AHA Leadership Summit

AHA Leadership Summit / en Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:52:48 -0500 Tue, 29 Jul 25 06:00:00 -0500 5 Innovators Take Center Stage at the AHA Leadership Summit /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-07-29-5-innovators-take-center-stage-aha-leadership-summit <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/5-Innovators-Take-Center-Stage-at-the-AHA-Leadership-Summit.jpg" data-entity-uuid="f2fdd26d-80e6-445e-9c64-8e417eb56edc" data-entity-type="file" alt="5 Innovators Take Center Stage at the AHA Leadership Summit. A speaker at the recent 2025 AHA Leadership Summit, the Advancing Innovation Showcase." width="1280" height="853">At the recent 2025 AHA Leadership Summit, the Advancing Innovation Showcase offered a rapid-fire glimpse into the future of care delivery, workforce support and digital transformation. Featuring five venture-backed companies, the session highlighted innovations built for direct, measurable impact in hospitals and health systems.The showcase introduced practical solutions to pressing challenges like clinician burnout, emergency department (ED) crowding, patient engagement and closing gaps in behavioral health and men’s health care. Each presentation offered candid perspectives on potential hurdles and real-world applications.<h2>Posterity Health: Reimagining Men’s Health through Virtual-First Care</h2>Matt Lenz, chief growth officer of <a href="https://posterityhealth.com/" target="_blank" title="Posterity Health homepage">Posterity Health</a>, kicked off the session by addressing a long-overlooked population: men. With 87% of men facing a health concern and 40% lacking a primary care provider, Posterity Health built a virtual-first platform focused on fertility, hormone therapy and preventive care across a man’s life span.Posterity’s model combines telehealth, at-home diagnostics and in-person options — allowing patients to access care within 72 hours. The platform has delivered more than 32,000 appointments with an 85+ Net Promoter Score. For employers and health systems, the return on investment is compelling: Early male fertility evaluation can cut time to conception and reduce the need for expensive interventions like in vitro fertilization.<h2>Therify: Closing the Behavioral Health Gap after Discharge</h2>Warren Sadler, CEO of <a href="https://www.therify.co/" target="_blank" title="Therify homepage">Therify</a>, laid bare the crisis in post-discharge behavioral health care. Up to 50% of patients with behavioral health needs are discharged with no follow-up care, which could lead to costly readmissions and poorer outcomes, Sadler said. Therify’s continuity model solves this with smart matching and AI-powered coordination, connecting patients to in-network, culturally aligned therapists within five days of discharge.Integrated directly into hospital workflows, Therify supports care teams, manages reminders and follow-ups, and provides closed-loop feedback to clinicians. The result: reduced readmissions, freed inpatient capacity and an 83% appointment show rate driven by identity-aligned care that builds patient trust.<h2>Loyal Health: Turning Digital Engagement into Measurable Growth</h2>Nanette Oddo, CEO of <a href="https://loyalhealth.com/" target="_blank" title="Loyal Health homepage">Loyal Health</a>, addressed a reality that health systems can’t ignore: Patients expect seamless digital experiences and will switch providers if they don’t get them. With one in five patients reporting poor digital engagement as a reason for leaving their providers, Loyal’s platform helps hospitals transform clicks into conversions.Loyal’s Care Activation Platform powers provider search, scheduling, CRM outreach and reputation management, all integrated with real-time electronic health record (EHR) data. In one case study, a large health system replaced more than 20 vendors with Loyal’s centralized tools and increased self-scheduled appointments by 46%. Across its clients, Loyal has supported more than 6 million provider searches and 70,000+ scheduled appointments.<h2>Mednition: AI That Saves Lives And Reduces Burnout</h2>ED crowding and nurse burnout can impact patient safety and health system finances. Deena Brecher, chief nursing officer at <a href="https://mednition.com/" target="_blank" title="Mednition homepage">Mednition</a>, introduced KATE AI — a nurse-first, real-time risk intelligence platform that integrates directly into clinical workflows with no extra steps.KATE continuously scans EHR data to flag high-risk patients and alert care teams in real time. The platform has helped hospitals reduce ED length of stay by 10%, cut inpatient stay for sepsis patients by 24 hours and increase high-risk patient identification by 93%.