Next week, concurrent celebrations offer a ripe opportunity to recognize the people and places responsible for providing healing and hope to more than 6 million Marylanders.​ National Nurses Week kicks off May 6 with its theme, “Nursing: the Balance of Mind, Body and Spirit,” focusing not only on how nurses promote the well-being of patients, but also on how to nurture the mental and physical health of nurses. The American Nurses Association has several resources to help your organization celebrate the caregivers who make up the backbone of hospitals, including: a logo library, a resource toolkit, and a May 10 webinar: “A Nurse’s Guide to Preventing Compassion Fatigue, Moral Distress, and Burnout.”

In the lead-up to the modernization of Maryland’s All-Payer Model three-and-a-half years ago, there were countless meetings, conference calls, emails, and negotiation sessions. This was not surprising given the magnitude of the seismic health care transformation that was being debated. But what made these talks successful was that the leaders of Maryland’s hospitals were engaged not just in the outcome, but also in the process.

Hospital leaders in Maryland are sorting through the tumult of state and national change to craft the best strategies to care for their patients and communities. It’s a time that cries out for connection among all of us as we work both independently and together to get the job done. As always, MHA is here to help make that connection. Our annual member meeting in June offers a great opportunity to provide insight and understanding into where Maryland’s hospitals fit in this whirlwind of change, independently and as a field.

For Maryland’s hospitals, the state’s behavioral health crisis has been a priority – both on the front lines of care and in the halls of Annapolis. Some important bills were passed during this year’s just-adjourned legislative session that hold the promise of hope for those who are suffering:​

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” – Jim Watkins​ There are just three days left until Sine Die, the official close of the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly, and this year has proven to be a political roller coaster. Of course, things can change at the last minute, but we have a pretty good sense of how the issues of greatest importance to hospitals are shaping up.​

Michelle’s word is “Family.”​ Ieesha’s is “Dreamer.”​ Kenny’s is “Courage.”​ Kara’s is “Humanity.”​ These are some of the reasons Marylanders have given for supporting organ donation, words that are part of The Living Legacy Foundation’s annual #In1Word campaign. They are words that are both deeply personal and publicly powerful.​