AHA Stat Blog

The AHA Physician Alliance conducts regular Questions with Clinician Leaders podcast featuring physicians across the country sharing their views on key issues. This month’s focus is on addressing social determinants of health (SDoH), an effort fundamental to the Care Well value of the Alliance. Below are four keys to addressing SDoH using skills and resources your organization already has. 

In this AHA Stat Blog post, Priya Bathija, vice president of AHA’s The Value Initiative, shares how hospitals and health systems have made substantial efforts to improve quality outcomes, resulting in meaningful progress in providing high-value, affordable and person-centered care.

I have hope that the rapidly evolving health care landscape will empower us to deliver better care than ever before and to build a nation of healthier individuals and communities.

Hospitals and health systems are building the future patients want and need to lead their healthiest lives.

The health sector is in midst of historic change—and it’s being driven by new technology and patients’ increasing desire to play a larger role in directing their own care.  

Together, we have a chance to design coordinated systems of support for patients and their families – next-generation care that will build a nation of healthier communities.

As our country works to expand health coverage and improve access to care, “Medicare for All” is getting a lot of attention. There are many different flavors so it’s worth diving a little deeper into what “Medicare for All” really means. A new report released on Tuesday shows exactly what one proposed “Medicare for All” bill would do – and how it will impact hospitals, health systems and patients’ access to care.

Patients should be confident in knowing that their hospital is their lifeline to access care in their community. The cuts proposed today raise serious concerns about how hospitals and health systems can ensure they serve as the safety net for their patients.

I was pleased to take part in a robust discussion about new leadership competencies last week in conjunction with the South by Southwest Festival.

The AHA is here to help hospitals and health systems build the future of health care delivery.  

The shift to a health care system that rewards value over volume is fundamentally transforming the patient care landscape.

The AHA will be participating in a number of sessions across the coming days as part of the SXSW Interactive Festival’s Health and MedTech track – to share how hospitals and health systems are transforming to advance health in their communities.

All around us, we see exciting examples of bold thinking and experimentation to better serve patients. Already, many of these new models and methods are achieving positive results.

Patients and their providers rely on these prescription drugs for treating injury and managing illness. Yet the drug companies and their shareholders have been treating America’s patients and providers like a piggybank.

The AHA has partnered with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business to develop a new training opportunity for health care leaders, Building and Leading a Culture of Innovation. The course, which is offered in April and July, will help leaders uncover behaviors that inhibit innovation in their organizations, and develop a plan for unblocking them guided by best practices for change management.

Get the ball rolling today by starting a conversation with your board about your vision, role and purpose in the community.

As a politically practical matter, we need to focus on finding consensus to improve the system we have rather than subject the nation to yet another polarizing debate on health care. 

AHA Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President Jay Bhatt, D.O., shares information on a new resource from AHA’s Physician Alliance to help frontline staff and their leadership teams tackle the social determinants of health.

“Competition? It’s What the Doctor Ordered” paints an incomplete picture of how coordinated networks of care among hospitals and health systems affect health care delivery. Not only does it leave out many key facts on the benefits to patients and communities…it also attempts to draw broad conclusions based on limited and incomparable studies and data.

In this ever-changing world, there are fewer certainties than ever before: the health care field, the political landscape, and even the climate are transforming as I write. But, one thing that doesn’t change, and you can count on: The AHA Annual Membership Meeting is one of the best places to learn about the new trends shaping health care, hear about our field’s opportunities to impact public policy from the key players who are shaping it, and talk with your peers from across the country about how we can build a stronger health system for our patients, hospitals and communities.