Perspective
Perspective is a weekly blog from Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the 黑料正能量 Association, that explores the most important issues facing hospitals and health systems.
All eyes this week have been on Washington, D.C., as President Trump was inaugurated and the 119th Congress 鈥 with Republicans holding majorities in the House and the Senate 鈥 beginning its legislative work.
On Monday, we observe two events of great importance to our nation: the quadrennial inauguration of a president, and we recognize the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to nonviolent change in the cause of justice. These two occasions are intertwined in profound ways.
Thomas Edison once said, 鈥淕ood fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.鈥滱s hospitals and health systems 鈥 and the millions of dedicated individuals who work there 鈥 pursue their unwavering mission to provide accessible and affordable quality care for all who need it, it鈥檚 more鈥
The arrival of the holiday season and the coming New Year remind us of the swift passage of time. But they also demonstrate the timelessness of human kindness.
Hospital and health system leaders work hard to ensure their organizations can deliver high-quality care, comply with evolving regulations, embrace technological innovation and adapt to a rapidly changing landscape 鈥 all at the same time.
December鈥檚 holiday rush is in full swing on Capitol Hill as Congress returned to Washington this week facing a long list of to-dos and a short time to do them. The Dec. 20 deadline to fund the government is quickly approaching, and lawmakers also hope to reach agreement on several other issues鈥
AHA鈥檚 Telling the Hospital Story webpage highlights the countless ways care providers are changing peoples鈥 lives for the better each and every day.
There is no doubt that America鈥檚 aging population will necessitate changes to care models and require new care solutions.
It was first celebrated in 1919 as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I. Armistice Day was recognized as a national holiday in 1938, and in 1954 the name was changed to what we know today: Veterans Day.
America鈥檚 electoral traditions may seem exhausting to many, but we should remember that the privilege of expressing our choices by ballot is a shining freedom that many people around the world covet.