Accelerating Health Equity Conference

Accelerating Health Equity Conference / en Sat, 26 Apr 2025 10:28:13 -0500 Thu, 09 May 24 15:04:28 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Day 3 Highlights /news/headline/2024-05-09-accelerating-health-equity-conference-day-3-highlights AHA wrapped up its 2024 Accelerating Health Equity Conference May 9 with a detailed advocacy update of the latest from Washington, D.C. The update, given by Akin Demehin, AHA’s senior director for quality and safety policy, included an overview of current and potential future health equity policies affecting hospitals and health systems, including equity-focused quality measures and payment models that incorporate health equity requirements.&nbsp; Other closing day highlights included:&nbsp;<ul><li>A closing plenary from Ashton Applewhite, anti-ageism activist and the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. &nbsp;</li><li>A breakout session on addressing complex care needs through innovative care interventions, featuring leaders from MemorialCare, Jefferson Health and Trinity Care. &nbsp;</li><li>Discussion with Cottage Health and Gundersen Health System on building and nurturing a sustainable community health worker program.&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp; Thu, 09 May 2024 15:04:28 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Accelerating Health Equity Conference Day 2 Highlights /news/headline/2024-05-08-accelerating-health-equity-conference-day-2-highlights The convening of 1,000 leaders from hospitals, health systems, and community and public health organizations continued for a full-day schedule at the AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference in Kansas City, Mo. Day 2 featured breakout sessions, table conversations, networking opportunities and community immersion experiences. &nbsp; Highlights included:<ul><li>Breakout sessions on transforming maternal health care for Black women, addressing food insecurity through hospital-based programs that prioritize community collaboration, and driving change and advancing health equity through the Rise to Health Coalition. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Community immersion experiences to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Operation Breakthrough, and two local nonprofits, Uzazi Village and BlaqOut. &nbsp;</li><li>“Breaking Ice,” a performance by the Minneapolis-based Pillsbury House Theatre, which explored diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> Wed, 08 May 2024 16:06:36 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Day 1 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Coverage /news/headline/2024-05-07-day-1-accelerating-health-equity-conference-coverage More than 1,000 people gathered May 7 for the AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference in Kansas City, Mo. During this afternoon’s opening session, Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., CEO and president of Dartmouth Health and 2024 chair of the AHA Board of Trustees, called out the “power of partnership” — among hospitals and health systems, patients, community members, and community and public health organizations — as crucial to identifying and removing barriers to equitable health care. &nbsp;Opening day highlights included:<ul><li>Keynote remarks from Clint Smith, the #1 bestselling author of “How the Word Is Passed” and a staff writer at The Atlantic. &nbsp;</li><li>A breakout session on how hospitals can better address social drivers of health, including integrating screening and referral systems in electronic health records and collaborating with community-based organizations to improve care coordination. Speakers included leaders from ChristianaCare, Memorial Healthcare System and LSU Health Sciences Center. &nbsp;</li><li>Discussion by CHRISTUS Health and LMH Health on strategies for leadership and governing boards to prioritize health equity. &nbsp;</li></ul>Five health organizations received the <a href="/press-releases/2024-05-01-five-programs-earn-2024-aha-dick-davidson-nova-award-improving-community-health">AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award</a> from Conroy during the opening session: Essentia Health, John Muir Health, University Hospitals, Munson Healthcare and Palomar Health. &nbsp; Tue, 07 May 2024 15:16:17 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Chair File: Driving Change Together and Accelerating Health Equity /news/chairpersons-file/2024-05-06-chair-file-driving-change-together-and-accelerating-health-equity More than 1,000 people will convene in Kansas City, Mo., beginning tomorrow to participate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://equityconference.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference Web Page">AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference</a>. This year’s theme, Driving Change Together, emphasizes the importance of leaders at hospitals, health systems, public health departments and community-based organizations taking a united approach to ensure all individuals have access to and receive quality health care.Our field has made significant strides in addressing inequities in health and health care — but there’s still more work to do. This gathering, led by the AHA Community Health Improvement (ACHI) network and AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity (IFDHE), offers an excellent opportunity to share successes and challenges, to learn from each other and recommit to the vital work of improving the health and well-being of everyone in our communities.I look forward to participating in this year’s conference, which has a terrific lineup of plenary speakers, breakout sessions and immersion experiences. Sessions