AHA works to raise the standards of hospitals and health systems across the nation, as well as foster dialogue on emerging policy issues and environmental trends that are critical to health care. We also provide a strong leadership voice and strive to be a positive steward of the hospital legacy of hope and healing.

Ensuring Access to Care in Vulnerable Communities. As communities grapple with the challenge of maintaining access to health care services, it will be necessary for payers and health care providers to work together to develop alternative payment and delivery strategies that support the preservation of health care services for Americans living in vulnerable communities. Recognizing this, the AHA Board of Trustees created a 30-member task force to focus on ensuring access to care in at-risk communities.

The Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities consists of two subcommittees that are examining the issue from the rural and urban perspectives. The task force is examining a variety of payment and delivery models so that each community may choose what works best for them. A report will be released in winter 2016.

Advancing Health in America Toolkit. To help hospitals and health systems explain how health care is changing, AHA has developed a toolkit to help engage the community and share their story. The toolkit includes: a sample infographic; sample social media content (e.g., blog post ideas, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts); and a sample op-ed members can use to inform patients, the media and policymakers about how their organization is redefining what it means to be a hospital in this new era of health care transformation. In addition, the toolkit contains tips on how hospitals and health systems can communicate with their communities about these changes and case examples on some of the innovative ways hospitals and health systems are reaching out to their communities.

Special Reports and Analyses. Throughout the year, AHA offers in-depth analyses of burning policy topics and health care trends through our reports and issue briefs.

AHA’s Committee on Research and Committee on Performance Improvement shape the association’s research agenda and provide cutting-edge ways to raise the bar for performance. Their latest joint report looks at care and payment models to achieve the Triple Aim.

The annual Environmental Scan examines the critical issues, emerging trends and market forces that have a high probability of affecting the health care field. In addition, our advisories help members understand the impact regulations and legislation will have on their patients and organizations now and in the future.