/ en Sat, 26 Apr 2025 00:05:20 -0500 Fri, 01 Nov 24 07:49:03 -0500 /advancing-health-podcast/2024-11-01-emergence-advanced-practice-providers <p>Even a few decades ago, non-physician practitioners, also called advanced practice providers (APPs), barely existed in the health care industry. Today, APPs are found practically everywhere.  In this conversation, Michelle Schweitzer, NP, executive director of advanced practice providers at WakeMed, discusses the growing role her APP colleagues play in health care delivery, and how the rise of these unique caregivers benefits both patients and providers.</p><hr><div></div><div class="raw-html-embed"><details class="transcript"><summary> <h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."><span>View Transcript</span><br>  </h2> </summary> <p> 00:00:00:18 - 00:00:30:05<br> Tom Haederle<br> An advanced practice provider - or APP - is a health care professional with advanced training to diagnose, treat, or manage medical conditions that don't neatly fit into hospitals existing nursing or medical staff infrastructure. But their unique combination of skills and training have brought advanced practice providers into great demand nationwide. </p> <p> 00:00:30:08 - 00:01:01:02<br> Tom Haederle<br> Welcome to Advancing Health, a podcast from the şÚÁĎŐýÄÜÁż Association. I'm Tom Haederle with AHA communications. APPs have grown in number and are becoming much more integrated into hospitals clinical teams. Today, their crucial role in serving hospitalized patients across America is practically universal. In this podcast, Dr. Chris DeRienzo, AHA's chief physician executive, speaks with one health system's chief APP about the growing role her colleagues play in health care delivery and health care leadership. </p> <p> 00:01:01:05 - 00:01:28:14<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Welcome, everyone to another podcast here. We are at the AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego, and we are here in the Innovation Hall. And it is a true privilege that I get to sit down across the table from one of my good friends, Michelle Schweitzer. She is the chief APP at WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. I have a special place in my heart for WakeMed because I got to be chief medical officer of that system before joining the AHA. </p> <p> 00:01:28:16 - 00:01:50:25<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> And we're here in the Innovation Hub, which is a spectacular place to be because, Michelle, we'd like to talk about what is one of the most significant innovations in care delivery and in workforce over the last 15 years in health care. And that's the emergence of the APP. And specifically, we're seeing now across the country a trend towards roles like yours, chief APPs in hospitals and health systems. </p> <p> 00:01:51:02 - 00:02:00:03<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> So just to kick us off, why don't we start a little bit around that issue? Tell me a little bit about how you came to that role and frankly, why that role exists at WakeMed. </p> <p> 00:02:00:05 - 00:02:21:09<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Sure. Thank you. So I will start by saying that I grew up as a nurse practitioner first before I even stepped into leadership. In fact, I went back to school to look at more research and innovative and found my way into leadership instead. Started my career managing just a few APPs, and then worked myself up to managing a whole lot of APPs. </p> <p> 00:02:21:11 - 00:02:25:00<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Remind me - what was your clinical role as an APP? </p> <p> 00:02:25:02 - 00:02:30:18<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> It started out in pediatric bone marrow transplant and then it transferred into pediatric surgery. </p> <p> 00:02:30:25 - 00:02:35:15<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Now, you don't like sort of the easy outpatient...that's some pretty intense stuff! </p> <p> 00:02:35:17 - 00:03:07:28<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Yes. I was a PICU nurse before I went back to school. And of course, just like most people, I had a vision of what I was going to do when I finished. And of course, that's not at all what I was doing when I finished. Cancer was never in my book. I wanted to do actually pediatric cardiology, and I did a rotation, in bone marrow and, fell in love with the fact that I can have a patient that was sick as all get out next door and then walk into another room where patients who normally would have never survived is 15 years out and going to college. </p> <p> 00:03:09:00 - 00:03:29:10<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Wow. Once you've been in that kind of clinical environment, and I know we share that I'm a neonatologist and, rarely in our world as leaders do you face challenges that that even come close to that personal life or death impact. But it's tough making the transition to management. And it's not really something they teach us in our clinical background. </p> <p> 00:03:29:10 - 00:03:33:09<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> So talk us through how you walk through that transition. </p> <p> 00:03:33:11 - 00:03:52:04<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> In all honesty, it comes from mentorship. It started out with, you know, watching those that I looked up to and seeing how they were able to influence myself and others around me into growing into the provider that I am. And it made me want to do the same for others. And so that's really what stepped me into leadership versus education. </p> <p> 00:03:52:05 - 00:04:00:03<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Yep. And it made you are that leader for hundreds of APPs. How did that role come to exist? </p> <p> 00:04:00:05 - 00:04:17:14<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> In all honesty, I was sitting in a gym and right beside me was the chief legal officer of WakeMed who said, hey, have you thought about leaving your current institution and maybe taking on a larger role, of which she described. And I was like, oh my God, that's something I can I mean, maybe in ten years I might do. </p> <p> 00:04:17:16 - 00:04:42:27<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> However, the more I thought about it, the more I was intrigued. The ability to really make the position itself, because there wasn't really a chief APP officer. There was a smattering of leaders, but no one who was taking it and pushing it forward. So that interests me. And I interviewed, and luckily they went outside of the institution