And it’s not only what we say to patients and their families that matters but how we talk with care teams in private. Many times we may not even realize we are being insensitive or spreading stigma.
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Given the recent upsurge in COVID-19 cases around the country, we can’t say how much longer the official public health emergency will last. But we do know that many regulatory waivers put into place by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at the start of the pandemic have worked very well and deserve to live on past the current crisis.
The next generation of moms and families are more-frequently experiencing new tech-based approaches to improving one’s pregnancy or birthing journey.
Who exactly is a “stakeholder” when it comes to improving health equity?
With the remarkable advances in health care, treatments for serious illnesses like cancer and diabetes are saving millions of lives each year and helping people live longer.
The American Hospital Association and its Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD) July 15 hosted “Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Your Community,” a webinar centered on examining the root causes of vaccine hesitancy and how health care organizations can tailor their messaging to these groups to promote confidence.
The COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund has been a lifeline for hospitals, health systems and health care providers, allowing them to continue to put the health and safety of patients and health care personnel first. In many cases, the funds ensured they were able to keep their doors open.
AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity has been working for more than 25 years to advance health equity, diversity and inclusion by supporting hospitals, health systems, patients and communities. While the health care field has made some progress, we still have a long way to go.
By integrating behavioral health into physical care and tapping into community partnerships, hospitals and health systems can develop culturally competent clinical solutions to better serve historically underrepresented individuals, writes Manish Sapra, M.D., executive director of the behavioral health service line at New York-based Northwell Health. Read more in this blog, and find more resources on AHA’s Minority Mental Health Awareness Month page.
The widespread belief that we have completely turned the corner in our fight against COVID-19 does not apply equally to all parts of the country. In many states and communities, the rate of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are moving in the wrong direction.
On this episode, I have an important conversation with Robert Trestman, M.D., chair for psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Carilion Clinic and a professor at the Viriginia Tech/Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke, Va.
COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on Black, Latino, Native Americans and other communities of color is well-documented and deeply troubling. It’s also the latest in a long history of health inequities and health disparities affecting racial minorities in our society.
UnitedHealth Group announced a jaw-dropping $6 billion in earnings in a single quarter. But not enough has been said about a big contributor to these profits: not paying for health care services.
The AHA Leadership Summit – one of AHA’s flagship events – will be held virtually July 28-29. AHA Executive Vice President Michelle Hood previews the conference, designed to help health care executives and trustees lead organizational transformation. Read more.
The mission of all hospitals and health systems, regardless of size and type of ownership, is to care for their patients and communities. In fact, an Ernst and Young report from 2019 demonstrates that for every dollar invested in non-profit hospitals and health systems through the federal tax exemption, $11 in benefits is delivered back to communities.
As summer moves along, the U.S. is marking a pivotal point in the pandemic. A majority of Americans — nearly 55% — now have received one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 48% are fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 has been a learning experience on many fronts. Every facet of our health care system has been affected by the pandemic — from providers to patients to hospital and health system CEOs — and we will be sorting out lessons learned for some time to come.
In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, events sparked by the murder of George Floyd increased the constant exposure to stress in communities of color, a detriment to one’s physical and mental health, writes Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D., senior vice president of community health and equity and chief wellness and diversity officer at Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, and chairperson of AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity Leadership Council. In this blog in conjunction with July as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month read her call to action to making behavioral health accessible to all.
Founding Father John Adams believed that July 2, was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and he reportedly would turn down invitations to appear at July 4 events in protest.
Implementing an anti-human trafficking program may seem daunting during the COVID-19 pandemic, but simple steps can get every hospital started, write Hanni Stoklosa, M.D., founding CEO of HEAL Trafficking and an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and George L. Askew, M.D., chairperson of the HEAL Trafficking Board and deputy chief administrator officer for Health, Human Services, and Education for Prince George’s County in Maryland. Read more.