/ en Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:35:00 -0500 Thu, 21 Mar 19 14:38:09 -0500 /news/headline/2019-03-21-special-coverage-ahas-association-community-health-improvement-conference <p>Health care workers who face the complexities of working with big data and population health must remain vigilant to potential public health threats and continue to reach across the aisle to fight injustice, Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., a pediatrician, professor and public health advocate who exposed the lead-contaminated water crisis in Flint, Mich., said during the opening keynote on day two of the AHA鈥檚 Association for Community Health Improvement鈥檚 National Conference. </p> <p>鈥淲hat do your numbers mean?鈥� she asked. 鈥淲hat will you risk for them? How loud will your voice be? Who will add their voice to your voice?鈥�</p> <p>Hanna-Attisha reminded attendees that 鈥渮ip codes [are] more powerful than genetic codes鈥� and commended the health care community for its impact on the social determinants of health. 鈥淲e are working upstream on the bigger things that all people need to be healthy,鈥� she said.</p> <p>Throughout the day, more than 700 health care leaders participated in breakout sessions on population health and its social determinants, clinical-community connections and innovation.</p> <p>One of today鈥檚 sessions featured a presentation by Arturo Carrillo, manager of mental health and family support at the Community Wellness Program of Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago. He spoke about the development of distinct, community-centered models to address violence and trauma in order to promote holistic wellness to individuals and families, as well as how the CWP offers a range of free social services to uninsured and underinsured community residents through its community resource centers. Carrillo also was a guest on AHA鈥檚 Advancing Health podcast where he talked about Saint Anthony Hospital鈥檚 efforts to improve mental health access in high economic hardship communities. Listen to the podcast <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth/ahaunidos-carillo-3">here</a>.</p> <p>Indu Subaiya, M.D., co-founder of health care technology platform Health 2.0, wrapped up the day's program by offering attendees insight into how innovation and technology can advance community health and equity. </p> <p>Visit our news webpage for a full recap of yesterday's conference activities and follow <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/achimtg?src=hash">#achimtg</a> on social media for more coverage from the conference.</p> Thu, 21 Mar 2019 14:38:09 -0500 ACHI National Conference /news/headline/2019-03-20-special-coverage-ahas-association-community-health-improvement-conference <p>More than 700 health care leaders came together today in Chicago for the Association for Community Health Improvement's National Conference focused on strengthening community partnerships, creating better care systems and advancing health equity.<br />  <br /> AHA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Maryjane Wurth kicked off today's program by challenging attendees to work collaboratively and consider diverse perspectives as they advance innovative care models. "Working differently is hard. Changing organizational culture to support this perspective is hard. But we can't wait for change to happen to us; we have to initiate the change ourselves," she said.  <br />  <br /> AHA Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Jay Bhatt, D.O., said that last year's conference focused on coming together to build a bridge by opening new dialogues, sharing diverse experiences and discovering practical ideas for creating a new culture of wellbeing and health equity in our communities. "This year, our aim is not just to connect, converse and contribute, but to speak and act with one voice," he said. "This is our opportunity to become a unified force to tackle head-on our toughest problems in community health."<br />  <br /> During the conference's opening keynote session, Dayna Bowen Matthew, a public health leader, author and University of Virginia School of Law faculty member, called on attendees to embrace their unique role in moving the needle on health equity. "Hospitals are hubs for racial healing," she said. "You have the footprint in communities to change the story. Look at the number of admissions that you will touch. Of that group, your potential impact is awesome with respect to the most vulnerable members of our population."<br />  <br /> Throughout the day, attendees participated in breakout sessions on redesigning a health system to improve community health; diabetes prevention; tackling social determinants through medical-legal partnerships; and addressing complex needs among older adults, among other topics.<br />  <br /> ACHI yesterday hosted a number of pre-conference sessions focused on the social determinants of health, clinician development and community partnerships.<br />  <br /> Watch AHA Today and follow <a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http:%2F%2Fsend.aha.org%2Flink.cfm%3Fr%3DFobRQENCYatzOa3-hC-86A~~%26pe%3Dt5frDpgryaAmwLbyM8RqLs0ZyOhyKkMMfqErG6gDoJvBprg8N7zXPWnRYY4GubuK2On2HtsqlD1oYnrzjrxVbg~~%26t%3DSVSgDr5z34sEofEWcSj3Qg~~&data=02%7C01%7Chdrevna%40aha.org%7Cf1824c201e014dd640f908d6ad6ae16f%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C636887071903802457&sdata=KifO%2Fgd846z1VS0DBwbZkQ2jT9Bulx2j7WMgSCAYD5c%3D&reserved=0">#achimtg</a> on social media for more coverage from the conference.<br />  </p> Wed, 20 Mar 2019 14:49:31 -0500 ACHI National Conference