/ en Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:14:36 -0500 Fri, 04 Apr 25 08:19:44 -0500 /news/perspective/2025-04-04-protecting-health-care-workers-and-communities-violence <p>America’s hospitals and health systems are places of healing, hope and health. They strive to deliver quality care every hour of every day for everyone and do so in the safest possible environment for patients and care teams.</p><p>However, we have seen an increase in violent actions and threats against health care workers and in health care settings. Federal data shows that health care workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than workers overall. Just last month a social media post alleged active planning of a coordinated, multi-city terrorist attack targeting hospitals; thankfully the FBI last week said after an extensive investigation and intelligence review, they did not identify “any specific credible threat targeted against hospitals in any U.S. city.”</p><p>For nearly a decade, the <a href="/hospitals-against-violence-havhope" target="_blank" title="AHA's Hospitals Against Violence Initiative">AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence</a> initiative has shone a light on how hospitals and health systems are working to heal victims of violence as well as their communities, prevent further acts of violence, and address violence in the workplace. The AHA collaborates with partner organizations to develop and share many resources for hospitals to use to address community and workplace violence.</p><p>Because violence can compromise access to and delivery of care, create a difficult work environment, and impact the overall safety and quality of the health care experience,  the AHA worked with the FBI to share a <a href="/mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings" target="_blank" title="Mitigating violence in health care settings resource">resource on mitigating targeted violence in health care settings</a>. Other resources include podcasts and webinars, as well as issue briefs focused on providing trauma support for hospital and health system team members and exploring how violence mitigation efforts can fit effectively into an organization’s culture of safety.</p><p>In addition, the Hospitals Against Violence initiative has shared examples from hospitals and health systems across the country of how they are addressing workplace violence using both best practices and individual solutions that can be tailored based on an organization’s size, resources and culture. Strategies include hospital security and threat assessment teams collaborating with local police departments and other community partners on violence mitigation tactics such as de-escalation training, staff duress alarms, enhanced surveillance security technology and more effective visitor identification policies, among many other measures. Other hospitals are decreasing incidents of workplace violence by upgrading their incident reporting system, boosting prevention education and meticulously tracking data to help prevent future incidents.</p><p>While hospitals and health systems continue to enhance efforts to keep patients, caregivers and communities safe, the AHA continues to advocate for Congress to pass legislation that would provide health care workers federal protections from violence, similar to those that apply to aircraft and airport workers. The AHA spearheaded the introduction of bipartisan, bicameral legislation during the last Congress and is working to have legislation introduced in this Congress.</p><p>Violence has no place in our communities or in health care settings. We must keep working together to end the cycle of violence and ensure that our nation’s caregivers can focus on what they do best — advancing health for patients and communities.</p> Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:19:44 -0500 SAVE Act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Following the elections, lawmakers are returning to Washington, D.C., to tackle key funding issues, including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment reductions and support for rural programs. They also will consider site-neutral payment proposals, oversight of health plans, continuation of telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers, and the prevention of violence against health care workers.</p><p>Before the lame-duck session ends and the 118th Congress adjourns, it is essential that federal lawmakers understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face and what is at stake for the patients and communities they represent. With several programs facing expiration at the end of this year, quick action is needed to preserve necessary funding and support for the nation’s health care organizations.</p><p>Here are the issues AHA leaders are <a href="/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session" target="_blank" title="Issues AHA Leaders are calling on Congress to reinforce">calling on congressional leaders</a> to reinforce. Following is an overview of the issues and what you can do to assist these advocacy efforts.</p><h2>SUPPORT MEDICAID DSH DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER</h2><p>At the beginning of the year, billions of dollars will be cut from the Medicaid DSH program, severely jeopardizing hospitals’ finances and threatening communities’ access to care. Contact your representative(s) and ask them to sign on to the bipartisan <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/11/congress-dear-colleague-letter-to-stop-medicaid-disproportionate-share-hospital-dsh-payment-cuts-11-13-2024.pdf" target="_blank" title="House Dear Colleague Letter">House Dear Colleague letter</a> being circulated by Reps. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Diana DeGette, D-Colo., calling for Medicaid DSH cuts to be addressed. <a href="https://www.votervoice.net/AHA/Campaigns/118959/Respond">Click here</a> to send a message to your representatives.</p><h2><strong>LEGISLATIVE ACTION NEEDED</strong></h2><p><strong>Address the Medicaid</strong> <strong>DSH Payment Reductions. </strong>The <a href="/fact-sheets/2023-03-28-fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-program" target="_blank" title="Medicare DSH Program Information">Medicaid DSH program</a> provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The fiscal year 2025 Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. The AHA calls on Congress to continue to provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</p><p><strong>Protect Rural Communities’ Access to Care.</strong> The AHA urges Congress to continue the <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-rural-mdh-and-lva-programs" target="_blank" title="Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs">Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs</a>. These programs provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs expire on Dec. 31, 2024. Congress should also enact a technical correction to remove barriers for Rural Emergency Hospitals to receive hospital-level reimbursement for outpatient services under Medicaid<strong>.