When health care emergencies strike in rural America, preparation can make all the difference. In this conversation, Tina Eden, R.N., CEO of Virginia Gay Hospital, and Jacinda Bunch, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor at the Iowa College of Nursing and senior advisor to Simulation in Motion-Iowa (SIM-IA), dive into how this mobile clinical education program (SIM-IA) is delivering high-impact simulation training directly to rural hospitals and EMS teams. From pediatric trauma to obstetric emergencies and rare airway procedures, learn why SIM-IA isn’t just about training — it’s a critical patient safety strategy.

What does it take to transform an entire health system into a national leader in patient safety? Hartford HealthCare didn’t just ask the question — they answered it. In this conversation, Stephanie Calcasola, R.N., chief quality officer and vice president of quality and safety at Hartford HealthCare, unpacks the programs, technology and cultural shifts that drove measurable and nationally-recognized results.

To learn about the AHA's Quest for Quality Award and updates about future application periods, please visit https://www.aha.org/about/awards/quest-for-quality

Virtual nursing is changing how hospitals deliver care — but what does it actually look like in practice? In this conversation, Wendy Kim, DNP, R.N., vice president and chief nursing officer of the central market at Henry Ford Health, shares how the system's virtual nursing program is reducing documentation burden, improving patient safety and giving nurses more time at the bedside. Learn how this nurse-driven approach to innovation is reshaping inpatient care through virtual nursing and AI-enabled tools.

Thank you for listening to Advancing Health! As we close out 2025, we’re excited to share highlights from two impactful episodes that sparked dialogue around improving health care in America. Advancing Health will return in 2026 with fresh insights and thought-provoking discussions. Until then, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a healthy, happy New Year!

In this special Leadership Dialogue conversation, Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and outgoing AHA board chair, sits down with Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and incoming 2026 AHA board chair. Together, they reflect on the year’s greatest challenges and achievements — from advances in digital innovation and workforce engagement, to the evolving role of hospitals in their communities. Dr. Boom shares his leadership philosophies, priorities for the year ahead, and his vision for tackling affordability, accelerating innovation, and strengthening collaboration across the health care field.

This podcast has been edited for time. To view the full video conversation, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUsHkHRPcQY

As pharmacy closures accelerate nationwide, M Health Fairview is proving what’s possible when a health system steps up. In this conversation, John Pastor, president of Fairview Pharmacy Services and chief operating officer of Fairview Pharmacy Solutions, shares how the system's expansive pharmacy network, centralized services hub and integrated technology are reshaping medication access Minnesota and beyond.

The future of physician leadership hinges on a skill money can’t buy — social capital. In this conversation, Thomas Lee, M.D., chief medical officer of Press Ganey and editor-in-chief of NEJM Catalyst, explores why social capital is becoming the most critical asset in leadership development, how it can drive organizational performance, and why physicians must act intentionally to enable high-reliability teams.

To learn more about the recent framework for physician leaders, please visit https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.25.0005

Few leaders understand rural maternal care as deeply as a CEO who delivered her own baby in the hospital she leads. In this conversation, Eilidh Pederson, CEO at Western Wisconsin Health, shares lessons from her unique birth experience, and outlines how rural hospitals can continue to provide needed access to safe, high-quality maternity health services in rural America.

Major shifts to the 340B drug pricing program could be on the horizon, along with new regulations, legal battles and congressional scrutiny. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Corewell Health and 2025 AHA board chair, joins Aimee Kuhlman, vice president of advocacy grassroots and government relations at the AHA, and Paulette Davidson, president and CEO of Monument Health, to unpack what’s at stake. They explore potential regulatory changes for 340B, the lifeline it provides for rural hospitals, and how upcoming changes could alter the financial landscape for the hospitals that anchor their rural communities.

Behavioral health shortages hit rural communities especially hard. In recognition of National Rural Health Day on November 20, Sutter Health's Dan Peterson, CEO of Behavioral Health Services, and Matthew White, M.D., chair of the Behavioral Health Service Line, share how the system is expanding behavioral health access across rural Northern California. They also discuss how new crisis stabilization units, rural clinic investments and virtual psychiatry models are supporting patients and clinicians in high-need areas.