and let me come in and really gave me the span to allow me to really grow what they asked for. </p> <p> 00:04:42:27 - 00:04:56:14<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Well, they made a spectacular choice. But tell us more about that span, because in your health system, that role not only encompasses the employed group, but also has some accountability for many, many more APPs who rotate through an open medical staff. </p> <p> 00:04:56:21 - 00:05:26:07<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Yeah, the role is, it's dual, as you say. So from a system perspective, my role was really to get to know all the APS within our health system, as well as to work with credentials and med staff and really make sure that we're providing the right level of care across the system, whether they're employed or not. And then from an employment standpoint, I think when I started, it was around maybe 200 APPs and as of yesterday, which you never know, there's about 450  that are employed. </p> <p> 00:05:26:08 - 00:05:34:18<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> So from there, it was establish a leadership structure as well as compensation structure and helping them get to the top of scope of practice. </p> <p> 00:05:34:20 - 00:05:56:08<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> And as you've indicated, it's an ever evolving field that that you face. This is a relatively new role at WakeMed. It's a relatively new role in lots of hospitals and health systems across the country. Talk to our listeners a little bit about some of the challenges created by the fact that this is this isn't a job that, you know, in even 2012 would have been something that that health systems would think about </p> <p> 00:05:56:08 - 00:06:00:10<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> and now it's frankly becoming integral to a place like Wake Med. </p> <p> 00:06:00:12 - 00:06:22:03<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Yeah. I think part of the challenge is that in a lot of areas, having an advanced practice provider come in to an institution that starts out with a very small groups, and then it grows from there. And so then at that point, everybody has their own thought as to what the APP should be doing or can do. They don't really fit in the nursing bucket and they don't fit into the physician bucket, but they have their own kind of bucket. </p> <p> 00:06:22:06 - 00:06:31:21<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> And so establishing what that looks like, and it's not stepping on other toes or taking something away from other leaders is the first step that needed to happen. </p> <p> 00:06:31:24 - 00:06:47:00<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> We know that there are listeners tuning in from all across the country, and possibly from other countries. Within your state, in North Carolina, when we use the term APP, what are the kinds of people with different clinical backgrounds who fall into the scope of your supervising? </p> <p> 00:06:47:03 - 00:07:14:00<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> So when I think of APP inside of North Carolina, you have pretty much three different directions. So a provider who decides to go the nursing route can be a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, a CRNA, which is with anesthesia. A provider that decides to go the medical route would be like your PA, which is a physician assistant, or in some areas called a physician associate, as well as an AA, which is anesthesia allergy assistant. </p> <p> 00:07:14:03 - 00:07:30:27<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> And then you also have the pharmacy route, which is a clinical pharmacist practitioner. Now, depending on your state, depends on whether or not you recognize all of those levels at the same as an APP or not. But I like to say that if you're an advanced practice provider and you can do these things, then you're an APP. </p> <p> 00:07:30:29 - 00:07:50:06<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> I love it, I love it, and we know that every state has sort of different scopes for how different kinds of providers get to be practicing in hospitals or in clinics, and through the work that you're doing here with us at AHA, I understand that we're beginning to bring some of those perspectives together in a national conversation. You're chairing that efforts. </p> <p> 00:07:50:07 - 00:07:59:28<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Talk to us a little bit about how your approach in that conversation with your peers in the states spanning the California coastline all the way up to the coast of Maine? </p> <p> 00:08:00:00 - 00:08:18:22<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Yeah. So it started with a straw man approach in the sense that we kind of got together. There was a few of us that brought all the people that we could think of all to a room and really dove into what are the main things that we need to focus on, and how do we establish what an APP is, whether you're in California or Maine or Florida? </p> <p> 00:08:18:25 - 00:08:41:03<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> And, you know, obviously that definition doesn't need to be too extra because it needs to really be able to be utilized depending on the legislation within those, those states. And then how can we help those hospitals grow to where they can start and have an APP structure and what that would look like. And whether it's a 200-bed hospital or a system with five hospitals all combined. </p> <p> 00:08:41:05 - 00:09:02:21<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> It's been an incredible learning process for me. I've been with AHA for a year and a half, and getting to see hospitals all across this country expose me to models of operating so different than I'd seen in in North Carolina. I was in the Midwest recently, and there was a medical staff that had four physicians on it, all full spectrum family medicine, and then more APPs than physicians. </p> <p> 00:09:02:27 - 00:09:22:19<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> And certainly we know that that scope differs by state. But talk to me a little bit about how you've seen leadership structures differ. Again, one of the great things that we get to do through AHA's patient safety initiatives, our APP group, our chief physician network - is expose leaders who we get: it's like operations, it's hard right now. </p> <p> 00:09:22:21 - 00:09:43:18<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> You are heads down all day every day. So it's challenging to lift your head up and