<h2>Pieces: Lightening Clinician Workloads with Voice-to-Voice AI</h2>Ruben Amarasingham, M.D., CEO of <a href="https://www.piecestech.com/" target="_blank" title="Pieces Tech homepage">Pieces</a>, shared how documentation burdens are driving clinician burnout. Physicians spend nearly seven hours completing EHRs during an eight-hour clinic day, with 81% reporting that documentation interferes with care, he said. Pieces' AI platform acts as a virtual assistant by transforming quick voice conversations into ready-to-sign notes, discharge summaries and task updates.From inpatient to discharge, Pieces supports clinicians with real-time summaries and SafeRead, its AI-powered review system that ensures documentation accuracy. The result: a 31% reduction in cognitive load and 80% to 92% physician adoption.</div><div class="col-md-4"><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><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></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; } div.sticky { position: sticky; top: 0; } Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit Delivering Safe, Quality Care to Patients Is the Top Priority for Hospitals and Health Systems /news/perspective/2025-07-25-delivering-safe-quality-care-patients-top-priority-hospitals-and-health-systems The 2025 AHA Leadership Summit wrapped up on July 22, and as always, it was energizing and inspiring to connect with so many talented and dedicated people whose passion and vision for health care promise great things for the future.But even as we heard new ideas about innovative approaches shaping care delivery today, we know that all these exciting advancements will never take anyone’s eye off the true North Star of health care: quality and patient safety.Delivering safe, high quality care to patients remains hospitals’ top priority and is at the center of everything they do. The AHA continues to play a key role in leading and supporting the field by developing new resources, spreading innovative initiatives and strategies, and highlighting outstanding efforts through national recognition programs.One way we do this is through the <a href="/aha-patient-safety-initiative" target="_blank">AHA’s Patient Safety Initiative</a>, which was launched in 2023 to catalyze, convene and connect members around patient safety while helping lift up your own powerful stories. This initiative focuses on providing hospitals with tools and data to advance patient safety, offers a platform for sharing their stories of improvement with peers and highlights examples of innovation that support, spread and sustain safety improvement.As part of the initiative, this week we announced a <a href="/news/headline/2025-07-24-aha-epic-collaborate-toward-improving-maternal-health-outcomes" target="_blank">collaboration with the health care technology company Epic</a> to help more hospitals adopt a set of tools to aid in the detection and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage — a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of childbirth that accounts for 11% of maternal deaths in the United States. Point-of-care tools in electronic health records can help health care providers prevent, detect and treat postpartum hemorrhage, ultimately saving lives and improving care for mothers across America.This work builds on the <a href="/better-health-for-mothers-and-babies" target="_blank">AHA’s Better Health for Mothers and Babies Initiative</a>, which provides a wide array of resources to help hospitals and health care systems play a key role in improving maternal and infant outcomes.&nbsp;Hospitals and health systems do some of their most important learning from each other. Sharing best practices, ideas and experiences that have succeeded in improving health and safety outcomes is one of the best ways to advance health for our field.Throughout the Leadership Summit, we hosted many workshops and sessions focused on quality and patient safety. We heard from hospital and health system leaders about how cutting-edge artificial intelligence is transforming the patient and clinical experience, how employee engagement is a driver of safety, quality and the patient experience of care, and how to integrate storytelling into patient safety efforts.We also recognized several hospitals and health systems with AHA awards, including <a href="/press-releases/2025-07-15-aha-honors-two-exemplary-health-systems-their-dedication-and-commitment-quality" target="_blank">AHA’s Quest for Quality Prize</a>, which honors exceptional health care leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health in America’s communities.Health care ultimately is about people caring for other people. While hospitals and health systems continue to make progress advancing quality and safety, we know that the journey is far from over. As we navigate the challenging road ahead with exciting opportunities to advance clinical care, even with its unpredictable twists and turns, quality and patient safety will always be our guide. Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:21:14 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit Summit sessions share innovation in care delivery, workforce, consumer experience and operational excellence, among others /news/headline/2025-07-21-summit-sessions-share-innovation-care-delivery-workforce-consumer-experience-and-operational The 2025 Leadership Summit brought together senior health care executives, clinicians and experts in the field to share innovative approaches to care delivery. Sessions throughout the Summit focused on delivering better care and greater value, ensuring financial stability, addressing workforce challenges and improving the health care consumer experience through operational excellence, creative partnerships and redefined delivery models.&nbsp; Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:25:47 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit AHA Board names Bill Gassen chair-elect designate /news/headline/2025-07-21-aha-board-names-bill-gassen-chair-elect-designate The AHA Board of Trustees <a href="/press-releases/2025-07-20-aha-board-names-bill-gassen-chair-elect-designate">elected</a> Bill Gassen, president and chief executive officer of Sanford Health, based in Sioux Falls, S.D., as its chair-elect designate. &nbsp; “It’s an incredible honor to be named Chair-elect Designate of the �� Association,” Gassen said. “This is a pivotal moment for health care in our country, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve and help carry forward the AHA’s strong legacy of advocating for hospitals and health systems across rural, urban and suburban America. I’m committed to ensuring our members’ perspectives are heard — and that we stay focused on forward-looking strategies to strengthen care delivery and improve the health of the communities we serve.”&nbsp; Gassen is a member of the AHA Board of Trustees and currently serves as a member of the AHA Executive Committee and AHA Operations Committee, and previously served on the AHA’s Health Systems Committee and AHA Taskforce on the Changing Workforce. He serves as the chair of the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, of which the AHA is a founding member.&nbsp; Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:17:47 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit AHA Town Hall provides Washington update /news/headline/2025-07-21-aha-town-hall-provides-washington-update During the July 21 afternoon plenary session, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack moderated a panel with Stacey Hughes, AHA executive vice president of government relations and public policy, Chad Golder, AHA general counsel and secretary, and Ashley Thompson, AHA senior vice president of public policy analysis and development. The panel discussed the latest activity on Capitol Hill with a focus on health care policy, the administration’s priorities and the current political landscape, as well as the AHA’s advocacy priorities and how the AHA is helping health care leaders navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. &nbsp; Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:06:33 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit Pollack, Freese Decker discuss innovation, care advancements and policy implications impacting the health care field /news/headline/2025-07-21-pollack-freese-decker-discuss-innovation-care-advancements-and-policy-implications-impacting-health AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack opened the 2025 AHA Leadership Summit in Nashville, Tenn., commending advancements in patient care experiences and driving innovative care transformation.&nbsp; “Exchanging ideas is what drives this innovation, and this Summit brings together the best minds in health care, medicine and technology with a shared passion for innovation to advance health care in America,” said Pollack.&nbsp; Pollack also cited the unpredictable challenges the hospital field currently faces, the political environment and policies impacting access to care for millions of Americans. He shared how the AHA continues to work on behalf of the field, including analyzing the provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; developing resources on eligibility, care delivery transformation and technology advances for operational efficiency; and setting the foundation for future policy adjustments.&nbsp; “I want to thank so many of you for your efforts to influence legislators and tell your stories about how these cuts will affect the patients and communities you serve. I am proud that we have continued our historic commitment to being a voice for our vulnerable populations and the uninsured. I am proud that our field unified around this important message.”&nbsp; AHA Board Chair Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health, echoed Pollack’s gratitude to the field for joining efforts in facing disruptive policy changes, calling for the field to work together in transforming the health care of the future. &nbsp; “Our teams and our communities need us to lead, now more than ever,” said Freese Decker. “Our … job is to actually reform and transform health care for the long term. We need to do the hard work and create a health care model that is sustainable [and] start putting proposals on the table that challenge the status quo yet move us forward.”