/ en Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:02:41 -0500 Tue, 08 Apr 25 13:05:33 -0500 /education-events/leading-way-health-care-organizations-commitment-workforce-well-being <div class="TTevent">/* Forces the event Content Type to be 100% */ .container .row .col-md-8{ width: 100% } .event-registration-link a{ margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block; text-align: center; } .event-registration-link a.btn-block { max-width: 300px; } .TTevent h3{ color:#002855; } .TTeventBonus{ color:#9d2235; font-weight:700; font-style: italic; } .TTeventdate{ font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; color: #555555bb; line-height: 20px; } .TTeventSponsor img{ max-height:100px; } <p class="TTeventdate">Wednesday, May 14 at 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT, 11:00 am MT, 10:00 am PT)</p><p>In this engaging webinar, explore how health care organizations are approaching workforce well-being through innovative strategies. Our discussion will focus on comprehensive, system-wide approaches that cultivate a culture of well-being within health care environments. We will highlight the significant contributions of professional societies and organizations, such as CHARM and the AHA, in advancing these efforts. Additionally, we will delve into the importance of language and terminology in building consensus and fostering a unified commitment to workforce well-being. Finally, we will discuss how organizations might be held accountable for their commitment to this vital cause, ensuring they uphold their promises to support workforce well-being. If you're passionate about enhancing the well-being of the health care workforce, we encourage your attendance.</p><h3>Learning Objectives:</h3><ul><li><strong>Understand the Importance of Consensus:</strong> Learn how creating agreement on the language and terms used to describe workforce well-being can enhance collaborative efforts</li><li><strong>Explore System-Level Initiatives:</strong> Discover how healthcare organizations can commit to workforce well-being through initiatives like well-being-centered leadership, effective communication strategies, and innovative efficiency tools</li><li><strong>Recognize the Role of Professional Societies:</strong> Identify how entities like CHARM and the AHA contribute to the well-being of the healthcare workforce</li><li><strong>Accountability in Commitment:</strong> Consider strategies for holding healthcare organizations accountable for their efforts in promoting workforce well-being</li></ul><h3>Speaker:</h3><ul><li><strong>Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH</strong><br><em>Dean for Well-Being and Resilience, Chief Wellness Officer,</em> Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai</li></ul><h3>Continuing Education:</h3><p>Participants will earn <a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/2025_Team_%20Training_Webinar_CE_Designation.pdf" target="_blank">1.00 Joint Accreditation credit hour</a> for this webinar by completing all CE requirements. CE credit is provided by Duke University Health System Clinical Education & Professional Development. They are accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).</p><p>In order to qualify for credit, you must have an active Duke OneLink Account and watch the webinar live. If you do not have a Duke OneLink account, please follow <a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/2025_CE_Instructions_Webinars.pdf" target="_blank">these directions</a> to set up your account and confirm your mobile number (both steps are required). Please note this is a one-time set-up and you may use your account for all future AHA Team Training webinars.</p> <h3>Sponsored By:</h3> <a href="https://cnhs.fiu.edu/" target="_blank"><img alt="Florida International University | Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences" src="/sites/default/files/2022-04/Florida_International_University_logo_200x70.png" /> </a></div> </div>--> <div data-langcode="en" data-entity-type="webform" data-entity-uuid="0b43a680-6f37-4d3f-9bf9-4cd6c7c7ddc5" data-embed-button="webform_embed" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:webform.token" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity"> <div id="edit-processed-text" class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-processed-text form-item- js-form-item- form-no-label"> <div class="TTwebinarHide"> .webform-submission-form { max-width: 700px; } .TTwebinarHide{ display:none } .event-content.panel .TTwebinarHide { display:block; background-color: #fff; padding: 15px 15px 15px 15px; border: solid 2px #307FE2; text-align: center; } <p><a href="/center/team-training">Team Training</a> offers a variety of webinars - view our <a href="/center/team-training/webinars">current offering(s)</a> or browse the <a href="/center/team-training/webinars/library">library</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div></div> Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:05:33 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience /aha-patient-safety-initiative/us-hospitals-and-health-systems-enhance-patient-safety <div class="row"><div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1"> .PSIStates { background-color:; float:left } .PSIStates{ overflow:auto; } .PSIStates h2 { text-align: center; text-transform:uppercase; border-bottom:solid 5px; /*margin-top:50px*/ } @media (min-width:700px){ .PSIStates img { float:right; width:40vw; min-width:400px; max-width:475px; margin-left:15px; margin-top: 15px; } } @media (max-width:699px){ .PSIStates img { width:auto; max-width: calc(100% - 150px); margin:auto; display:block } } .PSIStates .btn-primary{ margin-top:25px; } .PSI-StateList{ text-align:center; margin-bottom:15px; } <div class="PSI-StateList" id="StateList"><a href="#alabama" title="Jump to Alabama">AL</a> | <a href="#arizona" title="Jump to Arizona">AZ</a> | <a href="#arkansas" title="Jump to Arkansas">AR</a> | <a href="#california" title="Jump to California">CA</a> | <a href="#colorado" title="Jump to Colorado">CO</a> | <a href="#connecticut" title="Jump to Connecticut">CT</a> | <a href="#delaware" title="Jump to Delaware">DE</a> | <a href="#florida" title="Jump to Florida">FL</a> | <a href="#georgia" title="Jump to Georgia">GA</a> | <a href="#illinois" title="Jump to Illinois">IL</a> | <a href="#indiana" title="Jump to Indiana">IN</a> | <a href="#iowa" title="Jump to Iowa">IA</a> | <a href="#kansas" title="Jump to Kansas">KS</a> | <a href="#kentucky" title="Jump to Kentucky">KY</a> | <a href="#maryland" title="Jump to Maryland">MD</a> | <a href="#massachusetts" title="Jump to Massachusetts">MA</a> | <a href="#michigan" title="Jump to Michigan">MI</a> | <a href="#missouri" title="Jump to Missouri">MO</a> | <a href="#montana" title="Jump to Montana">MT</a> | <a href="#nevada" title="Jump to Nevada">NV</a> | <a href="#new-hampshire" title="Jump to New Hampshire">NH</a> | <a href="#new-jersey" title="Jump to New Jersey">NJ</a> | <a href="#north-carolina" title="Jump to North Carolina">NC</a> | <a href="#ohio" title="Jump to Ohio">OH</a> | <a href="#pennsylvania" title="Jump to Pennsylvania">PA</a> | <a href="#south-carolina" title="Jump to South Carolina">SC</a> | <a href="#south-dakota" title="Jump to South Dakota">SD</a> | <a href="#virginia" title="Jump to Virginia">VA</a> | <a href="#washington" title="Jump to Washington">WA</a> | <a href="#wisconsin" title="Jump to Wisconsin">WI</a> | <a href="#dc" title="Jump to District of Columbia">D.C.</a></div><div class="PSIStatesWrapper"><div class="PSIStates" id="alabama"><h2>Alabama</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Childrens-Hospital-Alabama-Birmingham-700x532.jpg" alt="Exterior view of the building for Children's of Alabama" id="ChildrensAlabama"><h3>Children's of Alabama</h3><h4>Quest for Zero/Solutions for Patient Safety Collaborative</h4><p>Through its own patient safety initiatives, Children’s of Alabama supports the national goals of the Solutions for Patient Safety Collaborative, a group of children’s hospitals working together to help each other reach zero harm. Children’s Quality Improvement Committee focuses on addressing hospital-acquired conditions through training videos and other tools. Their work helps strengthen safety by reducing surgical site infections, pressure injuries, falls, sepsis and adverse drug events among other things.