Advancing Health

The Farmer Angel Network is a support group devoted to suicide prevention in Wisconsin's farming communities. In this conversation, Brenda Statz, co-founder of the Farmer Angel Network, Carey Craker, marketing and volunteer services associate at Reedsburg Area Medical Center, and Christy Updike, transformation program manager at Sauk Prairie Healthcare, discuss how this impactful work began, the domino effect that suicide can have in farming towns, and the resources available to support families and loved ones.

The American Hospital Association's Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award honors the most outstanding examples of health equity across America. In today's conversation, this year's winners discuss the successful strategies they’ve implemented to advance the work of health equity in their hospitals and beyond.

The devastating 2023 Maui wildfires claimed 102 lives, destroyed more than 2,200 structures and caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damages. One year later, as communities recover, caregivers and first responders are reflecting on what was learned and how to prepare for future disasters. In this conversation, Hilton Raethel, president and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, describes how the tragedy unfolded, the steps health care providers took in the face of an unparalleled crisis and what can be improved when the next disaster strikes.

This podcast episode is presented as part of Cooperative Agreement 5 HITEP210047-03-00, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The Health Research & Educational Trust, an American Hospital Association 501(c)(3) nonprofit subsidiary, is a proud partner of this Cooperative Agreement. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the Health Research & Educational Trust and its partners and does not necessarily represent the official policies or views of the Department of Health and Human Services or of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. Further, any mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Health care leaders are learning that removing silos between physical and mental health care not only benefits patients, but also helps with the recruitment and retention of desperately needed behavioral health specialists. In this conversation, Stacey Ouellette, director of Behavioral Health Integration with Maine Behavioral Healthcare, discusses the positive impact integrated care has had on workplace productivity and satisfaction, and how it's made their teams more connected across the organization.

Advancing Health's new series, “Caring for Our Kids,” focuses on how pediatric hospitals are meeting the needs of their communities. In this first episode, learn about the Texas Children's Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Program, and the impact it has had on the lives of young cancer patients.

Most maternal deaths do not occur in the hospital, but after discharge, postpartum to one year. And there are equity challenges; Black women die at three times the rate of white women from birth-related complications. In this conversation, Veronica Gillispie-Bell, M.D., OB-GYN at Ochsner Health, discusses successful strategies to reduce maternal morbidity after childbirth, and how these solutions should always start with equity at the forefront.

Everyone in a health care organization has a role to play to advance health equity, but what does it take to weave this important work into the fabric of everyday operations? In this conversation, Children's Mercy Kansas City's John Cowden, M.D., director of the Culture & Language Coaching Program, and Jessi Johnson, health equity specialist, discuss what makes equity integration at the health system so unique, and how initial discussions with employees helped guide equity principles. 

Advancing health equity is a key priority for the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA), with both developing key initiatives and programs dedicated to these efforts. In this conversation, Joy Lewis, senior vice president of health equity strategies at the AHA, speaks with Aletha Maybank, M.D., senior vice president and chief health equity officer at the AMA, about the challenges in the health equity space, and the opportunities that can make a difference in health care across America.

The American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize recognizes exceptional health care leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health in America’s communities. In this conversation, leaders from the 2024 Quest for Quality winner, WellSpan Health, and finalists Carilion Clinic, Jefferson Health and MUSC Health, discuss their organizations' work in providing safe, patient- and family-centered care, and share how they partner with community organizations to keep quality health care accessible. 

Health care is under constant threat of cyberattacks, but how prepared is the industry to fight back? The lack of resources is especially acute in rural areas. In this conversation, cyber security experts from the AHA and Microsoft, discuss the urgent need to build a cyber strong workforce, particularly in rural hospital and health systems, and how methods such as re-skilling can sustain permanent cyber readiness. For more information on this work, please email: [email protected]