The Hospital Council of Northern and Central California is the unified voice of our members, acting as a catalyst to empower hospitals to act together on issues affecting patient care and the health status of communities.
We are dedicated to advocating for our member hospitals at the local and regional level and in support of California Hospital Association (CHA) at the State and Federal level. Together, we are far more powerful nationally, statewide and locally than any single hospital or system can be on its own.
Hospital Council will support CHA on government regulations and financial challenges and will utilize local advocacy relationships, our unifying voice and convening expertise to address emergency medical services, behavioral health, community health improvement, health information exchange, and workforce policy issues as well as any proposed local government regulations that may emerge during the year.
Behavioral health is a public policy priority with a significant impact on other policy priorities: access, financial challenges, emergency services, governmental mandates, and workforce. Barriers to timely access and coordinated services include:
Community health is impacted by myriad policy issues including access to care, care coordination, pre- and post-acute service availability, community support service availability, as well as the social determinants of health status such as poverty, housing instability/affordability, food insecurity, lack of physical activity, race/ethnicity, education, health literacy and documentation status. These social determinants can become chronic, co-morbid conditions for our patients.
Secure, effective exchange of patient health information is critical to increase coordination of care and decrease costly duplication of services. Issues involved include: data ownership; privacy; connectivity; access; and local vs. statewide HIEs.
Many of the barriers to effective emergency care systems are also barriers to effective population health management and the Associations’ vision of an optimally healthy society. Pre-hospital care and services, emergency department crowding, alternate destinations and treatment sites as well as post-acute transfer options impact the effectiveness of emergency departments and the ability of residents to receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
Without sufficient, well-trained health care professionals at all levels of the care continuum, access, quality, timeliness and safety for patients and staff is compromised. Shortages include specialty nurses, clinical lab scientists, respiratory and physical therapists, radiology technologists and more.
Behavioral Health
Behavioral Health
Behavioral health is a public policy priority with a significant impact on other policy priorities: access, financial challenges, emergency services, governmental mandates, and workforce. Barriers to timely access and coordinated services include:
Community Health Improvement
Community Health Improvement
Community health is impacted by myriad policy issues including access to care, care coordination, pre- and post-acute service availability, community support service availability, as well as the social determinants of health status such as poverty, housing instability/affordability, food insecurity, lack of physical activity, race/ethnicity, education, health literacy and documentation status. These social determinants can become chronic, co-morbid conditions for our patients.
Advocacy Initiatives:
Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Secure, effective exchange of patient health information is critical to increase coordination of care and decrease costly duplication of services. Issues involved include: data ownership; privacy; connectivity; access; and local vs. statewide HIEs.
Advocacy Initiatives:
Emergency Services
Emergency Services
Many of the barriers to effective emergency care systems are also barriers to effective population health management and the Associations’ vision of an optimally healthy society. Pre-hospital care and services, emergency department crowding, alternate destinations and treatment sites as well as post-acute transfer options impact the effectiveness of emergency departments and the ability of residents to receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
Advocacy Initiatives:
Governmental Regulation and Mandates
Government Regulation and Mandates
Local current and proposed regulations can impede hospitals’ ability to provide quality, affordable, coordinated care in their communities.
Advocacy Initiatives:
Workforce
Workforce
Without sufficient, well-trained health care professionals at all levels of the care continuum, access, quality, timeliness and safety for patients and staff is compromised. Shortages include specialty nurses, clinical lab scientists, respiratory and physical therapists, radiology technologists and more.
Advocacy Initiatives: