AHA Stat Blog

The never-ending barrage of ransomware and cyberattacks against the health care sector has only strengthened the resolve of hospitals and health systems to reinforce their defenses and protect safe access to care for patients and communities.

In this episode, I talk with Steve Diaz, M.D., chief medical officer at MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and an AHA board member. Steve is an emergency medicine physician by training and has been involved in many of MaineGeneral’s health care quality and safety initiatives.

Nonprofit hospitals have special obligations to their communities in exchange for being tax-exempt.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

There will always be administrative costs associated with operating a hospital.

 

September 17 is World Patient Safety Day. It’s an opportunity to spotlight the importance of ensuring all patients receive safe, quality care in all health care settings.

America’s hospitals and health systems have always aimed to provide the highest quality and safe care to patients, while helping every individual achieve their maximum potential for health.

The AHA has developed an online hub of resources designed to enhance our nation’s public health preparedness, response and recovery efforts and support communities.

Congress returns to Washington, D.C., next week following the summer recess, and lawmakers can expect a busy fall as they face a full plate of issues that need action.

For unclear reasons, Arnold Ventures, a private LLC backed by hedge fund billionaires John and Laura Arnold, has repeatedly targeted hospitals as part of a widespread misinformation campaign.

Hospitals and health systems — and the women and men who work there — are the heart of health care.

The connection between a hospital and its community is special. Hospitals are woven into the fabric of their communities, and working together, hospitals and communities can enhance the environment where people live, work and play.

It seems like barely a week goes by without a new cyberattack that affects health care providers.

The AHA’s Patient Safety Initiative had a huge presence at last month’s AHA Leadership Summit. Over three days of spectacular programming, the initiative’s three priority areas – Culture of Safety, Health Equity and Workforce Safety – were all well-represented.

At the AHA Leadership Summit in July, I had the honor of presenting the 2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize to WellSpan Health and also recognizing Carilion Clinic, Jefferson Health and MUSC Health as finalists.

Despite the diligent efforts of hospitals, health systems and medical professionals to prevent violence, health care workers remain five times more likely than any other type of worker to be physically attacked on the job.

Mary Thompson, president at Trillium Place and member of AHA’s Committee on Behavioral Health, shares her experience working in the largest mental health and addiction recovery organization in central Illinois.

In this conversation, Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., speaks with her colleague Robert E. Brady, Ph.D., director of Anxiety Disorders Service at Dartmouth Health, about different types of anxieties and their prevalence in today’s culture.

It is important to use the August recess that begins next week as an opportunity to engage senators and representatives while they are back home. It is critical for federal lawmakers to understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face.