Advancing Health

Health care workers are stressed out, stretched out, burned out and leaving the profession in truly alarming numbers. It doesn’t have to be this way and there are opportunities to make workplaces engines of mental health and well-being. Three experts make the case that the physical and mental well-being of our workforce is best for patients, makes good business sense, and is actually a precondition for delivering top notch medical care.

Attracting and retaining nurses presents a major workforce challenge, particularly in rural health care settings. At the University of Vermont Health Network, leaders realized that the ongoing nursing shortage crisis required creative solutions, including investment in the well-being of the nursing staff.

The past five years have seen a rise in the number of people turning to their local hospital emergency departments for behavioral health and addiction services. To meet the growing need, some hospitals and health systems are creatively addressing this challenge and expanding their ED offerings. The results are already making a big difference in communities.

Hospitals across the country have found innovative ways to increase their capacity, improve care and take care of health care workers while treating COVID-19 patients throughout this pandemic. Jerrod Milton, chief clinical officer and senior vice president of Professional Services at Children’s Hospital Colorado, stops by the podcast to talk about COVID-19’s impact on pediatric health care and share lessons and innovations in managing the confluence of this unprecedented virus, along with RSV and the flu.

Medicare Advantage or MA Plans are another way for beneficiaries to get Medicare Part A and Part B coverage delivered through private health insurance companies. In this podcast, listen to Medicare Advantage updates and some of the changes that are on the way in the CMS final rule next year. This podcast was recorded at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C.

The financial stability of America's hospitals and health systems is at risk as the costs of caring continue to rise. According to a recent AHA report, the cost of drugs, supplies and labor has skyrocketed over the past few years, and that's been met with continued underpayments from government payers. In this podcast, the AHA's Bharath Krishnamurthy, director of Health Analytics and Policy, explores what this imbalance means for patient care with Dr. Anthony Coleman, President and Chief executive officer of Broadlawns Medical Center in Iowa. This podcast was recorded at the 2023 American Hospital Association's annual membership meeting in Washington, D.C.

Despite the resources thrown at them and the defensive walls in place, cyber attacks directed against hospital and health systems remain a very potent and active threat. When one incursion is shut down, it doesn't take long for cybercriminals to try another method of attack. In this podcast, hear what one prominent health system CEO learned and what he wants all health leaders to understand about cybersecurity. This podcast was recorded live at the 2023 AHA Annual Meeting.

For critical access hospitals and rural hospitals with 50 beds or fewer, an attractive new option became available on January 1st of this year. That was the opportunity to seek designation as a new rural emergency hospital, which expands the conditions under which hospitals can seek payment from Medicare.

Last year, Massachusetts health care workers faced a threat, verbal abuse or a physical assault every 38 minutes on average. A report on the situation summarized it with one word: untenable. The report also recommended a new patient and visitor Code of Conduct to help promote a safe and respectful environment. Today’s episode features three Bay State health care leaders who endorse the idea. For more information on The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association and AHA's Hospitals Against Violence resources please visit https://www.mhalink.org/ and www.aha.org/HAV.

Is there real health care quality without equity? How do we preserve the dignity of every human being who comes through our doors? In 2023, these questions are top of mind for just about every hospital and health system leader and their team to consider. CHRISTUS Health has been very active in their its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and DEI has been hardwired into its mission and strategic goals.

The U.S. faces a growing health crisis, with maternal health falling alarmingly behind many other developed nations. The solution isn’t simple, but some hospitals are recognizing the impactful role of doulas programs in maternity care. Hear how doulas provide women with physical and emotional support, and make a difference in addressing maternal and infant health disparities.

For rural health care providers, 2022 ended on an up note, when AHA was able to secure some important policy wins in the final omnibus appropriations package to fund the government. This year brings a new set of challenges, goals and opportunities. In this episode, three AHA rural health care policy experts discuss the 2023 rural advocacy agenda for Congress and the Administration.

For more than a year, we’ve seen heartbreaking images from the war in Ukraine. The war’s damage has severely limited the ability of Ukrainian health care workers to provide critical aid to their fellow citizens. Hear how one Illinois health care worker has launched a humanitarian effort to deliver much-needed ambulances and medical supplies to the people of Ukraine.

Some experts have suggested that RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) was more severe last year because of an immunity gap from several years of social distancing and COVID-19 precautions. They also suggest that COVID-19 is to blame for the early arrival and more devastating effects of RSV and the flu. Listen to how Advocate Children's Hospital is working towards managing this alarming new gap and how they have persevered through the triple threat of COVID-19, RSV and the flu. To learn more about vaccine confidence please visit www.aha.org/vaccineconfidence

AHA Board Chair John Haupert is joined by Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, based in New Jersey. In this conversation, Haupert and Garrett discuss the important role of hospitals and health systems in leading medical research and innovation to transform health care and make patient care better, accessible and more efficient.

The FBI is the lead agency tasked with investigating cybercrime, including defending hospitals and health systems from frequent cyberattacks. Hear the dramatic story of their recent takedown of the Hive ransomware gang, whose criminal enterprise threatened patient safety.

Clinicians, social service providers and community members make up the health care triangle: strong, connective links between the three create the kind of impactful partnerships that drive progress and advance health. But confronted with finite resources, how can frontline leaders know which tactics and partnerships will bring the best results and lead to the outcome we all seek – healthy, equitable communities where everyone reaches their highest potential for health? The new Integrators Toolkit provides some guidance. For more information on Nemours initiative please visit https://www.movinghealthcareupstream.org/population-health-integrators/ For more information on AHA's Bridging the Sectors resources please visit https://www.aha.org/center/population-health-management/bridging-the-sectors

Long COVID — with symptoms ranging from fatigue and dizziness to shortness of breath and loss of smell — is disabling millions of Americans. And health care leaders across the country are recognizing the need for a coordinated response to stem the impact of what is essentially our newest chronic illness.

For Women’s History Month, we turn the spotlight to a female-led venture capital firm that is out to change women’s lives for the better. SteelSky Ventures invests in innovative companies that work to improve health outcomes for women by focusing on improving health care access, quality and affordability.

With the distinct challenges facing rural hospitals and health systems, access to critical services — like maternal health care and emergency medical services — is at risk. In this Leadership Dialogue Series podcast, John Haupert, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Grady Health System and the 2023 Chair of AHA’s Board, is joined by Jennifer Havens, CEO of UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center, a 49-bed hospital serving several counties in Iowa. The two health care leaders discuss how GRMC has “tried to turn lemons into lemonade” to address challenges and improve care delivery. Havens also discusses the benefits of the hospital’s affiliation with UnityPoint Health, including increasing health care access in the community.