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.childrensal.org/childrens-sps-initiative" title="Children’s of Alabama | Children's SPS Initiative">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Crestwood-Medical-Center-nurse-patient-700x532.jpg" alt="Crestwood Medical Center nurse holding a patients hand in bed" id="CrestwoodMedical"><h3>Crestwood Medical Center</h3><h4>Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE)</h4><p>To improve geriatric care, Crestwood Medical Center launched the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) program, which addresses clinical issues such as falls, pain, skin breakdown and wounds, use of advance directives and family involvement in decision-making. Additionally, NICHE aims to make the physical and social environment friendlier to older adult patients. Crestwood Medical Center has implemented steps to recognize and address the unique needs of elderly patients with the support of a core group of geriatric resource nurses who have received additional education and training specific to geriatric nursing.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.crestwoodmedcenter.com/acute-care-for-the-elderly" title="Crestwood Acute Care | Acute Care for Elderly (ACE)">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="arizona"><h2>Arizona</h2><h3 id="ValleywiseHealth">Valleywise Health</h3><h4>Bicycle Helmet Screening and Distribution in the ER: An Injury Prevention Program</h4><p>Protecting children from serious injury is paramount. Through a state safety grant, Valleywise received funds to purchase bicycle helmets to distribute at community events focusing on health and safety. To protect young Arizonans, staff distributed helmets at no cost to families at community and school events and Valleywise Comprehensive Health Centers and Family Resource Centers. Through this program, Valleywise offers a proactive health measure aimed at preventing head injuries. In light of serious injuries from bicycle accidents, including a significant number of pediatric patients arriving in the emergency department, Valleywise educated children and their families about preventing injuries and riding safely.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://assets.nationbuilder.com/azhha/pages/902/attachments/original/1730745142/Valleywise_BicycleHelmetScreeningandDistroinED_POSTER.pdf?1730745142" title="Valleywise Health | Bicycle Helmet Screening and Distribution in the Emergency Department An Injury Prevention Program to engage the community during Emergency Department visits.">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="arkansas"><h2>Arkansas</h2><h3 id="NEABaptist">NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital</h3><h4>C-diff Task Force Committee</h4><p>NEA Baptist Memorial established the C-diff Task Force Committee aiming to eliminate the spread of C-diff, a common bacterial infection that can be acquired in a hospital. The committee developed and implemented various strategies to reduce C-diff, including reducing hospital-acquired infections, evaluating patient care processes and systems-based practices, and optimizing utilization of health care resources. For its efforts, the C-diff Task Force Committee was awarded the Baptist President’s Quality Award.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://bmme-imresidency-neabaptist.org/Quality_Improvement" title="NEA Baptist Residency | Quality Improvement & Patient Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="california"><h2>California</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Childrens-Hospital-Los-Angeles-700x532.jpg" alt="Smiling baby boy with a trach" id="ChildrensHospital"><h3>Children's Hospital Los Angeles</h3><h4>Southern California’s First Aerodigestive Program</h4><p>Aerodigestive disorders affect the airways or upper and lower respiratory tracts. In response, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles launched a pediatric Aerodigestive Program specifically designed to address children’s ability to breathe, swallow and eat. As a subspecialty of its nationally ranked Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine and Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Hepatology services, the program developed effective ways to better serve pediatric patients. Successful strategies used in this program include a collaborative team approach, comprehensive diagnostic testing, specialized clinics and an expert care team including nutritionists as well as digestive, respiratory and breathing specialists.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.chla.org/aerodigestive-program" title="Children’s Hospital Los Angeles | Aerodigestive Program">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="colorado"><h2>Colorado</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Intermountain-Health-smmck9groupphoto2-700x532.jpg" alt="SMMC K-9 group with 4 handlers and their dogs" id="IntermountainHealth"><h3>Intermountain Health St. Mary's Regional Hospital</h3><h4>Culture of Care & K-9 Program</h4><p>Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital created a #CultureofCare campaign to combat a rise in verbal and physical workplace violence incidences directed against health care workers. The #CultureofCare campaign aims to make sure everyone knows abuse will not be permitted and staff will be supported when it does occur. The #CultureofCare programs seek to ensure health care workers’ safety through education, training and system enhancements, including an innovative K-9 program at St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Colorado. The dogs are trained to protect in life-threatening situations and to provide comfort and emotional support for employees, patients, family and visitors.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://cha.com/intermountain-health-st-marys-regional-hospital-culture-of-care-k-9-program/" title="Colorado Hospital Association | Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital – Culture of Care & K-9 Program">Learn More</a></p><p><br><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Denver-Health-CO-700x532.jpg" alt="Hand written sign that says: Welcome! This is your space for reflection, decompression & meaningful connection - to yourself and other in the community - HEART picture" id="DenverHealth"></p><h3>Denver Health</h3><h4>Resilience and Equity through Support and Training for Organizational Renewal (RESTORE) Program</h4><p>Employee well-being influences the quality of patient care and the ability of hospitals to recruit and retain high quality staff, so Denver Health dedicated resources toward improving employees’ mental well-being and reducing employee burnout. The Resilience and Equity through Support and Training for Organizational Renewal (RESTORE) program was designed to promote and sustain the mental well-being of the workforce; support individual, collective and organizational resilience through timely and confidential peer-delivered emotional support and psychological first aid; and provide trauma and resilience-informed education and training. Since the program launched in 2020, it has supported more than 519,000 touches and more than 16,500 encounters or activations for psychological first aid and emotional support. More than 4,500 individuals have participated in RESTORE.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://cha.com/denver-health-and-hospital-authority-resilience-and-equity-through-support-and-training-for-organizational-renewal/" title="Colorado Hospital Association | Denver Health – Resilience and Equity through Support and Training for Organizational Renewal">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="connecticut"><h2>Connecticut</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-UConn-Health-Safety-photo-for-UCT-700x532.jpg" alt="Scott Allen standing with the word SAFTEY in multiple languages" id="UConnHealth"><h3>UConn Health</h3><h4>Culture of Safety Where We Put the Patient First</h4><p>UConn Health has embraced a culture of safety to create a positive environment for patients and staff. The hospital encourages CHAMP behaviors: Communicate Clearly, Handoff Effectively, pay Attention to Detail, Mentor and Coach Others, and Practice and Accept a Questioning Attitude. UConn Health also encourages employees to embrace the STAR approach – Stop-Think-Act-Review – to take a short, mini-mental timeout before proceeding with a specific task to ensure it is the appropriate step. UConn also holds morning safety huddles designed to focus staff attention on safety in the hospital. It supports an error analysis program encouraging collaboration between the quality team and frontline staff to focus on ways to improve their system of care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://today.uconn.edu/2024/04/uconn-healths-culture-of-safety-where-we-put-the-patient-first/" title="University of Connecticut | UConn Health’s Culture of Safety Where We Put the Patient First">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="delaware"><h2>Delaware</h2><h3 id="Bayhealth">Bayhealth</h3><h4>Mobile Care Clinic</h4><p>In 2023, Bayhealth launched a rolling clinic in a 38-foot medical recreational vehicle (RV) to help improve patient access to health care throughout central and southern Delaware. Bayhealth Mobile Care provides care to underserved and hard-to-reach communities throughout the state. The rolling clinic offers blood pressure checks, health education, health screenings and vaccinations. Bayhealth Mobile Care also enables Bayhealth to offer on-site occupational health services including hearing tests, physical exams, laboratory work and electrocardiograms.