throughout the conference will cover a range of critical topics, including building and sustaining community partnerships; understanding and meeting individuals’ complex health and social needs; building diverse leadership and governance teams; and creating equitable and inclusive workplaces. Community immersion experiences will take participants into Kansas City neighborhoods to visit local organizations and see community health improvement in action.The issues we face in health care are so complex that no single hospital or health system — no matter how well resourced or how well organized — can solve them alone. Working with community partners, we can drive change together and accelerate health equity.Follow conference coverage in AHA Today this week and on AHA’s social media channels. And if you missed it, check out my recent&nbsp;<a href="/news/chairpersons-file/2024-04-29-chair-file-leadership-dialogue-building-trust-and-advancing-health-equity-communities-lynn" target="_blank" title="Leadership Dialogue With Lynn Todman Web Page">Leadership Dialogue</a> with Lynn Todman, vice president of health equity and community partnership at Corewell Health, on building trust in our communities and advancing health equity. Mon, 06 May 2024 09:35:01 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Five Programs Earn 2024 AHA Dick Davidson Nova Award For Improving Community Health /press-releases/2024-05-01-five-programs-earn-2024-aha-dick-davidson-nova-award-improving-community-health WASHINGTON (May 1, 2024) — The �� Association (AHA) today announced that five exemplary programs have earned the AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award for their hospital-led collaborative efforts that improve community health. The winning programs are the Resourceful program, Essentia Health, Duluth, Minn.; Beyond Violence, John Muir Health, Walnut Creek, Calif.; UH Food for Life Markets®, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio; TC Street Medicine, Munson Healthcare, Traverse City, Mich.; and Forensic Health and Trauma Recovery Center Services, Palomar Health, Escondido, Calif.&nbsp;The AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award recognizes hospitals and health systems for their collaborative efforts toward improving community health status, whether through health care, economic or social initiatives. Honorees participate in joint efforts among health care systems or hospitals, or among hospitals and other community leaders and organizations. This year’s recipients will be recognized at the AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference May 7-9 in Kansas City, Mo.“This year’s Dick Davidson NOVA Award winners have demonstrated dedication and commitment to improving community health by forging strong partnerships with other community organizations,”&nbsp;said AHA president and CEO Rick Pollack. “These hospitals and health systems offer exemplary and essential services and programs that have adapted and evolved to effectively meet the changing needs of their communities.”The 2024 winning programs and hospital partners are:ResourcefulEssentia Health, Duluth, Minn.The Resourceful program was launched in 2021 as a public resource directory connecting community members with thousands of verified programs providing free and reduced-cost services. Information available at <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3Du001.7kr010ACWZRfM3MOuCoTb8rMa7-2Fj4oH-2F3QW6x3e874a57sfq1Wfy0MSWd2ejROq-2FSFOL_d2RbcZIH1cPr8T71lfy9-2Baax-2F-2BEajmJ1xBQdwzrxSfXYrczhBuOKN0y9-2Fz7LWn8-2BDbxbRMmISA8VWYgeVYMYLehFbJjjJrsDU061vryWib5OgupGu7XbukALgR8dzkZg7jm3pMndXLGdPjDHAmRix8S3Kd6TqFrSMY7xESgnhKlsfFRSGFrKvEbvj1w17whKlw7Wrh-2F98Oethfaq0g9Ccd5OcQpvb0edsWAdoDvl45E4F5azfcbS6jC4h1Z0Sh2PeiqHrRIQ5KGQ6SYBTXHcBnGnfwwkL6bmiNxHyoDs6lDSQTLkoxj37-2BRL-2FWu-2FAX7YY7Xorz6hxw-2FOmJvfyJLIIVqPAzRlBGd0IFZRuHNuECuHX2ZK7aX4jU1CriHL93t-2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cbteicher%40aha.org%7Cbf96f9ea11184ba7d2bf08dc69e0cfe7%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C638501661519233078%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SyGd%2FFZ%2BILb1BloiZ0bY%2FZ%2BlzoAw5HOjP4L2pW%2Biib8%3D&amp;reserved=0">WeAreResourceful.org</a> is customized for the specific needs of the communities served by Essentia Health, which includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. The program integrates into Essentia Health’s electronic medical record system and is widely used by community members including Essentia staff and local organizations. All Essentia patients are screened for social needs at primary care and pediatric appointments. Its team of community health workers develop relationships with patients and utilize Resourceful to connect them to services addressing patient concerns such as food insecurity, transportation and housing. It’s a highly collaborative program with a community leadership team that sets annual performance targets, reviews robust evaluation metrics and monitors community and patient feedback.Beyond ViolenceJohn Muir Health, Contra Costa County, Calif.The Beyond Violence program provides intervention to people impacted by interpersonal violence such as assault, stabbing or gunshot. At the hospital bedside, an intervention specialist engages with a patient to provide support and begin the enrollment process into the program. Beyond Violence provides direct access to health care services such as a mobile health clinic, trauma follow-up clinic, mental health support, connections to jobs and education, and resources for food and housing for long-term sustainability. The specialist connects the client, their family and others who were impacted by the violent event to a needed resource. The program has flexed