Next month, we will celebrate National Hospital Week — an opportunity to highlight our hospitals, health systems, and health care workers and the innovative ways they are supporting and connected to their community.
After more than two years of the pandemic, it’s only fitting that we shine a spotlight on all that your hospitals have done — and will continue to do — to care for their communities.
As part of National Hospital Week, CHA is hosting a reception with California’s state senators and Assembly members on the state Capitol grounds. Hospital CEOs should have received an email last week, inviting them to the event that will be an opportunity to have a conversation about the challenges facing hospitals and how to address them.
While the discussions continue with lawmakers on a number of critical issues pertaining to hospitals — from disaster preparedness modernization to the Office of Health Care Affordability and integration — it’s vital that hospitals continue to engage with lawmakers and make their voices heard.
In addition, as another way to support CHA and HASD&IC’s advocacy efforts, Our Health California — a politically active grassroots community that champions equitable access to high-quality, affordable health and behavioral health care — has asked its members share why their hospital matters to them. These notes of gratitude will be shared with hospital staff throughout the state, as well as lawmakers, as they consider important health care budget investments.
Our lawmakers must understand hospitals’ dire financial situation wrought by COVID-19, the current workforce challenges — and those that lie ahead — and more. The totality of the current situation is a threat to health care in the communities your hospitals serve, and ongoing conversation is needed to ensure that lawmakers fully understand the circumstances.