/ en Sun, 15 Jun 2025 02:39:59 -0500 Mon, 19 May 25 16:25:27 -0500 /news/headline/2025-05-19-study-medicaid-saved-more-27000-lives-2010 <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is assisting in a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/bulletins/outbreak-ultrasound-gel.html">multistate investigation</a> on the use of contaminated non-sterile ultrasound gel for ultrasound-guided percutaneous procedures. Reports of Paraburkholderia fungorum detected in blood cultures from patients across multiple health care facilities prompted the investigation, and the CDC said it was aware of 40 confirmed cases of the bacteria in four states and two other countries as of May 8. Tests found at least two contaminated products under the MediChoice and ClearImage brands that are manufactured by NEXT Medical Products Company. The CDC provided a series of recommendations for health care providers to ensure patient safety and prevent potential outbreaks.</p> Mon, 19 May 2025 16:25:27 -0500 Care Delivery /education-events/providing-whole-person-care-addressing-patients-social-and-economic-well-being <div><div><p paraid="1401634454" paraeid="{31e24c1e-17bd-4ea2-9254-d0f053e9efc3}{158}">As hospitals and health systems evolve to provide more holistic, person-centered care, many are incorporating screening for patients’ social and economic well-being into routine practice. However, creating effective systems to respond to those identified needs remains a significant challenge. </p></div><div><p paraid="446666384" paraeid="{31e24c1e-17bd-4ea2-9254-d0f053e9efc3}{172}">MaineHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado have each developed innovative, tailored approaches to build the infrastructure necessary for meaningful follow-up. Join this virtual event to learn how these organizations designed their social needs screening and referral strategies to align with the unique needs of their patients and communities. </p></div><div><p paraid="2002773083" paraeid="{31e24c1e-17bd-4ea2-9254-d0f053e9efc3}{182}">Discover how MaineHealth’s interprofessional team collaborates with more than 200 community-based organizations to ensure timely and effective responses to identified patient and community needs. Learn about Children’s Colorado’s Resource Connect program, which provides an onsite hub of co-located partners to facilitate warm handoffs and streamline access to support. </p></div><div><p paraid="1856545624" paraeid="{31e24c1e-17bd-4ea2-9254-d0f053e9efc3}{196}">Presenters will offer practical strategies for implementing and sustaining these patient follow-up efforts and explore key considerations for integrating this work in both inpatient hospital settings and outpatient clinics. </p></div><div><p paraid="1784830030" paraeid="{31e24c1e-17bd-4ea2-9254-d0f053e9efc3}{222}"><strong>Speakers: </strong></p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="244113206" paraeid="{31e24c1e-17bd-4ea2-9254-d0f053e9efc3}{228}">Dora Anne Mills, M.D., MPH, Chief Health Improvement Officer, MaineHealth </p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="754216966" paraeid="{110521c7-7b3e-456f-952e-4f1eb9950ed8}{12}">Eisha Khan, Program Manager, MaineHealth </p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2108220738" paraeid="{110521c7-7b3e-456f-952e-4f1eb9950ed8}{25}">Susan Goldenstein, MNM, Director, Community Impact, Children’s Hospital Colorado </p></li></ul></div></div><div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="368711741" paraeid="{110521c7-7b3e-456f-952e-4f1eb9950ed8}{53}">Sana Yousuf, Senior Software Engineer, Children’s Hospital Colorado</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="41546704" paraeid="{110521c7-7b3e-456f-952e-4f1eb9950ed8}{67}">Moderator: Julia Resnick, director, strategic initiatives, ���������� Association</p></li></ul></div><div><p paraid="1037442460" paraeid="{110521c7-7b3e-456f-952e-4f1eb9950ed8}{73}"><em>AHA’s Care Delivery Transformation Framework supports hospitals in reimagining how care is delivered to better meet the needs of patients and communities. This webinar series highlights innovative strategies that are shaping the future of care delivery. Each session will focus on one of the framework’s three core areas: clinical settings, community settings and linking care to community. </em></p></div></div> Thu, 15 May 2025 11:48:44 -0500 Care Delivery /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-05-06-4-critical-steps-scale-generative-ai <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/4-Critical-Steps-to-Scale-Generative-AI.png" data-entity-uuid="7ea69c77-70fc-4898-b953-67ac0db1cbd5" data-entity-type="file" alt="4 Critical Steps to Scale Generative AI. A brain that is half generative AI and have biological brain connecting health care data." width="1200" height="751"><p>As health care organizations grapple with rising operational costs, an aging population and a worsening workforce crisis, the need for transformative solutions has never been greater. A new Accenture report, <a href="https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/accenture-com/document-3/AI-Amplified-Scaling-Productivity-Final.pdf" target="_blank" title="Accenture—Gen AI amplified: Scaling productivity for healthcare providers">“Gen AI Amplified: Scaling productivity for health care providers,”</a> highlights how generative artificial intelligence (AI) can offer a critical path forward — unlocking unprecedented productivity gains, enhancing patient care and reshaping the future of care delivery.