with the growing needs of the community by expanding partnerships, geographical reach and increasing scope of services such as adding no-cost mental health therapy. The program initially was designed to serve ages 15-25, but in 2022 it expanded to serve anyone over 15. Since the program’s inception in 2010, 98% of program clients remained alive, which is testament to the program’s support and efficacy.UH Food for Life Markets®University Hospitals, Cleveland, OhioUH Food for Life Markets®&nbsp;is a food-as-medicine preventative model to address chronic health conditions by providing free, healthy food and dietitian consultation. When patients visit their clinician, they are screened for food insecurity. Those who screen positive receive a referral to one of five existing UH Food for Life Markets®. Onsite dieticians help patients select food that addresses their medical needs while also remaining culturally sensitive to food preferences. The program’s goal is to help patients control chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The program, in collaboration with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Sodexo, has expanded in urban and rural areas and expects to open its sixth market this year. Patients are eligible to receive food for a week for up to a family of four, once a month for up to six months and can get their referral renewed by following up with their clinician. The markets are part of University Hospitals’ Community Health Investment strategy and are counted as a community benefit. Healthy recipes, meal preparation tips and cooking demonstrations are a popular part of this program.TC Street MedicineMunson Healthcare, Traverse City, Mich.Through the TC Street Medicine program, medical care and other supportive services are provided twice a week for the unhoused in the streets, at community-based organizations and in encampments in the woods. Launched in 2016 by a doctor from Traverse Health Clinic, it was expanded and fortified in 2020 as a more comprehensive collaboration between the clinic, Munson Healthcare and Goodwill Northern Michigan Street Outreach. With the addition of a mobile medical unit, the number of patients served greatly increased. The program connects unhoused individuals with care teams including health care professionals, outreach workers and social workers. Following the mantra “Go to the People,” the medical team including residents representing family medicine, psychiatric and pharmacy programs bring care directly to unhoused individuals. The TC Street Medicine team delivers compassionate, non-judgmental medical care directly to individuals who are in precarious housing situations and builds trusting relationships with patients seeking medical care as they work to protect their health and assist them in finding housing.&nbsp;Forensic Health and Trauma Recovery Center ServicesPalomar Health, Escondido, Calif.The Palomar Forensic Health and Trauma Recovery Center provides 24/7 compassionate, comprehensive services and support for San Diego County survivors of all ages who have endured physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, elder abuse or trauma. The programs connect survivors to specialized case management and mental health services to decrease recidivism, cycles of violence, crime rates, overuse of emergency room services, and morbidity and mortality rates. They provide immediate and early detection of abuse, services near a trauma survivor’s home; examination by a trained professional; and quality evidence to assist with investigations. Co-locating within a family justice center enables Palomar to collaborate with more than 80 multidisciplinary team partners including community-based organizations, local law enforcers and district attorneys. The center was founded in 1984 to serve children, became the first hospital in the county to serve sexual assault survivors in 1991, and in 2021 introduced specialty services for military members and human trafficking survivors.&nbsp; ### About the AHA The �� Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3Du001.7kr010ACWZRfM3MOuCoTb4j1A7dsWuFv5c9nef7CCBE-3DW9Mf_d2RbcZIH1cPr8T71lfy9-2Baax-2F-2BEajmJ1xBQdwzrxSfXYrczhBuOKN0y9-2Fz7LWn8-2BDbxbRMmISA8VWYgeVYMYLehFbJjjJrsDU061vryWib5OgupGu7XbukALgR8dzkZg7jm3pMndXLGdPjDHAmRix8S3Kd6TqFrSMY7xESgnhKlsfFRSGFrKvEbvj1w17whKlw7Wrh-2F98Oethfaq0g9CcRMKsm-2Bd6QfIsGnQO-2FnSOdhjv8BO6XIjjdjufAGInZlPPnxxBKEWwKu4T-2FcNZ3PRSeg5E7CvpG7wacZnaGL5DGBZmzewRLZcFDOGEUIoym4YwAtm-2FpFL6VYtvpO5iAvFRUtM9bQadKPr2vf8gV95N2TV9BeQPS7aKJJuDRN4jD1D&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cbteicher%40aha.org%7Cbf96f9ea11184ba7d2bf08dc69e0cfe7%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C638501661519244710%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Bx7alJYanb%2F1wrx21scHHG8H1ipq1k5wwbBVTnrvQms%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.aha.org</a>.&nbsp; Wed, 01 May 2024 13:51:44 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Accelerating Health Equity Conference May 7–9 /education-events/accelerating-health-equity-conference-0 <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; } Wednesday, February 14 at 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT, 11:00 am MT, 10:00 am PT)Long-standing health care disparities and systemic drivers such as structural racism and economic disadvantages have resulted in disproportionate health outcomes across different patient populations. Education, safe and affordable housing, transportation and nutritious food access all have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of an individual’s life and overall health.Join us for the upcoming <a href="https://equityconference.aha.org/">Accelerating Health Equity Conference</a>, where population health, community health and health equity leaders and organizations focused on accelerating health equity will work to continue driving change together.