In this conversation, Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., CEO & president of Dartmouth Health and 2024 AHA board chair, speaks with her colleague Robert E. Brady, Ph.D., director of Anxiety Disorders Service at Dartmouth Health, about different types of anxieties and their prevalence in today’s culture. The two also discuss how the health care community is being acutely affected by the rise in anxiety disorders.

2024 has seen a sharp uptick in ruthless tactics by cybercriminals, who are now directly threatening patients with release of sensitive information, photos and medical records. In one instance, cybercriminals went as far as submitting a phony incident report to local police, triggering a harrowing visit from a SWAT Team. In this conversation, John Riggi, national advisor for cybersecurity and risk at the AHA, talks with two experts about the rise in these tactics, and what’s needed to fight back and prepare against these threat-to-life crimes.

For more information on cybersecurity and ways to protect your organization, please visit www.aha.org/cybersecurity

Clinicians bring all of their skill and mental acuity to treat the whole patient, but there are many factors that can derail their ability to provide patient care. In this new "Safety Speaks" conversation, Michael Privitera, M.D., professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, discusses ways to ease the cognitive load that many physicians and caregivers face, and how simple steps can be implemented to make it easier to focus on what's most important.

To learn more and sign up for the Patient Safety Initiative please visit https://www.aha.org/aha-patient-safety-initiative

Access to quality mental and physical health services can be a complex challenge, but for individuals of color and people with severe or chronic mental illnesses, finding treatment can be exceptionally hard. In this conversation, Tracey Lavallias, executive director of behavioral health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, discusses potential solutions to make access easier for patients, including cultural competency training, medical interpreter services, and most importantly, integration of mental and physical health services.

Prior to 2022, Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) was delivering 300 – 350 babies each year, offering the region's only comprehensive OB/GYN services. But when its three full-time OB/GYNs left, KVH was suddenly faced with a huge problem. In this conversation, Julie Petersen, CEO of Kittitas Valley Healthcare, discusses how her organization kept its promise to preserve essential obstetric services for women of all ages.

The American Hospital Association has made improving access to rural health care a top priority, and its 2024 AHA Rural Advocacy Agenda lays the groundwork to improve the system as a whole. In this conversation, three AHA experts drill down on specific steps needed to help rural health care stay financially sound and ready to serve.

This discussion took place at the 2024 Rural Health Care Conference in Orlando, Florida.

In this new “Safety Speaks” conversation, Harry S. Smith, board chair of Valley Health System and member of the AHA Committee on Governance, discusses how their organization rearranged its governance system to ensure that quality and patient safety standards were being met across the board.

To learn more and sign up for the Patient Safety Initiative please visit https://www.aha.org/aha-patient-safety-initiative

The reality of today's health care workforce is that demand outstrips supply. For rural health care providers, building and sustaining a strong and vibrant workforce is paramount, but not easily achieved. In this conversation, Brandie Manuel, R.N., chief patient safety and quality officer at Jefferson Healthcare, discusses how the use of TeamSTEPPS and other tools are making a big difference in creating a thriving employee pipeline.