Breaking Barriers: AHA Conference Focuses on Health Equity and Community Partnerships in Healthcare

The AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference in Kansas City, Mo drew over 1,000 attendees on May 7. Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., CEO and president of Dartmouth Health and 2024 chair of the AHA Board of Trustees, highlighted the importance of partnerships among hospitals, health systems, patients, community members, and public health organizations in tackling and eradicating barriers to equitable healthcare.

Keynote speaker Clint Smith, author of “How the Word Is Passed” and a staff writer at The Atlantic, delivered comments that resonated with attendees. Breakout sessions focused on strategies for hospitals to address social determinants of health, such as integrating screening and referral systems into electronic health records and collaborating with community-based organizations to improve care coordination. Leaders from ChristianaCare, Memorial Healthcare System, and LSU Health Sciences Center shared their insights during these sessions.

During the opening session, five health organizations – Essentia Health, John Muir Health, University Hospitals, Munson Healthcare, and Palomar Health – were recognized with the AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award by Conroy for their commitment to advancing health equity. CHRISTUS Health and LMH Health led discussions on leadership and governing boards’ role in prioritizing health equity within healthcare organizations.