Chairperson's File
Blog posts from 2026 AHA Board Chair Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist, and past chairs.
Partnering—not competing—with other health organizations is how many hospitals are working to improve traditional medical care. At the same time, these hospitals are integrating care coordination into sustainable models of improvement. In 2006, Billings Clinic, St. Vincent Healthcare and the…
The work of a Washington D.C. collaborative of hospitals and FQHCs is benefiting the entire community, particularly the most vulnerable residents. Children's National Health System, Howard University Hospital, Providence Hospital, Sibley Memorial Hospital and federally qualified health centers work…
Community health initiatives that start with small successes can lead to bigger changes. St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, KS, actively participates and was instrumental in the creation of the Finney County Community Health Coalition (FCCHC). This coalition was assembled after a small group of…
The 2017 chair files will begin highlighting efforts that are improving community health beyond traditional hospital walls. The first of these vignettes from the upcoming 'The Next Generation of Community Health' report is on the Children's Health System of Texas, based in Dallas, and how they are…
Trust is among the most important currencies we have as health care leaders. And during these times of change, we have an opportunity to continue to elevate our role as the steady and trusted voice in our communities. One of the ways to do so is by creating new alliances, approaches and information…
On Jan. 20, 2017, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the presidential inauguration and experience the peaceful transition of power in person. With all its pomp and circumstance, which has occurred nearly 60 times since the days of George Washington, it is hard to put into words the emotions…
The 2016 chairman's columns have focused on inspiring stories about hospitals and health systems that are providing exceptional care to impact lives and transform communities all across the country.
All future performance improvement projects will address health care disparities. That's the commitment and goal at Navicent Health, an 800-bed, not-for-profit health system in Macon, Ga. In 2015, the health system initiated several new quality and safety programs to address disparities, including…
Improving the health of communities where people live, work and play is more important than ever. In early 2017, the AHA's Association for Community Health Improvement (ACHI) convenes its annual conference, bringing together professionals in community health, community benefit and population health…
Quality and safety are “top of the agenda” at urban and rural hospitals across the country. At Howard Memorial Hospital, a 20-bed critical access hospital in Nashville, Ark., a multidisciplinary team led a focused project to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). Educating…