</p><h2>Health Care’s Inflection Point</h2><p>Health care providers face a historic staffing shortage: By 2033, the U.S. is projected to lack as many as 139,000 physicians while the global nursing shortfall could reach 13 million. Traditional solutions like increased hiring and training alone cannot meet this demand. Providers must embrace innovative technologies to scale human capacity.</p><p>Generative AI presents a powerful opportunity. According to Accenture’s survey of 300 U.S. health care C-suite executives, 83% view boosting employee efficiency as the biggest opportunity of generative AI, and 77% expect it to drive direct revenue growth productivity gains. Early pilots show promise — automating routine tasks, improving data analysis and enhancing decision-making — but widespread adoption remains limited.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Potential-Benefits-of-Generative-AI-in-Health-Care.png" data-entity-uuid="2fbbdc98-8b8d-4810-8e21-52ee7353de18" data-entity-type="file" alt="Potential Benefits of Generative AI in Health Care. 70% of health care workers’ tasks could be reinvented with AI. 20%: Automation could free up 20% of nurses’ repetitive tasks, unlocking $50 billion annually. 9+: Generative AI could help doctors see 9 additional patients per month. Source: Accenture 2025." width="896" height="197"><p>Despite high awareness, a major execution gap exists. While 83% of health care organizations are piloting generative AI, fewer than 10% have invested in the infrastructure needed for enterprise-wide deployment. Without decisive action, health care risks falling behind industries like automotive and finance, where AI-driven gains are already significant.</p><h2>A Road Map for Action</h2><p>The Accenture report outlines four critical steps to help health care leaders move from fragmented pilots to scaled implementation:</p><ol><li><span><strong>Build a reinvention-ready digital core.</strong></span> A robust digital infrastructure — including cloud integration, seamless data access and scalable AI capabilities — is essential. Organizations with a strong digital foundation are poised to reinvent twice as many functions with generative AI over the next three years compared with those without.</li><li><span><strong>Strengthen data quality and strategy.</strong></span> High-quality, centralized data are a prerequisite for reliable AI outcomes. Health care providers must prioritize data cleansing, standardization and accessibility to empower AI to deliver clinical and operational benefits.</li><li><span><strong>Prioritize responsible and secure AI deployment.</strong></span> As the use of generative AI expands, safeguarding patient privacy and preventing cybersecurity breaches are nonnegotiable. Embedding responsible AI governance is critical to building trust among patients, providers and regulators.</li><li><span><strong>Forge strategic partnerships.</strong></span> Scaling generative AI requires expertise beyond internal capabilities. Collaborations with technology leaders, academic institutions and specialized vendors are key to accessing cutting-edge tools and accelerating innovation.</li></ol><h2>The Productivity Promise</h2><p>Accenture estimates that 70% of health care workers' tasks could be reinvented through technology. In nursing alone, automation could free up 20% of repetitive tasks.</p><p>Examples already abound:</p><ul><li>Generative AI can automate clinical documentation, giving physicians back minutes to hours per day — time that can be redirected to patient care.</li><li>Generative AI-augmented call centers have reduced patient wait times and improved first-call resolution rates without compromising security.</li><li>AI-enabled clinical appeals processes have achieved a 70% reduction in handling time and a 30% decline in misrouted claims.</li></ul><p>However, staying in pilot mode comes at a cost. Piecemeal implementations prevent providers from achieving the full operational efficiencies that scaled deployment can offer and widen the gap between health care and faster-moving industries.</p><h2>Leadership Alignment Is Critical</h2><p>A unified C-suite vision is essential. While CEOs recognize the transformative potential of generative AI, clinical leaders like chief medical officers (CMOs) and chief nursing officers (CNOs) are often underutilized in planning and deployment efforts, even though clinical workflows are among the most impacted.</p><p>The report stresses that everyone from board members to front-line clinicians must be involved in redefining roles, automating tasks where appropriate and reskilling teams to work alongside AI tools.</p><p>Key takeaways for health care leaders</p><ul><li><strong>The time to act is now.</strong> Scaling generative AI can drive productivity, reduce burnout and enhance patient care — all while improving financial sustainability.