</strong> </p><p><strong>Reject Site-neutral Payment Proposals.</strong> The AHA strongly opposes efforts to expand <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2023-09-11-advocacy-issue-site-neutral-payment-proposals" target="_blank" title="Site-neutral payment cuts information">site-neutral payment cuts</a> to include essential drug administration services furnished in off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Current Medicare payment rates appropriately recognize that there are fundamental differences between patient care delivered in HOPDs compared to other settings. HOPDs have higher patient safety and quality standards, and, unlike other sites of care, hospitals take important additional steps to ensure drugs are prepared and administered safely for both patients and providers. </p><p>The AHA also calls on Congress to reject legislative efforts requiring each off-campus HOPD to be assigned a separate unique health identifier from its provider as a condition of payment under Medicare or group health plans. Hospitals are already required to be transparent about the location of care delivery. This requirement would be duplicative and impose unnecessary and onerous administrative burdens and costs by needlessly requiring the overhaul of current billing practices and systems.</p><p><strong>Hold Commercial Health Plans Accountable.</strong> Certain health plan practices, such as inappropriate care denials and delayed payments, threaten patient access to care. These practices also contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burdens to the health care system. The AHA urges Congress to pass the<a href="/lettercomment/2024-06-12-aha-support-house-improving-seniors-timely-access-care-act" target="_blank" title="Improving seniors timely access to care"> Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act</a> (H.R. 8702/ S. 4532), bipartisan legislation supported by more than half of the members of the House and Senate. The bill would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program by eliminating complexity and promoting uniformity to reduce the wide variation in prior authorization methods that frustrate both patients and providers.</p><p><strong>Extend </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/05/fact-sheet-2024-telehealth-advocacy-agenda.pdf" target="_blank" title="Telehealth information"><strong>Telehealth</strong></a><strong> and </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/Fact-Sheet-Extending-the-Hospital-at-Home-Program-20240719.pdf" target="_blank" title="Hospitals-at-home information"><strong>Hospital-at-home</strong></a><strong> Waivers.</strong> During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth provides a tremendous ability to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. The AHA calls on Congress to permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce. </p><p>The AHA also urges Congress to pass the <a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-house-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024" target="_blank" title="Hospitals Inpatient Services Modernization Act">Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act</a> (H.R. 8260/S. 4350), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029. Congressional action will reassure hospitals and health systems that are interested in developing such programs for their communities. </p><p><strong>Prevent Reimbursement Cuts for Physicians. </strong>Congress should take action to mitigate the scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025 and to continue its work on broader reform for sustainable physician payment. Physicians have dealt with over two decades of conversion factor decrements, as well as significant staffing shortages and rising inflation in recent years. The scheduled 2.8% payment reduction in the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule would result in a significant risk to patients’ access to care.</p><p><strong>Protect America’s Health Care Workers.</strong> The AHA calls on Congress to enact the <a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/09/Fact-Sheet-Workplace-Violence-and-Intimidation-and-the-Need-for-a-Federal-Legislative-Response.pdf" target="_blank" title="SAVE Act information">Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act</a> (H.R. 2584/S. 2768). This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers.</p><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p>Visit the <a href="/advocacy/action-center" target="_blank" title="AHA Action Center">AHA Action Center</a> for more resources on these issues and other priorities important to hospitals and health systems.</p><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.<br> </p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/11/aha-asks-congressional-leadership-to-fund-hospitals-protect-health-care-workers-alert-11-13-2024.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/cover-aha-asks-congressional-leadership-to-fund-hospitals-protect-health-care-workers-alert-11-13-2024.png" data-entity-uuid="40f68d4b-dfe5-4e56-af78-6f8af97f13ca" data-entity-type="file" alt="Action Alert Cover Image" width="640" height="834"></a></div></div><p> </p></div> Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:05:33 -0600 SAVE Act /news/headline/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-hospitals-end-year <p>In <a href="/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session" target="_blank">comments</a> Nov. 12 to majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, the AHA requested that Congress act on key priorities for hospitals and health systems before the end of 2024. AHA urged Congress to continue providing relief from Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment cuts; continue the Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs that expire Dec. 31; reject site-neutral payment proposals; and pass the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/ S. 4532), legislation that would reduce the wide variation in prior authorization methods in the Medicare Advantage program. <br> <br>"Hospitals and health systems are experiencing significant financial pressures that challenge their ability to provide 24/7 care for the patients and communities they serve," said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. "Increased expenses for drugs and supplies, inflation and the mounting burden due to certain commercial health insurer denial and delay practices continue to strain hospitals and health systems. At the same time, underpayments in reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid do not keep pace with these mounting costs and exacerbate the problems hospitals are having."  <br> <br>AHA also urged Congress to extend the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029; mitigate scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025; and pass the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768), legislation that would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to protections for airport and airline workers.</p> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:48:16 -0600 SAVE Act /2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session <p>November 12, 2024</p><table><tbody><tr><td>The Honorable Mike Johnson<br>Speaker<br>U.S. House of Representatives<br>Washington, DC 20515</td><td>The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries<br>Democratic Leader<br>U.S. House of Representatives<br>Washington, D.C. 20515</td></tr><tr><td>The Honorable Charles E. Schumer<br>Majority Leader<br>United States Senate<br>Washington, DC 20510</td><td>The Honorable Mitch McConnell<br>Republican Leader<br>United States Senate<br>Washington, DC 20510</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Schumer, Leader Jeffries, and Leader McConnell:</p><p>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, the ���������� Association (AHA) writes regarding the forthcoming government funding deadline.</p><p>Hospitals and health systems are experiencing significant financial pressures that challenge their ability to provide 24/7 care for the patients and communities they serve.  Increased expenses for drugs and supplies, inflation and the mounting burden due to certain commercial health insurer denial and delay practices continue to strain hospitals and health systems. At the same time, underpayments in reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid do not keep pace with these mounting costs and exacerbate the problems hospitals are having.</p><p>As Congress begins to focus on its end-of-the-year work, America’s hospitals and health systems respectfully request that you consider the following priorities.</p><p><strong>Address the Medicaid</strong> <strong>Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payment Reductions. </strong>The Medicaid DSH program provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The fiscal year 2025 Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. Congress should continue to provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</p><p><strong>Protect Rural Communities’ Access to Care.</strong> We urge Congress to continue the Medicare-dependent Hospitals and Low-volume Adjustment programs. These programs provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs expire on Dec. 31, 2024. Congress should also enact a technical correction to remove barriers for Rural Emergency Hospitals to receive hospital level reimbursement for outpatient services under Medicaid<strong>.</strong></p><p><strong>Reject Site-neutral Payment Proposals.</strong> We strongly oppose efforts to expand site-neutral payment cuts to include essential drug administration services furnished in off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Current Medicare payment rates appropriately recognize that there are fundamental differences between patient care delivered in HOPDs compared to other settings. HOPDs have higher patient safety and quality standards, and, unlike other sites of care, hospitals take important additional steps to ensure drugs are prepared and administered in a safe manner for both patients and providers.</p><p>HOPDs provide care for Medicare patients who are more likely to be sicker and more medically complex than those treated at physicians’ offices. This is especially true in rural and other medically underserved communities. Additional cuts will directly impact the level of care and services available to vulnerable patients in these communities.</p><p>We also call on Congress to reject legislative efforts requiring each off-campus HOPD to be assigned a separate unique health identifier from its provider as a condition of payment under Medicare or group health plans. Hospitals are already required to be transparent about the location of care delivery. This requirement would be duplicative and impose unnecessary and onerous administrative burdens and costs by needlessly requiring the overhaul of current billing practices and systems.</p><p><strong>Hold Commercial Health Plans Accountable.</strong> Certain health plan practices, such as inappropriate care denials and delayed payments, threaten patient access to care. These practices also contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burdens to the health care system. We urge Congress to pass the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/ S. 4532), bipartisan legislation supported by more than half of the members of the House and Senate. The bill would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program by eliminating complexity and promoting uniformity to reduce the wide variation in prior authorization methods that frustrate both patients and providers.</p><p><strong>Extend Telehealth and Hospital-at-home Waivers.</strong> During the public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth provides a tremendous ability to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. Congress should permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce.</p><p>Hospital-at-home programs are a safe, innovative way to care for patients in the comfort of their homes. With over 300 hospitals with hospital-at-home programs, many other hospitals and health systems indicate they are interested in developing programs for their communities but are reluctant to do so without congressional action. We urge Congress to pass the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (H.R. 8260/S. 4350), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029.</p><p><strong>Prevent Reimbursement Cuts for Physicians. </strong>Congress should take action to mitigate the scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025 and to continue its work on broader reform for sustainable physician payment. Physicians have dealt with over two decades of conversion factor decrements, as well as significant staffing shortages and rising inflation in recent years. The scheduled 2.8% payment reduction in the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule would result in a significant risk to patients’ access to care.</p><p><strong>Protect America’s Health Care Workers.</strong> Congress should enact the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768). This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers.</p><p>We appreciate your leadership and look forward to working together to ensure patients continue to have access to quality care in their communities.