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.bayhealth.org/community-wellness/community-outreach/mobile-care" title="Bayhealth | Health on the Move">Learn More</a></p><hr><h3 id="ChristianaCare">ChristianaCare</h3><h4>School-Based Health Centers</h4><p>To encourage a lifelong path of wellness, ChristianaCare supports school-based health centers in Delaware’s elementary schools. Each school-based health center includes a health care team of medical, mental health, community health and nutrition experts. In addition to the School-Based Health Center, students are connected to the full ChristianaCare system of care. These wrap-around services are most effective in engaging students and creating positive health outcomes.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://christianacare.org/us/en/care/primary-care/pediatrics/high-school-wellness-centers" title="ChristianaCare | Pediatric Services: School-Based Health Centers">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="florida"><h2>Florida</h2><h3 id="AdventHealthLake">Advent Health Lake Placid</h3><h4>“Speak Up” Program</h4><p>Patients at Advent Health Lake Placid and throughout all of Advent Health’s 55 acute care hospitals are encouraged to play an active role in their safety through the “Speak Up” Program. This program gives patients the opportunity to share their comments, suggestions and concerns about safety and quality of care via SHARE cards available throughout each hospital. It offers patients other actionable tips such as paying attention to the care you receive, educating yourself about tests being conducted as well as your diagnosis and treatment plan, asking a trusted friend or family member to be your health care advocate, knowing your lab results and medications, and using medical centers that have met rigorous safety standards.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.adventhealth.com/legal/patient-safety" title="AdventHealth | Patient Safety: Committed to Your Safety">Learn More</a></p><hr><h3 id="BayCareHealth">BayCare Health System</h3><h4>FirstFocus</h4><p>BayCare prioritizes safety first across the health system. It implemented and standardized FirstFocus meetings in all divisions of all facilities to review reported patient safety events, identify risks, assign improvement activities, share lessons learned, and spread effective changes throughout the organization. By forming a multidisciplinary cross-divisional First Focus Sprint Group to develop optimization recommendations and then share those recommendations across the safety chain of committees, including senior and executive leadership, BayCare has achieved strong buy-in and awareness across its system.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://baycare.org/about-us/clinical-quality-at-baycare-health-system/our-quality-philosophy" title="BayCare | Our Quality Philosophy">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="georgia"><h2>Georgia</h2><h3 id="CoffeeRegional">Coffee Regional Medical Center</h3><h4>Electronic Medication Reconciliation Improvement Process</h4><p>An important part of patient safety is reducing the risk of medical errors – and Coffee Regional Medical Center is achieving that through its Electronic Medication Reconciliation Improvement Process. This 98-bed hospital has implemented an advanced medication distribution system which includes a robotic pharmacy where patient barcodes are matched to prescription barcodes. This confirms that the right medications are delivered to the right patient, helping to improve patient safety and medical outcomes.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.coffeeregional.org/technology-at-crmc/" title="Coffee Regional Medical Center | Innovations in Technology">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="illinois"><h2>Illinois</h2><h3 id="FHNMemorial">FHN Memorial Hospital</h3><h4>Post-birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program</h4><p>FHN Memorial Hospital is prioritizing postpartum patient safety. Women in the first six to twelve weeks after delivering a baby are at higher risk of dying from pregnancy and birth-related complications such as blood clots or sepsis. To address this, each postpartum patient is given an orange wristband at discharge to serve as an alert. The bands are worn until the mother’s postpartum appointment with their provider. Additionally, if a post-partum patient has a medical emergency and is not able to communicate, the bracelet informs providers and emergency personnel of her postpartum status. Thanks to these alerts, FHN has increased the percentage of time when patients are triaged by a nurse within 10 minutes from 39% to 58%.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.fhn.org/Post-Birth-Alert-Bracelet.asp" title="FHN | Post-Birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="indiana"><h2>Indiana</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Hendricks-Regional-Health-483482354-700x532.jpg" alt="Group photo of Kim now that she is back to PT/OT with her therapists, Kayla and Laura." id="HendricksRegional"><h3>Hendricks Regional Health</h3><h4>Fall Prevention Program</h4><p>Falls are a leading cause of injury in hospitalized patients. Hendricks Regional Health has a patient-centric falls prevention program that provides all patients with the individual support they need to ambulate safely. The program assesses an individual’s fall risk, determines the safest way to assist a patient during ambulation and repositioning in bed, and offers an individualized patient safety tool sharing safe ambulation information among appropriate staff.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.hendricks.org/?id=1325&sid=1" title="Hendricks Regional Health | Health Equity and Fall Risk">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="iowa"><h2>Iowa</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Boone-medical-bed-700x532.jpg" alt="empty patients room with a medical bed" id="BooneCounty"><h3>Boone County Hospital</h3><h4>Safer Room</h4><p>Boone County Hospital opened a Safer Room in their Medical/Surgical Unit to keep patients in mental health crises safe. This room is specifically designed with specialized doors and secure medication storage to ensure the safety of both patients and staff while delivering essential medical and mental health care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.boonehospital.com/about-us/news-library/safer-room-open-for-patients" title="Boone County Hospital | Safer Room Opens for Patients">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="kansas"><h2>Kansas</h2><h3 id="UniversityKansas">The University of Kansas Health System</h3><h4>Equitable Colorectal Screening</h4><p>The University of Kansas Health System is helping close gaps in colorectal cancer screening. Through a partnership with other local providers, KU helps provide low-cost to no-cost fecal immunochemical test kits, and when needed, follow-up CT colonography and colonoscopies. Through a public-private partnership, the Health Partnership Clinic has developed innovative strategies to increase access to care and increase screening rates in their underserved patient population.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.khconline.org/news/khc-news-releases/648-health-partnership-clinic-closes-gaps-in-colorectal-cancer-screening " title="Kansas Healthcare Collaborative | Health Partnership Clinic Closes Gaps in Colorectal Cancer Screening">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="kentucky"><h2>Kentucky</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Owensboro-Infection-Prevention-Team-700x532.jpg" alt="Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Wins Kentucky Hospital Association" id="OwensboroHealth"><h3>Owensboro Health Regional Hospital</h3><h4>Infection Prevention Initiative</h4><p>Owensboro’s Infection Prevention Initiative team implemented a “no flash rule” to ensure better sterilization of surgical tools and instruments throughout the hospital. The hospital’s electronic medical record system is included in the project to assist with the scheduling process and to optimize the use of sterile instruments needed for surgical procedures. In four years, they have seen a 50.76% reduction in Class 2 surgical site infections.