</li><li><strong>Build the foundation.</strong> Investment in cloud infrastructure, high-quality data and responsible AI frameworks are nonnegotiable prerequisites.</li><li><strong>Don’t go it alone.</strong> Strategic partnerships will be critical to closing skill gaps and accelerating deployment.</li><li><strong>Empower clinical leadership.</strong> CNOs and CMOs must play a central role in redesigning work processes to ensure that AI initiatives improve, not burden, care delivery.</li><li><strong>View generative AI as an ongoing journey.</strong> Scaling technology is not a one-time event, but a continuous reinvention of how health care operates.</li></ul><p>Generative AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s a present-day imperative. Health care organizations that act decisively today by scaling generative AI strategically and responsibly will define the next decade of health care delivery. Those that hesitate risk being left behind.</p><h3>Additional Resource</h3><p><em>The AHA recently released a report to guide hospital and health system executives on using AI and AI-powered technologies to transform their organizations’ operations. The report, </em><a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/ai/building-and-implementing-artificial-intelligence-action-plan-health-care"><em>“Building and Implementing an Artificial Intelligence Plan for Health Care,”</em></a><em> features insights from 12 health care AI experts and leaders, published health care articles, presentations, reports, research and surveys on health care AI.</em></p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2 { color: #9d2235; } h3 { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 06 May 2025 06:15:00 -0500 Care Delivery /role-hospitals-massachusetts-general-hospital-team-performs-second-xenotransplant-genetically-edited-pig-kidney-living <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-7"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-mass-general-pig-kidney-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Massachusetts General Hospital. Tatsuo Kawai, M.D., Tim Andrews, Leonardo Riella, M.D. (left to right)" width="700" height="532"></p><p><small class="sm">Tatsuo Kawai, M.D., Tim Andrews, Leonardo Riella, M.D. (L to R)</small><br><small class="sm">Photo courtesy of Kate Flock/Massachusetts General Hospital</small></p></div><p>Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston performed its second successful transplant of a genetically edited pig kidney into a living recipient in January 2025. MGH surgeons performed the world’s first such transplant in March 2024. Xenotransplantation, the term for the transplantation of organs from one species to another, is an experimental treatment being researched as a “potential solution” to the global organ shortage.</p><p>The patient in the second transplantation surgery, 66-year-old Tim Andrews, was discharged from the hospital about a week after the transplant and is doing well. Andrews had been on dialysis for more than two years due to end-stage kidney disease. His blood type is group O, and people with O positive and O negative blood types typically wait five to 10 years for a donor organ, compared to three to five years for most patients.</p><p>Advancements in the field of transplantation have helped address a worldwide organ shortage. According to the <a href="https://www.organdonor.gov/learn/organ-donation-statistics" target="_blank">Health Resources & Services Administration</a>, more than 103,000 people in the U.S. await an organ for transplant, and 17 people die each day waiting for an organ. MGH received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to proceed with this surgery and plans to perform two more xenotransplants in 2025.</p><p>Andrews said he awoke from the transplant surgery feeling “reenergized and revitalized,” noting that “the magnitude of what these doctors and nurses accomplished is unbelievable.”</p><p>Leonardo Riella, M.D., medical director for kidney transplantation at MGH and Andrews’ nephrologist, observed that the milestone operation “reminds us of the transformative potential” of xenotransplantation. “We remain committed to learning from this experience to make it a safe, viable option for every patient in need. Together, we are working toward a future where no one has to die waiting for a kidney,” Riella said.</p><p> </p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.massgeneral.org/news/press-release/mgh-performs-second-xenotransplant-of-genetically-edited-pig-kidney-into-living-recipient" target="_blank">READ MORE</a></p><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:57:08 -0500 Care Delivery /role-hospitals-st-joseph-hospital-safe-nurses-maine-hospital-provide-specialized-care-sexual-assault-survivors <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-st-joes-saft-700x532.jpg" alt="St. Joseph Hospital. A female nurse in scrubs talks with a female patient sitting in a hospital bed" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>More than half of women and nearly one in three men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetime, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about/index.html#:~:text=Over%20half%20of%20women%20and,1" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. In the state of Maine each year, more than 19,000 people will experience sexual violence, according to a <a href="https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/wpsites.maine.edu/dist/2/115/files/2023/01/2022-Maine-Crime-Victimization-Report_Final.pdf" target="_blank">2022 report</a>.