Building Healthy Communities
Essential hospitals work to improve population health and patient and family engagement
It Takes a Village: University of Miami Community Paramedicine Training Shapes the Future of Statewide Care
Leaders at UHealth have shaped local and statewide care services through their community paramedicine training program and say it’s the future of American health care.
view more »One Step at a Time: Nashville General Helps Patients Manage Their Own Health
This Health Literacy Month, explore how essential hospital Nashville General Hospital gives patients the tools to confidently manage their own health.
view more »Paxlovid Access and Education: Hennepin Healthcare’s Approach
Hennepin Healthcare, in Minneapolis, ensured optimal Paxlovid access by utilizing a local courier service and taking a proactive approach to medication safety.
view more »Courage Rising: How These Burn Survivors Beat the Odds and Climbed Africa’s Highest Mountain
Isabella McCune and Jason Nelson, burn survivors treated at essential hospital Valleywise Health, in Phoenix, climbed Africa’s highest mountain with the very team that saved their lives.
view more »A Place of Refuge: Harborview Medical Center’s International Medicine Clinic
The clinic provides primary and mental health care to refugees, asylum seekers, trafficked persons, and immigrants — and works to understand their stories.
view more »Premier Health Partners with Professional Society for Vaccine Equity
The Dayton, Ohio, health system has built a valuable partnership with a community organization of Black health care professionals to confront disparities.
view more »Hurley Medical Center Helps Community ‘Activate their Health Care Power’
Tarnesa Martin, RN, BSN, brings care from the hospital into the community as association member Hurley Medical Center’s inaugural patient resource and community advocate.
view more »RWJBarnabas Health Empowers Staff, Community with Food Equity Challenge
Association member RWJBarnabas Health’s food equity challenge encouraged staff and community members to examine the intersection of structural racism, food insecurity, and health outcomes.
view more »Bolstering Resilience in Health Care by Investing in Energy Efficiency
It’s time to become more intentional about reducing the impact of waste emissions on the health of our communities.
view more »Essential Hospitals Have Pride: Improving LGBTQ Care
For 40 years, America’s Essential Hospitals and its members have championed care for underserved communities, including LGBTQ people. As we celebrate Pride Month, the association reflects on members’ efforts to improve care for this population and recent administration actions to support this goal.
view more »Eskenazi Health Builds Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines with Community Town Halls
Eskenazi Health in February launched a virtual town hall series to share information about the development, safety, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
view more »Essential Hospitals Fight Human Trafficking
Often serving populations targeted by traffickers, essential hospitals are in a unique position to address this problem. Two association members — Henry Ford Health System and Harris Health System — offer examples of education and best practices for identifying and caring for those affected.
view more »Students Step Up: Integrating Social Determinants Screening into Medical Education amid COVID-19
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University students and faculty developed a tool to screen patients for social determinants of health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
view more »Essential Hospitals Get Out the Vote
Communities essential hospitals serve often face barriers to voting, but essential hospitals can help by facilitating voter registration and emergency absentee ballots.
view more »Webinar Recap: Interventions to Decrease Food Insecurity
During a one-hour webinar, participants learned how health systems nationwide are exploring ways to help mitigate food insecurity.
view more »Bridging Health Equity at an Essential Hospital: Takeaways from VITAL2019
In a VITAL2019 session, speakers from Navicent Health discussed their organization’s plan to identify health disparities and build community partnerships.
view more »Sinai Health System Pioneers ‘Next Generation’ of Gun Violence Research
Through community outreach and the Chicago Gun Violence Research Collaborative, Sinai Health System works to find place-based solutions to gun violence.
view more »Barriers to Success in Population Health Management, Value-based Care
Team-based, standardized care can help academic medical centers mitigate barriers to success in population health management.
view more »Opening the Door for Cost of Care Conversations
In a recent webinar, presenters shared research and tools to break down barriers to having cost conversations with patients.
view more »Social Responsibility in Surgery
At essential hospital Boston Medical Center, the Socially Responsible Surgery program educates and engages future generations of physicians about the importance of addressing the social determinants of health to provide holistic care.
view more »Hunger as a Health Issue: Essential Hospitals Fighting Food Insecurity
Essential hospitals face the challenge of food insecurity daily; nationwide, they serve more than 10 million patients who lack access to healthy food. Association members UMass Memorial Health Care and Hurley Medical Center shared initiatives to address this issue at a Capitol Hill briefing.
view more »Essential Hospitals Tackle Housing Instability
JPS Health Network and Bon Secours Baltimore Health System recently visited Capitol Hill to tell their stories of innovative housing and care coordination programs to help the chronically homeless.
view more »Revitalized East Lake Neighborhood Shows Value of Targeting Social Determinants of Health
Purpose Built Communities and the East Lake Foundation have worked to transform this neighborhood to a place where individuals can achieve higher education, financial success, and better health outcomes.
view more »Christiana Care Program Helps Young Adults SEARCH for Their Passions
Christiana Care Health System works with Project SEARCH to provide internship experience and educational opportunities for young adults with disabilities.
view more »HRSA Recognizes Essential Hospitals for Organ Donation Outreach
Eighty essential hospitals received recognition for their organ, eye, and tissue donation and registration efforts between October 2016 and April 2017.
view more »Orlando Health Doctors Take Cross-Country Drive for Men’s Health
Two Orlando Health urologists visit gyms, bars, and community events around the country, combining social and fitness events with health awareness lectures
view more »Author Discusses Continued Importance of Essential Hospitals
Essential hospitals strive every day to close the health care equity gap and provide quality care to all, including the most vulnerable. A new book, A Spirit of Charity, highlights the important role these hospitals play in the United States health care system. In the book, Mike King, a reporter for nearly 40 years, profiles
view more »New Book Highlights Essential Hospitals’ Role in U.S. Health Care System
Public hospitals have always played an important role in the United States health care system and their contributions are emphasized in a new book, A Spirit of Charity. In the book, Mike King, a reporter for nearly 40 years, profiles three members of America’s Essential Hospitals — Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Parkland Memorial Hospital
view more »The 140-Character HCAHPS Survey?
Nearly all members of America’s Essential Hospitals use social media to reach out to their communities. But social media is a two-way street, and essential hospitals also understand the value of social platforms, such as Twitter, to monitor and respond to patient feedback and use those interactions to improve care and the care experience. The
view more »Essential Hospitals Prepare for Zika Battle
Essential hospitals in Florida, New York and Texas — the three states with the highest incidences of Zika cases as of March 9 — are working to educate patients and providers about the virus before warmer weather brings the potential for a spike in the number of cases. Florida had the highest number of Zika cases
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