get a sense of what's going on elsewhere. But what are you learning about as you get to and meet folks like Dawn, who I know is in new Jersey, and others we have within our group from Palo Alto and Kansas. And what are the things that you're hearing that you're saying, oh, this is something maybe we can take back home. </p> <p> 00:09:43:20 - 00:10:01:05<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Yeah, it's actually really interesting, which is I love the fact that we get together and have these sessions where we can, like, talk through certain problems and to hear from Texas versus Maine and so forth to get an idea. It's also very interesting to see where everybody is in their STEP process of where they're trying to get to. </p> <p> 00:10:01:07 - 00:10:20:24<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> You speak of Dawn, which is actually a great new friend of mine, and we were just talking earlier about where she currently is at her institution and just getting some assistance with, with student placement and things like that. Versus at some institutions, they have an entire center for advanced practice. And how do they start? Do they start with just a committee? </p> <p> 00:10:20:27 - 00:10:39:09<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Did they start with just one person? And so learning from all of the different APPs from around our country to understand, like where did the grass grew and what took off and what didn't, helps us bring together from an AHA perspective of how we can put out a strategic plan so others can just take that forward without having to make it up as they go. </p> <p> 00:10:39:11 - 00:10:56:22<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> Let's build on that for a second, because we've only got a couple of minutes left. And I'm curious if there's a chief APP, you know, who's on day one of her job or his job. And they're listening to this podcast because they saw it from AHA and they said, gosh, we want to hear what experience chief APPs are doing. </p> <p> 00:10:56:22 - 00:11:13:18<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> And I'm on day one and I got to get started. This role has never existed before. Folks are excited, but I don't really even know where I live in this health system. If you were to give that person just three quick hits on, hey, here's the very first steps you can take that will help set you up for success. </p> <p> 00:11:13:20 - 00:11:14:18<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> What would they be? </p> <p> 00:11:14:20 - 00:11:47:22<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> The first step would be to know your organization. Where does your organization sit? Right now, what are they focused on and where does the APP fit into that focus? You're better off starting with what you know, obviously, and then going step forward from there. So if the organization is very focused on oh my goodness, Joint Commission is coming soon is everybody set up correctly, then probably your first step would be touching base with credentialing to make sure that your APPs aren't just privileged to do whatever, and they actually have an actual privilege that matches their scope of practice. </p> <p> 00:11:47:24 - 00:12:09:09<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Second is, know your stakeholders, those that are going to champion behind you, as well as those that are going to put up a fence and know how to break down those fences. Start slow. You're never going to get anywhere if you go too fast. And I guess third is make sure that you say clinical. Yes. Got to be honest, it keeps me grounded. </p> <p> 00:12:09:09 - 00:12:25:12<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> I love my leadership role. I love mentoring all the folks that I have, but the day that I get to go into clinic and just do g-tube care, so to speak, is amazing to me and it helps me stay the person that I am, to be the leader that I need to be. </p> <p> 00:12:25:15 - 00:12:42:13<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> I knew this was going to be a great podcast, Michelle. I so appreciate those points that frankly, they're relevant to any leader who comes from a clinical background in health care. And any time that we get to spend right at the pointy end of the stick, delivering care or being with the folks who deliver care consistently reminds us why we do the role that we do in leadership. </p> <p> 00:12:42:13 - 00:12:55:09<br> Chris DeRienzo, M.D.<br> You are a spectacular leader at WakeMed and now at the national level. Thank you so much for joining us. Thanks to everyone for listening in across the Innovation Hub here at the AHA Leadership Summit, and we will catch you next time. Take care everyone. </p> <p> 00:12:55:11 - 00:12:56:19<br> Michelle Schweitzer<br> Thanks. </p> <p> 00:12:56:21 - 00:13:05:03<br> Tom Haederle<br> Thanks for listening to Advancing Health. Please subscribe and rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. </p> </details></div> Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:49:03 -0500 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2024-04-16-upmcs-app-lower-post-surgery-readmission-rates-pip <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/UPMCs-App-to-Lower-Post-Surgery-Readmission-Rates-Is-a-Pip.png" data-entity-uuid="87cd2bb4-c917-48a1-8775-3b673c28e6d1" data-entity-type="file" alt="UPMC’s App to Lower Post-Surgery Readmission Rates Is a Pip. A patient elevated his right leg which is in a cast uses the UPMC Enterprises and Redesign Health Pip Care Inc. app on his mobile phone for post-surgical coaching." width="100%" height="800"></p><p>Last year, <a href="https://enterprises.upmc.com/" target="_blank" title="UPMC Enterprises homepage">UPMC Enterprises</a> and <a href="https://www.redesignhealth.com/" target="_blank" title="Redesign Health homepage">Redesign Health</a> began collaborating on a <a href="https://enterprises.upmc.com/blog/upmc-enterprises-and-redesign-health-launch-pip-care-to-improve-surgical-outcomes/" target="_blank" title="UPMC Enterprises: UPMC Enterprises and Redesign Health launch Pip Care to Improve Surgical Outcomes">novel digital health platform</a> that is designed to improve surgical outcomes and increase patient satisfaction.</p><p><a href="https://www.pipcare.com/" target="_blank" title="PipCare Inc. homepage">Pip Care Inc.</a>, the first company to be created out of that collaboration, appears to be paying early dividends.