AHA outlines 2025 Advocacy Agenda for hospitals

Hospitals remain “a beacon of healing, hope and health” in communities across the nation, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).

They also face challenges ranging from workforce shortages to heavy regulatory burdens, according to AHA. The Association outlined its 2025 Advocacy Agenda, a 16-page summary of issues that will guide hospital sector leaders as they engage with the new administration of President Donald Trump and lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

“In 2025, the American Hospital Association (AHA) will engage with Congress, the Administration, regulatory bodies and the judiciary to shape public policy to advance hospitals’ efforts to provide quality patient care,” the organization’s Advocacy Agenda said. “The AHA also will focus on ensuring the long-term viability of hospitals to serve their communities and promote health and wellness.”

The AHA Advocacy Agenda centered on:

• Ensuring access to care
• Strengthening the health care workforce
• Advancing quality, equity and health care system resiliency
• Leading innovation in care delivery
• Reducing health care system costs for patient care

The Physicians Advocacy Institute and Avalere Health last year published the “PAI-Avalere Report on Physician Employment Trends and Acquisitions of Medical Practices: 2019-2023.” They found 77.6% of physicians are employees of hospitals, health systems, and other corporate entities. Hospitals, health systems and other corporate entities also own 58.5% of physician practices.

If you are among them, this slideshow will highlight what the C-suite likely will focus on this year. Slide language comes from AHA's 2025 Advocacy Agenda.