AHA Stat Blog

More school-age children have returned to in-person learning during the last few weeks. More employees are returning to their workplaces. Sports stadiums are filling with spectators again, and theaters and concert venues are welcoming back audiences. 

It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed since Americans watched in shock and horror the events that unfolded in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. 

Come January 1, 2022, patients will be protected from certain types of unexpected medical bills.  America’s hospitals and health systems strongly support these new patient protections that are included in the No Surprises Act.

Hospitals and health systems have long advocated for protecting patients from certain unexpected medical bills while preserving their access to care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus more than ever before the need for teamwork and communication. To help support health care teams and get everyone on the same page, TeamSTEPPS is a practical, evidence-based set of communications tools developed over decades. It’s been implemented successfully across hospitals and health systems and is now taking on an even greater role with infection prevention and control teams as COVID-19 continues to spread.

On this episode, I discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and public health infrastructure with Mike Slubowski, president and CEO at Trinity Health, a Catholic health system that serves communities in 25 states.

The essay Nurses Deserve Better. So Do Their Patients is right to note the “awesome” impact that nurses have within our health care system and in the battle against Covid-19.

As of now, most school districts have opened or plan to reopen this month or next, so the return to in-person schooling is underway. Many kids — not to mention their parents — eagerly await the day.  

Last week a series of emails that became public revealed communication between executives at UnitedHealth Group and researchers studying the frequency of surprise medical billing.

The opioid epidemic has been an incredibly challenging public health crisis in communities across our country. And it’s clear the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenges. 

COVID-19 has posed a steep learning curve for health care providers over the past 18 months. Hospitals and health systems have responded by sharing more knowledge, insight and best practices with each other than ever before.

Elisa Arespacochaga, AHA’s vice president of clinical affairs and workforce, outlines the critical importance of clinician well-being programs to help address physician burnout and suicides and workforce shortages, particularly during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Read more.

And it’s not only what we say to patients and their families that matters but how we talk with care teams in private. Many times we may not even realize we are being insensitive or spreading stigma. 

Given the recent upsurge in COVID-19 cases around the country, we can’t say how much longer the official public health emergency will last. But we do know that many regulatory waivers put into place by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at the start of the pandemic have worked very well and deserve to live on past the current crisis. 

The next generation of moms and families are more-frequently experiencing new tech-based approaches to improving one’s pregnancy or birthing journey.

Who exactly is a “stakeholder” when it comes to improving health equity?

With the remarkable advances in health care, treatments for serious illnesses like cancer and diabetes are saving millions of lives each year and helping people live longer. 

The American Hospital Association and its Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD) July 15 hosted “Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Your Community,” a webinar centered on examining the root causes of vaccine hesitancy and how health care organizations can tailor their messaging to these groups to promote confidence.

The COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund has been a lifeline for hospitals, health systems and health care providers, allowing them to continue to put the health and safety of patients and health care personnel first. In many cases, the funds ensured they were able to keep their doors open. 

AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity has been working for more than 25 years to advance health equity, diversity and inclusion by supporting hospitals, health systems, patients and communities. While the health care field has made some progress, we still have a long way to go.