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.owensborohealth.org/news-events/news-media/2023/owensboro-health-regional-hospital-wins-kentucky-hospital-association" title="Owensboro Health | Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Wins Kentucky Hospital Association Quality Award">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="maryland"><h2>Maryland</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Meritus-MD-patient-nurse-700x532.jpg" alt="Nusre checking on a patient with loved one nearby" id="#MeritusHealth"><h3>Meritus Health</h3><h4>Team STEPPS Program</h4><p>Meritus Health has created a patient safety environment built on trust, fairness, and community. Through the Team STEPPS program, Meritus Health focuses on Communication, Situation Monitoring, Leading Teams, and Mutual Support to create a culture of safety at every level – from patients and families to care members and support staff. The Team STEPPS program, which is strengthened by other Meritus safety culture programs including increased security and teamwork, has resulted in a 10.7% decrease in care quality concerns and 21% drop in preventable harm events.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.meritushealth.com/about/patients-visitors/zero-harm" title="Meritus Health | Zero Harm">Learn More</a></p><p><br> </p><h3 id="JohnsHopkins">Johns Hopkins Medical</h3><h4>Communication and Resolution Program</h4><p>The team at Johns Hopkins Medical understands the importance of communication in ensuring patient safety. They created a Communication and Resolution Program (CRP) which promises consistent, open and honest communication between health care providers, patients and patients’ family members.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/armstrong-institute/clinical-operations/communication-resolution" title="Johns Hopkins Medicine | Communication and Resolution Program (CRP)">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="massachusetts"><h2>Massachusetts</h2><h3 id="EmersonHealth">Emerson Health</h3><h4>Equity Informed High Reliability</h4><p>Emerson Health is invested in creating a culture of reliability and trains all members of the board, senior leaders, and heads of the medical staff on Equity Informed High Reliability. Front line staff and patient and family input is included in all event evaluations to enhance risk perception and build safer systems. Safety reporting tripled the first year of the program and grew by another 25% the second year.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="/advancing-health-podcast/2024-08-14-it-starts-culture-quality-and-safety-emerson-health" title="It Starts with Culture: Quality and Safety at Emerson Health">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Boston-Medical-Center-485305819-700x532.jpg" alt="People gathered togther" id="BostonMedical"><h3>Boston Medical Center</h3><h4>Daily Safety Huddle</h4><p>Boston Medical Center’s daily safety huddle is a cornerstone of our commitment to patient safety and operational excellence, bringing together leaders from 50 hospital areas to collaborate in real-time. With >95% consistent participation, this seven-day-a-week forum ensures rapid issue resolution, fosters teamwork, and enhances communication, with nearly 100 attendees on weekdays and daily email summaries reaching 400 leaders. By reviewing safety events from the past 24 hours and anticipating potential challenges for the next 24, our huddle drives continuous improvement and proactive problem-solving across the hospital. In 2024, more than 6,900 safety and operational issues were raised at the huddle and 87% were resolved within one day.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.bmc.org/quality-and-safety" title="Boston Medical Center | Quality and Patient Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="michigan"><h2 id="michigan">Michigan</h2><h3 id="CorewellHealth">Corewell Health</h3><h4>Quality, Safety and Experience Department</h4><p>Corewell Health realizes the reality facing health care today - increasing complexity in operations and ever-higher targets for patient experience, safety and quality. They are pursuing a wide range of initiatives to improve the resilience of their systems and processes, with a special focus on patient care through their Quality, Safety and Experience Department. Corewell offers quality report cards for specific conditions and procedures to empower patients to make informed choices for the personalized care they seek.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.spectrumhealth.org/about-us/quality-safety-and-patient-experience/quality-reports" title="Corewell Health | Quality reports">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="missouri"><h2>Missouri</h2><h3 id="CoxNorth">Cox North Hospital</h3><h4>Safety and Injury Prevention</h4><p>Cox North offers innovative educational outreach programs focused on injury prevention in the community, school and workplace. These programs, which include safety measures related to poison, guns, biking, fires, water, driving and more, span from elementary school students to high schoolers and beyond and are available at no cost.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.coxhealth.com/services/trauma-services/safety-and-injury-prevention/." title="CoxHealth | Safety and Injury Prevention: Available Educational Outreach Programs">Learn More</a></p><hr><h3 id="ChildrensMercy">Children’s Mercy Hospital</h3><h4>Safety, Care & Nurturing (SCAN) program</h4><p>Mercy collaborates with social workers and government agencies to develop novel prevention and therapy programs. The Safety, Care & Nurturing (SCAN) program includes specially trained pediatric and adolescent sexual assault nurse examiners for expert forensic and medical care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.childrensmercy.org/departments-and-clinics/child-adversity-and-resilience/safety-care-and-nurturing/" title="The Children's Mercy Hospital | Safety, Care & Nurturing Clinic">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="montana"><h2>Montana</h2><h3 id="ProvidenceStJoseph">Providence St. Joseph Medical Center</h3><h4>Certified Safe Sleep Center</h4><p>Providence St. Joseph Medical Center is committed to eliminating sleep-related deaths by helping prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A specially designed program emphasizes the need to create a safe sleep environment by placing a baby on its back to sleep and following health care guidance for vaccines, breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.providence.org/locations/mt/st-joseph-medical-center/birthing-center/safe-sleep-hospital" title="Providence St. Joseph Medical Center | Certified Safe Sleep Hospital">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="nevada"><h2>Nevada</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Tahoe-Forest-Health-System-NV-700x532.jpg" alt="Medical personal making a little child happy" id="TahoeForest"><h3>Tahoe Forest Health System</h3><h4>STEEEP Framework</h4><p>Throughout the Tahoe Forest Hospital District, the system has adopted the Institute of Medicine’s ‘STEEEP’ framework to deliver quality care. Following the framework, staff and facilities are focused on providing care that is Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable, and Patient-centered. The Tahoe Forest team is focused on reducing surgical site infections and sepsis, improving Emergency Department Transfer Communication (EDTC), and more to strengthen patient safety.