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“This is an exciting time,” writes AHA Chairman Jonathan Perlin, M.D., in a  today in Modern Healthcare, citing recent gains in life expectancy. However, “[d]espite the advances in modern medicine and our nation’s best efforts to prevent disease, serious illnesses remain inevitable and the number of people living with chronic conditions is growing,” he notes, describing how hospitals are increasingly moving outside of their traditional walls to improve community health and foster overall well-being. “Fundamentally, access to care is a prerequisite for health. Every American deserves access to the right care, in the right place, and at the right time. But to better prevent disease in the first place, we also need to invest in our own health and creating a healthier society. Investment in health is not only an investment in the lifeblood of our country, but a commitment to continuing progress in the next 44 years.” Perlin is chief medical officer and president, clinical services, for Nashville-based HCA.