</p><p>A <a href="https://periop.jmir.org/2024/1/e52125" target="_blank" title="JMIR Publications: A Novel Digital Health Platform With Health Coaches to Optimize Surgical Patients: Feasibility Study at a Large Academic Health System">study</a> recently published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that Pip Care’s health coaching model reduced the median length of stay for 128 surgical patients by 1.1 days. Moreover, Pip Care patients reduced their risk of readmission to the hospital within a week of discharge by 49% compared with patients who didn’t use the platform.</p><p>Pip Care, a personalized surgical journey platform, links patients with a health coach via a smartphone app and helps users as they prepare for and recover from their operations. It can remind patients to do such things before surgery as prepare a first-floor sleeping space before their procedures or to follow post-surgery protocols like smoking cessation or avoiding unhealthy meals. Participants also can receive post-surgery tips on stretching exercises or wound care instructions and more.</p><p>Researchers compared 128 Pip Care patients who were scheduled for elective abdominal, spinal or total joint-replacement surgery against 268 peers scheduled for the same procedures at the same hospital who did not use the platform.</p><p>Pip Care patients were highly engaged with the program, with 80% attending coaching sessions at least once a week. In follow-up surveys, patients ranked the app 4.8 on a 5-point scale and 4.9 out of 5 for their health coaches.</p><p>Physicians have long known that patients are healthier and have better surgical outcomes when they adhere to a perioperative care plan, but ensuring that adherence is easier said than done, notes Aman Mahajan, M.D., Ph.D., Peter and Eva Safar Professor and chair of the department of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.</p><p>“So, verifying that this hybrid digital telemedicine platform is both easy for patients and clinicians to use and significantly improves patient outcomes and satisfaction with surgery is a welcome clinical advance,” Mahajan says.</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 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0500 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2023-02-07-exploring-connective-tissue-behind-carbon-healths-recent-upswing <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="Exploring the Connective Tissue Behind Carbon Health’s Recent Upswing. Carbon Health. A hand stacking balls in circles that are connected to other circles in a network." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa4c507a-fb44-4551-a0ab-fa6623b3983d" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Exploring-the-Connective-Tissue-Behind-Carbon-Healths-Recent-Upswing.png" width="620" height="359"></p> <p>Like many of its competitors that are trying to transform health care, startup <a href="https://carbonhealth.com/" target="_blank" title="Carbon Health homepage">Carbon Health</a> began by casting a wide net. The company had major initiatives in areas like public health, remote patient monitoring and chronic care programs alongside its hybrid care model, which combines custom technology and an integrated care team to help patients manage their care on the go.</p> <p>More recently, however, Carbon Health has pivoted to concentrate on primary and urgent care. Its <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230109005615/en/Carbon-Health-Secures-Series-D-Investment-to-Drive-Primary-and-Urgent-Care-Expansion" target="_blank" title="BusinessWire: Carbon Health Secures Series D Investment to Drive Primary and Urgent Care Expansion">recent partnership</a> with <a href="https://www.cvshealth.com/" target="_blank" title="CVS Health homepage">CVS Health</a>, which included a $100 million investment from the retailer’s corporate venture arm, involves a pilot program to use Carbon Health’s primary and urgent care clinic model in some of the drugstore chain’s outlets.</p> <p>Central to Carbon Health’s strategy is its <a href="https://carbonhealth.com/blog-post/connective-care-a-new-model-for-primary-care" target="_blank" title="Carbon Health: Connective Care: A New Model for Primary Care">Connective Care primary care model</a>, which includes four main components:</p> <p><img alt="Connective Care Primary Care Model: goal setting with patients; measurement tracking; an integrated team of care providers; hybrid care options." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="70dc4a45-cf4d-49c3-b7ab-9dd20e410908" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Connective-Care-Primary-Care-Model.png" width="620" height="204"></p> <p>The Connective Care model recently was made available beginning last month through a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-cross-blue-shield-of-massachusetts-to-launch-new-virtual-primary-care-option-301630496.html" target="_blank" title="Cision PR Newswire: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to Launch New Virtual Primary Care Option">partnership</a> with <a href="https://www.bluecrossma.org/" target="_blank" title="Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts homepage">Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts</a> and <a href="https://www.firefly.health/" target="_blank" title="Firefly Health homepage">Firefly Health</a>. The model is now included in most Blue Cross MA health plans, with members able to choose a provider from Carbon Health or Firefly, which will provide primary care, mental health and referrals to in-person providers in their network when needed.</p> <p>Participants in the model receive Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-oriented goals for nutrition, exercise and stress from their providers. Patients will use <a href="https://carbonhealth.com/download" target="_blank" title="Carbon Health: Ge the Carbon Health App">Carbon Health’s app</a> to share biometric data from connected devices like blood pressure cuffs, continuous glucose monitors and weight scales to self-report data and symptoms, and participants can share their scores on mental health questionnaires. The data are used to help providers and patients assess progress toward the goals.</p> <p>Patients can connect with caregivers through virtual visits during and between visits. Carbon Health leaders believe the Connective Care model will draw patients who value convenience and easy access to care and who had positive virtual care experiences during the pandemic. The model also offers a number of touch points through the app, the web, chat function, asynchronous communication and email. They also believe the program will lower emergency department use and lead to better chronic disease management.