News

During an AHA virtual briefing for lawmakers and staff, leaders from three health systems – Trinity Health, Ascension and LifePoint Health, which serve communities all across the country – today shared their organizations’ experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as recommendations to improve efforts to get more people vaccinated as safely, quickly and equitably as possible.

Although “compassion tech” does not yet define a particular category of innovations, it follows the natural evolution of health care technology. While e-health was popularized by the digitization of health care through electronic medical records, we now use “digital health” to refer to a wide range of consumer-facing and backend technologies like wearables, analytic platforms and clinical decision support.

The Supreme Court should hold the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate constitutional, the Department of Justice said in a letter to the Supreme Court reversing the position of the prior administration. If the court holds that the mandate is unconstitutional, however, it should declare it severable from the remainder of the law, DOJ said. 

Community partnerships could address mental health care lack-of-access issues, writes Sean Blair, chief growth officer for ncgCARE, a behavioral health care organization with providers in North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and West Virginia.

Hospitals and health systems every day see patients who are impacted by violence and human trafficking. Experts from CommonSpirit Health share their stories and discuss the importance of mission-driven programs that raise awareness of human trafficking and help combat this issue in their hospitals’ surrounding communities

AHA and Musicians on Call are collaborating on a digital campaign to thank front-line caregivers around Valentine’s Day through digital promotions, social media and surprise virtual performances by celebrity artists.

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the importance of good fit to maximize mask performance.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized administering the monoclonal antibodies bamlanivimab and etesevimab together to treat patients 12 and older with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease but not hospitalized or on oxygen therapy.

To improve Americans’ access to care, stop the COVID-19 pandemic and advance health equity, AHA and seven other national organizations voiced support for six principles to make health coverage more available and affordable.

The Accountable Health Communities model reduced hospital emergency department visits by 9% for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries screened for health-related social needs, according to the first report evaluating the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services model.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services extended from Feb. 8 to March 17 the deadline for inpatient prospective payment system hospitals and PPS-exempt cancer hospitals to submit third quarter 2020 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems data.

An estimated 68% of U.S. adults intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when surveyed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in December, up from 61.9% in September.

The Food and Drug Administration issued updated guidance on using ventilator splitters to support more than one patient when other options are unavailable.

Leaders from WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, N.C., share strategies to overcome behavioral health disparities and increase patients’ access to appropriate caregivers at the right time and place.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual persons in the U.S. have higher self-reported prevalence of several underlying health conditions associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes, compared to heterosexual persons, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

The Food and Drug Administration revised and reissued its emergency use authorization for COVID-19 convalescent plasma to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has brought us excruciatingly difficult times, I keep saying this is the finest hour for hospitals. Our field has risen to incredible challenges with expertise, commitment and compassion, and it’s inspiring to see.

Each year, the AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award program recognizes health care’s bright stars who are working to improve community health through collaborations with other stakeholders.

The Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center and AHA will host a Feb. 10 panel discussion on best practices to combat unlawful robocalls to hospitals.

The U.S. health care system saves an estimated $122 billion annually by automating administrative transactions but could save $16.3 billion more by transitioning to fully electronic transactions, according to the latest annual CAQH Index.