One year into the Rural Health Transformation Fund, what's working and what's next? In this conversation, Maya Sandalow, associate director of the Health Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center, shares how states are investing in rural hospitals, telehealth and workforce development, to improve care across rural America. Learn where funding is making the biggest impact — and where challenges remain.

To view the Bipartisan Policy Center's webinar on the Rural Health Transformation Fund, please visit https://bipartisanpolicy.org/event/rural-health-transformation-insights-from-states/

Care teams know that lasting health begins outside the exam room. In this Leadership Dialogue conversation, Marc Boom, M.D., president and CEO of Houston Methodist and the 2026 AHA board chair, speaks with Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health, to discuss how a large safety-net health system is improving health outcomes by addressing housing insecurity, food access, behavioral health and other social drivers of health. Learn how Denver Health's innovative programs are reducing hospital stays, strengthening community partnerships, and demonstrating that investing beyond the walls of the hospital can improve patient outcomes and the financial sustainability of care.

A rare hantavirus outbreak aboard an international cruise ship became a real-world test of America's infectious disease preparedness infrastructure. In this conversation, Angela Hewlett, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, explains how her team helped monitor and care for Americans exposed to the Andes hantavirus strain, the only known hantavirus capable of person-to-person transmission. Dr. Hewlett discusses the critical role of the National Quarantine Unit, the nation's preparedness for emerging infectious diseases, lessons from Ebola response efforts, and what hospitals of every size can do to strengthen outbreak readiness.

One of the biggest healthcare challenges of the next decade may already be here: caring for the mental health needs of older adults. In this conversation, leaders from Cottage Hospital and Sharon Hospital (part of Northwell Health) share how specialized geriatric behavioral health programs are helping older adults receive compassionate, comprehensive mental health care close to home. Learn why investing in senior behavioral health is becoming increasingly important for hospitals, caregivers and communities alike.

Some of New York City's most impressive meals aren't being served in restaurants — they're being served in hospitals. In this conversation, Dan Dilworth, senior director of food and nutrition services at NYU Langone Health, discusses how the organization built one of the most ambitious hospital food programs in the country, serving 9,000 meals a day while prioritizing nutrition, sustainability and patient choice.

What if a hospital stay could be the first step out of homelessness? In this conversation, Sarah Stella, M.D., director of Denver Health's Housing Outreach, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE) program, reveals how Denver Health is helping some of the community's most vulnerable patients move from crisis to stability. Bringing together hospitals, housing providers, social services and community partners, the HOPE program is creating real pathways to recovery and restoring hope for people experiencing homelessness.

Food insecurity affects far more than hunger. It influences physical health, mental well-being, academic performance, and long-term outcomes for children and families. In this episode, Stormee Williams, M.D., senior vice president and chief health equity officer at Children's Health, shares how her team is identifying food insecurity, why access to healthy food matters just as much as access to food itself, and how partnerships with schools and food banks are helping create healthier futures for children across North Texas.