AHA Stat Blog

One legacy of our response to COVID-19 surely will be how it has accelerated the adoption of virtual care. It is one of the more encouraging developments during the losses of the pandemic. 

When Congress returns to Washington, D.C., on Monday, lawmakers’ attention will turn to one of the largest infrastructure spending packages in our nation’s history. 

The availability of swift, accurate and reliable diagnostic testing during the public health emergency has been extremely important.

Many of the digital solutions we relied on during the pandemic will remain, making digital health equity, including digital access and literacy, even more important. As hospitals and health systems design and implement digital solutions, it will be imperative to take proactive steps so all individuals have the opportunity to engage with these tools.

We know that a person’s health is influenced more by their social and economic circumstances than by access to medical services. However, making a real difference for people who struggle with social needs remains a significant challenge. 

In 2019, 1 in 5 women suffered from a mental health disorder. Now, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, even more women are reporting increases in challenges associated with mental illness as they continue to take on responsibilities they had not been prepared for. 

2021 marks year three of the AHA Physician Alliance, created to help hospital and health systems better engage and partner with physician leadership and to strengthen that voice in the American Hospital Association’s  policy efforts.

In this episode of Leadership Rounds, I talk with Alvin Hoover, CEO of King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven, Miss., who is serving on the front lines of rural health care.   

As more vaccine supplies become available and more jurisdictions expand priority categories or do away with them altogether, hospitals and health systems continue to work overtime to serve as access points.

Throughout the pandemic, innovative partnerships have helped hospitals and health systems ensure ongoing care for patients, health care workers and their communities. Here are some of the success stories that have shone brightly at every phase of this public health emergency. Plus, there’s an opportunity to learn how we can help accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations.

A new Market Insights report from the AHA Center for Health Innovation describes how to use data to build new capabilities that improve health outcomes for patients and communities.

Health care is about human connection: people taking care of people. The people of America’s hospitals and health systems do this each and every day, and the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on the vital role they play in our nation’s health and safety. 

The incredible job that hospitals and caregivers have done over the past year saving lives, treating very sick patients and protecting their communities has been acknowledged and enabled by Congress through relief aid several times since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

AHA launches the first in a new series of toolkits designed to help hospitals and health systems make progress in advancing their health equity agenda.

One way to demonstrate respect and not stigmatize when discussing people with mental health diagnoses is to use person-first language, writes Kelly Ryan, director of social services and doctoral training at Linden Oaks at Edward Hospital and Health Services in Illinois, and Gina Sharp, president and CEO of Linden Oaks Behavioral Health.

At hospitals and health systems across the country, patient safety is a priority every single day. Each year as AHA marks Patient Safety Awareness Week, we recognize the work of health care teams and promote discussions about patient safety. It’s a time when we also mark the progress we’ve made as a field, which is more important than ever as we look toward recovery from the pandemic.

Patients should expect that any drugs or medications they require are safe, administered effectively and available when needed. But, some commercial health insurance companies are changing the rules about how drugs are handled and administered, with serious consequences for patient care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed many of the things that shape our lives: our relationships, our work, our interactions with technology and one another. And although it has undoubtedly changed leaders, it hasn’t changed what we know about leadership.

Health care systems must partner in effective community-based approaches in caring for populations, write three leaders from Providence. Using evidence from more than four decades of place-based investments, the authors write that comprehensive, multi-dimensional community investment strategies can measurably advance human health and well-being. Read more about the seven Standards of Excellence in Community Health Investments for consideration by health care systems and partners.

Today is International Women's Day, a celebration of women’s achievements and a way to raise awareness against bias and take action for equality.