The Safety Net Pulse

Defining Essential Hospitals: A Key Step for Policymakers to Help the Safety Net

The new description should be: In our latest episode, we sit down with Donna Lynne, DrPH, CEO at Denver Health, and Paula Chatterjee, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, to discuss how defining essential hospitals is a vital step to help safety net hospitals navigate the current challenging health care landscape. Read our policy brief about essential hospital designation [https://essentialhospitals.org/policy-considerations-for-defining-essential-health-systems/] to learn more about the details. https://essentialhospitals.org/policy-considerations-for-defining-essential-health-systems/ [https://essentialhospitals.org/policy-considerations-for-defining-essential-health-systems/]

2026 Gage Award Honorable Mentions

Learn more about the programs that received honorable mention at the 2026 Gage Awards. Featured programs include a TMC Health initiative to improve access to cardiac rehabilitation among rural populations, a Hennepin Healthcare program to improve the health of physician trainees, and a NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue program to reduce emergency department boarding.

Care Beyond Hospital Walls

Like many essential hospitals, Cambridge Health Alliance has a deep connection with the community, working every day to achieve better outcomes. Learn more about how they do it from their CEO, Assaad Sayah, MD, on this episode of The Safety Net Pulse.

Innovative Breakthroughs in Mobile Health

Mobile health care is a successful form of care delivery that can bring incredible value to health care systems. Memorial Healthcare System in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has embedded itself in its community through its robust mobile health program. On this episode of The Safety Net Pulse, we get to hear about the program's origin, activities, challenges, and future direction in an insightful conversation with its leaders. More mobile health resources: * Report: Delivering Care Beyond Hospital Walls: Best Practices in Mobile Health [https://essentialhospitals.org/institute-report-highlights-best-practices-in-mobile-health/] * Webinar: Strengthening Mobile Health Programs at Essential Hospitals [https://essentialhospitals.org/strengthening-mobile-health-programs-at-essential-hospitals/]

Convenience and Community: Remote Cardiac Rehab at TMC Health

Cardiac rehab plays a huge role in the outcomes for cardiac patients. But getting this care can be difficult in rural settings. Essential Hospital TMC Health in Tucson, Arizona knows this firsthand. Their Heart Close to Home program has helped to close this gap in care and improve access. We hear from their experts on how this program was implemented.