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.tfhd.com/about/quality-safety/" title="Tahoe Forest Health System | Quality & Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="new-hampshire"><h2>New Hampshire</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Dartmouth-Hitchcock-Medical-Center_patient-safety-training-center-room-700x532.jpg" alt="Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center patient safety training center room" id="DartmouthHitchcock"><h3>Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center</h3><h4>Patient Safety Training Center Programs</h4><p>As part of the Patient Safety Training Center, Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center incorporates innovative Simulation-Based Education and Research (SBER) for clinical skills and task training, competency development and scenario-based training. In using these simulation education tools, health care professionals acquire technical proficiency, knowledge, confidence, appropriate attitudes and team skills to continue the journey to safer practice and excellence in patient care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/patient-safety-center" title="Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center | The Patient Safety Training Center">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="new-jersey"><h2>New Jersey</h2><h3 id="TrinitasRegional">Trinitas Regional Medical Center</h3><h4>Operation SAFE Program</h4><p>Trinitas Regional Medical Center has rolled out a program addressing the potential anxiety children and families may face before a patient or loved one undergoes surgery. Trinitas provides a supportive and friendly environment through their Operation SAFE (Supportive and Friendly Environment) Program. The program allows for pre-op tours of the hospital, an operating room holding area for parents, and enables parents to play an active role in the operation prep process.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.rwjbh.org/trinitas-regional-medical-center/patients-visitors/operation-safe-at-trinitas/" title="Trinitas Regional Medical Center | Operation Safe At Trinitas">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="north-carolina"><h2>North Carolina</h2><h3 id="UNCHealth">UNC Health</h3><h4>Health Quality Expo</h4><p>UNC Health’s Annual Quality Expo showcases performance improvement initiatives across the organization, providing departments an opportunity to share their success stories. Over the past two years, each expo featured more than 100 poster presentations. In 2023, the Anesthesiology Department won the “Collaboration Is Key” award for its “Code OR Root Cause Analysis” project, which focused on improving communication between six separate teams including Carolina Air Care.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.uncmedicalcenter.org/uncmc/about/quality-and-safety/projects-and-programs/" title="UNC Medical Center | Projects and Programs">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="ohio"><h2>Ohio</h2><h3 id="SummaHealth">Summa Health</h3><h4>I'm 4 Safety</h4><p>With the aim of providing safe and reliable care to patients, Summa Health and its medical staff have partnered to implement the “I’m 4 Safety” training program, bringing successful practices from other highly complex industries like aviation into their everyday health care operations. In addition to an initial comprehensive course, most Summa Health staff members are required to participate in a renewal course every two years, ensuring that they remain up to date on the most sophisticated safety protocols.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.summahealth.org/medical-staff/orientation/im-4-safety-training-requirement" title="Summa Health System | “I’m 4 Safety” Training Requirement ">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="pennsylvania"><h2>Pennsylvania</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/PSI-UPMC-Presbyterian-Nursing-PA-700x532.jpg" alt="Medical Staff looking closley at something one is pointing to on a monitor" id="UniversityPittsburgh"><h3>University of Pittsburgh Medical Center</h3><h4>Infection Prevention CAUTI</h4><p>The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center launched a program to reduce or eliminate the number of infections acquired during a hospital stay. Infections caused by urinary catheters are among the most common infections caused by a medical device while a patient is in the hospital. UPMC takes many steps to prevent CAUTIs, including only using urinary catheters when necessary, allowing only nurses and well-trained staff who have been taught sterile techniques to insert and remove catheters, as well as having caregivers wash their hands and wear gloves when working with the catheter.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.upmc.com/about/why-upmc/quality/patient-safety/avoiding-injuries/infection-prevention/cauti" title="UPMC | Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="south-carolina"><h2>South Carolina</h2><h3 id="MUSCHealth">MUSC Health</h3><h4>Just Culture</h4><p>MUSC Health has achieved remarkable results since instituting a “Just Culture,” or an environment where open reporting of things that are wrong, unsafe or inefficient can be done without fear of major repercussions. Since MUSC put this culture into place a decade ago, they have seen remarkable results. In 2023, MUSC’s reported harm rate (such as medication errors, surgical mistakes and preventable patient falls) was 2.5%, meaning very few incidences resulted in actual harm. With this culture in place, MUSC can quickly identify problems and address issues quickly and efficiently resulting in a positive outcome.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://web.musc.edu/about/news-center/2023/11/01/just-culture" title="Medical University of South Carolina | Creating a culture of safety is what’s best for provider and patient">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="south-dakota"><h2>South Dakota</h2><h3 id="SanfordHealth">Sanford Health</h3><h4>Accountability for Excellence</h4><p>Sanford Health’s safety program aims to eliminate preventable harm. Everyone is responsible for ensuring safety, not just those who provide direct care to patients. By standardizing training for every single employee, there’s been a change in culture and practice where staff have a shared language and commitment to identifying, reporting, and addressing actual and potential safety events. Through this program, Sanford Health noted a 57% reduction in its serious safety event rate thus far.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://news.sanfordhealth.org/podcast/ep-14-sanfords-journey-to-zero-preventable-harm/" title="Sanford Health | Sanford’s journey to zero preventable harm">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="virginia"><h2>Virginia</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Carilion-Clinic_nonsurg3-700x532.jpg" alt="Carilion Clinic patient room" id="CarilionClinic"><h3>Carilion Clinic</h3><h4>Using Data to Drive Mortality Rate Improvements</h4><p>The Roanoke-based hospital saw an opportunity to address mortality outcomes in 2022 and created a real-time mortality review system. The hospital’s leadership gathers weekly to discuss current data, trends and patterns in outcomes to quickly identify areas for investment and improvement. Within two years of establishing this process, Carilion’s mortality rate has improved by more than 50% – remarkable progress over an already high benchmark. These significant achievements led to Carilion Clinic being named a finalist for AHA’s Quest for Quality Prize in 2024.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="/press-releases/2024-07-17-aha-honors-four-hospitals-health-systems-their-dedication-and-commitment-quality" title="AHA Honors Four Hospitals & Health Systems For Their Dedication and Commitment to Quality">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Mary-Washington-Healthcare-Safety-Team-Photo-700x532.jpg" alt="Mary Washington Healthcare Safety Team Photo" id="MaryWashington"><h3>Mary Washington Healthcare</h3><h4>Unified Quality Governance Drives Incredible Improvements</h4><p>When leaders at Mary Washington Healthcare realized it wasn’t scoring as high it would like on safety and quality measures, they instituted a unified Quality Governance structure to coordinate all efforts within the organization. Projects related to health care-associated infections, patient safety indicators, readmissions, mortality, and NTSV C-sections were integrated into the framework. Physicians were assigned to oversee or “own” the projects. This approach enabled Mary Washington Healthcare to formulate improvement plans with multidisciplinary input, streamline work requests and establish clear lines of accountability. As a result, it significantly improved its performance in preventing infections, mortality and readmissions.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/about-us/" title="Mary Washington Healthcare | About Mary Washington Healthcare">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="washington"><h2>Washington</h2><h3 id="VirginiaMason">Virginia Mason Franciscan Health System</h3><h4>Evidence-based practice improvements strengthen a culture of safety</h4><p>Virginia Mason Franciscan Health considers each of its 5,000 staff members to be "safety inspectors" responsible for detecting and preventing potential medical errors before they occur. Each employee completes mistake-proofing training, which empowers them to identify and raise any patient-safety related issues, including hospital-acquired infections. This culture empowers employees to call attention to potential mistakes, without fear of blame or retaliation. As part of its efforts to eliminate avoidable death and injury in its facilities, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health also implements evidence-based practice improvements in 12 clinical areas to continually up the bar on patient safety.