Leadership
Turn on the TV or open a newspaper these days and you鈥檙e likely to see a story that isn鈥檛 鈥渘ews鈥 at all to our stressed and burned-out care providers. The headline: They need help so they can continue helping others.
In a column published by Modern Healthcare, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack urges action to support and grow the nation鈥檚 health care workforce, from enacting the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act to scrutinizing nurse staffing agency prices and lifting the cap on Medicare-鈥
As we reach the end of year two confronting a hopefully once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, caregivers are understandably tired from giving their all to care for patients, comfort families, save lives and protect communities.
For nearly two years, our nation鈥檚 physicians, nurses and other health care professionals have seen firsthand the tragic impact of COVID-19 on the patients and colleagues they have lost as well as those suffering from the virus鈥 long-term effects and the families and loved ones left behind.
AHA Board Chair Rod Hochman, M.D., and AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack continued to sound the alarm over health care workforce challenges as COVID-19 surges across the country.
Members of the AHA Board of Trustees have recorded video messages to say thank you to the team members at America鈥檚 hospitals and health systems for all they have done 鈥 and continue to do 鈥 to care for patients and serve communities.
Whether it鈥檚 responding to a pandemic, natural disasters or other medical emergencies, hospitals are ready when our communities need us. Through nearly two years of the COVID-19 pandemic the challenges have been many, but I鈥檝e often said this marathon we鈥檙e running is our finest hour.
America鈥檚 hospitals and physicians filed a lawsuit in an effort to protect patients鈥 access to critical health care services. At issue is the implementation of the No Surprises Act, legislation that both the AHA and AMA worked vigorously to get enacted in order to protect patients from surprise鈥
America鈥檚 hospitals and health systems are committed to providing the best possible care for all women, including pregnant women, new mothers and their babies, and to amplifying the voices of women of color who are disproportionately affected by maternal morbidity and mortality.
The AHA is pleased that the House has recognized that now is not the time to make cuts to hospitals and physicians under the Medicare program.