Confronting New Challenges

Hospitals and hospital workers stepping up to meet emerging health care challenges is nothing new. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization sounded the alarm about the Zika virus, which poses particular danger to pregnant women and their fetuses. We are closely monitoring emerging information about the virus and its potential impact on patients, hospitals and our health care system. Yesterday, we released an initial advisory detailing the CDC’s interim guidance for monitoring pregnant women with possible infection and infants born to women who may have been exposed.  We also inaugurated a webpage of Zika virus information and resources at: www.aha.org/zika. Events are developing rapidly, and we will stay on top of them and provide you with the latest, best information available on Zika and its potential to impact patients and hospitals, sharing updates from the CDC and others as they become available. Hospitals play a central role in protecting public health and meeting patient needs and will continue to do so with every new challenge.