</p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>/s/</p><p>Richard J. Pollack<br>President & Chief Executive Officer</p> Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:38:12 -0600 SAVE Act /advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-save-act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>For the past several years, the health care field has experienced a sharp increase in workplace violence. The COVID-19 pandemic placed significant stress on the entire health care system, and in some situations, patients, visitors and family members have attacked health care staff and jeopardized our workforce’s ability to provide care. This rise in workplace violence has shown no indication of subsiding. Hospitals, health systems and their staff support enactment of a federal law that would protect health care workers from violence and intimidation, just as current federal law protects airline and airport workers.</p><h2><span>AHA Position</span></h2><p>Despite the incidence of workplace violence and its harmful effects on our health care system, no federal law protects health care employees from workplace assault or intimidation. By contrast, there are federal laws criminalizing assault and intimidation against airline employees, and Attorney General Merrick Garland has directed Department of Justice prosecutors to prioritize prosecutions under that statute given the rise in violent behavior on commercial aircraft during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vigorous enforcement of these federal laws creates a safe traveling environment, deters violent behavior and ensures that offenders are appropriately punished. Our nation’s health care workers who have tirelessly helped care for and treat the sick and dying while facing increased violence — especially during the last two years of the pandemic — deserve the same legal protections as airline workers. Congress should enact the bipartisan Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768), which provides protections similar to those for flight crews, flight attendants and airport workers.</p><h2><span>Key Resources</span></h2><ul><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2023-04-19-fact-sheet-workplace-violence-and-intimidation-and-need-federal-legislative-response">Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence and Intimidation, and the Need for a Federal Legislative Response</a></li><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/02/SAVE-act-content-draft-talking-points-f.pdf">SAVE Act Digital Toolkit</a></li><li><a href="/infographics/2024-02-07-infographic-save-health-care-workers-workplace-violence">Infographic: SAVE Health Care Workers from Workplace Violence</a></li><li><a href="/action-alert/2024-08-07-action-needed-urge-congress-protect-health-care-workers-violence-supporting-save-act">ACTION NEEDED: Urge Congress to Protect Health Care Workers from Violence by Supporting the SAVE Act</a></li></ul></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><div class="views-element-container"> <section class="top-level-view js-view-dom-id-df8f9ceb15f61ca0ad947fb72e28efdef57d6542e7657106b7e414a778b78b9e resource-block"> <h3>Latest SAVE Act Advocacy and News</h3> <div class="resource-wrapper"> <div class="resource-view"> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/news/perspective/2025-04-04-protecting-health-care-workers-and-communities-violence" hreflang="en">Protecting Health Care Workers and Communities from Violence </a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2025-04-04T08:19:44-05:00">Apr 4, 2025</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-member" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/279" hreflang="en">Member</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/action-alert/2024-11-13-aha-asks-congressional-leadership-fund-hospitals-protect-health-care-workers" hreflang="en">AHA Asks Congressional Leadership to Fund Hospitals, Protect Health Care Workers</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2024-11-13T14:05:33-06:00">Nov 13, 2024</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/news/headline/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-hospitals-end-year" hreflang="en">AHA urges Congress to act on key priorities for hospitals before end of the year</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2024-11-12T15:48:16-06:00">Nov 12, 2024</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/2024-11-12-aha-urges-congress-act-key-priorities-lame-duck-session" hreflang="en">AHA Urges Congress to Act on Key Priorities in Lame-duck Session</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2024-11-12T14:38:12-06:00">Nov 12, 2024</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-save-act" hreflang="en">Advocacy Issue: SAVE Act</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2024-10-31T08:21:40-05:00">Oct 31, 2024</time> </span> </div></div> </div> </div> <div class="more-link"><a href="/topics/save-act">More on the SAVE Act</a></div> </section> </div> </p></div></div></div>.meta.custom-lock-position { position: relative; top: 0px; right: inherit; display: block; float: right; } Thu, 31 Oct 2024 08:21:40 -0500 SAVE Act /special-bulletin/2024-10-22-aha-partners-fbi-mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>The AHA in partnership with the FBI today released a new resource and webpage on mitigating targeted violence in health care settings.</p><p>Targeted violence in health care refers to intentional and harmful acts in which care teams, patients and health care facilities are specifically singled out. Such acts of violence can take many forms, including physical assaults, verbal threats, harassment, and even large-scale attacks. Targeted violence compromises access and delivery of care, creates difficult work environments, and impacts the overall safety and quality of health care delivery.</p><p>To assist in addressing these concerns, the AHA partnered with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit to promote violence prevention strategies and address the escalating threats and acts of targeted violence against health care facilities and the workforce.</p><p>Through this partnership, the AHA will offer a full suite of resources for hospitals and health systems to implement threat assessment and threat management principles or enhance their existing efforts.