Telling the Hospital Story 2026 Flip Book
Download and share examples reflecting hospitals' deep commitment to meeting community needs today while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.
Member Resource: Building and Maintaining Public Trust and Confidence
Share these new resources with your communications and leadership teams.
Hospitals Leading the Way to a Healthier America
Hospitals have always been at the heart of community health empowering healthier, happier lives for all.
AHA Launches New Multimedia Advertising Campaign to Promote Hospitals
The campaign includes a commercial that will run on national, cable, and digital TV and digital advertising.
Resources Spotlight Crucial Role of Rural Hospitals and Health Systems
The AHA released new resources to help rural hospitals and health systems share their stories and highlight the vital role they play in their communities.
Creative repurposing saves heart during double-lung transplant
Old technology — applied in new and novel ways — can still be a lifesaver.
All Stories
Ensuring Access to Care
AdventHealth
Altamonte, Fla.
In this conversation, Brent Davis, CEO of the primary health division at AdventHealth, shares how improved patient access, coordinated care teams, virtual care, and proactive follow-up are building a more efficient, consumer-focused healthcare system.
Ensuring Access to Care
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital
Virginia Beach, Va.
Virginia hospital teams up with Corvette club to drive home importance of prostate cancer screenings
Just as regular maintenance keeps a car running smoothly, routine health screenings can help detect problems before they become serious.
Ensuring Access to Care
Nantucket Cottage Hospital
Nantucket, Mass.
In this conversation, Amy Lee, president and chief operating officer at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, shares how telehealth is transforming patient care on the island,
Benefiting Communities
Presbyterian Healthcare Services
New Mexico
In New Mexico, Presbyterian Healthcare Services’ "Food as Medicine" approach closely aligns with the goals of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.
Benefiting Communities
Kula Hospital
Hawaii
Hawaii state leaders, Maui Health and Kaiser Permanente announced plans to restore and reopen Kula Hospital after the March 2026 Kona Low storms caused significant damage and forced the temporary closure of the hospital, including its emergency department and the Hale Makamae care facility.
Kula Hospital restoration moves forward with state and Kaiser Permanente funding, bringing resilient emergency, inpatient and long-term care back to Upcountry Maui.
Benefiting Communities
Erie County Medical Center
New York
The palliative care department at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) was the first in Western New York to offer patients a new component of their overall care: help with legal issues from the MedLaw Partnership.
Innovation, Research, and Quality Improvement
UVA Health
Charlottesville, Va.
Scientist develops experimental drug that reverses MS-related paralysis and vision loss in lab model
A UVA Health scientist has developed an experimental drug that reversed paralysis and vision loss in a laboratory mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), offering a potential new therapy for a disease that currently has no cure.
Innovation, Research, and Quality Improvement
UMass Memorial Health – Harrington
Charlton, Mass.
The Wound Care Center at Harrington at Charlton, part of UMass Memorial Health, offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat complex wounds such as severe diabetic foot ulcers, burns, gangrene, and infections of tissues or bone that cause tissue death.
Innovation, Research, and Quality Improvement
Bingham Memorial Hospital
Idaho
Bingham Memorial Hospital is playing a leading role in a first-of-its-kind cancer care initiative in the Pacific Northwest through a partnership with Portneuf Medical Center and Virchow Medical.
The hospitals are using the Crow’s Nest Biopsy Catchment System to capture and preserve tumor cells typically discarded after routine biopsies.
Prevention and Wellness
UVA Health
Charlottesville, Va.
Scientist develops experimental drug that reverses MS-related paralysis and vision loss in lab model
A UVA Health scientist has developed an experimental drug that reversed paralysis and vision loss in a laboratory mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), offering a potential new therapy for a disease that currently has no cure.
Prevention and Wellness
UK HealthCare
Lexington, Kentucky
UK HealthCare’s Albert B. Chandler Hospital has introduced a new emergency department screening protocol to help clinicians identify and treat sepsis sooner.
Prevention and Wellness
Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
Saint Paul, Minn.