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></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, 07 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0600 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2022-12-20-epic-revamp-its-app-market-connection-hub <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="Epic to Revamp Its App Market with Connection Hub. A cloud hub of medical data connected to a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, and a desktop computer." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fb3ce9c-6ef5-4054-a064-4fe6bf5db00e" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Epic-to-Revamp-Its-App-Market-with-Connection-Hub.png" width="620" height="381"></p> <p><a href="https://www.epic.com/" target="_blank" title="Epic homepage">Epic</a>, the electronic health records company, is revamping how its end users connect with third-party applications. In its <a href="https://www.epic.com/epic/post/epic-launches-connection-hub" target="_blank" title="Epic: Epic Launches Connection Hub: Open to All Developers">Connection Hub</a> slated to launch early next year, vendors with a connection to Epic can list their apps and self-report if they have achieved successful data exchange.</p> <p>Site visitors, including Epic customers, can see vendor-provided information, such as app descriptions and website links. Connection Hub will be open to all vendors, with the goal of making it easy to join the online directory, the company states. Alongside Connection Hub, Epic will launch Vendor Services, which will provide developers access to Epic’s tutorials, newsletters, expanded testing sandboxes and technical support.</p> <p>Epic’s existing <a href="https://appmarket.epic.com/" target="_blank" title="Epic App Market homepage">App Market</a> will shut down temporarily and relaunch later in the year. The launch of Connection Hub is designed to support open standards, Epic states, and to allow more applications to connect into its application programming interface.</p> <p>The company’s redesigned app market will feature applications with an Epic seal of approval. It will feature about 800 apps, fewer than the 1,000 vendors that are presently listed in its App Market. The apps being removed from the App Market site will be listed in the Connection Hub directory, a company official recently told <a href="https://www.modernhealthcare.com/technology/epic-app-market-shut-down" target="_blank" title="Modern Healthcare: Epic to temporarily shut down its app market">Modern Healthcare</a>.</p> <p>In effect, this will allow Epic to create two tiers of apps and to provide help to its customers in differentiating apps in an increasingly crowded marketplace.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></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, 20 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0600 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2022-06-21-need-help-evaluating-mental-health-apps-new <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="Need Help Evaluating Mental Health Apps? New AHRQ Brief Offers Direction. The head of a person has a brain represented by a ball of yarn with a thread of yard extending from the forehead connecting to a mobile phone." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="65a4edf0-89ff-47a9-8f47-4760db3d2af0" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Need-Help-Evaluating-Mental-Health-Apps.jpg" width="620" height="381"></p> <p>With the explosive growth in mental health and wellness mobile apps for traditionally underserved populations, patients and providers largely have been left to make their own conclusions about the programs’ safety and efficacy and what consumer protections they offer.</p> <p>Recognizing that this can be a daunting task, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently issued a technical brief, <a href="https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/product/pdf/mental-health-mobile-apps-tech-brief.pdf" target="_blank">“Evaluation of Mental Health Mobile Applications”</a> to aid providers, patients, payers and others.</p> <p>The document provides a framework to assist stakeholders in technology evaluation for recovery and to help in appraising and selecting mental health mobile apps based on factors like risk/safety, technical functionality and mental health features.</p> <h2><span>Guidance for Providers, Payers and Others</span></h2> <p>Providers and advocacy agencies can use the tool to provide a library of safe and effective mental health apps while health care leaders, employee health plans, public and private insurance providers and other agencies can use it to review and provide guidance for apps relevant to their members. App developers can use the report to promote transparency in communication about the potential benefits, risks and evidence to support their apps.</p> <p>The brief comes at a time of great need, given that many people suffering from mental or behavioral health conditions may not seek or receive care due to stigma, provider shortages, long wait times, lack of proximity to providers or other accessibility factors.</p> <p>Prepared by the Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center, the report covers three areas:</p> <ul> <li><span><strong>Risk and mitigation strategies:</strong></span> Assessing the integrity and risk profile of the app.</li> <li><span><strong>Functions:</strong></span> Covering descriptive aspects related to accessibility, costs, organizational credibility, evidence and clinical foundation, privacy/security, usability, functions for remote monitoring of the user and artificial intelligence (AI).</li> <li><span><strong>Mental health app features:</strong></span> Focusing on areas like journaling and mood tracking.</li> </ul> <p>AHRQ notes that future application, testing and refinement may be required to determine the framework’s suitability and reliability across multiple mental health conditions and to account for the rapidly expanding applications of AI, gamification and other technology approaches. But for now, it should be a welcome resource for providers and patients.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></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, 21 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0500 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2022-04-19-advancing-digital-patient-engagement <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="Advancing Digital Patient Engagement: Opportunities for Differentiation. A mobile phone with a health care app running that is displaying hospital, pharmacy, and monitoring icons, with testing materials and prescription drugs around the phone." