Advancing Healthcare Reform: The American Heart Association's 2020 Statement of Principles for Adequate, Accessible, and Affordable Health Care: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association.

The mission of the American Heart Association is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. The American Heart Association has consistently prioritized the needs and perspective of the patient in taking positions on healthcare reform while recognizing the importance of biomedical research, providers, and healthcare delivery systems in advancing the care of patients and the prevention of disease. The American Heart Association's vision for healthcare reform describes the foundational changes needed for the health system to serve the best interests of patients and to achieve health care and coverage that are adequate, accessible, and affordable for everyone living in the United States. The American Heart Association is committed to advancing the dialogue around healthcare reform and has prepared this updated statement of our principles, placed in the context of the advances in coverage and care that have occurred after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the rapidly changing landscape of healthcare delivery systems, and our evolving recognition that efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease can have synergistic benefit in preventing other diseases and improving overall well-being. These updated principles focus on expanding access to affordable health care and coverage; enhancing the availability of evidence-based preventive services; eliminating disparities that limit the availability and equitable delivery of health care; strengthening the public health infrastructure to respond to social determinants of health; prioritizing and accelerating investments in biomedical research; and growing a diverse, culturally competent health and healthcare workforce prepared to meet the challenges of delivering high-value health care.

Value in Healthcare Initiative: Summary and Key Recommendations.

In spring 2018, the American Heart Association convened the Value in Healthcare Summit to begin an important conversation about the challenges patients with cardiovascular disease face in accessing and deriving quality and value from the healthcare system. Following the summit and recognizing the collective momentum it created, the American Heart Association, in collaboration with the Robert J. Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University, launched the Value in Healthcare Initiative-Transforming Cardiovascular Care. Four areas of focus were identified, and learning collaboratives were established and proceeded to conduct concrete, actionable problem solving in 4 high-impact areas in cardiovascular care: Value-Based Models, Partnering with Regulators, Predict and Prevent, and Prior Authorization. The deliverables from these groups are being disseminated in 4 stand-alone articles, and their publication will initiate further work to test and evaluate each of these promising areas of reform. This article provides an overview of the initiative's findings and highlights key cross-cutting themes for consideration as the initiative moves forward.

Diabetes training of community health workers serving native Hawaiians and Pacific people.

PURPOSE: Training of community health workers (CHWs) serving Native Hawaiian and Pacific People about diabetes prevention, control, and management was identified as a priority in a needs assessment of health agencies in Hawaii. METHODS: Principles from Community-Based Participatory Research provided a framework to develop and implement a 4-hour training curriculum. The curriculum developers incorporated teaching strategies shown to be effective with this population and included culturally relevant material. Nineteen health organizations participated in the training that reached 111 CHWs over a 3-year period. RESULTS: Based on comparison of pre- and post-diabetes knowledge test results, the training participants showed significant gain in diabetes knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: A culturally tailored diabetes education gives CHWs the relevant knowledge and tools to participate in the delivery of diabetes education to a minority group experiencing disparate health outcomes. A community-based method facilitated development of seminar content and delivery strategies.