The 2024 Hospital Quality Institute and Hospital Council Annual Conference in Lake Tahoe has come to a close. On Oct. 20-21, hospital and health care system leaders gathered to learn about a variety of topics — including how open and transparent communication is valued and actively encouraged, and how to effectively engage executives and board members in working toward zero harm. Also discussed were the not-yet-finalized California Hospital Association (CHA) regulatory and legislative agenda, which Hospital Council fully supports, and two significant issues worth emphasizing: artificial intelligence (AI) and ambulance patient offload times (APOTs).
AI is already here, helping to integrate process flows, change the patient experience, and provide much-needed resource relief — but this is only the beginning. AI stands poised to bring significant change to health care, such as diagnosing conditions earlier, bridging language barriers, and revolutionizing telehealth and discharge experiences, to name a few. AI could be a real asset for rural and critical access hospitals, but questions around equity and ethics come with it. Hospital Council is aware of AI’s complexity and will discuss the topic further in future messages.
As for APOT issues, Hospital Council remains heavily involved in discussions with hospital members, local emergency medical services agencies, fire departments, and private ambulance companies throughout the state about opportunities to partner on patient care and efficiencies in the hospital intake process — including consistent time documentation and data around ambulance services with the goal of preserving access for patients who need it.
Our regional vice presidents and CHA Vice President Sheree Lowe consistently connect on members’ questions about Assembly Bill 40 (2023) and its requirement that all hospitals with emergency departments submit an APOT reduction protocol to the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
Hospital Council and our One Team partners will continue to diligently work on the promise and challenges of both AI and APOT.