Advancing Health

Moving from pediatric to adult healthcare can be a complex journey for young people with medical complexity and their families. In this conversation, Tori Bahr, M.D., section chief of pediatrics at Gillette Children’s, shares how healthcare teams can improve the transition from pediatric to adult care through early planning, coordinated care teams, and a more personalized approach to patient needs...

Health disparities are deeply connected to the challenges facing healthcare affordability and access. In this conversation, Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, explores the connection between health disparities, healthcare costs and economic impact. Brian also discusses how hospitals and health systems can use data to identify these disparities and work with commun...

As Florida’s population ages, healthcare systems are facing a growing need for highly skilled workers. In this conversation, Nikki Daily, chief team resources officer at BayCare Health System, discusses how the organization is addressing that challenge by building career pathways, developing apprenticeships, and partnering with community organizations to create opportunities for the healthcare wor...

Being rural doesn’t have to mean being disconnected. Hear how hospitals are using technology-enabled care and strong regional partnerships to connect rural communities with clinical expertise and expand access to nearby maternal care. Featured in this episode are leaders from Avera Health, Banner Health and Dartmouth Health. For more information on rural maternal care in America, please visit http...

Primary care is becoming a critical strategy for hospitals and health systems looking to improve access, coordinate care and keep patients healthier outside the hospital. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, talks with David Banks, president and CEO of AdventHealth. They discuss the organization's strategy t...

Rural hospitals are rethinking how they build and sustain the teams behind maternal care. In part two of this special three-part Advancing Health podcast series, hear how leaders are creating new pathways into the workforce, investing in training, and bringing together the skills and expertise needed to support families in rural communities. Featured in this episode are leaders from Banner Health,...

Medical research only changes lives when it reaches the patients who need it. In this conversation, Corey Casper, M.D., senior vice president and chief research officer at Banner Health, and professor of clinical translational science at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, explores how Banner Health is using clinical research, technology and strategic partnerships to bring new discoveri...

What happens when leaders decide that maternal care belongs in their community — and commit to making it work? In part one of this special Advancing Health podcast series, hear how rural hospital leaders are turning that commitment into action and finding new possibilities for sustaining maternal care close to home. Featured in this episode are leaders from Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Rochester Regio...

Building trust with patients before a crisis can be one of the most powerful tools in preventing violence in healthcare settings. In this conversation, Tom Saggio, R.N., director of behavioral health operations at St. Louis Children's Hospital, explains how the hospital's teams are using proactive intervention, behavioral assessments and de-escalation techniques to improve safety for patients, fam...

What does it take to sustain maternal care in rural communities? In this special Frontiers podcast series from the American Hospital Association, we explore the people, ideas and innovations working to ensure mothers and families can access high-quality maternal care close to home. Hear directly from rural hospital leaders who are tackling the challenges facing maternal health, strengthening their...

Healthcare simulation is becoming far more than a training exercise. In this conversation, Clint Pridgen, vice president of business development and hospital strategy at Laerdal Medical, explores the future of healthcare simulation, including data-driven training, workplace safety, quality improvement and emerging technologies. Hear how healthcare organizations can turn simulation insights into me...

Cyberattacks against hospitals are growing in scale and sophistication, putting patient care, critical infrastructure, and millions of healthcare records at risk. In this conversation, the American Hospital Association's John Riggi, national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, and Scott Gee, deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, break down the three biggest cyber threats facing healt...

From reducing falls and readmissions to focusing on what matters most, age-friendly care is changing healthcare delivery for older adults. In this conversation, Rani E. Snyder, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation, discusses how the movement is gaining momentum in hospitals and health systems across the country, and how the AHA's new Age-Friendly Healthcare Impact Award aims to inspire eve...

Maternal mortality remains a critical challenge in the United States, and many pregnancy complications are linked to chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease. In this conversation, Kardie Tobb, D.O., a non-invasive preventative cardiologist at Cone Health, explains how multidisciplinary teams are breaking down clinical silos, emphasizing preconception care, and coordinating care...

How can hospitals help NICU parents feel informed, empowered and connected to their babies during one of the most stressful moments of their lives? In this conversation, Gabriela Jimenez Thompson, program lead of Our Story Begins at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and Liliana Escobar, R.N., NICU head nurse at Bellevue Hospital Center, share how the Our Story Begins program uses books, reading, la...

For healthcare organizations pursuing better quality and better outcomes, the patient voice needs to be more than a checkbox. In this conversation, Caroline DeLongchamps, director of the patient-and family-centered care program at MUSC Health, shares her powerful personal story and explains how patient and family-centered care can improve quality, strengthen trust, and transform how care is design...

Getting patients the care they need shouldn't mean navigating weeks of appointments, uncertainty and distance. In this conversation, Baligh Yehia, M.D., president of Jefferson Health, shares how the organization is rethinking healthcare access through same-day cancer care, virtual primary care, home-based services, and expanded access to clinical trials.

Building an age-friendly health system requires more than clinical excellence — it demands leadership, strategy and system​wide commitment. In this conversation, Michele Frankel, deputy market president for Northwell Health's Eastern Market, and Susan Kwiatek, DNP, vice president of aging and supportive care and leader of Northwell Health's Institute for Healthy Aging, reveal how one of the nation...

What does it take to create a truly connected patient experience? In this conversation, Jennifer Bollinger, chief consumer and brand officer at Sutter Health, discusses how a "phygital ecosystem" approach creates a seamless experience between virtual and in-person care. Learn how Sutter Health is eliminating friction, improving patient engagement, and using technology to make healthcare more conne...

What will healthcare look like in 20 years? In this conversation, Jackie Gerhart, M.D., chief medical officer at Epic, Thomas McGinn, M.D., chief physician executive officer at CommonSpirit Health, and Zia Agha, M.D., chief medical officer at West Health, discuss the rapid pace of healthcare's evolution, and what that means for physicians, patients and health systems. From continuous care and work...

After a mass violence incident, recovery extends far beyond emergency care. In this conversation, Anne Seymour of the National Mass Violence Center, and Michael Schmidt, Ph. D., professor of microbiology and immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina, explain how crime victim compensation programs can help survivors of mass violence cover medical bills, mental health care, transportati...

Artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare, and hospital boards can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines. In this conversation, Ajay Gupta, board vice chair for Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, explains how trustees can confidently guide AI adoption while protecting patients and supporting innovation. Learn the key questions every trustee should be asking as AI becomes a critical part of heal...

Hospitals and health systems can't meet growing patient demand without fully leveraging advanced practice providers (APPs). In this conversation, Leslie Clayton, program director for ​Program director for Advanced Practice at M Health Fairview, and chair of the AHA's APP Leadership Advisory Group, explains why investing in APP leadership is now essential to addressing workforce shortages, expandin...

As healthcare rapidly adopts artificial intelligence, protecting the data behind it has never been more important. In this conversation, John Riggi, the AHA’s national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, and Edward You, former FBI Supervisory Special Agent and founder of EHY Consulting, discuss why healthcare organizations must look beyond AI tools and focus on protecting the data, governance and...

The earliest years of life shape a child's health, development and future. In this conversation, Nancy Correa, DrPH, director of population health at Texas Children's Hospital, and Beth Van Horne, DrPH, director of research for the Division of Public Health Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, discuss the upSTART program, a comprehensive initiative that combines homegrown innovation with evid...