Advancing Health

Frontiers: Connected Rural Maternal Care, Closer to Home

Being rural doesn’t have to mean being disconnected. Hear how hospitals are using technology-enabled care and strong regional partnerships to connect rural communities with clinical expertise and expand access to nearby maternal care. Featured in this episode are leaders from Avera Health, Banner Health and Dartmouth Health. For more information on rural maternal care in America, please visit https://www.aha.org/ruralmaternal

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Putting Primary Care First: A Blueprint for Community Health

Primary care is becoming a critical strategy for hospitals and health systems looking to improve access, coordinate care and keep patients healthier outside the hospital. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, talks with David Banks, president and CEO of AdventHealth. They discuss the organization's strategy to expand primary care across its communities, the importance of giving primary care its own leadership and resources, and why the future of community health depends on building stronger relationships with patients.

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Frontiers: The People Powering Rural Maternal Care

Rural hospitals are rethinking how they build and sustain the teams behind maternal care. In part two of this special three-part Advancing Health podcast series, hear how leaders are creating new pathways into the workforce, investing in training, and bringing together the skills and expertise needed to support families in rural communities. Featured in this episode are leaders from Banner Health, Dartmouth Health, Harrison Memorial Hospital, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Western Wisconsin Health. Episode Three releases on September 30. For more information on rural maternal care in America, please visit https://www.aha.org/ruralmaternal

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From Alzheimer’s Research to Rural Care at Banner Health

Medical research only changes lives when it reaches the patients who need it. In this conversation, Corey Casper, M.D., senior vice president and chief research officer at Banner Health, and professor of clinical translational science at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, explores how Banner Health is using clinical research, technology and strategic partnerships to bring new discoveries closer to patients — including an at-home blood test for Alzheimer’s disease and a portable MRI designed to bring advanced brain imaging to rural communities.

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Frontiers: Committing to Rural Maternal Care

What happens when leaders decide that maternal care belongs in their community — and commit to making it work? In part one of this special Advancing Health podcast series, hear how rural hospital leaders are turning that commitment into action and finding new possibilities for sustaining maternal care close to home. Featured in this episode are leaders from Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Rochester Regional Health, Harrison Memorial Hospital, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Smith County Memorial Hospital and Western Wisconsin Health Episode Two releases on September 23. For more information on rural maternal care in America, please visit https://www.aha.org/ruralmaternal

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Stopping Workplace Violence Before It Starts

Building trust with patients before a crisis can be one of the most powerful tools in preventing violence in healthcare settings. In this conversation, Tom Saggio, R.N., director of behavioral health operations at St. Louis Children's Hospital, explains how the hospital's teams are using proactive intervention, behavioral assessments and de-escalation techniques to improve safety for patients, families and healthcare workers.

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Welcome to "Frontiers: A Rural Maternal Health Podcast"

What does it take to sustain maternal care in rural communities? In this special Frontiers podcast series from the American Hospital Association, we explore the people, ideas and innovations working to ensure mothers and families can access high-quality maternal care close to home. Hear directly from rural hospital leaders who are tackling the challenges facing maternal health, strengthening their communities and building a future where geography doesn’t determine access to care. Along the way, discover why investing in maternal care creates an impact that extends far beyond one patient — shaping outcomes for newborns, families and entire communities for generations to come. Join Frontiers for stories of leadership, resilience and the future of rural maternal care. New episodes September 16, 23 and 30.

Safer Care Through Simulation

Healthcare simulation is becoming far more than a training exercise. In this conversation, Clint Pridgen, vice president of business development and hospital strategy at Laerdal Medical, explores the future of healthcare simulation, including data-driven training, workplace safety, quality improvement and emerging technologies. Hear how healthcare organizations can turn simulation insights into measurable improvements for patients and communities.

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Top 3 Healthcare Cyber Threats in 2026

Cyberattacks against hospitals are growing in scale and sophistication, putting patient care, critical infrastructure, and millions of healthcare records at risk. In this conversation, the American Hospital Association's John Riggi, national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, and Scott Gee, deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, break down the three biggest cyber threats facing healthcare organizations in 2026: geopolitical cyber activity, third-party and supply chain vulnerabilities, and the rapidly evolving risks of artificial intelligence.

