AHA Stat Blog

With a few hours to digest this morning’s oral argument in American Hospital Association v. Becerra, I wanted provide a few high-level reactions.

The AHA has released its 2022 Health Care Talent Scan, a review of reports, studies and other data sources from leading organizations. It provides workforce insights and information you can use to guide your organization forward during this time of uncertainty and continued transformation.

The Supreme Court of the United States Nov. 30 will hear oral arguments in a case brought by the AHA and others asking the court to reverse the 2020 federal appeals court decision that upheld the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services to significantly cut payments to certain hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, threatening access care for patients.

On Thursday, many families and friends will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, reflect on our blessings and remember loved ones. During this holiday season, far too many tables will have empty seats — a painful reminder of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For nearly two years, our nation’s hospitals and health systems — and the gifted, dedicated women and men who lead them — have fought back relentlessly against a once-in-a-century pandemic. 

Ruby Kirby, CEO of two rural critical access hospitals in West Tennessee, shares insights on how her health organizations are working to eliminate health inequities and disparities in rural communities while building vaccine confidence.

Ruby Kirby, CEO of two rural critical access hospitals in West Tennessee, shares insights on how her health organizations are working to eliminate health inequities and disparities in rural communities.

This Thursday, Nov. 18, is National Rural Health Day. It’s an opportunity to show support for our rural hospitals and health systems, and also raise awareness about their resiliency, resolve, relationships and readiness — this year’s themes for the recognition day.

The AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference – one of AHA's flagship events – will be held in person February 6-9 in Phoenix, AZ. AHA Executive Vice President Michelle Hood previews the conference designed to help rural health care leaders and trustees accelerate the transformation to a more integrated and sustainable rural health system. Read more.

Makunda Abdul-Mbacke, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist, shares the challenges she faces in her rural Virginia community and her hopes for the future of rural health.

Hospitals and health systems are doing tremendous work in their communities every single day. Whether it’s caring for a sick or injured patient, supporting a healthy food program, vaccinating people against COVID-19, educating patients about health and wellness, or using new technologies to detect diseases earlier, hospitals and health systems are committed on every front to the mission of advancing health.

A recent piece in The Hill promoting physician-owned hospitals gives a misleading and incomplete account of these facilities and the reasons for current statutory restrictions on their growth.

The authors of a recent analysis published in JAMA themselves acknowledge that their sample size is very small, making it hard to draw any sweeping conclusions based on their data. In addition, the study does not provide direct insight as to what hospitals actually pay to acquire these drugs.

A white paper from the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy on a provision in the draft Build Back Better Act (BBBA) takes serious shortcuts and overlooks how certain provisions fit into a broader, much more complex set of payment policies.

Across the country, I see hospitals and health systems doing incredible work to improve societal factors that influence the health of individuals and communities. That’s why I’m excited that the AHA is spotlighting a number of strategies that reinforce the crucial role of hospitals and health systems in serving their communities — it’s all part of a digital campaign that launches today.

As every health care leader today can testify, the pandemic has tested the resilience of our health care workforce like never before. And as we know, without a resilient health force, we cannot exist. Our entire health care system breaks down. It's as simple as that.

The stark differences in maternal health outcomes between Black and White women are widening at an escalating pace, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recent expansion of COVID-19 booster shots for certain adult Americans means that millions more people are now eligible to seek extra protection against the deadly virus.

Affordable health care ranks among the top concerns for many Americans. It’s a concern that hospitals and health systems fully share … and we have been working hard to address.

The authors of a recent study that looked at CARES Act Provider Relief Funds allocated to health care institutions made arbitrary choices about which payments to include in the analysis. This resulted in incomplete or skewed findings.