Advancing Health

As demand for behavioral health services continues to grow, hospitals are searching for ways to expand both care and the care teams themselves. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, speaks with John Santopietro, M.D., senior vice president at Hartford HealthCare and physician-in-chief of its Behavioral Health Network. They discuss the exciting programs that are strengthening the organization's behavioral health workforce, the new social worker mentorship models that foster education and teamwork, and the efforts to increase access while tackling staffing shortages across psychiatry, nursing and therapy services.

The future of healthcare will be shaped not only by artificial intelligence, but by how thoughtfully organizations choose to implement it. In this conversation, Daniel Daly, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health at the Catholic Health Association, explores the ethical future of AI in medicine, why all efficiency should serve compassion, and what healthcare leaders must do to ensure AI strengthens person-centered care instead of replacing it.

Teen mental health crises are rising — but what if providers could intervene before symptoms fully take hold? In this conversation, Duke University School of Medicine's Jonathan Posner, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and Matthew Engelhard, M.D., P.h.D., assistant professor of the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, break down the "Duke PMA" — an AI-powered predictive model designed to identify adolescents at high risk for psychiatric illness. They explore how sleep, device use, and a myriad of other factors shape mental health risk, and how this technology could transform prevention, especially in underserved communities.

What should every hospital board member know about quality and patient safety? In this conversation, Elizabeth Mort, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer at Joint Commission, breaks down the five critical priorities boards must focus on — from quality metrics and risk transparency, to accreditation readiness and patient safety culture. Discover how stronger board leadership can help hospitals build safer systems, improve outcomes and stay ready for the challenges ahead.

What happens after a survivor of violence leaves the hospital? For many patients, the physical wounds are only the beginning. In this conversation, Elinore Kaufman, M.D., medical director of the Penn Trauma Violence Recovery Program, and Michele Volpe, chief operating officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, share how hospital-based violence intervention programs are helping patients heal physically, emotionally and socially after traumatic injury. From preventing PTSD and depression to reducing repeat violent injuries, this innovative approach is connecting survivors and investing in whole-person trauma care throughout Pennsylvania's communities.