News

In a commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight a decline in certain patient safety indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic and call for a renewed focus on patient safety going forward.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a conference call for health care providers Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. ET on the No Surprises Act’s continuity of care, provider directory and public disclosure requirements.

The AHA released the latest edition of its COVID-19 Snapshot underscoring the persisting challenges facing hospitals and health systems during the ongoing public health emergency.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requested information for 60 days on barriers to accessing health care coverage and services through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. 

In a statement submitted to the House Education & Labor Committee for a subcommittee hearing on “pathways to affordable, universal health coverage,” the AHA called for continued efforts to expand Medicaid in non-expansion states; permanent federal subsidies for lower- and middle-income individuals and families; renewed funding for marketplace cost-sharing subsidies and reinsurance mechanisms; and robust enrollment efforts.

Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, reflects on lessons learned and best practices moving forward. We know that our field will continue to be challenged by COVID-19, but this pandemic has taught us a valuable lesson: The future is not going to wait for us, and instead we have to be ready to embrace it.

The Joint Commission has released an advisory that reviews recommended safety actions for reprocessing reusable instruments and devices. 

As the AHA reflects on Black History Month, the organization is also considering how its work can increase efforts to advance healthy equity, writes Joy Lewis, AHA’s senior vice president for health equity strategies.

With COVID-19 demonstrating how change happens every day in health care, there is nonetheless optimism for the future, say Jeffrey Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, and Rebecca Stewart, Hartford’s vice president of content strategy.

AHA launched a new ad highlighting the need for Congress and the Administration to immediately distribute COVID-19 Provider Relief Funds and other resources, while requesting that Congress halt imminent Medicare cuts that could further destabilize hospitals as they care for patients and communities.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans in late March to launch at the federally facilitated health insurance marketplace a new monthly special enrollment period for consumers with household incomes below 150% of the federal poverty level who aren’t eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

At the AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, AHA held an open dialogue on strengthening emergency management systems, which will translate into case studies, action plans and compendiums for the field as part of a five-year partnership with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Kristin Preihs, AHA’s director of clinical quality, grants & contracts, and Helena Bonfitto-Wolf, senior program manager for AHA’s Center for Health Innovation, outline key takeaways from the conference session in this new blog post.

Receiving two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy might help prevent your infant from being hospitalized for COVID-19 in the first six months after birth, according a study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Senate voted 50-46 to confirm as Food and Drug Administration commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., a professor at the Duke University School of Medicine and clinical researcher who briefly led the FDA during the Obama Administration.

The AHA released its 2022 Advocacy Agenda, a forward-looking document designed to positively influence the public policy environment for patients, communities and the health care field. 

In a statement submitted to the Senate Finance Committee for a hearing on protecting children’s mental health, the AHA urged Congress to lift the caps on physician residency positions and increase scholarships, loan forgiveness and other financial supports to encourage health care providers to specialize in behavioral health services.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a rare “Shields Up” message recommending all U.S. organizations take immediate steps to enhance their ability to detect and protect against a cyber intrusion. The action follows a State Department advisory urging Americans to immediately leave Ukraine due to increased threats of Russian military action. 

During the omicron wave, the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was 87% effective at preventing emergency and urgent care visits and 95% effective at preventing hospitalizations in adults who received a third dose in the prior two months, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The AHA and Musicians On Call are collaborating on a digital campaign to thank front-line caregivers around Valentine’s Day through digital promotions, social media and surprise virtual performances by celebrity artists.

No one can deny that health care is changing. Our field is rapidly becoming more personalized, collaborative and digitally focused.