In this conversation, Tori Bahr, M.D., section chief of pediatrics at Gillette Children’s, shares how healthcare teams can improve the transition from pediatric to adult care through early planning, coordinated care teams, and a more personalized approach to patient needs.
Workforce
Colquitt Regional Health System
Georgia
Jim Matney is President and CEO of Colquitt Regional Health System.
Workforce
BayCare Health System
Florida
In this conversation, Nikki Daily, chief team resources officer at BayCare Health System, discusses how the organization is addressing that challenge by building career pathways, developing apprenticeships, and partnering with community organizations to create opportunities for the healthcare workforce.
Workforce
Harrison Memorial Hospital (Ky.) Banner Health (Ariz.), Dartmouth Health (N.H.), Hutchinson Regional Medical Center (Kan.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Ark.), Western Wisconsin Health (Wis.)
In part two of this special three-part Advancing Health podcast series, hear how leaders are creating new pathways into the workforce, investing in training, and bringing together the skills and expertise needed to support families in rural communities.
Building Healthy Communities
Monadnock Community Hospital’s Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program is closing care gaps in the rural community of Peterborough, N.H., and the eastern Monadnock region.
Building Healthy Communities
Access to high-quality health care is crucial to a community’s well-being, but it’s not the only component of health.
Building Healthy Communities
Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, part of MaineHealth, is working to ensure children have access to quality oral health care, even before a child gets their first tooth.
Building Healthy Communities
Banner Sports Medicine
Scottsdale, Ariz.
For fitness enthusiasts in the greater Scottsdale, Ariz. area, the person jogging on the treadmill next to them just might be turn out to be a famous professional athlete, such as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks or the NFL’s Cardinals.
Building Healthy Communities
Mason Health
Shelton, Wash.
Mason Health in Shelton, Wash. is taking a holistic approach to public health by working toward a sustainable community and environment.
Ensuring Access to Care
Children's Mercy Kansas City
Kansas City, Mo.
In this conversation, Alejandro Quiroga, M.D., president and CEO of Children's Mercy Kansas City, and Mary Esselman, president and CEO of Operation Breakthrough, explore how one innovative partnership in Kansas City is bringing true whole-person care directly to the children and families who need it most.
Ensuring Access to Care
University of Utah Health
Utah
University of Utah Health is expanding its TeleNICU program to improve access to specialty newborn care in rural communities across the Mountain West.
Ensuring Access to Care
In this conversation, David Stark, chief of government and external affairs and philanthropy officer at UnityPoint Health, shares how a major philanthropic investment is helping expand mental health services for children and adolescents.
Ensuring Access to Care
Texas Health Resources
McKinney, Texas
Texas Health Resources has announced plans for a new hospital and medical campus in north McKinney, marking a major investment in one of North Texas’s fastest‑growing regions.
Ensuring Access to Care
Burke Rehabilitation Hospital
New York
In this conversation, Scott Edelman, executive director of Burke Rehabilitation, shares how post-acute care hospitals are helping relieve pressure on acute care facilities
Ensuring Access to Care
Baylor Scott & White Health
Texas
Improving community health requires more than clinical care alone.
Ensuring Access to Care
Children’s Nebraska
Omaha, Neb.
The American College of Surgeons awarded the designation following a rigorous evaluation of the hospital’s trauma program, recognizing its ability to provide the highest level of comprehensive, 24/7 care for critically injured children.
Ensuring Access to Care
Sanford Health
Sioux Falls/Rapid City, S.D.
Storks delivering babies may be a flight of fancy, but a real South Dakota maternal-fetal medicine specialist flies hundreds of miles each week to reach rural patients who would otherwise face hours-long drives for specialized care.
Ensuring Access to Care
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Little Rock, Ark.
Arkansas Children’s Hospital is utilizing telemedicine to expand access to care and support rural hospitals that lack pediatric cardiac MRI and CT expertise.
Benefiting Communities
Allegheny Health Network and UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Pittsburgh officials expect up to 500,000 visitors to flood the city for the 2026 NFL Draft April 23-25, bringing routine medical needs as well as risks tied to large crowds, alcohol use and possible emergencies.
