Make the connections to clinical practice.

As a new administration moves into the White House, so will a new cabinet with differing healthcare priorities, strategies, and goals. Healthcare isn’t exempt from change generated by a new political paradigm.

Annually, the United States spends on average about $12,900 per person for healthcare. This cost is twice the amount of most countries. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administers 100 programs across 13 agencies. These agencies administer a range of services and fund and conduct life-saving research for the nation.

Agencies that fall under the HHS include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). These agencies impact daily clinical practice and inform the American public, practitioners, and policy makers on improving health and quality of life. They develop collaborative initiatives and fund innovations and research based on our nation’s healthcare needs.

Consider nurses who interface with the nation’s largest, fastest-growing, and costliest patient population—those living with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). MCC has been a federal health policy priority since its introduction by HHS in 2010. AHRQ also focuses on MCC and has funded initiatives and innovations in research, publication, and strategic planning for this massive patient population.

AHRQ’s initiative on Person-Centered Care Planning (PCCP) for patients with MCCs will be used to ensure widespread adoption of PCCP in routine clinical practice to meet the comprehensive care needs. The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is collaborating with AHRQ on this initiative. PCORI funds comparative effectiveness research that includes patients as part of the research design. These studies compare one intervention against another and help providers engage in shared decision making with the patient and family.

The John A. Hartford Foundation; the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American Hospital Association; and the Catholic Health Association of the United States have joined forces to develop the Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative. These agencies recognize the need to meet the challenges of our country’s aging demographics.

The Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative promotes the 4Ms:

• What Matters—Align healthcare with what matters to the patient.
• Medication—Evaluate and monitor medication use that doesn’t interfere with what matters to the patient.
• Mentation—Provide early prevention and management of dementia, depression, and delirium.
• Mobility—Maintain physical function so patients can do what matters to them.

Nurses can find important MCC information at the Multiple Chronic Conditions Resource Center (multiplechronicconditions.org). This resource, powered by HealthCom Media, provides healthcare professionals with free access to dynamic updates on health policy and clinical practice to meet the care needs of this growing patient population.

Nurses who recognize and appreciate the impact of health policy on clinical practice can promote best practices by remaining current and aware of the trends identified as federal priorities. Despite the day-to-day demands of patient care, awareness of important Federal initiatives that influence and direct healthcare allows nurses to remain current and prepared to meet the healthcare demands of our nation.               

Kim Kuebler, a member of the American Nurse Journal editorial board, is editor-in-chief of the Multiple Chronic Conditions Resource Center and an advanced practice provider at Physical Health and Wellness in Brunswick, Georgia.

American Nurse Journal. 2025; 20(1). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ012556

References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2023). Advancing Patient-Centered Care

Planning for People Living with Multiple Chronic Conditions. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/long-term-care/resource/multichronic/mcc.html

American Medical Association. (2023). Trends in healthcare spending. https://www.ama-assn.org/about/research/trends-health-care-spending

John A. Hartford Foundation. Age Friendly Health Systems Initiative. johnahartford.org/grants-strategy/current-strategies/age-friendly/age-friendly-health-systems-initiative

Multiple Chronic Conditions Resource Center. multiplechronicconditions.org

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. 2022-2024 research project agenda topic themes. pcori.org/funding-opportunities/what-who-we-fund/research-project-agenda-topic-themes-inform-focused-funding-opportunities/2022-2024-research-project-agenda-topic-themes

Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Why are Americans paying more for healthcare? January 3, 2024. pgpf.org/article/why-are-americans-paying-more-for-healthcare

U.S. Census Bureau. Older population and aging. April 26, 2024. bit.ly/4fFMTi6

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS agencies and roles. bit.ly/3Vd8NRz

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Strategic Framework. December 2010. hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ash/initiatives/mcc/mcc_framework.pdf