</p><p><strong>The first resource is an </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/10/mitigating-targeted-violence-in-health-care-setting-2-pager.pdf" target="_blank" title="Issue Brief"><strong>issue brief</strong></a><strong> examining threat assessment and threat management and steps to take should one identify a potential threat. We also have a new dedicated webpage, </strong><a href="/mitigating-targeted-violence-health-care-settings" target="_blank" title="Mitigating Targeted Violence in Health Care Settings"><strong>Mitigating Targeted Violence in Health Care Settings</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p>On the webpage, you also can access these resources from AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence and the FBI:</p><ul><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2023/04/Building-a-Safe-Workplace-and-Community-Mitigating-the-Risk-of-Violence.pdf" target="_blank" title="Issue Brief: Mitigating the Risk of Violence">Issue Brief: Mitigating the Risk of Violence</a></li><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/10/fbi-making-prevention-a-reality-report_0.pdf" target="_blank" title="• FBI Resource: Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks ">FBI Resource: Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks</a></li><li><a href="/advancing-health-podcast/2023-09-20-fbi-violence-prevention-strategies-assess-and-manage-threats-against-health-care" target="_blank" title="• AHA Podcast: FBI Violence Prevention Strategies to Assess and Manage Threats Against Health Care ">AHA Podcast: FBI Violence Prevention Strategies to Assess and Manage Threats Against Health Care</a></li></ul><p>Watch for additional resources from the AHA and FBI, including a resource guide for hospitals and health systems developed with input from AHA members, case studies and podcasts.</p><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301 or email <a href="mailto:HospitalsAgainstViolence@aha.org" target="_blank" title="Hospitals Against Violence Email">HospitalsAgainstViolence@aha.org</a>.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/10/aha-partners-with-the-fbi-on-mitigating-targeted-violence-in-health-care-settings-bulletin-10-22-2024.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/cover-aha-partners-with-the-fbi-on-mitigating-targeted-violence-in-health-care-settings-bulletin-10-22-2024.png" data-entity-uuid="5d199958-0e14-4758-b706-16326e5dd19b" data-entity-type="file" alt="Cover Special Bulletin" width="665" height="866"></a></div></div></div> Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:36:38 -0500 SAVE Act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Lawmakers have returned to their districts for October after passing a continuing resolution that will keep the government funded through Dec. 20. Following the November election, lawmakers will return to Washington for a busy lame-duck session when key funding issues, including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) and rural programs, will be on the agenda.</p><p>Now, while lawmakers are in their district, it is important for the field to engage with members of Congress to remind them of the importance of preserving access to care by continuing to fund vital programs and avoiding harmful policies such as site-neutral payments. It is essential that federal lawmakers understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face and what is at stake for the patients and communities they represent.</p><p>While AHA makes the case in Washington, D.C., we also continue to increase our efforts to engage the field with their lawmakers. It is important that hospital and health system leaders reinforce these messages back home. Your legislators listen to you because you live, work, vote and provide care in their communities. Lawmakers need to hear how congressional support is necessary to ensure hospitals can provide the 24/7 access to care patients and communities depend on.</p><h2>WHAT YOU CAN DO</h2><ul><li><strong>Contact</strong> your lawmakers and arrange conversations about the challenges your organization is facing and why additional support is needed.</li><li><strong>Invite</strong> your elected officials to visit your organization to show them firsthand the important service you provide to their communities.</li><li><strong>Explain</strong> to your elected lawmakers how government funding programs such as Medicaid DSH, enhanced low-volume adjustment (LVA) and Medicare-dependent hospitals (MDH), and others impact your ability to provide care in your community, and what would happen if those programs were not extended.</li><li><strong>Share</strong> this alert with your government affairs and media relations staff, leadership team and governance board to ensure a cohesive narrative around issues impacting hospitals and health systems. Be prepared to give specific examples of what services could be at stake.</li></ul><h2>AREAS OF FOCUS</h2><p><strong>Prevent damaging cuts to hospitals. </strong>The <a href="/fact-sheets/2023-03-28-fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-program">Medicaid DSH program</a> provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. <u>Congress should provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</u></p><p>In addition, <a href="/fact-sheets/2022-08-30-fact-sheet-rural-hospital-support-act-s4009-assistance-rural-community">MDH and LVA programs</a> provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs are set to expire Dec. 31, 2024. <u>Congress should extend or make these critical rural programs permanent.</u> AHA member hospitals participating in the MDH and/or LVA programs received an Alert with data on the impact on their organization if these programs expire.</p><p><a href="/issue-landing-page/2023-09-11-advocacy-issue-site-neutral-payment-proposals"><strong>Reject so-called site-neutral payment proposals.</strong></a><strong> </strong>When Congress returns from recess, AHA expects to see continued efforts to push proposals that would enact additional site-neutral payment cuts. <u>Urge your lawmakers to oppose any site-neutral payment proposal</u> as they would impose billions of dollars in additional Medicare payment cuts for services provided by hospital outpatient departments. It’s important to emphasize that these proposals would reduce patient access to vital health care services, particularly in rural and other medically underserved communities.</p><p><strong>Hold commercial health plans accountable. </strong>Certain health plan practices threaten patient access to care, contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burden to the health care system. Regulators should increase their oversight of health plans<strong> </strong>and implement a comprehensive simplification agenda, beginning with streamlining prior authorization requirements and processes and monitoring for abusive payment delays and denials. <u>Urge Congress to pass the </u><a href="/lettercomment/2024-06-12-aha-support-house-improving-seniors-timely-access-care-act">Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act</a><u> — bipartisan legislation that would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program.