Podcast
Advancing Health
Hosted by American Hospital Association · EN
Advancing Health is the American Hospital Association’s award-winning podcast series. Featuring conversations with hospital and health system leaders and front-line staff, Advancing Health shines a light on the most pressing health care issues impacting patients, caregivers and communities.
86episodes
Episodes
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Rural Health Transformation Fund: One Year Later
2d ago00:19:03Summary readyOne year into the Rural Health Transformation Fund, what's working and what's next? In this conversation, Maya Sandalow, associate director of the Health Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center, shares how states are investing in rural hospitals, telehealth and workforce development, to improve care across rural America. Learn where funding is making the biggest impact — and where challenges remain.To view the Bipartisan Policy Center's webinar on the Rural Health Transformation Fund, please visit https://bipartisanpolicy.org/event/rural-health-transformation-insights-from-states/
SummaryMore Than Medicine: Community Care for Advancing Health
4d ago00:17:30Summary readyCare teams know that lasting health begins outside the exam room. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, speaks with Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health, to discuss how a large safety-net health system is improving health outcomes by addressing housing insecurity, food access, behavioral health and other social drivers of health. Learn how Denver Health's innovative programs are reducing hospital stays, strengthening community partnerships, and demonstrating that investing beyond the walls of the hospital can improve patient outcomes and the financial sustainability of care.
SummaryThe Next Outbreak: Hantavirus, Ebola, and Hospital Readiness
1w ago00:17:58Summary readyA rare hantavirus outbreak aboard an international cruise ship became a real-world test of America's infectious disease preparedness infrastructure. In this conversation, Angela Hewlett, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, explains how her team helped monitor and care for Americans exposed to the Andes hantavirus strain, the only known hantavirus capable of person-to-person transmission. Dr. Hewlett discusses the critical role of the National Quarantine Unit, the nation's preparedness for emerging infectious diseases, lessons from Ebola response efforts, and what hospitals of every size can do to strengthen outbreak readiness.
SummaryA Rural Solution to the Geriatric Mental Health Crisis
2w ago00:20:21Summary readyOne of the biggest healthcare challenges of the next decade may already be here: caring for the mental health needs of older adults. In this conversation, leaders from Cottage Hospital and Sharon Hospital (part of Northwell Health) share how specialized geriatric behavioral health programs are helping older adults receive compassionate, comprehensive mental health care close to home. Learn why investing in senior behavioral health is becoming increasingly important for hospitals, caregivers and communities alike.
SummaryHow a Father-Daughter Team Is Strengthening Rural Maternity Care
2w ago00:17:39Summary readySome fathers pass down a family business. One doctor passed down a calling. In this conversation, Southwest Health's Kevin Carr, M.D., family medicine physician, and Melissa Carr, M.D., OB/GYN, reflect on the joy of practicing medicine together, delivering babies side by side, and caring for generations of families in rural Wisconsin as a father-daughter duo. Their story offers a powerful look at the importance of rural maternal health care and the deep connections that make community-based care so special.
SummaryNYU Langone's Recipe for Better Hospital Food
3w ago00:15:04Summary readySome of New York City's most impressive meals aren't being served in restaurants — they're being served in hospitals. In this conversation, Dan Dilworth, senior director of food and nutrition services at NYU Langone Health, discusses how the organization built one of the most ambitious hospital food programs in the country, serving 9,000 meals a day while prioritizing nutrition, sustainability and patient choice.
SummaryWhen Healthcare and Housing Work Together, Lives Change
3w ago00:15:52Summary readyWhat if a hospital stay could be the first step out of homelessness? In this conversation, Sarah Stella, M.D., director of Denver Health's Housing Outreach, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE) program, reveals how Denver Health is helping some of the community's most vulnerable patients move from crisis to stability. Bringing together hospitals, housing providers, social services and community partners, the HOPE program is creating real pathways to recovery and restoring hope for people experiencing homelessness.
SummaryFeeding Health: The Fight Against Childhood Food Insecurity
4w ago00:15:15Summary readyFood insecurity affects far more than hunger. It influences physical health, mental well-being, academic performance, and long-term outcomes for children and families. In this episode, Stormee Williams, M.D., senior vice president and chief health equity officer at Children's Health, shares how her team is identifying food insecurity, why access to healthy food matters just as much as access to food itself, and how partnerships with schools and food banks are helping create healthier futures for children across North Texas.
SummaryReal Solutions to Workplace Violence
Jun 300:11:01Summary readyWhat does it take to make hospitals safer for healthcare workers? In recognition of #HAVHope Day, Sarah Hunter, president of Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, explores the innovative approaches her team is using to reduce workplace violence. From a simple but effective buddy system to stronger partnerships with public safety agencies and community leaders, hear real-world solutions that help healthcare workers focus on what they do best — caring for patients.
SummaryInnovative Models to Strengthen Behavioral Healthcare
Jun 100:19:34Summary readyAs demand for behavioral health services continues to grow, hospitals are searching for ways to expand both care and the care teams themselves. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, speaks with John Santopietro, M.D., senior vice president at Hartford HealthCare and physician-in-chief of its Behavioral Health Network. They discuss the exciting programs that are strengthening the organization's behavioral health workforce, the new social worker mentorship models that foster education and teamwork, and the efforts to increase access while tackling staffing shortages across psychiatry, nursing and therapy services.
Summary