before, and we can do it again as we navigate through these new threats and continue to work to advance health in America.&nbsp; Fri, 07 Mar 2025 08:21:12 -0600 Perspective A Full Court Press to Protect Access to Care for Patients and Communities /news/perspective/2025-02-28-full-court-press-protect-access-care-patients-and-communities With March kicking off tomorrow, we’re approaching March Madness when college basketball teams across the country compete in the annual tournament that often is full of twists, turns and surprises.&nbsp;On Capitol Hill, we’re facing our own March Madness. Congress must act by March 14 to fund the government, and there’s no agreement on how to do that yet. As part of the process, by the end of March, Congress must address several expiring health care provisions, including preventing Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts; extending enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs; and extending telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers.At the same time, House and Senate Republicans continue to move forward with their <a href="/issue-landing-page/2025-02-07-budget-reconciliation-process-resource-page" target="_blank">budget reconciliation</a>&nbsp;frameworks that could have significant implications for hospitals and patients’ access to care. The House this week narrowly passed its budget resolution that calls for $2 trillion in spending cuts, many of which could impact Medicaid and other key health care programs. The Senate last week adopted its own&nbsp;budget resolution&nbsp;focusing on the border, military and energy.While these actions are significant, both chambers must pass a common budget resolution to move forward with the reconciliation process, so in basketball terms, we’re still in the first half of the game with lots of time for action.The focus now turns to House-Senate negotiations, the next step in this process, as both chambers must agree to common language and goals. They remain far apart on several key issues, and we anticipate strenuous back and forth over elements that include making President Trump’s tax cuts permanent and pulling back some of the House’s proposed deep spending cuts in programs like Medicaid.Where lawmakers will land on a budget is far from settled and the stakes for patient access to care are high. In baseball terms, we’re at the start of the second inning, and AHA needs your voice turned up more than ever as we continue to engage with key stakeholders in the Administration, House and Senate to educate them on the serious impact any cuts to Medicaid and other programs will have on patients and communities.<h2>AHA Resources and Advocacy Day</h2>The AHA is continuing its full court press urging lawmakers to extend the health care provisions expected to expire next month and protect hospital care and programs that patients rely on, including Medicaid. We also are hosting a March 4 Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., during which hospital and health system leaders will get a briefing on the latest updates and then meet with their lawmakers and staff on Capitol Hill. Please see our recent <a href="/action-alert/2025-02-07-contact-your-lawmakers-and-urge-them-extend-key-health-care-policies-set-expire-next-month" target="_blank" title="AHA Action Alert">AHA Action Alert</a> for key advocacy messages and resources that can assist you in conversations with your lawmakers.<h2>Coalition Advertising and Digital Resources</h2>Meanwhile, the <a href="https://strengthenhealthcare.org/" target="_blank">Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare</a>, of which the AHA is a founding member, has launched a multimedia advertising campaign, highlighting Medicaid’s critical impact on more than 72 million Americans who rely on the program for access to&nbsp;care.The ad campaign features a new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVxw6uJ2sc" target="_blank" title="Faces of Medicaid TV Commercial">television commercial, “Faces of Medicaid</a>,” warning of potentially devastating cuts to Medicaid and urging Congress to protect Medicaid and ensure access to care for patients.The power of stories is central to our message. Lawmakers need to hear specific examples about the dire impact on their communities of potential cuts to Medicaid, which could undermine the entire health care system. They need to hear how the cuts could affect Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients alike, including facility and service closures, increased costs to the private sector, states raising taxes to cover the shortfall, and increased access issues for everyone when emergency departments jam up because that is the only place people can turn to for care.Part of this effort is also making certain elected officials are aware of the faces and names that are impacted, including children, veterans and hardworking Americans.The commercial is running on TV nationally, in Washington, D.C., and in other targeted markets. The ad campaign also includes digital targeting of key elected officials, as well as publications inside the Beltway and influential new media outlets.In addition to the advertising campaign, the Coalition has developed and shared <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRNuvabV4VqmE5lPufY2EFML5pL7wGwNxhVzs9SvitQ/edit" target="_blank" title="Digital Resources">digital resources</a> that hospitals and health systems can use as part of their advocacy efforts to protect Medicaid. And the Coalition is engaging its more than 2.6 million advocates in grassroots activities with legislators across the country.&nbsp;<h2>Your Voice Is Critical</h2>We’ve seen time and time again that lawmakers listen most to the people who live, work and vote in their districts.&nbsp;With such tight margins in the House and the Senate, it’s clear that every lawmaker’s vote is crucial. That means it’s more important than ever that our field speaks loudly and frequently about the need to protect access to 24/7 hospital care for our friends, families and neighbors.Watch for more resources and updates from the AHA during the next few weeks as together we make the case for ensuring access to care for our patients and communities. Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:53:55 -0600 Perspective Ensuring Access to Quality Care for Patients in Rural America /news/perspective/2025-02-21-ensuring-access-quality-care-patients-rural-america All hospitals and health systems — regardless of their size or geographic location — are cornerstones of their community.For the roughly 60 million Americans living in rural areas, their local hospital is the lifeblood of their community. In addition to often being the only source of emergency, preventive and specialized care within hundreds of miles, rural hospitals frequently are the largest employer in their community and contribute greatly to the local economy. They also are at the center of many activities and community partnerships that are crucial to advancing health.It's no secret that hospitals and health systems are facing many challenges right now. Those include changes in how health care is delivered; continued fractures in our health care system ranging from workforce shortages, broken supply chains and access to behavioral health care; as well as proposals to significantly reduce federal funding for hospital care, which the government already chronically underpays.These challenges often are exacerbated for rural hospitals, many of which are struggling financially and are fighting to preserve access to local care. In fact, we released a <a href="/press-releases/2025-02-20-new-aha-report-shows-growing-pressure-medicare-advantage-rural-hospitals-ability-care-communities" target="_blank">report</a> yesterday that found rural hospitals face mounting challenges related to certain Medicare Advantage insurance plans that are affecting patient care and their sustainability as a critical health care provider.Starting Sunday more than 1,200 senior executives, physician and nurse leaders, and trustees from rural hospitals and health systems will come together at the <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference">2025 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference</a> to share actionable strategies for advancing health in rural communities.We’ll share innovative approaches to improve patient quality and safety; learn about strategies for a more sustainable and flexible rural health care workforce, advancements in telehealth, information technology and artificial intelligence; and discuss new models of care and payment that align with rural hospitals’ needs; among many other topics.Attendees also will hear the latest developments from Washington, D.C., including our advocacy efforts to extend key health care extenders that need to be enacted by the end of next month, including the enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs; telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers; and relief from cuts to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital program.At the same time, we’re urging Congress to reject dramatic reductions in the Medicaid program; extend enhanced premium tax credits to help eligible individuals and families purchase coverage on the health insurance marketplaces; prevent so-called site-neutral payment reductions; and protect the 340B Drug Pricing Program from harmful changes; among other priorities. You can see more details and resources to assist your advocacy efforts in our recent <a href="/action-alert/2025-02-07-contact-your-lawmakers-and-urge-them-extend-key-health-care-policies-set-expire-next-month" target="_blank" title="AHA Action Alert">Action Alert</a>.While there is a lot of uncertainty in health care right now, we can be certain about a couple of things.Our nation needs our hospitals and health systems. We are a critical part of the nation’s infrastructure.Our patients need our hospitals and health systems. We are essential to the health and well-being of all Americans.And our communities need our hospitals and health systems. As long as we have their support, we will be successful in meeting these challenges. Fri, 21 Feb 2025 08:30:43 -0600 Perspective