</u></p><p><strong>Permanently adopt </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/05/fact-sheet-2024-telehealth-advocacy-agenda.pdf"><strong>telehealth</strong></a><strong> and </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/Fact-Sheet-Extending-the-Hospital-at-Home-Program-20240719.pdf"><strong>hospital-at-home</strong></a><strong> waivers. </strong>During the public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth holds tremendous potential to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. <u>Congress should permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce</u>.</p><p>Hospital-at-home programs are a safe, innovative way to care for patients in the comfort of their homes. With over 300 hospitals with hospital-at-home programs, many other hospitals and health systems indicate they are interested in developing programs for their communities but are reluctant to do so without congressional action. <u>Urge</u> <u>Congress to pass the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (</u><a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-house-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024">H.R. 8260</a><u>/</u><a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-senate-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024">S. 4350</a><u>), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029.</u> The current waiver is set to expire Dec. 31, 2024.</p><p><strong>Protect America’s health care workers. </strong>Enactment of the <a href="/action-alert/2024-06-07-urge-congress-protect-health-care-workers-violence-passing-save-act">Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act</a> (H.R. 2584/S. 2768) is a top priority for the AHA and the hospital field. This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers. <u>Urge your lawmakers to cosponsor the bipartisan SAVE Act.</u></p><h2>RESOURCES</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/resources/pdf/2024_calendar.pdf">Senate</a> and <a href="https://www.majorityleader.gov/uploadedfiles/2024_house_calendar_-_one_page_-_revised_april_2024.pdf">House</a> 2024 calendars.</li><li><a href="/2024-03-01-congressional-site-visits-during-and-after">Congressional Site Visits</a>: Before, During and After — AHA’s comprehensive resource to help you and your staff plan a lawmaker’s visit.</li><li><a href="https://youtu.be/T-RlDRPzJCE">Video </a>of Bruce White, CEO of Knox Community Hospital in Ohio, describing his experience hosting a site visit.</li></ul><p>See AHA’s additional tips and best practices to enhance your advocacy <a href="/advocacy/2023-03-07-advocacy-tips-and-best-practices">here</a>.</p><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p><strong>To support your efforts to communicate effectively with lawmakers and their staff, visit the </strong><a href="/advocacy/action-center"><strong>AHA Action Center</strong></a><strong> for more resources on these issues and other priorities important to hospitals and health systems. </strong></p><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/09/action-needed-contact-lawmakers-on-important-issues-facing-hospitals-and-health-systems-9-30-2024.pdf" target="_blank" action alert><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-09/cover-action-needed-contact-lawmakers-on-important-issues-facing-hospitals-and-health-systems-9-30-2024.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Cover Action Alert: ACTION NEEDED: Contact Lawmakers on Important Issues Facing Hospitals and Health Systems" width="NaN" height="NaN"></a></div></div></div> Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:20:55 -0500 SAVE Act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Lawmakers have returned to Washington for three weeks to consider government funding, which expires Oct. 1. Congress must pass a continuing resolution (CR) by Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown. Leading into the election, lawmakers will return to their home districts but return to Washington in November for a busy lame-duck session when key funding issues, including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) and rural programs, will be on the agenda.</p><p>During the next few weeks and again following the election, the field needs to engage with members of Congress to remind them of the importance of preserving access to care by continuing to fund vital programs and avoid harmful policies such as site-neutral payments. It is essential that federal lawmakers understand the challenges hospitals and health systems face and what is at stake for the patients and communities they represent.</p><p>While AHA makes the case in Washington, D.C., hospital and health system leaders must reinforce these important messages back home. Your legislators listen to you because you live, work, vote and provide care in their communities. Lawmakers need to hear how congressional support is necessary to ensure hospitals can provide the 24/7 access to care patients and communities depend on.</p><h2>What You Can Do</h2><ul><li><strong>Contact</strong> your lawmakers and arrange conversations about the challenges your organization is facing and why additional support is needed.</li><li><strong>Explain</strong> to your elected lawmakers how government funding programs such as Medicaid DSH, enhanced low-volume adjustment (LVA) and Medicare-dependent hospitals (MDH), and others impact your ability to provide care in your community, and what would happen if those programs were not extended.</li><li><strong>Share</strong> this alert with your government affairs and media relations staff, leadership team and governance board to ensure a cohesive narrative around issues impacting hospitals and health systems. Be prepared to give specific examples of what services could be at stake.</li></ul><h2>Areas of Focus and AHA Resources</h2><h3>Prevent Damaging Cuts to Hospitals</h3><p>The <a href="g/fact-sheets/2023-03-28-fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-program">Medicaid DSH program</a> provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, impoverished, disabled and elderly. The Medicaid DSH payment reductions are scheduled to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2025, when $8 billion in reductions take effect. <strong>Congress should provide relief from the Medicaid DSH cuts.</strong></p><p>In addition, <a href="/fact-sheets/2022-08-30-fact-sheet-rural-hospital-support-act-s4009-assistance-rural-community">MDH and LVA programs</a> provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. These programs are set to expire Dec. 31, 2024. <strong>Congress should extend or make these critical rural programs permanent.</strong> AHA member hospitals participating in the MDH and/or LVA programs received an Alert with data on the impact on their organization if these programs expire.