</p><p>The emergency department at St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor, Maine, has Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) nurses ready to care for any person who has been sexually assaulted. SAFE nurses have received specialized training and clinical preparation to provide trauma-informed care for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child or dependent adult abuse or neglect. These nurses perform a comprehensive medical examination and provide treatment for injuries and sexually transmitted infections, and if requested, can document injuries and collect evidence that can be used later in a trial.</p><p>The medical screening is confidential, and adults can receive this specialized care with or without reporting the sexual assault to police — or they may choose to file a police report at a later date. If requested and needed, a SAFE nurse can act as a factual or expert witness in court.</p><p>All the services provided by SAFE nurses are patient driven, and “everything is a personal choice,” emphasizes the hospital team. “We realize you have just been through a traumatic experience. We are here to care for you and do what is best for each individual.”</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://stjosephbangor.org/services/emergency-department/safe-nurses" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:17:46 -0500 Care Delivery /role-hospitals-kent-hospitals-spaulding-rehabilitation-teams-offer-life-changing-health-care-patients-all-ages <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/ths-rhode-island-rehab-700x532.jpg" alt="Kent Hospital’s Spaulding Rehabilitation teams offer life-changing health care to patients of all ages - image of young female physical therapist working with a middle aged man who is holding light dumbells" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Involved in many sports and athletic activities, David played semipro football for six years but experienced several injuries and faced major health challenges beginning in 2010. He weighed 400-plus pounds and struggled walking. After having both hips replaced (eight weeks apart) in 2024, he started physical therapy at Spaulding Outpatient Centers at Kent Hospital in Rhode Island, part of Care New England. David says physical therapy has “completely changed” his life: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOEllEWXC6g" target="_blank">It’s bright now</a> — before it was dark.”</p><p>Kent Hospital’s Spaulding Rehabilitation teams offer inpatient and outpatient services, caring for patients recovering from sports injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injury, amputations, concussions, Lyme disease, Parkinson’s disease and more. A multidisciplinary team is led by a physiatrist — a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation — and includes health professionals from physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, rehabilitation nursing, social work, neuropsychology, nutrition and respiratory therapy, depending on a patient’s needs. The team works to help patients regain strength, mobility and independence and considers patients and their family members as an integral part of the journey.</p><p>In addition, the Pawtucket, R.I., location provides a range of physical, occupational and speech therapy services for children, from newborns to teens. Therapists work closely with parents or guardians and the child’s primary care physician to assess a child’s needs and goals and create a specialized treatment program. Christine Brewster, an occupational therapist at Spaulding Pediatric Rehabilitation, says <a href="https://www.kentri.org/services/spaulding-rehab/pediatric-specialty-services" target="_blank">pediatric occupational therapy services</a> may include helping infants with feeding issues, working with toddlers to improve and refine their motor skills, and helping older children develop more sophisticated interpersonal skills to foster friendships and participation in groups and on sports teams.