Quality & Patient Safety
The women and men who work in America’s hospitals witness the toll of the opioid epidemic on patients and the health of their communities every day.
While prescription opioids can be a safe and necessary part of pain management, these drugs also carry serious risks of harm because of the…
Hep C deaths at all-time high
19,659: Number of U.S. deaths related to the hepatitis C virus in 2014, the highest number in history. The number of acute HCV cases hit 2,194 in 2014, more than 2.5 times the number in 2010.
Increased testing and increased access to treatment are considered the…
Hospitals and health systems throughout the country face many of the same challenges. One of the most dangerous — and almost always overlooked (if an organization is even aware of it) — is the persistent use of inconsistent terminology.
When there are a lack of rules guiding…
AHA Resources
Understanding board’s role in hospital–physician relations
The American Hospital Association's Center for Healthcare Governance invites hospital executives, board members, clinical leaders and others to view a three-part webinar to help health systems continually…
You might conclude, judging by the media fixation on whoever says the most incendiary and idiotic things the loudest, that deep thinking about hard issues has gone utterly out of style.
Emily Friedman proved otherwise. In her writing for this publication and others, she challenged us to examine…
One in four Americans experiences a mental illness or substance use disorder each year, and the majority of those also have a comorbid physical health condition. Hospitals provide essential behavioral health care services to millions of Americans every day. In recent years, the challenges of…
Trustee Talking Points
Trustee Talking Points
Health systems now require enterprise data warehouses to create a foundation for future analytics.
The shift from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement is driving the need for sophisticated analytics systems that can…
For years, Caitrin Houlihan sought solace in drugs and alcohol. She started smoking marijuana at age 12 and gravitated toward painkillers, angel dust, cocaine and heroin in her teens. “Where I grew up, it was very acceptable,” Houlihan, 38, says of her Boston neighborhood. “That’s how I knew how to…
Strategy Webinar: Board’s role in population health The Center for Healthcare Governance is offering a recorded webinar available on demand titled “Gearing Up for Population Health: How Boards Can Lead With Influence.” The webinar outlines four key steps for boards: defining…
Cancer Forecast
1,685,210 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.
595,690 people are expected to die in the U.S. this year.