</p><h3><a href="/issue-landing-page/2023-09-11-advocacy-issue-site-neutral-payment-proposals"><span><u>Reject So-called Site-neutral Payment Proposals</u></span></a></h3><p>When Congress returns from recess, AHA expects to see continued efforts to push proposals that would enact additional site-neutral payment cuts. <strong>Urge your lawmakers to oppose any site-neutral payment proposal</strong> as they would impose billions of dollars in additional Medicare payment cuts for services provided by hospital outpatient departments. It’s important to emphasize that these proposals would reduce patient access to vital health care services, particularly in rural and other medically underserved communities.</p><h3>Hold Commercial Health Plans Accountable</h3><p>Certain health plan practices threaten patient access to care, contribute to clinician burnout and add excessive administrative costs and burden to the health care system. Regulators should increase their oversight of health plans and implement a comprehensive simplification agenda, beginning with streamlining prior authorization requirements and processes and monitoring for abusive payment delays and denials. <strong>Urge Congress to pass the </strong><a href="/lettercomment/2024-06-12-aha-support-house-improving-seniors-timely-access-care-act"><strong>Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act</strong></a><strong> — bipartisan legislation that would streamline the prior authorization process in the Medicare Advantage program.</strong></p><h3>Permanently Adopt <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/05/fact-sheet-2024-telehealth-advocacy-agenda.pdf"><span><u>Telehealth</u></span></a> and <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/Fact-Sheet-Extending-the-Hospital-at-Home-Program-20240719.pdf"><span><u>Hospital-At-Home</u></span></a> Waivers</h3><p>During the public health emergency, Congress established a series of waivers expanding access for millions of Americans and increasing convenience in caring for patients. Telehealth holds tremendous potential to leverage geographically dispersed provider capacity to support patient demand. <strong>Congress should permanently adopt telehealth waivers and expand the telehealth workforce.</strong></p><p>Hospital-at-home programs are a safe, innovative way to care for patients in the comfort of their homes. With over 300 hospitals with hospital-at-home programs, many other hospitals and health systems indicate they are interested in developing programs for their communities but are reluctant to do so without congressional action. <strong>Urge Congress to pass the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (</strong><a href="/lettercomment/2024-05-23-aha-support-house-bill-hospital-inpatient-services-modernization-act-2024"><strong>H.R. 8260/S. 4350</strong></a><strong>), extending the hospital-at-home waiver for five years through 2029.</strong> The current waiver is set to expire Dec. 31, 2024.</p><h3>Protect America’s Health Care Workers</h3><p>Enactment of the <a href="/action-alert/2024-06-07-urge-congress-protect-health-care-workers-violence-passing-save-act">Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act</a> (H.R. 2584/S. 2768) is a top priority for the AHA and the hospital field. This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers. <strong>Urge your lawmakers to cosponsor the bipartisan SAVE Act.</strong></p><h2>Further Questions</h2><p><strong>To support your efforts to communicate effectively with lawmakers and their staff, visit the </strong><a href="/advocacy/action-center"><strong>AHA Action Center</strong></a><strong> for more resources on these issues and other priorities important to hospitals and health systems.</strong></p><p>If you have further questions, please contact AHA at <a href="tel:1-800-424-4301">800-424-4301</a>.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/09/ACTION-NEEDED-Contact-Lawmakers-Now-on-Important-Issues-Facing-Hospitals-and-Health-Systems.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download the Action Alert ACTION NEEDED: Contact Lawmakers Now on Important Issues Facing Hospitals and Health Systems PDF."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Page-1-ACTION-NEEDED-Contact-Lawmakers-Now-on-Important-Issues-Facing-Hospitals-and-Health-Systemsf.png" data-entity-uuid="2e8c2f84-9dc6-4e48-83ce-2eba6ca54423" data-entity-type="file" alt="ACTION NEEDED: Contact Lawmakers Now on Important Issues Facing Hospitals and Health Systems page 1." width="696" height="900"></a></p></div></div></div> Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:30:00 -0500 SAVE Act <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Senators and representatives are in their home states and districts until Sept. 9, so now is an excellent time to meet with them and build support for the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768). This bipartisan bill would provide federal protections from workplace violence for hospital workers, similar to the protections in current law for airport and airline workers.</p><h2>TAKE ACTION</h2><p>Thanks to your grassroots advocacy, more than 120 members of Congress are now cosponsors of this critical legislation. Click <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/06/Safety-from-Violence-for-Healthcare-Employees-SAVE-Act-HR-2584-S-2768-Co-sponsors.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> to see whether your legislators have signed on already.</p><p>If your legislators have cosponsored the bill, please thank them. If they have not signed on yet, please ask them to cosponsor to show widespread support as we push for enactment before the end of the 118th Congress.</p><p><strong>We have developed a </strong><a href="/2020-10-07-get-involved?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f110987%2frespond%3fmkt_tok%3dNzEwLVpMTC02NTEAAAGRKX-ihY6idDOQJc8DSYoMQUpCn4QuaC4XEal-Tu54T_0pdR9ChS8he3l8jMSBpDGJ8KfFMmiFV5jlJSprcz4JWN2xA_Y9CYCuurMEUN68pKiuXA" target="_blank"><strong>sample message</strong></a><strong> you can personalize and send to your legislators asking them to cosponsor the bill. You also can share this link with members of your team and community so they can also send a message to lawmakers.</strong></p><p>In addition to urging support for the SAVE Act, please use this opportunity to talk with your lawmakers about other key priority issues for hospitals and health systems. See the July 31 <a href="/action-alert/2024-07-31-action-needed-talk-lawmakers-august-important-issues-facing-hospitals-and-health-systems" target="_blank">Action Alert</a> for more details and resources.</p><h2>RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR ADVOCACY ON THE SAVE ACT</h2><p>As part of our advocacy efforts, the AHA has hosted two briefings for lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill, including <a href="/news/headline/2024-07-31-aha-briefing-sen-manchin-joins-health-care-leaders-urging-congress-pass-save-act" target="_blank">one last week</a>. We also have developed resources that you can use to highlight the need to pass the SAVE Act.