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.vmfh.org/about-vmfh/research-care-quality/quality-patient-safety" title=" Virginia Mason Franciscan Health | Quality & Patient Safety">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="wisconsin"><h2>Wisconsin</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/PSI-Aurora-Health-Care-Org-700x532.jpg" alt="Aurora Health Care Org Exterior" id="AuroraMedical"><h3 id="">Aurora Medical Center - Manitowoc County, Two Rivers</h3><h4>Implementing a Visual Management Board System to Improve Patient Safety</h4><p>Located in a largely rural county that abuts Lake Michigan, Aurora Medical Center - Manitowoc County, Two Rivers is a cornerstone of the community. The hospital’s patient care units hold regular huddles to discuss ways to improve patient care, quality, and provide other necessary information. An organizational review of huddle practices showed opportunity for standardized huddle practices to consistently promote sensitivity to operations, situational awareness of current concerns and problem resolution. To improve, local hospital leadership standardized the process and implemented a visual management board. As a result, care teams now hold shorter, more efficient huddles at the start of every shift to discuss the unit’s daily goals with the opportunity to customize the discussion based on patient and department need.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://wha.org/data-publications/reports/quality/2024/aurora-medical-center-manitowoc-county,-two-rivers" title="Aurora Medical Center | Manitowoc County, Two Rivers, 2024 Quality">Learn More</a></p><hr><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/PSI-Tomah-Health-IMG_8169-700x532.jpg" alt="Tomah resident Jackie Flock, left, walked with assistance from Tomah Health certified nursing assistant / Ambulation Aide Vicki Gonzales. Hospital officials say the WHA designed MOVIN program has made a difference for patients and staff." id="TomahHealth"><h3>Tomah Health</h3><h4>Preventing Falls Is Vital</h4><p>Preventing falls is vital to keeping hospitalized patients safe. To help avoid debilitating falls—which are more likely to occur after a period of prolonged bedrest––Tomah Health implemented the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s Mobilizing Older adults Via a systems-based Intervention (MOVIN)® program. By working with patients to set mobility goals and incorporating ambulation into each patient’s care plan, the MOVIN program helps individuals regain strength, prevent injuries, and ease the transition out of the hospital and back into the community.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide ext" href="https://www.tomahhealth.org/wha-movin-program-enhances-tomah-health-care/" target="_blank" title="Tomah Health | WHA MOVIN Program Enhances Tomah Health Care">Learn More</a></p></div><div class="PSIStates" id="dc"><h2>District of Columbia (D.C.)</h2><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/PSI-Childrens-National-Hospital-NICU-baby-700x532.jpg" alt="NICU baby holding a finger" id="ChildrensNational"><h3>Children's National Hospital</h3><h4>Reducing Vancomycin Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)</h4><p>Children’s National Hospital is pioneering a program to reduce the use of the antibiotic vancomycin in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The assembled multidisciplinary team decreased vancomycin use in the NICU by 60% and recorded no episodes of vancomycin-associated kidney injury in the NICU. The team developed and implemented several interventions, including standardizing the hospital’s approach to treating several types of infections, integrating pharmacists into the antibiotic review process and educating clinicians on antibiotic use. As an added benefit of the program, the use of other antibiotics in the NICU also declined by about 20%.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-wide" href="https://www.childrensnational.org/about-us/quality-and-safety/for-our-families" title="Children’s National Hospital | For Our Families">Learn More</a></p></div></div></div></div> .ReturnTop { float: right; background-color:; position:relative; left:-0px; top:0px; } .ReturnTop a{ float: right; background-color: ; position: relative; left: -0px; top: 33px; padding: 5px 15px 5px 15px; border-radius: 5px; color: ; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; } .ReturnTop a:hover{ background-color: ; } // Finds all of the same Class with name... const elements = document.querySelectorAll('.PSIStates'); // Adds HTML Before each Class elements.forEach(element => { element.insertAdjacentHTML('beforebegin', '<div class="ReturnTop"><a href="#StateList" title="Jump back to the top of the state list">Top ↑</div>'); }); Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:10:46 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience /education-events/well-being-debriefings-intervention-support-workforce-well-being-and-patient-safety <p>Well-being debriefings provide a structured, peer-facilitated space for health care teams to process the emotional demands of their work, reduce burnout, and enhance team communication. These reflective sessions foster a supportive culture among colleagues, strengthening workforce resilience and improving patient safety outcomes.</p><p>This live stream event in the <a href="/center/living-learning-network" title="AHA LLN">AHA’s Living Learning Network</a> (LLN) will explore how well-being debriefings can be integrated into broader safety and quality frameworks within health care organizations. Participants will gain practical insights into implementing debriefings in their settings and learn strategies to enhance well-being across their teams.</p><p><em>To confirm your spot and attend this event, you must create an account in the Living Learning Network (LLN). Join or verify your account here.</em></p> .btn-secondary { background-color: #9D2235; color: #fff; } <p><a class="btn btn-primary btn-secondary ext" href="https://livinglearningnetwork.org/" title="Confirm your spot and attend this LLN event">Confirm Your Spot</a></p> Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:29:35 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience /news/perspective/2024-12-20-everyday-heroes-hospitals-and-caregivers-bring-holiday-joy-all-year-long <p>The arrival of the holiday season and the coming New Year remind us of the swift passage of time. But they also demonstrate the timelessness of human kindness.</p><p>Countless examples of compassion, selflessness, thoughtfulness and care that nurtures amazing recoveries and life-changing moments unfold every day at every hospital across America. These inspiring stories deserve to be heard. Here are just a few recent patient messages highlighted on <a href="/forevergrateful" target="_blank" title="Forever Grateful webpage">AHA’s <strong>Forever Grateful </strong>webpage</a>.</p><ul><li>From the father of a child born with disabilities: <em>“You can tell that a lot of the people there are not just doing their job. They love what they do. At the beginning they didn’t know if [my daughter] was going to live a week. Here she is, 15 years later.”</em></li><li>From a woman whose badly infected leg risked amputation but was saved by expert and dedicated care: <em>“The surgeon said I’ll be walking to visit him. And that’s what I’m going to be doing. To have this kind of care and this kind of love is fortunate. And I’m very grateful.”</em></li><li>From a widow whose husband spent his final days in the care of a comforting and compassionate hospice: <em>“When he became terminal, they helped us on every level. He was so happy. Everything he needed was given to him. They really showed up for us and accepted us for who we were.”</em></li></ul><p>The giving spirit of the holiday season blazes brightly every day of the year in the care that hospitals and health systems provide. No one is turned away from their doors. Caregivers are always there, ready to care, from the onset of life to its end … and every point in between. You are lifesavers and difference makers, and you do more good in the world than you can ever know.