Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Meeting the Challenges of Improving Community Health

For its excellent work addressing community health needs, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston is the 2015 winner of the Foster G. McGaw Prize. MGH’s work to improve community health has evolved and expanded over the years. In 1995, MGH established the Center for Community Health Improvement to partner with its diverse communities to address social, economic and environmental obstacles to health and health care. In 2007, MGH further affirmed its community commitment by adding a strong statement to its mission, creating a board committee on health and holding every clinical chief accountable for community engagement. In 2014, the hospital integrated community health even more fully into governance by creating the Executive Committee on Community Health, chaired by the chief of medicine and composed of hospital and community leaders. MGH’s community health improvement initiatives include collaborating to prevent substance use; promoting healthy eating and active living; developing youth assets (including sponsoring opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering and math); improving health care access for vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, refugees and high-risk new mothers; and providing referrals for legal assistance needed by low-income families.

 Visit AHA.org for more information on the Foster G. McGaw Prize, the 2015 finalists and previous winners and finalists.