Outgoing association president and CEO, Dr. Bruce Seigel sits down with Dr. David Levine, chief medical officer at Vizient to discuss a new report that shows how Essential Hospitals around the country are successful in meeting their mission of providing high-quality care for all in the most challenging of times.

We sit down with Dr. Claude Pirtle, President of Heartland Whole Health Institute, for his thoughts on how artificial intelligence can support essential hospitals in meeting their missions of delivering high quality care to patients and communities that face challenges of access and barriers to other health related needs.

This episode of Essential Stories features our 2025 Gage Award honorable mentions. The awards, presented at VITAL2025 in Atlanta on June 12, featured three amazing programs. Hear first hand from each program's leaders.

Quality

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and North Central Bronx - Compassion for Community: Continuing Care After Death

Population Health

ECMC - Advancing Hypertension Control in Disparate Populations

Operational Excellence

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center - Center for Comprehensive Addiction Treatment, “No Wrong Door”

In our inaugural episode of Essential Stories, we are joined by Dr. Wendy Wilcox, Chief Women’s Health Officer for NYC Health + Hospitals. Dr. Wilcox is the first person to hold this role, where she coordinates all of NYC H+H’s women’s health offerings, including working with the Women’s Health Service clinical council to plan, organize and develop policies related to obstetrics and gynecology, well woman care, maternal mortality and morbidity, and more.