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="728bedc2-8443-46d3-b0a3-cbdc861cb7d0" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Advancing-Digital-Patient-Engagement-Opportunities-for-Differentiation.jpg" width="620" height="381"></p> <p>Rapid advancement in mobile digital health technologies has given consumers greater control over their care and the ability to engage more deeply with providers.</p> <p>Nevertheless, consumer experiences are far from consistent as they use virtual care, symptom checkers, chatbots, provider search apps, online scheduling and myriad other tools and apps. Many patients report unsatisfactory experiences related to ease of use, siloed functionality and other factors.</p> <h2><span>3 Keys to Meeting Patient Needs</span></h2> <p>Surveys demonstrate some of the most important things patients want in their digital experiences:</p> <h3><span>Key 1</span></h3> <p><strong><a href="https://hitconsultant.net/2012/12/04/45-mind-blowing-digital-health-statistics-and-trends/#:~:text=90" target="_blank" title="HIT Consultant: 45 Mind Blowing Digital Health Statistics and Trends.">90% want to self-manage their care leveraging technology</a>, according to a Practice Builders report.</strong></p> <h3><span>Key 2</span></h3> <p><strong><a href="https://www.jarvisanalytics.com/blog/online-scheduling/#:~:text=Accenture%20also%20added%20to%20the,choice%20of%20a%20healthcare%20provider.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" title="Jarvis Analytics: Meet Patients Where They Are with Online Scheduling.">77% want the ability to schedule, change or cancel appointments online</a>, notes an Accenture patient engagement study.</strong></p> <h3><span>Key 3</span></h3> <p><strong>Nearly<a href="https://theharrispoll.com/briefs/covid-19-tracker-wave-45#:~:text=(65%)%20of%20people%20plan%20to,telehealth%20after%20the%20pandemic%20ends" target="_blank" title="The Harris Poll: Most Americans Plan to Use Telehealth After the Pandemic: MedCity News-Harris Poll"> two-thirds of consumers plan to continue using telehealth</a> after the pandemic subsides, according to a 2021 Harris Poll.</strong></p> <p>This reinforces the importance of provider organizations developing and implementing a tightly integrated mobile strategy that ties together all consumer-facing digital elements to create a seamless experience throughout the patient journey.</p> <p>A recently released <a href="/aha-transformation-talks/ep2-01-digital-patient-engagement">Transformation Talks video</a> from the AHA Center for Health Innovation provides insights on how to craft a digital strategy to meet patients’ needs.</p> <p>Dan Dodson, system director, digital health and innovation, information services division, UNC Health, addresses key considerations for framing your digital front-door strategy while Diane Weber, R.N., executive director of the AHA’s Society for Health Care Strategy and Market Development, examines how to build scalable and efficient tools to consistently build your organization’s brand with consumers. Joshua Titus, CEO and founder of Gozio Health, shares best practices for selecting a digital health platform partner to help organizations ensure that their mobile apps and disparate data sources are in an easy-to-use form across the enterprise.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></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, 19 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0500 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2021-10-12-intermountain-presbyterian-and-ssm-health <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="Intermountain, Presbyterian and SSM Health Tackle Digital Transformation. A clinician works on a tablet with medical icons displayed with the Graphite Health logo." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dc04c07c-fc8c-44bc-a708-2e503d2adc1a" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_101221_item2_Marketplace_190_2037024.jpg" width="190" height="127" class="align-left">Health care disruptors have made rapid gains in capitalizing on the benefits of technological innovation, but health care remains hamstrung by siloed data. The good news is that the COVID-19 pandemic spurred many hospitals and health systems to move quickly to identify needs, assess novel tools and solutions and implement them efficiently.</p> <p>Innovative solutions make data exchange easier and digital transformation at scale possible, but organizations can face huge costs to purchase and implement third-party products.</p> <p>Clearly, hospitals and health systems need a different approach. And that’s exactly what <a href="https://intermountainhealthcare.org/" target="_blank" title="Home | Intermountain Healthcare">Intermountain Healthcare</a>, <a href="https://www.phs.org/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank" title="Presbyterian Health Services">Presbyterian Healthcare</a> and <a href="https://www.ssmhealth.com/resources/about" target="_blank" title="SSM Health homepage">SSM Health</a> recently did by founding a nonprofit company to tackle the digital transformation challenges.</p> <p>Dubbed <a href="https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/intermountain-presbyterian-and-ssm-health-announce-new-digital-transformation-company" target="_blank" title="Fierce Healthcare: Intermountain, Presbyterian and SSM Health announce new digital transformation company">Graphite Health</a>, the venture is modeled after <a href="https://civicarx.org/" target="_blank" title="Civica RX | Nonprofit Generic Drug & Pharmaceutical.">Civica Rx</a>, a nonprofit drug company formed by member hospitals to address drug shortages and reduce generic drug prices. <a href="https://www.graphitehealth.io/" target="_blank" title="Graphite Health homepage.">Graphite Health</a> has an App-Store-like marketplace where digital health entrepreneurs can sell their software tools, and health care organizations and consumers can more easily buy and implement them.</p> <p>Graphite Health’s mission is to establish a trusted digital ecosystem that includes an interoperable data platform and an application marketplace that drives the digital advancement of health care for patients. Members invest in and own the company and commit to utilizing Graphite tools and technology. Each receives technology solutions designed for and by them, along with the resources needed to onboard and adopt the new capabilities.