AHA Stat Blog

Stepping back from pandemic coverage can reduce health care worker burnout, writes Jeremy Sadlier, director of HR Initiatives at the American Society for Health Care Human Resources Administration. Read more about utilizing HR services and how to de-stress.

The AHA is working hard to achieve health equity by working with the government to improve data collection to guide policy, and by creating tools and resources to help hospitals and health systems improve health equity in the community.

Marking Mental Health Awareness Month, Robyn Begley, CEO of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, writes that health care workers already faced burnout, addiction and suicide before COVID-19, and it’s important to tackle these issues now.

Our just-concluded National Hospital Week provided many great opportunities to express our heartfelt thanks to the remarkable caregivers who continue to minister to COVID-19 patients—and all patients who come through our hospital and health system doors—every day in every community across America.

National Hospital Week 2020 may be coming to a close tomorrow, but our efforts to support America’s health care heroes and their hospitals and health systems are still going strong.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, Bruce Bailey, president and CEO of Tidelands Health based in Georgetown, S.C., talks about how hospitals and health systems without inpatient behavioral health services or onsite mental health clinicians can still address the needs of these patients.

This year, National Hospital Week (May 10-16) takes on a special significance. For months, we have watched with awe and gratitude as the 6 million women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems have fought courageously each and every day to protect the health of an entire nation.

Yesterday kicked off National Hospital Week, 2020. Has there ever been a more important and opportune time to observe it?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the “triple whammy” of issues related to COVID-19 that are contributing to an unprecedented financial crisis for hospitals and health systems.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, Keri Hanson, maternal mental health program coordinator at SCL Health/Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colo., reflects on a forced move toward virtual maternal behavioral health services because of the COVID-19 emergency. Read more.

The outpouring of love, support and gratitude shown toward our magnificent health care workers has helped to keep them going in the strenuous battle against COVID-19. The gestures and praise for our health care heroes is a wonderful thing, and we must keep it up.

Hospitals and health systems continue to provide care for our most vulnerable communities by addressing social needs, educating on COVID-19 risks and collaborating with community organizations to expand these efforts beyond their walls, writes Elisa Arespacochaga, vice president of AHA’s Physician Alliance and interim executive lead of AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity. This AHA blog shares new AHA resources addressing the social determinants of health and meeting the needs of vulnerable populations during the pandemic.

Every day the women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems continue the battle against COVID-19. As our heroes on the front lines care for our family members, friends and neighbors, the AHA is focused on three areas – relief, recovery and rebuilding – to support the field.

Today marks the first day of Mental Health Awareness Month, an important topic especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brent Forester, M.D., chief of the Center of Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, discusses how and why we should pay special attention to older Americans who may be suffering from COVID-19, separated from loved ones or lost important routines. Read more.

In this AHA blog, Priya Bathija, AHA vice president of strategic initiatives, and Mike Schiller, director, supply chain for The Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management, share examples of businesses, manufacturers and individuals who are finding important new ways to support our COVID-19 caregivers.

Like the COVID-19 pandemic itself, access to protective gear for front-line health care workers is unevenly spread throughout the country. Some hospitals and health systems have adequate supplies of masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment on hand, while others have much more critical needs. 

Skyrocketing costs of preparing for a surge of COVID-19 patients. Drops in revenue from shutting down regular operations in terms of scheduled procedures.

There are many ways to make the difficult work facing our health care heroes just a little bit easier.

AHA featured in numerous media publications.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created stresses that most health care workers have never experienced, writes Robert Trestman, M.D., of Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Va., and 2020 chair-elect of AHA’s Behavioral Health Council.