Chairperson's File
Blog posts from 2025 AHA Board Chair Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health, and past chairs.
Diversity has become a core value at U.S. hospitals. Meridian Health, a not-for-profit health care organization in New Jersey, displays its diversity statement, central to mission and vision, at its six hospitals as well as its nursing and rehabilitation centers and outpatient centers鈥攁nd鈥
Making incremental changes and collaborating with area hospitals and community organizations have been a winning combination for improving care coordination and reducing readmissions at Bon Secours Baltimore Health System. The health system serves a West Baltimore population with 20% of families鈥
Nearly 1,500 U.S. hospitals are working to eliminate patient harm and reduce hospital readmissions by participating in the AHA/HRET Hospital Engagement Network. About 200 of these hospitals have currently met the national reduction goals established through the CMS Partnership for Patients鈥
The answer is HPOE.org. The question: Where do hospital and care system leaders find resources and tools to improve patient safety, quality, clinical integration, population health, and much more? The Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence website has one section devoted to the second curve of health鈥
Hospitals and health systems recognized for excellence in health care equity are sharing their work with the field.
Trustees, senior leaders and quality chairs play a pivotal role as their hospitals and health care systems pursue opportunities to transform care and better serve their patients and communities. The AHA offers many resources for the ongoing work to improve quality and safety.
Take best practices from two industries focused on safety and reliability鈥攏uclear power and aviation鈥攎ix in specialized safety training for all hospital staff, use common-cause and root-cause analyses and enhance with lessons and stories from front-line staff鈥攖hen combine all to鈥
鈥淥nce a patient believes that you [the provider] understand them, we think the healing begins,鈥 says Wayne Boatwright, vice president, cultural diversity, Meridian Health, Neptune, N.J.
Three Illinois hospitals received recognition for 鈥渄elivering quality with distinction鈥 by the Illinois Hospital Association Institute for Innovations in Care and Quality. Three more hospitals were runners-up, all part of the institute's third annual Quality Excellence Achievement鈥
Engaging patients and families in health care can help hospitals achieve the Triple Aim: better care, better health, lower costs. At Schneck Medical Center, a 93-bed community hospital in Seymour, Ind., engagement efforts include (mostly) unlimited visiting hours, bedside shift-change reports, and鈥