As hospital leaders consider how to innovate and improve patient care in the middle of lingering workforce shortages, they might consider what UCSF Health’s Robert Wachter, MD, calls a “digital-first” approach to care redesign.

Demand for organ transplants continues to increase. In 2021, the most recent year for data, approximately 41,354 organ transplants were performed in the U.S., a 5.9% increase over the previous year and the first time the annual total has exceeded 40,000, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Although many organizations have prioritized cybersecurity for software and networks made up of computers and servers, the process of protecting medical devices is much less straightforward.

Cleveland Clinic has embraced a high-reliability concept called “deference to expertise.” “We recognize caregivers and patients are the experts here,” says Anthony Warmuth, FACHE, executive director for clinical transformation.

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that the public’s health is deteriorating. Life expectancy is going down, infant mortality is going up, half of the adult population is dealing with at least one chronic condition and one-third suffer from a mental health disorder.

A sense of collective burnout, coupled with the ongoing labor shortage and lingering care gaps caused by the pandemic, continues to weigh heavily on executives’ minds. Within this environment, health systems can benefit from opportunities to optimize workflows and increase access to care, particularly for cancer screening efforts.

Today’s demands on hospital boards are daunting, which often is an understatement. But, as leaders work to address shrinking margins, growing clinical staffing challenges and increasing executive retirements, among a host of other issues, it is not surprising that one of the board’s most important responsibilities—oversight of the organized medical staff—is often taken for granted. 

The maternal death rate in the United States remains elevated, but there are signs of improvement as hospitals standardize care.

Healthcare organizations are complex, and they are evolving constantly due to never-ending changes in regulations, reimbursement, technology and models of care.

Lehigh Valley Health Network’s push to develop institutes of excellence around its most productive service lines began five years ago and includes its Institute for Surgical Excellence.

Interim Regents Appointed

Workforce challenges topped the list of hospital CEOs’ concerns in 2022, according to the American College of Healthcare Executives’ annual survey of top issues confronting hospitals. 

The American College of Healthcare Executives and the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives held its Board of Governors meetings Dec. 5–6, 2022. The following are highlights of the meetings.

The American College of Healthcare Executives congratulates members who recently received awards recognizing their contribution to healthcare leadership.

During the past few months, ACHE chapters have acknowledged leaders for various efforts, as well as focused on the professional development they need in 2023. Following are examples of chapter initiatives and events that provided value for and recognition of members.

The American College of Healthcare Executives highlights members who were recently promoted, changed positions or retired.