</p> <p>The key to the Graphite platform is an overarching data management strategy that accounts for how the system ingests raw data from existing systems of record, how it shares data within the health system walls and how patients can share data externally. A successful platform in health care will require a common data platform that is administered independently and also can facilitate data discovery across organizational boundaries. Graphite is working toward making such an exchange possible.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.graphitehealth.io/" target="_blank" title="Graphite Health: Solution">Graphite Marketplace</a> provides an open one-stop shop for both parties: The health system members have a single process for accessing hundreds of trusted applications; it offers entrepreneurs one platform to facilitate access to dozens of partner systems representing millions of users; and it provides a seamless experience for disseminating and accessing innovative technologies.</p> <p>The marketplace is constructed around four stores: consumer-facing apps, care coordination apps, business efficiency apps and provider satisfaction apps.</p> <p>Moving from disruption by outsiders to an ecosystem of digital transformation directed by hospitals and health systems not only prioritizes patients and their health care needs, but also can reduce provider workload, increase operational efficiencies and control costs.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></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, 12 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0500 Apps /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2021-01-19-new-era-begins-connected-health-home <div class="container row"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="A New Era Begins in Connected Health at Home. A smart phone surrounded by the BioIntelliSense BioSticker, HealthyU remote sensor, Themis smart mirror, and FallCall Detect app." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f32555b4-0c72-41b2-8b3c-1879cb75a182" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_011721_item1_BDO_620_1797740.jpg" width="620" height="381"></p> <p>The COVID-19 pandemic has vividly illustrated the need for a higher level of connected health. As millions of Americans sheltered in place, particularly those with chronic or emerging serious diseases, it wasn’t simply a matter of convenience for patients to connect to and capture and share vital signs and other critical health information with their doctors from home — it was a necessity.</p> <p>And it appears there is no going back, especially since so many patients have now experienced the benefits of more convenient ways to monitor their health conditions. Sixty percent of health care organizations will invest in virtual care technology in 2021, according to a recent BDO survey of health care chief financial officers.</p> <p>Responding to this growing demand, tech companies large and small have been working feverishly on devices for the home that can help patients not only better monitor their health, but also detect diseases earlier.</p> <p>Many took part in last week’s <a href="https://digital.ces.tech/home" target="_blank">Consumer Electronics Show</a>, introducing new digital health devices. While these solutions are aimed at consumers, and health data from them isn’t automatically shared with providers, they help illustrate a growing trend of consumer demand — the patient home as the center of care.</p> <h2><img alt="BioIntelliSense BioSticker" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b99524b2-17c6-490a-90db-56d21eff9ea6" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_011721_item1_BioSticker_1797741.jpg" width="190" height="127" class="align-left">BioIntelliSense BioSticker</h2> <p>Consumers and caregivers alike have always valued devices that monitor vital signs but, as the pandemic has shown, there is a need for greater information in areas like respiratory function. One new <a href="https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/services/population-health-management/patient-engagement/biointellisense-biosticker" target="_blank">wearable sensor</a> from <a href="https://www.usa.philips.com/" target="_blank">Philips</a> can track resting respiratory rate, along with other physiological biometrics and symptomatic events such as cough frequency, skin temperature, resting heart rate, body position and activity levels.</p> <h2><img alt="HealthU" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="eddf029f-555c-46d6-b247-d10063b8f62f" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_011721_item1_HealthyU_1797742.jpg" width="190" height="127" class="align-right">HealthyU</h2> <p>Other digital health technologies are aimed at making it easier for patients to track and report their conditions. The <a href="https://healthyu.ai/" target="_blank">HealthyU</a> from <a href="https://hdmedicalgroup.com/" target="_blank">HD Medical</a> remotely monitors multiple vital signs while providing a built-in, seven-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) stethoscope. The device can track lung sounds, heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate and blood pressure without a cuff.</p> <h2><img alt="Themis Smart Mirror and CareOS app." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="856f4d6d-a2a4-4e4f-b3eb-f372ea6a5e66" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_011721_item1_CareOS_1797744.jpg" width="190" height="127" class="align-left">Themis Smart Mirror</h2> <p>A new smart mirror acts as a personal wellness assistant to perform skin and mood analysis and visual acuity tests, and can provide smart alerts, daily temperature checks and fertility-cycle reminders. The <a href="https://www.care-os.com/themis/index.html" target="_blank">Themis</a> device collects data from several sensors, including an RGB camera, infrared temperature sensor and an ultraviolet light for skin analysis. The device can link with ECG trackers, smart scales and digital showerheads for a fully integrated bathroom.</p> <h2><img alt="FallCall Detect App" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca8c12df-3f7d-4b2d-a1b9-36c36e481cd2" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ms_011721_item1_FallCall_1797743.jpg" width="190" height="127" class="align-right">FallCall Detect App</h2> <p>Some products are geared toward the detection of emergency care. The <a hrev="https://www.fallcall.com/" target="_blank">FallCall Detect app</a> for the AppleWatch can distinguish between falls with greater force that are more likely to cause injury and falls that occur from a sitting position. If a high-impact call is detected, FallCall’s medical monitoring service is automatically contacted and will send emergency medical services if needed. If a low-impact fall is detected, only a user’s pre-designated support contact is notified.