Collaborating with Communities to Redefine the Hospital

This article from Hospitals & Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital Association, details the report from the 2014 committee on research. Among other point, the authors highlight the following:

Far from being insulated to the challenges and opportunities associated with change and transformation, hospitals and health care systems should consider new ways to engage with communities and assess how changes in the health care delivery system will affect patients and consumers. Hospitals should be redefined in a manner that positively impacts the overall health of a community and is supported by the community.

The AHA believes that changes as significant as those likely to occur in the coming decade need to be planned for, not only within the hospitals, but also with strong input and engagement from the local community. In 2014, the AHA Committee on Research and the Committee on Performance Improvement focused on how hospitals can engage with community stakeholders to discuss the changing health care landscape. The committees also examined how hospitals can educate and engage leaders at the governance level — those who can help to navigate new payment models, delivery system reforms and community health challenges.

The Leadership Toolkit includes a report plus several tools and resources that address community engagement and governance strategies for hospital leaders.