Benefiting Communities
In this conversation, Mary Kate Daly, senior vice president and chief of community health of the Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communities at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, explains how long-term investments, powerful community partnerships, and a first-of-its-kind community health hub are leading to better outcomes for kids in Chicago and beyond.
Benefiting Communities
Intermountain Health
Utah and Idaho
Intermountain Children’s Health has launched the nation’s largest pediatric Telestroke network, giving children in Utah and southern Idaho rapid access to stroke experts through virtual consultations.
Benefiting Communities
AtlantiCare
Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
AtlantiCare EMS has expanded its trauma care capabilities by launching a Ground Whole Blood Program, allowing paramedics to administer whole blood transfusions directly at emergency scenes.
Benefiting Communities
Baylor Scott & White Health
Texas
Improving community health requires more than clinical care alone.
Benefiting Communities
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women, Lakeview Hospital, Lane Regional Medical Center, Ochsner American Legion Hospital, Ochsner Lafayette Medical Center, Ochsner St. Anne Hospital, Opelousas General Hospital System, Our Lady of the Angels Hospital, Rapides Regional Medical Center, Touro Hospital, Woman’s Hospital
Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has launched its inaugural group of 11 Project M.O.M. catalyst site hospitals, marking a major step forward in addressing maternal overdose mortality across the state.
Benefiting Communities
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Ark.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is leveraging digital health to expand diabetes education and support for rural communities across the state, addressing significant access barriers such as long travel distances and limited local resources.
Benefiting Communities
MultiCare Valley Hospital
Spokane, Wash.
Every December, health care workers at MultiCare Valley Hospital, based in Spokane, Wash., take on extra seasonal roles: holiday “elves." For nine years, the staff has organized a gift drive to support local children, donating presents and essential items to families who need them most.
Benefiting Communities
Intermountain Health St. James Hospital
Montana
Frankee Angel, a lifelong performer, found her world upended when she suffered a sudden medical emergency just before playing piano at St. Patrick’s Church.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Mercy Hospital St. Louis
St. Louis, Mo.
Mercy Hospital St. Louis is now using a cancer treatment that sounds more like science fiction than modern medicine: “Bubble clouds” and sound waves are being deployed to destroy liver tumors — painlessly.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare
Clinton, Mo.
A surgeon at Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare in Clinton, Mo., has completed the world’s first knee replacement surgery using a new miniature robotic system.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Washington
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle is helping shape the future of cancer research through its leadership in the Cancer AI Alliance (CAIA), a collaboration using artificial intelligence to accelerate cancer discovery and improve patient care.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
Brattleboro, Vt.
Brattleboro Memorial, a finalist for the 2026 AHA Rural Health in Innovation Award, created the Mobile Integrated Health Initiative, a program which integrates EMS professionals into coordinated care teams in which paramedics provide in-home assessments, education and other means of support.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
NYU Langone Hospitals
New York, New York
NYU Langone has transformed the idea of hospital food by introducing restaurant-quality meals that emphasize flavor, freshness, and nutrition.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
University of Iowa Health Care
Iowa City, Iowa
An Iowa cancer patient is helping shape the future of treatment by turning a life-altering diagnosis into a mission to advance research and support other patients.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Hartford HealthCare
Hartford, Conn.
In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, speaks with John Santopietro, M.D., senior vice president at Hartford HealthCare and physician-in-chief of its Behavioral Health Network.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Washington
When it comes to liver cancer, you may already know classic risk factors like cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B and C viruses. But a Seattle-based epidemiologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is investigating a lesser-known potential contributor that may not be on your radar: solar jet lag.
Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
Portland, Ore.
Enhanced infection prevention measures in neonatal intensive care units have been shown to significantly reduce the spread of hospital‑acquired viral infections among highly vulnerable infants, according to a study led by Oregon Health & Science University.
Prevention and Wellness
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Ark.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is leveraging digital health to expand diabetes education and support for rural communities across the state, addressing significant access barriers such as long travel distances and limited local resources.
