AHA Stat Blog

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.

When the World Health Assembly designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, they had no idea a pandemic would envelop the world the same year. The convergence of these events is a poignant reminder of nurses’ vital role in caring for patients, comforting families and protecting the health of the community.

America’s health care workforce is among the most highly skilled and highly trained in the world. But the COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges and exacerbated others.

America’s hospitals and health systems have been intensely focused on preparing to care for patients suffering from the novel coronavirus. From the very outset of the outbreak, hospitals have significantly transformed their operations – from the use of virtual care to devising solutions to deal with the shortages of drugs and equipment, such as ventilators – to respond aggressively to the pandemic.

This week, the women and men of America’s hospitals and health systems are continuing their heroic efforts caring for tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients.

Here is a summary of the impressive progress so far in the 100 Million Mask Challenge.

As our nation’s caregivers remain courageously entrenched in the battle against COVID-19, AHA is working to ensure that telehealth is realizing its potential as one of the most powerful health care tools in the arsenal.

Long hours, a shortage of personal protective equipment, self-isolating from their own family members to protect them … these are just a few of the many difficulties America’s front-line health care workers are facing as they lead the fight against COVID-19.