As Hospital Council looks to the year ahead, our commitment to ensuring all Californians have access to reliable, quality health care remains the same. Our previous message focused on adapting to change, and while we cannot fully predict everything that will happen in the future, preparing for the new year is a good way to start.
In that vein, the Hospital Council Board of Directors will finalize the major areas of focus for the year at this month’s board meeting:
- Localized advocacy efforts and education supporting the California Hospital Association’s priority issues, including insurance company accountability, the Office of Health Care Affordability, strengthening California hospitals, and more
- Enhanced relationship-building with elected officials, community groups, local health care leaders, and other key community stakeholders
- Responsiveness to emerging and critical operational issues facing hospitals, including wildfires, power failure/resiliency (PG&E activities), and supply shortages
- Advocacy for local/regional priorities on behalf of members, which have specific implementation responsibilities at the county or regional level
Other major issues include ensuring access to emergency medical services (especially in rural areas), expanding regional behavioral health resources, and promoting and working with local and state educational institutions on options for increasing the health care workforce.
2025 promises to be another challenging year for hospitals, and Hospital Council is proud to represent your interests so all Californians have access to the health care they need when they need it. Hospital Council recognizes the importance of working together to fulfill our goal of ensuring access to health care, and we will continue to provide updates in future messages.