</div> Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:39:19 -0600 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Plan to engage with AHA in person during 2024 /news/headline/2024-01-03-plan-engage-aha-person-during-2024 AHA will again host a series of in-person meetings to provide the field with valuable insights and productive networking. Members and others can register now to attend the <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org" target="_blank">AHA’s Rural Health Care Leadership Conference</a> Feb. 11-14 in Orlando, Fla.; the <a href="https://annualmeeting.aha.org/" target="_blank">Annual Membership Meeting</a> April 14-16 in Washington, D.C.; and the <a href="https://equityconference.aha.org" target="_blank">Accelerating Health Equity Conference</a> May 7-9 in Kansas City, Mo. AHA expects to open registration early this spring for its <a href="/education-events/2024-aha-leadership-summit" target="_blank">2024 Leadership Summit</a>, held July 21-23 in San Diego. Wed, 03 Jan 2024 14:51:08 -0600 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Registration opens for AHA's 2024 Accelerating Health Equity Conference /news/headline/2023-12-06-registration-opens-ahas-2024-accelerating-health-equity-conference Registration for AHA's 2024 Accelerating Health Equity Conference, May 7-9 in Kansas City, Mo., opens Dec. 6 with an early-bird discount period that runs through March 31. <a href="https://web.cvent.com/event/e094d1e7-801f-434f-ad42-ff8c5d29ab0e/summary?RefId=Registration">REGISTER NOW</a> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:05:35 -0600 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Accelerating Health Equity Conference: Day 3 highlights /news/headline/2023-05-18-accelerating-health-equity-conference-day-3-highlights The final day of the 2023 <a href="https://equityconference.aha.org/" target="_blank">Accelerating Health Equity Conference</a> featured Dr. Brian Smedley, equity scholar at the Urban Institute, as the closing plenary speaker. He discussed the state of health equity efforts 20 years after the release of the Institute of Medicine report “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care,” for which he was an editor. “Even after the shock of the Unequal Treatment report, calling out bias is a real problem,” Smedley said. “We have yet to fully get our hands around it. Still to this day, the vast majority of providers I talk to say ‘yes, disparities are real, but not at my practice.’ How can that be?” Smedley also praised hospitals and health systems for their work through the COVID-19 pandemic and paying more attention to health equity issues, but said that much more progress needs to be made. Other day 3 events included: •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;A session where leaders from Froedtert &amp; the Medical College of Wisconsin and Inova discussed the process of developing successful partnerships with their communities in using quantitative and qualitative data to help improve health equity. •&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;A discussion on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in rural hospitals led by the Oregon Health Authority Equity &amp; Inclusion Division, Missouri Hospital Association and Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina. Speakers shared lessons learned from their work and discussed unique dynamics when working with rural health systems and communities.  Thu, 18 May 2023 16:07:00 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference Accelerating Health Equity Conference: Day 2 highlights /news/headline/2023-05-17-accelerating-health-equity-conference-day-2-highlights Technology was the topic for the May 17 <a href="https://equityconference.aha.org/" target="_blank">plenary session</a> discussion between Ivor Horn, M.D., director of health equity and social determinants of health at Google, and Joy A. Lewis, AHA senior vice president for health equity strategies and executive director of IFDHE. Horn discussed the current technology landscape in health care, from its promising possibilities to its potential perils — and how health care and equity leaders could understand and challenge technology to support historically marginalized patients, employees, and communities. &nbsp; “The possibilities are just so endless,” Horn said about what the equitable deployment of technology could look like long term. “One thing we know and are grappling with is that much more with health care will happen outside of the ‘four walls.’ A huge part of equity is how we make sure people — regardless of social economic status and where they live — can afford that.” Additional sessions on day 2 included: &nbsp; <ul> <li>A discussion about the limited services available to older adults due to staffing shortages, a lack of residential care environments and the disproportionate impact on rural areas.</li> <li>A session about supporting the mental health of health care workers, patients and communities, which included a presentation focusing on how hospitals and other organizations could act and support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.</li> <li>A panel discussion about strategies for equitable community engagement, which highlighted creative place making and messaging campaigns; successes from a playbook for engaging diverse populations and hosting outreach and education events; and use of community-based participatory research to answer critical questions, drive action and address community needs.</li> </ul> Wed, 17 May 2023 15:01:53 -0500 Accelerating Health Equity Conference