&nbsp; Mon, 21 Jul 2025 15:54:41 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit Two Programs Recognized As 2025 AHA Circle of Life Award Honorees /press-releases/2025-07-17-two-programs-recognized-2025-aha-circle-life-award-honorees WASHINGTON (July 17, 2025) — Two programs will be honored with the �� Association 2025 Circle of Life Award for their efforts in palliative and end-of-life care. The winning programs are Gilchrist, Baltimore, Md., and Bristol Hospice – Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii. Both winners will receive this prestigious recognition during the AHA’s Leadership Summit in Nashville on July 20-22.The Circle of Life Award honors hospital and palliative care programs that are ensuring equitable access to care, implementing nontraditional models of care delivery and payment, fully integrating palliative care into a system of care or a community, making palliative care financially sustainable, developing meaningful measures and metrics to track progress, or partnering with payers, other providers, community groups and faith communities."This year’s Circle of Life Award honorees have created compassionate and impactful palliative and end-of-life care programs that provide invaluable support to patients and families during their most challenging moments,”&nbsp;said Rick Pollack, AHA president and CEO. “These programs are finding innovative ways to provide patients and their families with greater comfort as their disease progresses.”The 2025 honorees are: Gilchrist, Baltimore, Md.Established in 1994 as a hospice in Baltimore, Gilchrist has grown to offer a wide range of services, including palliative care, geriatric primary care, dementia care, hospice care and bereavement support. Gilchrist provides many home-based services and maintains three hospice care facilities. Staff are organized into teams based in six locations, each of which serves a distinct city or county neighborhood. This program makes it easier for patients and families because each location is centered around specific care units and allows for the ability to quickly and effectively transition patients from one program to another. In 2024, Gilchrist was chosen to participate in the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience Model pilot, which seeks to improve care for patients with dementia and their caregivers. In addition, the Maryland Department of Health chose Gilchrist to be part of a coalition that is bringing PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) to West Baltimore City. Bristol Hospice – Hawaii, Honolulu, HawaiiBristol Hospice – Hawaii provides hospice and palliative care to its broad range of patients. By increasing access to palliative care, Bristol Hospice has seen fewer hospital admissions. Similarly, Bristol Hospice has worked with private insurers to show how palliative care can improve disease management and reduce emergency department and hospital utilization. The hospice also created multiple strategies to ensure the growing Medicaid population receives the same level of care as those with private insurance. Another integral part of Bristol Hospice is their Bright Moments program, which is designed to help patients with late-stage dementia reduce agitation. The program reduces the need for medication, after-hours crisis calls and avoidable hospital transfers and ED visits.&nbsp;SponsorsMajor sponsors of the 2025 Circle of Life Award are the �� Association and the Catholic Health Association. The awards are cosponsored by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, the Center to Advance Palliative Care, the Hospice &amp; Palliative Nurses Association/the Hospice &amp; Palliative Credentialing Center/the Hospice &amp; Palliative Nurses Foundation, and the National Association of Social Workers.&nbsp; ### About the �� Association (AHA) The �� Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners – including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers – and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3DeDNMJiR1601yOe4MaifqClqdHitT0SBDo6hVejI-2F0uk-3DIBW6_kFmn947cPXeH4Nw5FKo9qWRARJUhwQXnY03SXbOJmd4fh-2FMf2fOpasllheBrYb-2F8tnjtjNDujBrG4uugreK5OWkDI227pG8YPlYGd-2Boz0WRezRdoSQJc-2FP-2FpAltWiLE92K3nooc-2FooQkkdlWTzT4ACRlP9W08ehFw2sv6X87qqF5sGb3sx9-2Fx6xTwk4XAp-2FGGvoCI-2FQl1mnhXdbLIAW-2FHoJZV5J46jZF2Q0hwQW61iKjAIPA4ligeJEG7CjLFTLQD2uNgE3LaomEMOwQCZ60yyEyv-2Bocg3oRDYIfnUCYkn-2FBx6AEywMqTGaQRBxL38CUJdTTGaszhb2vWhV9XQYZyvwNYY3JWq9qfyCpgylq7nHYgHlEEEO-2FvoaiVx090XoO&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccmilligan%40aha.org%7C3a442c9984df4ea82ab608d913b7d3ee%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C637562502528140012%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=X2DZVso3YeFlCEln%2FGHrL9xUhOXWWPkZ8DXib4xi1Lw%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.aha.org</a>.