Connecting Columbia Union Seventh-day Adventists

Adventist HealthCare, Kettering Adventist HealthCare Join Other Adventist Systems to Strengthen Federal Presence

Story by Adventist HealthCare Public Relations

Just blocks from the U.S. Capitol, the Adventist Health Policy Association (AHPA) has opened a new office. AHPA is an affiliation of five Seventh-day Adventist healthcare systems, including Adventist HealthCare in Maryland and Kettering Adventist HealthCare in Ohio. 

“For the first time, as a board of directors, the health system CEOs decided that to have the impact we envision on a national level, it is important for AHPA to have a presence in Washington, D.C. and a laser-focused objective of impacting the federal agenda,” says Terry Forde, President & CEO of Adventist HealthCare in Gaithersburg, Md., and an AHPA board member. 

AHPA President Carlyle Walton leads the association’s efforts to advance crucial policy and advocacy priorities that ensure member hospitals can provide high quality, accessible health care. 

AHPA serves as the policy and advocacy voice for more than 90 hospitals in 17 states. Affiliated health entities include more than 350 other provider organizations such as associated medical groups, nursing homes, outpatient centers and home care entities. The organization aims to ensure existing and new federal legislation, policies, rules and guidelines allow its members to fulfill their mission of outstanding, faith-based health care; analyze the impact of proposed federal policy and regulations on Adventist hospitals, focusing on five to six common issues each year; and demonstrate a united voice for health policy issues in which members have common interests. 

The board of directors will soon finalize AHPA’s strategic priorities for 2019, a blend of the imperatives of Adventist HealthCare and the other health systems AHPA serves. 

“Seventh-day Adventist hospitals represent a major sector of the U.S. health system and working together on key issues allows us to have a meaningful impact in crafting and advancing a whole-person, patient-focused national health care agenda that includes strong input into the policies and issues affecting our health care system,” says Walton. 

Walton was appointed president of AHPA in the summer of 2018. He previously served as CEO of Metroplex Health System, which is part of AdventHealth, formerly Adventist Health System, a founding member of AHPA. The other members are Adventist Health in California and Loma Linda University Health in California. 

To learn more about AHPA, visit adventisthealthpolicy.org or click here to subscribe to the bi-weekly Policy Brief. 

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