</p><p>Please take a few minutes to visit our <a href="/forevergrateful" target="_blank" title="Forever Grateful Webpage"><strong>Forever Grateful </strong>webpage</a> for tools and resources that your organization can use this time of year to say thank you to your amazing health care professionals. </p><p>Despite significant and ongoing challenges this year, hospitals and health systems can be proud of the job they do every day to care for our families, our friends and our neighbors.</p><p>On behalf of the entire AHA team, it is a privilege to represent our member hospitals and health systems all across the country. The AHA continues to work alongside you to ensure hospitals have the critical resources and support they need to continue serving their patients and communities.</p><p>But we know our work is far from over. We also know that next year will bring changes and challenges, as every year does. But our field is resilient. Over the years, we have helped our nation prevail over such difficulties as the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic. As providers, we have found ways to continue to deliver great care in the face of recent IV fluid shortages and threatening cyberattacks. And during many natural or manmade disasters, hospitals and health systems are always there to provide patients with healing, hope and compassion. </p><p>The talented and dedicated health care teams who give their all every day have proven time and again that we can face the challenges — navigate them — and yes, continue to advance health in America.</p><p>From all of us at AHA, best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.</p> Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:48:11 -0600 Well-Being & Resilience /role-hospitals-northern-light-mercy-hospital-living-well-after-cancer-maine-hospital-offers-support-and-services <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-12/ths-northern-light-surviviorship-700x532.jpg" alt="Bald female cancer patient working with a nutritionist to prepare a healthy dish" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Completing cancer treatment can be like crossing the finish line of one of life’s most difficult races. Yet after treatment, cancer survivors still face challenges, including mixed emotions, as they focus on living well and managing any lingering or new issues.</p><p>Northern Light Mercy Hospital’s Cancer Survivorship Clinic helps patients who have finished cancer treatment rebuild their health and enjoy a high quality of life. The survivorship team at the hospital in Portland, Maine, includes a nurse practitioner, nutritionist, physical therapist and social worker. Patients meet with a nurse practitioner to discuss the side effects of treatment and potential long-term effects and ways to prevent them as well as to review prevention of recurrence, secondary cancers and lifestyle modifications to decrease risk.</p><p>Patients also receive guidance and resources on eating well for cancer risk reduction and overall health; any rehabilitative services needed, such as physical, occupational and speech therapy; support on readjusting relationships with family, friends and coworkers and managing concerns and challenges; and other support and guidance.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://northernlighthealth.org/Cancer-Survivorship-Clinic" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Fri, 13 Dec 2024 13:34:05 -0600 Well-Being & Resilience /news/chairpersons-file/2024-11-25-chair-file-thank-you-week-and-every-day-our-incredible-health-care-workforce <p>In October 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln decreed that Thanksgiving be held across the U.S. to “heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it … soon.” In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed that the U.S. would celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.</p><p>During tumultuous times, expressing gratitude and giving thanks are more important than ever. As a health care leader, I am grateful on Thanksgiving — and every day of the year — for the people working at our nation’s hospitals and health systems.</p><p>I’m grateful for the extraordinary expanse of care and treatment delivered by health care professionals and teams at hospitals and health systems. Their skill, commitment and sacrifices keep individuals and communities healthy in so many ways. They are the people: </p><ul><li>Healing body and mind — think of the clinical teams delivering cutting-edge medical procedures and providing behavioral health care — with innovative treatments and therapies.</li><li>Providing preventive care.</li><li>Ensuring a clean and safe environment for treatment.</li><li>Offering nutritious meals every day to patients, families and staff.</li><li>Connecting patients and families with community resources to address social needs.</li></ul><p>And when public health emergencies occur — such as natural disasters or mass violence incidents — health care professionals are ready 24/7/365 to provide care and comfort, even while their own lives and loved ones are affected.</p><p>Please join me in giving our heartfelt thanks to those working at hospitals and health systems across our nation for providing compassionate care, saving countless lives and improving the quality of life for countless others. The AHA has developed <a href="/forevergrateful" title="Download files">downloadable social media graphics and sample posts</a> for thanking people working at a local hospital or health system, using the hashtag <strong>#ForeverGrateful</strong>.</p><p>Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving and peaceful holiday season ahead.  </p> Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:26:37 -0600 Well-Being & Resilience /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2024-07-16-work-remains-physician-burnout-rates-are-coming-down <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Work-Remains-but-Physician-Burnout-Rates-Are-Coming-Down.png" data-entity-uuid="73b2f705-a413-4099-9204-9fbcee7d50a8" data-entity-type="file" alt="Work Remains, but Physician Burnout Rates Are Coming Down. A physician with an extinguished candle for a head in the foreground with a downward trending graph in the background showing that physician burnout is declining." width="100%" height="100%"></p><p>Concerted efforts to improve physicians’ work lives and mental health on the heels of the pandemic appear to be making a difference.</p><p>New <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/physician-burnout-rate-drops-below-50-first-time-4-years" target="_blank" title="AMA: Physician burnout rate drops below 50% for first time in 4 years ">American Medical Association (AMA) data</a> show that physician burnout rates have dipped below 50% for the first time in four years after reaching a peak of nearly 63% in 2021.</p><p>While the reduction in burnout to 48.2% of respondents comes as welcome news, the report explains that continued efforts are essential to address the root causes of physician burnout and ensure that doctors receive the support they need to thrive.</p><p>More than 12,400 surveys were received from physicians across 31 states and 81 health systems and organizations that took part in the survey conducted between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023. The survey measures six performance indicators, including job satisfaction, job stress, burnout, intent to leave an organization, feeling valued by an organization and total hours spent per week on work-related activities.</p><p>The findings are important given the significant costs associated with physician burnout. The report notes that <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2802872" target="_blank" title="JAMA Network: Burnout, Professionalism, and the Quality of US Health Care">burnout costs</a> the U.S. health care system $4.6 billion a year, largely due to physician turnover and reduced work hours.</p><h2><span>3 Takeaways from the Survey Data</span></h2><h3>1. <span>Job satisfaction is improving.</span></h3><p>Physician job satisfaction rose to 72.1% in the latest survey compared with 68% in the 2022 poll. The report also provides insights into variations across gender, physician specialty and years in practice; those results will be released later by AMA.</p><h3>2. <span>More physicians feel valued.</span></h3><p>The percentage of physicians who felt valued by their organizations also rose to 50.4% in 2023 compared with 46.3% in 2022. Meanwhile, 16% did not feel valued at all by their organization, which is a drop from 18%. This is a key finding for many health systems concerned about retention, the report notes.</p><h3>3. <span>Job stress is down but concerns remain.</span></h3><p>Reports of substantial job stress improved from 55.6% in 2022 to 50.7% in 2023, but one in four respondents cited a lack of physicians and support staff in their organizations, and 12.7% raised concerns about excessive administrative tasks.