&nbsp; Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:55:24 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit 2025 AHA Leadership Summit /education-events/2025-aha-leadership-summit The <a href="https://leadershipsummit.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Leadership Summit">2025 AHA Leadership Summit</a> senior health care executives, clinicians and experts in the field presenting innovative approaches for delivering better care and greater value, ensuring financial stability, addressing workforce challenges and improving the health care consumer experience through operational excellence, creative partnerships and redefined delivery models.Join a diverse community of strategic and visionary leaders who represent excellence in the field as they boldly transform their organizations.Our attendees include CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CMOs, CNOs, CIOs and other C-suite leaders, as well as VPs, Physician Leaders, Advanced Practice Professionals, Directors and Managers overseeing patient care, strategy, innovation, digital transformation, finance, workforce and policy.Additionally, the Summit welcomes emerging and next-generation health care leaders who are shaping the future of patient-centered care and health system transformation.<hr><h2>Leading Hospitals | Leading Health Care</h2>Leading HospitalsLearn with colleagues in a variety of educational opportunities that facilitate the sharing of insights and leading practices. You’ll hear from innovators investing in the promising ideas, technologies and scientific discoveries that are changing the consumer experience and reimagining care deliveryLeading Health CareDiscover inspiration and practical strategies to sustain transformation within your organization, system and community as we prepare for the future. Dive into real-world applications and connect with leaders who share your commitment to driving transformative change in health care.<a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://leadershipsummit.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Leadership Summit" data-view-context="top-level-view">LEARN MORE &gt;&gt;</a> AHA Members – Interested in receiving complimentary registration? Consider our Hosted Buyer Forum to connect with high-quality solutions providers. </h2> <a href="/hosted-buyer" target="_blank">Hosted Buyer Forum</a> - Sunday, July 22 | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:30 PM-5:30 PM The Hosted Buyer Forum offers a private showcase for hospital and health system leaders interested in connecting with solution providers addressing key hospital issues. After the Forum is complete, participants are encouraged to join the Welcome Reception for additional networking. <a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://leadershipsummit.aha.org/hosted-buyer" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Leadership Summit Sponsorship" data-view-context="top-level-view">LEARN MORE &gt;&gt;</a> --&gt;<hr> Call for Speakers </h2> We’re calling on leaders shaping the future of health care to apply to share their real-world strategies and proven solutions with peers across the field. Whether you're tackling workforce challenges, transforming care delivery or driving operational excellence, we want to hear from you. Proposals must be non-commercial in nature. The Call for Speakers deadline is Monday, November 25. <a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" data-view-context="top-level-view" href="https://leadershipsummit.aha.org/program/speaking-opportunities-ls" target="_blank">LEARN MORE &gt;&gt;</a> <a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" data-view-context="top-level-view" href="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/385d7c8476204286b3b500744d75dfe6" target="_blank" title="AHA Leadership Summit Call for Proposals - Apply Today!">APPLY TODAY &gt;&gt;</a> <div class="RuralButton"> <a class="btn btn-primary btn-primary-avc1" href="https://www.cvent.com/c/abstracts/c8eaf006-bb32-489c-8d5e-515f82937464" target="_blank">APPLY TODAY &gt;&gt; </a> </div> --&gt;<h2>Sponsorship Opportunities</h2>A variety of sponsorship opportunities offer both broad exposure and targeted connections with senior health care executives. Support the entire event, design and deliver a session that features your own executive leadership or gain visibility through numerous other opportunities.Participation by the business community in the Leadership Summit is reserved for Summit sponsors and AHA Associates.Learn how your organization can align with hospital and health system leaders as they meet to reimagine the future.