Behind every safety metric is a leadership decision. In this conversation, Thomas McGinn, M.D., MPH, senior executive vice president and chief physician executive officer at CommonSpirit Health, shares how the organization aligns leadership, standardizes processes, and uses analytics to reduce variation and improve patient outcomes — work that made CommonSpirit Health a 2025 finalist for the AHA Quest for Quality Prize.

For more information on the AHA's Quest for Quality Prize, please visit https://www.aha.org/about/awards/quest-for-quality

Is lived experience one of the most underused tools in health care today? In this conversation, JPS Health Network's Zelia Baugh, senior vice president of behavioral health, and Melanie Cooper, peer support specialist, discuss how utilizing peer support specialists can help patients navigate recovery, improve care transitions, and drive better outcomes across inpatient units, outpatient clinics and psychiatric emergency services.

Even the most experienced health care leaders can feel lost as patients. In this conversation, Ji Im, system senior director of community and population health at CommonSpirit Health, explores why seamless navigation, community partnerships and human connection are essential to reducing friction and improving the health care experience. Ji also shares how her personal health story has reshaped her understanding of care navigation and patient-centered design.

In the first Leadership Dialogue conversation of 2026, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, speaks with James Merlino, M.D., chief operating officer at Joint Commission, about building a culture of innovation, unleashing the power of new technologies to advance health care, and developing partnerships to access and share expertise, information and best practices.

Artificial intelligence is transforming health care — but it’s also giving cybercriminals potential new tools for disruption. In this conversation, John Riggi, AHA’s national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, speaks with Larry Pierce, director of cybersecurity and information security officer for Atlantic Health, about how the growth of AI is reshaping cyber risk in health care, and why physical security is now inseparable from cybersecurity for America's hospitals and health systems.

Beacon Health System is taking a community-driven approach to improve health for moms and babies. In this conversation, Beacon Health System's Kimberly Green Reeves, vice president of community impact and partnerships, and Cassy White, director of community impact, share how data, care coordination and community involvement are helping reduce infant mortality in Michigan and Indiana. From home visits and remote patient monitoring, to mental health support and community partnerships, learn what it truly means to walk alongside moms and babies from pregnancy through postpartum.

This podcast has been edited for time. To view the extended video podcast, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVfWSWBALZs

Mental health is a top community health need nationwide. In this conversation, John Muir Health's Jesse Tamplen, vice president of care coordination, and Jamie Elmasu, director of community health improvement, explain how community health needs assessments (CHNAs), data-driven planning and nonprofit partnerships are expanding access to patients who need it most. Learn how this health system's community blueprint is leading to better ecosystems of care in Northern California.

When health care emergencies strike in rural America, preparation can make all the difference. In this conversation, Tina Eden, R.N., CEO of Virginia Gay Hospital, and Jacinda Bunch, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor at the Iowa College of Nursing and senior advisor to Simulation in Motion-Iowa (SIM-IA), dive into how this mobile clinical education program (SIM-IA) is delivering high-impact simulation training directly to rural hospitals and EMS teams. From pediatric trauma to obstetric emergencies and rare airway procedures, learn why SIM-IA isn’t just about training — it’s a critical patient safety strategy.

What does it take to transform an entire health system into a national leader in patient safety? Hartford HealthCare didn’t just ask the question — they answered it. In this conversation, Stephanie Calcasola, R.N., chief quality officer and vice president of quality and safety at Hartford HealthCare, unpacks the programs, technology and cultural shifts that drove measurable and nationally-recognized results.

To learn about the AHA's Quest for Quality Award and updates about future application periods, please visit https://www.aha.org/about/awards/quest-for-quality

Virtual nursing is changing how hospitals deliver care — but what does it actually look like in practice? In this conversation, Wendy Kim, DNP, R.N., vice president and chief nursing officer of the central market at Henry Ford Health, shares how the system's virtual nursing program is reducing documentation burden, improving patient safety and giving nurses more time at the bedside. Learn how this nurse-driven approach to innovation is reshaping inpatient care through virtual nursing and AI-enabled tools.

Thank you for listening to Advancing Health! As we close out 2025, we’re excited to share highlights from two impactful episodes that sparked dialogue around improving health care in America. Advancing Health will return in 2026 with fresh insights and thought-provoking discussions. Until then, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a healthy, happy New Year!