stand up. Please speak up. please listen. The stakes for the future of healthcare are so high that we cannot afford to do anything more.
That was an important message to the nearly 1,000 healthcare leaders who attended the AHA's 2024 Annual Membership Conference, which concluded this week in Washington, D.C. (Watch video highlights here and conference coverage here can).
The event is one of the nation's premier forums offering healthcare executives the opportunity to learn from Washington's top thought leaders. Connect with colleagues across the country who are leading efforts to transform the way care is delivered. You can influence the political landscape by advocating for policies that support patients, caregivers, and communities.
This year, we had a special focus on educating policy makers whose health care systems are suffering. Multiple chronic illnesses. These include continued underpayments by governments, cyberattacks, workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions, access to behavioral health, and irresponsible behavior by corporate commercial health insurance companies, which seriously undermine access to services. You are putting yourself at risk.
While many may add legislative dysfunction to their list of chronic illnesses, there is bipartisan support from leaders of both parties for the unique and irreplaceable role that hospitals and health systems play in the communities they serve. It was reassuring to hear him express this.
For example, the second-ranking senators in their respective parties, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and John Thune (R.S. There is general agreement regarding the effective tactics that can be used. Our voices are heard.
beginning, please stay involved. Stay on top of issues and do everything you can to get people registered to vote. This is just good citizenship and we need more of it.
Number 2, making a direct argument is powerful. This doesn't just mean face-to-face in Washington; opportunities to advocate for the support our sites need can exist anywhere, from town council meetings to hospital lobbies. Be prepared to share a powerful story about the impact of your work.
The thirdnot only explains the problem, but is practical and brings solutions.
Throughout the meeting, we asked hospital leaders to convey four important messages to Capitol Hill as they meet with elected officials. 1) Reject funding cuts to hospital services and expand policies to ensure patient access to care. 2) Support and strengthen health workers. 3) Hold corporate commercial insurance companies accountable for practices that deny, delay, and disrupt medical care. 4) Increase support to strengthen cybersecurity across hospitals and health systems.
AHA has worked with its members and other stakeholders to develop solutions to achieve all of these goals and provided several tools to make an impact.
Use our advocacy resources to help you have conversations with your legislators. We also have We Care, We Vote materials for use with elected officials and candidates running for election this year, and other resources to ensure our sector's voices are heard in the political process. Also visit our resources.
Our work is not done yet and we will continue to face obstacles. But we also know that it takes teamwork, dedication, and determination to meet the moment and overcome the challenges we face.
Because we care about the communities we serve, we remain unwavering in our mission to improve the health of all people…step by step, brick by brick. Our cooperation can stand the test of time in building a better future.