<a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://leadershipsummit.aha.org/sponsor-exhibit/sponsorship-ls" target="_blank" title="2025 AHA Leadership Summit Sponsorship" data-view-context="top-level-view">LEARN MORE &gt;&gt;</a> Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:15:30 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit Five Collaborative Programs Earn 2025 AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award /press-releases/2025-07-16-five-collaborative-programs-earn-2025-aha-dick-davidson-nova-award WASHINGTON (July 16, 2025) — The �� Association (AHA) today announced that it will honor five programs with the AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award for their hospital-led collaborative efforts that improve community health. The winning programs are the Community Resource Center, Endeavor Health, Evanston, Ill.; iHeart Collaborative, IU Health, Indianapolis, Ind.; Community Behavioral Health Workforce Development Program, Mass General Brigham, Boston, Mass.; Food Rx Program, MedStar Health, Baltimore, Md.; and Healthy Moms, Rochester Regional Health, Rochester, N.Y.The AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award recognizes hospitals and health systems for their collaborative efforts toward improving community health status, whether through health care, economic or social initiatives. Honorees participate in joint efforts among health care systems or hospitals, or among hospitals and other community leaders and organizations. This year’s recipients will be recognized at the AHA Leadership Summit July 20-22 in Nashville, Tenn.“This year’s Dick Davidson NOVA award honorees are leading the way with programs to create healthier communities,”&nbsp;said Rick Pollack, AHA president and CEO. “The collaborative efforts between these hospitals and local partners have demonstrated how hospitals are reaching outside the four walls to effectively meet the needs of patients and advance health.”The 2025 winning programs and hospital partners are: Community Resource CenterEndeavor Health, Evanston, Ill.The Community Resource Center (CRC), located in Palatine, Ill., empowers individuals and families by providing a wide range of services and resources, including health and wellness support, education and literacy programs, employment opportunities, food and clothing distribution, counseling and youth development programs. This one-stop-shop was established in 1998, and the center continuously adapts to meet the changing needs of the community, ensuring it remains a vital resource. For example, when a health clinic moved to a new location outside the CRC in 2019, the CRC converted the space into a food bank and clothing closet to extend these free resources to more than 85,000 people annually to address the social drivers of health. In 2022, Endeavor Health invested over $1 million to renovate the facility, further demonstrating its dedication to maintaining and growing the CRC’s impact.iHEART CollaborativeIU Health, Indianapolis, Ind.The Indianapolis Health Equity, Access, Outreach and Treatment (iHEART) Collaborative was launched in September of 2022 to improve cardiovascular health in communities with higher rates of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality along with social and structural impediments to health. The program has several key components, which include free blood pressure screenings, cardiovascular education and virtual medication management. The iHEART Collaborative has successfully integrated screenings, interventions and models to create a scalable framework for reducing cardiovascular disease-related health inequities. From September 2022 to September 2024, 4,048 blood pressure screenings were conducted through the program, 77% (3,135) of which were in community settings. Among the individuals screened, 39% had elevated blood pressure, and nearly 30% had not been previously diagnosed with hypertension. Of the individuals referred for follow-up care, 94.6% completed it. These findings underscore the value of community-based, whole-person approaches in identifying at-risk individuals, improving cardiovascular health and advancing the health of communities.Community Behavioral Health Workforce Development ProgramMass General Brigham, Boston, Mass.Mass General Brigham’s Community Behavioral Health Workforce Development Program was established in January of 2022 to expand capacity for equitable mental health care across Massachusetts. With a limited number of mental health providers in the area and in school settings, long wait lists and very few mental health services for children, Mass General Brigham partnered with thirteen community-based agencies and schools of higher education to develop innovative programs to serve as blueprints for how the state can address mental health needs. The collaborative partnership has been highly effective and already has met its five-year-goal of supporting 835 students across several academic disciplines.Food Rx ProgramMedStar Health, Baltimore, Md.The Food Rx Program started in 2021, building upon MedStar Health’s efforts to address food insecurity and its impact on chronic disease within underserved populations. The program seeks to provide patients with the tools and resources needed to better manage their health conditions, reduce hospitalizations