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></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, 19 Jan 2021 06:30:00 -0600 Apps /case-studies/2020-10-07-members-action-maternal-health-case-study-engaging-mothers-through <p><span><span>Through the use of apps, remote monitoring and video visits, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital targets prenatal and postpartum hypertension, expands access to maternal fetal specialists and increases patient engagement. These efforts have led to improved clinical outcomes and greater self-advocacy by patients.</span></span></p> <hr /> <p></p> <div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth" target="_blank" title="Advancing Health">Advancing Health</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth/innovatively-reaching-women-and-families" target="_blank" title="Innovatively Reaching Women and Families">Innovatively Reaching Women and Families</a></div> <p> </p> Wed, 07 Oct 2020 11:56:23 -0500 Apps /advocacy/2020-06-18-download-ahas-new-app-my-aha-connect p ul ol li { font-size: 16px !important; } img.rounded-corners { border-radius: 30px; border: solid black 3px; } <p><a href="/advocacy/2020-04-16-introducing-ahas-new-app-my-aha-connect"><img alt="My AHA Connect App banner. Ready for download! My AHA Connect App. AHA's new members-only app. Download." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="62411eb5-bacc-4b08-8321-baa5f9a4fb37" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/My-AHA-Connect_700x_350_V1.jpg" width="700" height="350"></a></p> <p>Designed to make it easy for you to stay current with the latest health policy news and legislative updates, the app can be customized according to your interests for a personalized experience. It also enables you to contact your Congressional representatives with a single tap, and to participate in discussion groups on shared interests.</p> <p>Watch the video below for a preview of the app and all it offers.</p> <hr> <p></p> <p><em>If the video embed does not appear above or does not play for you, you can <a href="https://youtu.be/R-PPFWOU-y4">watch it on YouTube.</a></em></p> <hr> <p>Here’s how to access the app:</p> <h2 id="logincreateaccount">Step 1 – Login to Your Member Account or Create a Member Account</h2> <p>To use the My AHA Connect app, you will need to have an activated AHA member account. If you have an AHA Member Account, please click the "Login to AHA.org" button below and login to your account. If you have forgotten your password, click on the "Forgot Password?" link to reset it. If you are already logged in, click on the button and it will take you to the next steps to download the app.</p> <div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/advocacy/2020-04-16-introducing-ahas-new-app-my-aha-connect">Login to AHA.org</a></div> <p>If you do not have an AHA.org member account, you will need to create one. Please watch the video below and then follow the steps listed to create a new member account:</p> <hr> <p> Your browser does not support the video tag. </p> <p>If the video does not play on the page, click on the button below to have it open in a new window.</p> <div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/video/2020/07/AHA-SSO-MemberEngagement-VIDEO.mp4" target="_blank">Play the Create Account Video</a></div> <hr> <ol> <li>Click on the button below to go to the Login/Create an Account page. This will open in a new browser window so that you can follow the next steps easily. <div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/advocacy/2020-04-16-introducing-ahas-new-app-my-aha-connect" target="_blank">Login to AHA.org</a></div> </li> <li>On the Login/Create an Account page, click on the "CREATE AN ACCOUNT" button.</li> <li>Enter the email address. Please enter your email address with your member organization if you have one.</li> <li>You will be taken to a "Account Search Result page. If your member organization appears under the "Searched Organizations" listing, please link your account to your org by clicking on the appropriate "Link my user account to this org" blue button. You must link your user account to your member organization to receive full member access in the My AHA Connect app.</li> <li>If your organization does not appear in the "Searched Organizations" listed, please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on either the "Search for your organization by zip code" button. You will be taken to a "New Account Registration - Search for your organization" page. Enter the 5-digit zip code of your organization in the field and click on the "submit" button. A list of "Search Results Based on your Organization's Zip Code" will appear on a new page. If your member organization appears under the "Searched Organizations" listing, please link your account to your org by clicking on the appropriate "Link my user account to this org" blue button.</li> <li>If you still don't see your organization listed, click the back errors on your browser window until you are back to the "Account Research Result" page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the "Continue with no org affiliation" button. <p><strong>WARNING: If you click on the "Continue with no org affiliation" button, you will not have access to member content on the My AHA Connect app. You will be able to link to an organization later by editing your profile.</strong></p> </li> <li>On the "Create Account" page, fill in your personal information as requested. Make sure that all required fields are completed. If you have successfully linked to an organization, the organization name will appear in the "Organization" field in the "Personal Information" section and the organization address will appear in the "Address Information" section. Your password must be at least eight characters long, contain at least one number, contain at least one capital letter, and include no symbols. When you have completed all the fields, click on the "Create Account" button.</li> <li>Once you have created an account, you will be taken to a login page. Use your email address and newly created password to login. If you are creating a new account, it is important that you login when the login screen appears to fully activate your account.</li> <li>After logging in, you will be taken to the aha.org homepage. Click on the button below to continue to the My AHA Connect app download page. <div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/advocacy/2020-04-16-introducing-ahas-new-app-my-aha-connect">Login to AHA.org</a></div> </li> </ol> Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:55:54 -0500 Apps