</p><ul><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2023-04-19-fact-sheet-workplace-violence-and-intimidation-and-need-federal-legislative-response" target="_blank">Factsheet</a>.</li><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/02/SAVE-act-content-draft-talking-points-f.pdf" target="_blank">Digital toolkit</a>.</li><li><a href="/infographics/2024-02-07-infographic-save-health-care-workers-workplace-violence" target="_blank">Infographic</a> with statistics on violence against health care workers.</li></ul><h2>FURTHER QUESTIONS</h2><p>Visit the AHA Action Center’s <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/workplace-violence" target="_blank">Workplace Violence webpage</a> and the <a href="/hospitals-against-violence-havhope" target="_blank">Hospitals Against Violence webpage</a> for additional resources.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/08/action-needed-urge-congress-to-protect-health-care-workers-from-violence-by-supporting-the-save-act-alert-8-7-24.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-08/image-action-needed-urge-congress-to-protect-health-care-workers-from-violence-by-supporting-the-save-act-alert-8-7-24.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt=" Cover Action Alert: ACTION NEEDED: Urge Congress to Protect Health Care Workers from Violence by Supporting the SAVE Act " width="NaN" height="NaN"></a></div></div></div> Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:43:44 -0500 SAVE Act /news/perspective/2024-08-02-taking-action-protect-caregivers-violence <p>Many people who work in hospitals and health systems say they have been called to a career of caring. Each and every day, they provide patients healing and hope, as well as comfort and compassion.</p><p>However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in recent years health care workers have experienced an increase in assaults and intimidation, both physical and verbal. 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.</p><p>These experiences cannot help but affect the individual care provider. They also can interfere with patient care when providers fear for their personal safety, are distracted by disruptive patients or family members, or are traumatized from prior violent interactions. Moreover, these types of incidents also consume scarce hospital and health system resources, which in turn could impact the care available for other patients.</p><p><strong>That is why the AHA has made passage of the bipartisan Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768) a top priority. This critically important legislation would provide protections from assault for hospital workers similar to those in the federal statute that apply to aircraft and airport workers.</strong></p><p>Following a <a href="/news/headline/2024-01-30-aha-briefing-hospital-leaders-urge-congress-pass-save-act-and-protect-health-care-workers-violence" target="_blank" title="Hillbriefing">Hill briefing</a> on the legislation earlier this year, more than 120 representatives and senators have now cosponsored the SAVE Act bills, and we thank them for their support. That’s a good start, but we need to continue building momentum in both the Senate and the House.</p><p>As part of those efforts, the AHA July 31 co-hosted another <a href="/news/headline/2024-07-31-aha-briefing-sen-manchin-joins-health-care-leaders-urging-congress-pass-save-act?" target="_blank" title="Capitol Hill Briefing">Capitol Hill briefing</a> with the American College of Emergency Physicians during which congressional staff heard directly from hospital and health care leaders how the legislation will help protect health care workers from violence, alleviate workforce challenges and sustain quality patient care.</p><p>Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va, who is a sponsor of the Senate bill, delivered remarks, noting that enactment of this bipartisan legislation would be a significant step forward in protecting our health care workforce. Other speakers included: Mark Boucot, president and CEO, WVU Medicine Garrett Regional Medical Center and WVU Medicine Potomac Valley Hospital; Rachel Culpepper, R.N., general medicine service line director, Indiana University Health West Hospital; and James Phillips, M.D., from the American College of Emergency Physicians.</p><p>The AHA is grateful to these outstanding health care leaders for sharing their stories and concerns. And we are asking all hospital and health system leaders and health care workers to do the same. </p><p>The August congressional recess is upon us. And the next few weeks are an opportune time to meet with your federal lawmakers and their staff to hammer home the importance of protecting our health care workforce. It’s imperative that we continue to build support and momentum for the bill to increase its chances of being enacted.</p><p>At the same time, addressing this issue doesn’t rest entirely with Congress. Hospitals and health systems throughout the country are engaged in many efforts to enhance workforce safety and decrease incidents of violence. For example, <a href="/news/headline/2024-06-07-aha-podcast-de-escalating-workplace-violence-75-wellspan-health" target="_blank">WellSpan Health, the 2024 recipient of the AHA Quest for Quality Prize, has created a Behavioral Health Emergency Response Team</a>, which has de-escalated such incidents by 75% since 2019 by increasing capacity for their team members to respond to situations that could result in violence. </p><p>The AHA’s Hospitals Against Violence initiative shares examples and best practices with the field about workplace and community violence, and has many <a href="/workforce-and-workplace-violence-prevention" target="_blank">resources</a> such as fact sheets, podcasts, blogs, videos, toolkits and other materials to help caregivers implement successful violence mitigation strategies.</p><p>In addition, AHA’s American Organization for Nursing Leadership has been a leader in promoting a culture of safety in workplace settings, sharing <a href="https://www.aonl.org/initiatives/workplace-violence?" target="_blank">resources and strategies</a> with their members, and working with the Emergency Nurses Association to develop guiding principles and toolkits to mitigate violence in the workplace.  </p><p>We’ll continue sharing resources, including ones that can assist your <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/workplace-violence?" target="_blank" title="Advocacy Efforts">advocacy efforts</a>. But the most powerful message will be health care workers sharing their own stories with their lawmakers.</p><p>The vast majority of us get to go to work each day without undue concern about facing the threat of violence. Caregivers and other health care professionals are the heart of our nation’s health care system. They deserve no less. </p> Fri, 02 Aug 2024 07:54:19 -0500 SAVE Act