and improve overall well-being. Offering medically tailored proteins and non-perishables, regular deliveries of healthy produce and personalized nutrition education, it has empowered participants to adopt healthier lifestyles. Food Rx’s collaboration with community-based organizations, local farms and food distributors has ensured that participants receive fresh, seasonal and culturally relevant foods. Food Rx is addressing immediate health needs while creating a long-term framework for improving health equity in the Baltimore region.Healthy MomsRochester Regional Health, Rochester, N.Y.The Healthy Moms program began in 1998 to create a nurturing and supportive environment that empowers pregnant and parenting individuals to reach their highest potential. When an individual enters the program, the staff develops a customized plan of care that can include addressing and removing barriers to care, reducing behavioral health symptoms and increasing health literacy. The program offers childbirth/pregnancy education, parenting classes, behavioral health treatment, care management, job training, a community food pantry and much more. Healthy Moms has become an integral part of the city of Rochester with improved birth outcomes and featuring multiple services under one roof in a friendly and welcoming environment. ### About the �� Association (AHA) The �� Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners — including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers — and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3DeDNMJiR1601yOe4MaifqClqdHitT0SBDo6hVejI-2F0uk-3DIBW6_kFmn947cPXeH4Nw5FKo9qWRARJUhwQXnY03SXbOJmd4fh-2FMf2fOpasllheBrYb-2F8tnjtjNDujBrG4uugreK5OWkDI227pG8YPlYGd-2Boz0WRezRdoSQJc-2FP-2FpAltWiLE92K3nooc-2FooQkkdlWTzT4ACRlP9W08ehFw2sv6X87qqF5sGb3sx9-2Fx6xTwk4XAp-2FGGvoCI-2FQl1mnhXdbLIAW-2FHoJZV5J46jZF2Q0hwQW61iKjAIPA4ligeJEG7CjLFTLQD2uNgE3LaomEMOwQCZ60yyEyv-2Bocg3oRDYIfnUCYkn-2FBx6AEywMqTGaQRBxL38CUJdTTGaszhb2vWhV9XQYZyvwNYY3JWq9qfyCpgylq7nHYgHlEEEO-2FvoaiVx090XoO&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccmilligan%40aha.org%7C3a442c9984df4ea82ab608d913b7d3ee%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C637562502528140012%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=X2DZVso3YeFlCEln%2FGHrL9xUhOXWWPkZ8DXib4xi1Lw%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.aha.org</a>.&nbsp; Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:22:36 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit AHA Honors Two Exemplary Health Systems For Their Dedication and Commitment to Quality /press-releases/2025-07-15-aha-honors-two-exemplary-health-systems-their-dedication-and-commitment-quality WASHINGTON&nbsp;(July 15, 2025) — The �� Association (AHA) today announced that Hartford HealthCare in Hartford, Conn., is the 2025 recipient of the AHA Quest for Quality Prize. CommonSpirit Health in Chicago has been named a finalist. The winners will receive this prestigious recognition during the AHA’s Leadership Summit in Nashville, July 20-22.The AHA Quest for Quality Prize is presented annually to recognize exceptional health care leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health in America’s communities. The AHA Quest for Quality Prize was first awarded in 2002.“This year’s winners of the AHA’s Quest for Quality are role models for excellence in patient care for the entire hospital field,”&nbsp;said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “They have demonstrated a deep dedication to creating a culture enabling quality practices to flourish while connecting with their communities through new approaches, techniques and technologies.”Prize Winner: Hartford HealthCare — Hartford, Conn. Hartford HealthCare is a nonprofit health system composed of eight hospitals in urban, suburban and rural areas as well as 445 ambulatory clinics, 78 outpatient care centers, three outpatient behavioral health care sites and several other facilities that in total serve 2.2 million outpatient visits annually. The recognition comes as a result of Hartford HealthCare’s sweeping transformation over the past decade — one that reflects a deep cultural shift toward continuous improvement, patient safety, health equity and system-wide innovation.Hartford HealthCare’s mantra, “the best at getting better,” is evident in the entire health care system’s unwavering commitment to excellence in health care, emphasis on teamwork, high-reliability training and a deeply ingrained quality methodology. Hartford HealthCare demonstrates strong leadership involvement in quality through a series of impactful programs reinforcing a culture of safety, accountability and patient-centered care. Every leadership meeting begins with a patient’s story that shapes systemwide learnings. The “Safety Starts with Me” messaging and the prominent “You Are Not Alone” signage serve as visible reminders of the health system’s goal to ensure that every individual — whether a patient, team member or visitor — feels supported and