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.kentri.org/services/spaulding-rehab" target="_blank">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:17:08 -0500 Care Delivery /news/headline/2025-04-04-study-finds-ai-screening-oud-led-fewer-hospital-readmissions <p>The National Institutes of Health April 3 released a <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/ai-screening-opioid-use-disorder-associated-fewer-hospital-readmissions">study</a> that found an artificial intelligence screening tool was as effective as health care providers in identifying hospitalized adults at risk for opioid use disorder and referring them to inpatient addiction specialists. When compared with patients who received consultations with providers, patients screened by AI had 47% lower odds of hospital readmission within 30 days after their initial discharge, saving nearly $109,000 in care costs. <br> </p> Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:04:14 -0500 Care Delivery /baby-thriving-after-innovative-procedure-shrivel-lemon-sized-cyst <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-md-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/image-telling-the-hospital-story-yale-new-haven-childrens-hospital-700x532-3-18-2025-3.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Yale New Haven. Stock image bouncing baby" width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>Cutting-edge medical advancements are saving and transforming lives, including minimally invasive procedures in the smallest patients: newborns and infants. </p><p>A team at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital in Connecticut performed a minimally invasive procedure on a 3-day-old baby who had been diagnosed with a lymphatic malformation in utero. A procedure called sclerotherapy was used to shrink a lemon-sized cyst in the newborn, who is now doing well. </p><p>The lymphatic malformation — a rare, nonmalignant, congenital condition — was identified during a prenatal ultrasound during the mother’s third trimester. The mother had follow-up appointments with clinicians, pediatric surgeons and other team members at YNHCH’s Fetal Care Center and neonatal intensive care unit. After ruling out other “anatomical abnormalities” that could affect the newborn’s head and neck region and compromise breathing, the mother was monitored through the rest of her pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby girl. </p><p>Stacey Bass, M.D., medical director of pediatric interventional radiology at YNHCH, and her team performed sclerotherapy when the baby was 3 days old, due to concerns about how the cyst might affect the baby’s development and breathing. The procedure involved accessing the cyst with a needle and placing a catheter, which instilled medicine into the cyst to help stop it from accumulating fluid and then eventually shrivel. The catheter was removed after two days, and the baby went home. </p><p>The young patient is doing well and reaching her developmental milestones. She has a tiny scar from the procedure, which will eventually fade. Her mother praised the YNHCH team that provided care throughout this medical journey. “They connected me to the experts, and the experience was very reassuring despite all the uncertainty. I was impressed by the evidence-based approach, collaborative conversations, and empathy.”</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.ynhh.org/articles/lymphatic-malformation">LEARN MORE</a></p><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:40:43 -0500 Care Delivery /news/headline/2025-02-13-new-infographic-shows-hospitals-massive-economic-and-community-impact <p>The AHA released an <a href="/infographics/2024-06-13-hospitals-are-cornerstones-their-communities-infographic">infographic</a> Feb. 13 highlighting the many ways hospitals and health systems advance health and support their communities. In 2023, U.S. hospitals directly employed 6.6 million people and supported nearly one in six jobs across the country. Hospitals also purchased over $1.3 trillion in goods and services, fueling $4.8 trillion in total economic activity. </p> Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:13:53 -0600 Care Delivery /news/headline/2025-02-13-white-house-eo-establishes-make-america-healthy-again-commission <p>President Trump Feb. 13 signed an executive order establishing the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/establishing-the-presidents-make-america-healthy-again-commission/">Make America Healthy Again Commission</a>, to be chaired by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The commission is tasked with “investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic diseases.” <br> <br>The commission has four main policy directives to reverse chronic disease:  <br><br>•    Empower Americans through transparency and open-source data and avoid conflicts of interest in all federally funded health research. <br>•    Prioritize gold-standard research on why Americans are getting sick in all health-related research funded by the federal government. <br>•    Work with farmers to ensure that U.S. food is healthy, abundant and affordable. <br>•    Ensure expanded treatment options and health coverage flexibility for beneficial lifestyle changes and disease prevention. <br><br>Within 100 days, the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-the-make-america-healthy-again-commission/">said</a> the commission will produce an assessment that summarizes what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis, and within 180 days, the commission will produce a strategy, based on the findings of the assessment, to improve the health of America’s children.</p> Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:09:54 -0600 Care Delivery