Perspective: Sharing Knowledge, Experiences to Advance Health

COVID-19 has posed a steep learning curve for health care providers over the past 18 months. Hospitals and health systems have responded by sharing more knowledge, insight and best practices with each other than ever before.

The AHA supports and encourages these exchanges in every way we can. One example is our Living Learning Network (LLN), a project in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that has worked throughout the pandemic to foster continued dialogue between providers and to keep the exchange of helpful information flowing. 

More than 270 hospitals and health systems joined the network to keep up to date with the latest COVID-19 news and practices. Message boards, video conferences, email groups and other platforms have helped nearly 3,900 LLN participants share needs and strategies nationwide. 

Capping its effort, LLN released a new digital “look book” this week that highlights and honors some of the best work in the field during the pandemic. The collection of commentaries, photographs and short stories submitted by LLN members captures the pandemic’s defining moments and how hospitals and health systems across the country responded.

Members shared many moving examples: ranging from playing the “Rocky” theme song upon a patient’s discharge after a long stay … to making sure no patient was left  unattended at the end of their lives … to hospital workers who set an example by getting vaccinated first as part of a statewide “take your shot” campaign.
 
As our field continues the fight against COVID-19, the LLN will move into its second year continuing its focus on defeating the pandemic and leveraging the community to inform responses to future public health emergencies, infection control and prevention. Health care professionals interested in joining this online community can click here. 

In addition to LLN’s connective efforts, AHA has supported many other strategies to spotlight examples of COVID-19 lessons learned from across the nation. 

Among the most impactful was the release of COVID-19 Pathways to Recovery, a compendium produced by an AHA Board Task Force with input from many members of the association. Led by Melinda Estes, M.D., former chair of AHA’s Board and president and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System, the report helped hospitals to resume full patient service by offering tips and strategies collected from 46 care providers on topics from workforce to supply chains to governance, to name just a few. 

Health care providers and their patients thrive on continued learning. And lessons learned from peers are among the most useful and the most powerful.

The AHA will continue to encourage and support all forms of dialogue and knowledge exchange between our hospitals and health systems as we fight the pandemic together and continue to advance health in America.