Prevention and Wellness
HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital
Port St. Lucie, Fla.
It was Angela and Christopher’s wedding anniversary, but it looked like they wouldn’t be able to celebrate it. Angela, a nurse at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, wasn’t working — instead, she was a patient recovering from surgery to address severe abdominal pain. But her co-workers and friends weren’t going to let the day pass by.
Prevention and Wellness
In this conversation, Thomas Ahr, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Hospital Sisters Health System, details how the health system is prioritizing prevention, supporting staff after incidents, and turning safety into a leadership responsibility.
Prevention and Wellness
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman
Kaufman, Texas
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman is strengthening community wellness through its Healthy Education Lifestyles Program (HELP), an initiative designed to give patients both clinical support and practical health education.
Prevention and Wellness
Cottage Hospital
Woodsville, N.H.
Designed as a “caring and sensitive environment,” the Ray of Hope unit at Cottage Hospital addresses behavioral health needs associated with aging.
Prevention and Wellness
Mass General Brigham
Boston, Mass.
Mass General Brigham is investing $9 million through its Community Health Impact Funds to address rising food insecurity in Boston and the surrounding cities of Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop.
Prevention and Wellness
University of Tennessee Medical Center
Knoxville, Tenn.
Naming a baby is a big decision. Naming two babies takes it to another level. Naming two preemies while hundreds of miles from home is something most parents don’t even want to think about, but that’s the situation Isaac and Kaitlin Carver found themselves in when Kaitin’s water broke at 28 weeks pregnant.
Prevention and Wellness
Beacon Health
South Bend, Ind.
In this conversation, Beacon Health System's Kimberly Green Reeves, vice president of community impact and partnerships, and Cassy White, director of community impact, share how data, care coordination and community involvement are helping reduce infant mortality in Michigan and Indiana.
Prevention and Wellness
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Ark.
Nurses from the Arkansas Center for Women & Infants’ Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have launched an outreach initiative to support postpartum mothers.
Workforce
Loma Linda University Children’s Health
Loma Linda, Calif.,
For Heather Kono, a pediatric oncology nurse at Loma Linda University Children’s Health in California, her journey with the hospital began long before she put on scrubs.
Workforce
Unity Medical Center
Grafton, N.D.
What was once going to be empty space is now used for everything from staff meetings to community medical events, but its main purpose is serving as the Rural Medical Education Center, supporting Unity's commitment to health care education at all levels.
Workforce
UW Health
Madison, Wis.
Medical personnel from the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing are receiving clinical training from UW Health in Madison, Wis., giving the airmen a reliable and ongoing learning platform and ensuring their readiness to support local and global missions.
Workforce
UAMS Medical Center
Little Rock, Ark.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing has earned preaccreditation to establish the state's first nurse-midwifery program, expanding maternal and reproductive health education for students.
Workforce
Essentia Health-Fargo
Fargo, N.D.
Essentia Health-Fargo recently celebrated a major milestone with the graduation of the first participant to complete its newly launched registered surgical technologist apprenticeship program.
Workforce
NYC Health + Hospitals
New York, N.Y.
In 2019, nurse turnover at NYC Health + Hospitals reached a staggering 46%.
Workforce
Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association
Ekalaka, Mont.
Dahl Memorial’s emergency department in rural Montana relies on physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners to manage critical cases. Patients requiring care beyond its capabilities are medevacked to Montana’s top hospital after stabilization efforts on-site.
Workforce
Paoli Hospital
Paoli, Pa.
In a heartwarming act of generosity, nurses at Paoli Hospital in suburban Philadelphia were stunned to learn in September that an anonymous donor had pledged $1 million to help relieve their student loan debt.
Workforce
NYC Health + Hospitals
New York, N.Y.
NYC Health + Hospitals has achieved a dramatic improvement in nurse retention, reducing its staff nurse turnover rate from 46% in 2019 to just 7.3% in 2025 — less than half the national average of 16.4%.