Helping Tomorrow’s Health Care Leaders Chart a Brighter Future

Throughout history, a huge driver of human progress has been the story of talented young minds looking at age-old problems and challenges through a fresh new lens.

In today's world, this is especially true of health care, which continues to rapidly evolve as we strive to deliver superb patient care while keeping pace with changing technologies, developing care models, evolving regulations and financial challenges.

Fortunately, our field is blessed with many outstanding leaders who are deftly navigating the complex health care environment and guiding their organizations to a bright future.

Even better news: More leaders are coming up through the ranks. The AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellowship focuses on developing leaders and empowering them to bring about real and lasting change in the hospitals and health systems in which they serve, as well as our field overall. The program’s watchwords are adapt, disrupt, innovate and grow.

This annual fellowship emphasizes building the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the changing needs of our patients and our communities. The highly interactive year-long program provides tomorrow’s health care leaders with the tools, experience and ability to drive innovation in health care delivery in ways that will benefit their organizations, patients and the health care field at large.

Its unique design pairs fellows with an executive-level mentor who guides them through the planning and execution of a year-long capstone project at their hospital or health system, tackling key issues and challenges affecting health care affordability, cost, quality and safety.

The results are impressive and signal great things to come. At the 2024 AHA Leadership Summit beginning Sunday, we will once again showcase some of the innovative work reflected in the current class of fellows’ capstone projects. A few examples include:

• Integrating age-friendly practices into two medical surgical units, resulting in a reduced average length of stay from 5.06 to 4.7 days and readmission rate from 12% to 9.5%.
• Developing a virtual 'home' for LGBTQ primary care within the community that emphasizes clinical care and patient experience guidelines for patients that identify as LGBTQ.
• Implementing a 'Pathway to CNA' program that supports career advancement and upward mobility for individuals in entry-level roles within departments, such as environmental services, food and nutrition, and transportation.

This kind of forward thinking and embrace of new approaches is the right prescription for preserving and strengthening a health care system that will continue to meet the needs of patients, families and communities into the future.

Over the next few days, we’ll be announcing the 2025 class of fellows and mentors, a cohort that is sure to continue exploring ways to expand innovation capacity, drive organizational change and digital transformation, and lead the shift from health care to well care.

Fellowship participants and mentors both say they get a lot out of the program, and they are making significant contributions to the health of health care in our country.

Please visit our website to learn more about the program and watch for information about applications for the next cohort as we work together to advance health for all.