empowered.Hartford HealthCare has successfully embedded a culture of continuous improvement at every level of the organization, making learning and innovation central to its mission. A strong commitment to Lean methodology ensures that every employee, regardless of role, has the tools and training necessary to drive outcome-based goals and actively contribute to process improvement.The system’s efforts have led to impressive accomplishments such as a 70% reduction in health care-acquired infections from 2015 to 2023. Additionally, team members showed a 48% increase in reporting potential safety events from 2021 to 2023, a testament to Hartford HealthCare’s positive safety culture.Finalist: CommonSpirit Health — Chicago CommonSpirit Health comprises 157 hospitals, including acute, critical access, academic medical centers and specialty hospitals. Its network spans 24 states, offering care at more than 2,200 sites including ambulatory clinics, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, urgent care centers and surgical centers. This nonprofit health system delivers more than 20 million outpatient visits a year.CommonSpirit Health is deeply committed to being a high-performing organization as evident by mission-driven leadership, well-executed systemwide governance structure, dedication to community partnerships, and a culture of patient-centered care and continuous improvement. Patient and family involvement is encouraged in designing the total care experience, including initiatives to meet special physical, psychological, development, cultural and spiritual needs.CommonSpirit Health fosters a culture welcoming and incentivizing innovation from any staff member such as ideas to effectively implement advanced analytics or strategies for improving communication with patients and care givers.When a system-level quality or safety priority is identified, CommonSpirit uses an eight-step process to cascade changes throughout all of its hospitals. The process has been used on nearly 20 metrics to elevate system performance to the top third or better of the national median. For example, when leaders in CommonSpirit’s Pacific Northwest region saw success with artificial intelligence-enabled tools that notify a provider — before a patient visit — which cancer screenings should be ordered, CommonSpirit began rolling out the technology across the system. When an opportunity is identified where no national benchmark exists, CommonSpirit leverages its size to develop internal benchmarks — an approach that improved maternal health outcomes by analyzing systemwide data and implementing solutions resulting in demonstrable achievements related to hypertension and eclampsia.The <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3Du001.7kr010ACWZRfM3MOuCoTb8G-2FCXc0p0zZUtmrFEUZqHFHe60dhCXZmdZXfzlHez1Ky6k40f-2BELaGEudUM-2F4-2BqzA-3D-3DmGB9_d2RbcZIH1cPr8T71lfy9-2Baax-2F-2BEajmJ1xBQdwzrxSfXYrczhBuOKN0y9-2Fz7LWn8-2BDbxbRMmISA8VWYgeVYMYLehFbJjjJrsDU061vryWib5OgupGu7XbukALgR8dzkZgPRzW5-2FRTImVnoYzNxvBQkQRRLAqxZ36J0DP6a2D0HH7rtdRizmuKVUiSIh5oGbphbifUymsi4WzEiW-2BHucDYfaaXJQRL8siHIaAZjCGV8UUg2UwIQgPuNebrRxcknAPYU-2BKXR15d38wfIeFP-2Fglnflr7jyNdO0jUag53zR7EOnm2ya2jYgOLG1qYbMisfo-2FlJ-2FbvZIs9-2B6o-2B-2F9QGwu2UKpuwLtR5XoF0vYsBA-2B-2BXI1QQwY6Hy6gYYybuDZnc3kpK&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cbteicher%40aha.org%7Cfbb130c989b242c4992b08ddc3b00e85%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C638881883115398244%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=rR%2F9%2Fg7JJs%2F5Atxgwz7ScjptXlGo9hYuq1sNWlQeqvs%3D&amp;reserved=0">AHA Quest for Quality prize</a> is sponsored by Laerdal Medical, a global leader in health care simulation. Laerdal partners with hospital organizations to help improve individual clinical skills and team performance through immersive educational experiences. Incorporating Analytic Insight to identify areas of opportunity and identify potential latent patient safety threats, Laerdal works with clinicians across the care continuum.&nbsp;&nbsp;###&nbsp;About the AHAThe AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3Du001.7kr010ACWZRfM3MOuCoTb4j1A7dsWuFv5c9nef7CCBE-3DWBBp_d2RbcZIH1cPr8T71lfy9-2Baax-2F-2BEajmJ1xBQdwzrxSfXYrczhBuOKN0y9-2Fz7LWn8-2BDbxbRMmISA8VWYgeVYMYLehFbJjjJrsDU061vryWib5OgupGu7XbukALgR8dzkZgPRzW5-2FRTImVnoYzNxvBQkQRRLAqxZ36J0DP6a2D0HH7rtdRizmuKVUiSIh5oGbphbifUymsi4WzEiW-2BHucDYfRr3QGHK2Ua1ZZEl3LSBiGmLmvLh20Tv9hbxVlmrt-2BjWtOi6cqIQJPbe6eem4EPtr5poNMSvsNocWjLtoCNE1UU7y1OeXGq-2FDXse2ztNrl-2BBVQx54xPKm-2F4XVdQRKNEwAG4vy-2BPgN5tO7hE30ZsynwjHv-2Btpda8ZQSKe8DHne-2Fz3&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cbteicher%40aha.org%7Cfbb130c989b242c4992b08ddc3b00e85%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C638881883115581072%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=u%2BCxAPSI7XtM0jSbdQUFR8pU%2Bs3wLA9QBh32SM4MJl4%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.aha.org</a>. Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:17:33 -0500 AHA Leadership Summit