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience /news/headline/2024-05-30-cdc-blog-aha-niosh-ahrq-underscores-intersection-workplace-violence-mental-health-and-well-being <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention May 29 published a <a href="https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2024/05/29/hcw_violence_mh/">blog</a> co-authored by AHA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, highlighting efforts by federal agencies and the hospital field to address the mental health and well-being of health care workers following incidents of workplace violence. The blog contains several resources, such as <a href="/hospitals-against-violence-havhope">AHA's Hospitals Against Violence Initiative</a>, the <a href="/system/files/media/file/2021/10/building-a-safe-workplace-and-community-framework-for-hospitals-and-health-systems.pdf">Building a Safer Workplace and Community infographic</a>, and information about #HAVhope <a href="/hospitals-against-violence">Friday</a> on June 7, and additional resources from NIOSH, AHRQ, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and The Joint Commission. AHA contributors are: Robyn Begley, AHA’s chief nursing officer and CEO of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership; Elisa Arespacochaga, AHA’s vice president of clinical affairs and workforce; Priscilla Ross, AHA's executive director of executive branch relations and senior director of federal relations; and Megan E. Schaefer, AHA's group vice president of governance. </p> Thu, 30 May 2024 16:03:22 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience /role-hospitals-intermountain-health-nfl-pros-tackle-importance-mental-health <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-05/ths-intermountain-strongest-play-is-asking-for-help-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Intermountain Health. The Strongest Play is Asking For Help panelists answer questions from the stage" width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></p></div><p>The alarming rise in the prevalence of mental health disorders and suicide among young people has been widely documented, but when the epidemic is spotlighted for high schoolers by a group of current and former NFL pros the message is especially hard-hitting.</p><p>Timed to coincide with May as Mental Health Awareness Month, Intermountain Health invited “The Defensive Line,” a group of professional athletes who have struggled with their own mental health issues, to talk with high school students in Las Vegas’s Clark County School District about the importance of addressing mental health.</p><p>“The Strongest Play is Asking for Help” event reinforced themes of honesty and empowerment to a diverse audience that included city and community leaders as well as students. Each player shared personal anecdotes, illustrating their struggles with mental health and the journey toward openness.</p><p>The players on the panel who talked to the students included: Solomon Thomas, co-founder of The Defensive Line, New York Jets; Brandon Bolden, formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders/New England Patriots; Darren Waller, New York Giants; Carl Nassib, retired NFL player; Alec Ingold, Miami Dolphins; Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns; and Marcus Smith, retired NFL player.</p><p>The Defensive Line has been working nationwide on suicide prevention messaging, especially calling out the increased risk for Black youth. Among those youth, the risk for Black females has risen by 182 percent between 2001-2017.</p><p>Black men also have elevated risks with 80 percent of suicides among that population being male, and the highest number of them are in their early 20’s.</p><p>“We have been defined as men that we have to be tough, and that we define strength in the entirely wrong way,” said Solomon Thomas on the panel. “But through my journey of grief, my own mental health journey, and everything I have been in, I have learned that being tough is not strength. Strength is being vulnerable.”</p><p>The panel conversation can be found at www.strongestplay.com along with local and national mental health resources.</p><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://news.intermountainhealth.org/nfl-pros-open-up-about-mental-health-and-resilience-with-intermountains-the-strongest-play-is-asking-for-help-initiative/">LEARN MORE</a></p><p> </p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/promoting-healthy-communities">Supporting Public Health</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 23 May 2024 13:40:05 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience /news/blog/2024-05-15-social-isolation-and-loneliness-understanding-mental-health-crisis <p>Exploring and developing a better understanding of the social determinants of health is becoming standard in medical education and training. Social isolation and loneliness are important social determinants of physical and mental health that we, as a society, need to pay attention to and develop ways to mitigate their deleterious effects. There is increasing awareness and improved comprehension of the negative impact of social isolation and loneliness on mental and physical health.</p><p><em>Social isolation</em> can be described as a deficit in a person’s actual social network or relationships (de Jong-Gierveld J et al.2006); <em>loneliness</em> refers to the negative and unpleasant feelings that arise from the difference between a person’s desired and actual social network or relationships (Peplau & Perlman 1982). Social isolation can be measured objectively, while loneliness, by definition, is subjective.</p><p>Social isolation and loneliness frequently co-occur but can also occur separately; both are associated with increased morbidity and mortality across all age groups, with worse health outcomes in mental, cardiovascular and neurological health. Perhaps most significantly, both are associated with an almost 30% higher rates of premature death (Holt-Lunstad et al. 2015). To put it bluntly, the data tells us one stark fact: <em>Social isolation and loneliness are more harmful than smoking 15 cigarettes a day</em> (Holt-Lunstad et al. 2010).</p><p>The 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community details the gravity of these effects. It challenges us to view the negative impact of social isolation and loneliness, not only on the individual but also at the community level.</p><p>Individuals and communities feel different impacts based on individual, societal and structural factors. Individual factors include the presence of disease states, age, socioeconomic status, disability status and other factors that confer vulnerability. Societal factors include social infrastructures and community organizations, while structural factors include access to transportation, housing, health care access and coverage. Older adults have been shown to have the highest rates of social isolation (Kannan & Veazie 2023) but younger adults are more likely to report loneliness, with studies showing rates increasing yearly in younger adults in the past 40 years (Buecker et al. 2021).</p><p>The Surgeon General’s report provides a six-pronged approach to tackling this public health emergency, within which health care plays a vital role. Recommendations include teaching the impact of social isolation and loneliness on health and health outcomes in medical education and testing for this knowledge; developing health care systems that reward, including with reimbursement, physicians and other health care practitioners who spend quality time with their patients and family members providing education on the importance of social connectedness; and developing and implementing tools that accurately track metrics for social isolation and loneliness, thereby giving us a better understanding of the scale and how we can best intervene.</p><p>The goal of health care should be <em>health</em> -- not just treating states of disease. Failing to take into consideration the breadth of factors that impact an individual’s health is one of the reasons we have such significant health disparities. To bring about change and achieve our goal of good and equitable health outcomes, we will need our collective knowledge, experience and skills.</p><p><em>Azziza Bankole, M.D., DFAPA, is a professor of psychiatry at the Virginia Tech Carillion School of Medicine, the program director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship, and chief diversity officer.</em></p> Wed, 15 May 2024 02:08:16 -0500 Well-Being & Resilience