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Why Age-Friendly Care Is Becoming a Healthcare Standard

From reducing falls and readmissions to focusing on what matters most, age-friendly care is changing healthcare delivery for older adults. In this conversation, Rani E. Snyder, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation, discusses how the movement is gaining momentum in hospitals and health systems across the country, and how the AHA's new Age-Friendly Healthcare Impact Award aims to inspire even greater progress. For more information on the AHA's new Age-Friendly Healthcare Impact Award and how to apply, visit http://aha.org/agefriendlyaward

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Pregnancy and the Heart: Why Teamwork Matters

Maternal mortality remains a critical challenge in the United States, and many pregnancy complications are linked to chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease. In this conversation, Kardie Tobb, D.O., a non-invasive preventative cardiologist at Cone Health, explains how multidisciplinary teams are breaking down clinical silos, emphasizing preconception care, and coordinating care across specialties to support healthier pregnancies and healthier families.

The First Chapter: Literacy and Bonding in the NICU

How can hospitals help NICU parents feel informed, empowered and connected to their babies during one of the most stressful moments of their lives? In this conversation, Gabriela Jimenez Thompson, program lead of Our Story Begins at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and Liliana Escobar, R.N., NICU head nurse at Bellevue Hospital Center, share how the Our Story Begins program uses books, reading, language and nurse education to strengthen NICU parent engagement, bonding and early childhood development.

Elevating the Patient Voice: Building Partnerships in Care

For healthcare organizations pursuing better quality and better outcomes, the patient voice needs to be more than a checkbox. In this conversation, Caroline DeLongchamps, director of the patient-and family-centered care program at MUSC Health, shares her powerful personal story and explains how patient and family-centered care can improve quality, strengthen trust, and transform how care is designed and delivered.

Care Without the Wait: Rethinking Access to Healthcare

Getting patients the care they need shouldn't mean navigating weeks of appointments, uncertainty and distance. In this conversation, Baligh Yehia, M.D., president of Jefferson Health, shares how the organization is rethinking healthcare access through same-day cancer care, virtual primary care, home-based services, and expanded access to clinical trials.

A Leadership Playbook for Age-Friendly Care

Building an age-friendly health system requires more than clinical excellence — it demands leadership, strategy and system​wide commitment. In this conversation, Michele Frankel, deputy market president for Northwell Health's Eastern Market, and Susan Kwiatek, DNP, vice president of aging and supportive care and leader of Northwell Health's Institute for Healthy Aging, reveal how one of the nation's largest health systems transformed age-friendly care into an organization-wide strategy. With collaboration between finance, frontline clinicians and governing boards, the two share how Northwell is creating a sustainable model of care for older adults.

The "Phygital Ecosystem" Behind Better Patient Care

What does it take to create a truly connected patient experience? In this conversation, Jennifer Bollinger, chief consumer and brand officer at Sutter Health, discusses how a "phygital ecosystem" approach creates a seamless experience between virtual and in-person care. Learn how Sutter Health is eliminating friction, improving patient engagement, and using technology to make healthcare more connected without losing the human touch.

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In 20 Years: The Future of Healthcare

What will healthcare look like in 20 years? In this conversation, Jackie Gerhart, M.D., chief medical officer at Epic, Thomas McGinn, M.D., chief physician executive officer at CommonSpirit Health, and Zia Agha, M.D., chief medical officer at West Health, discuss the rapid pace of healthcare's evolution, and what that means for physicians, patients and health systems. From continuous care and workforce challenges to stronger patient relationships and emerging technologies, this conversation examines the changes shaping the next generation of healthcare and beyond. Dive deeper into how hospitals and health systems are preparing for the future of care by scaling proven, technology-enabled solutions through the West Health Accelerator at AHA's Health Research & Educational Trust. Learn more at nationalaccelerator.org.

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Crime Victim Compensation: A Critical Hospital Resource

After a mass violence incident, recovery extends far beyond emergency care. In this conversation, Anne Seymour of the National Mass Violence Center, and Michael Schmidt, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina, explain how crime victim compensation programs can help survivors of mass violence cover medical bills, mental health care, transportation and other recovery costs. Learn what every hospital leader should know about these resources, and how they can make them easier to access for survivors.

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How Boards Should Engage in AI Decision-Making

Artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare, and hospital boards can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines. In this conversation, Ajay Gupta, board vice chair for Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, explains how trustees can confidently guide AI adoption while protecting patients and supporting innovation. Learn the key questions every trustee should be asking as AI becomes a critical part of healthcare's future.

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How APPs Can Ease the Healthcare Workforce Crisis

Hospitals and health systems can't meet growing patient demand without fully leveraging advanced practice providers (APPs). In this conversation, Leslie Clayton, program director for ​Program director for Advanced Practice at M Health Fairview, and chair of the AHA's APP Leadership Advisory Group, explains why investing in APP leadership is now essential to addressing workforce shortages, expanding access to care, and preparing organizations for what is ahead.

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