AHA and West Health launch national accelerator to scale technology-enabled patient care solutions

The AHA and the West Health Institute April 29 announced a new three-year initiative to help hospitals and health systems operationalize and scale proven technologies across care environments to improve patient outcomes and support care teams.

The West Health Accelerator at AHA's Health Research & Educational Trust, supported by a $12 million commitment from West Health, concentrates on three priority areas where technology can deliver measurable improvement at scale: electronic health record optimization, virtual care, and artificial intelligence utilization and integration.

"Health care is a uniquely human experience, relying not only on technology but also on the compassion, skill and judgment of clinicians and care teams," said Michelle Hood, AHA executive vice president and chief operating officer. "This collaboration is designed to expand and strengthen health care innovation by consistently using technology solutions to strengthen care delivery, advance quality and safety, and improve outcomes that matter to patients and their families."

Hospitals and health systems can access a new digital hub where they can examine proven, ready-to-deploy solutions and engage in peer-learning networks. Additionally, a curated network of hospitals and health systems will serve as national models, highlighting and sharing their own tech-enabled transformation and lessons learned.

"We are at a point where many tools exist to meaningfully improve care. By aligning the right technologies with the realities of modern patient care, we can redesign how health care is delivered in this country. This is not about inventing the future - it's about deploying it," said Shelley Lyford, CEO and Chair of the West Health Institute and Gary and Mary West Foundation. "Our collaboration with AHA will bring together the capabilities needed to create a systemwide impact."

The West Health Accelerator at AHA's HRET builds on the efforts of AHA's Patient Safety Initiative, which catalyzes, convenes and connects hospitals around patient safety while elevating stories of success and strategies for continued improvement. It also expands on successful accelerator models launched with leading institutions over the last year, including Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts and Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.