West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham Highlighted at American Hospital Association National Conference
The West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham, a partnership between West Health Institute and Mass General Brigham, is a powerful example of how meaningful health system change happens when bold vision meets operational innovation. The Accelerator’s transformational work to improve outcomes for older adults was recognized at the American Hospital Association (AHA)’s annual membership meeting on May 4, 2025 — the nation’s top conference for hospital and health system leaders advancing health in America.
At the gathering in Washington, D.C., Accelerator Co-Director, Zara Cooper, MD, MSc, FACS, joined Zia Agha, MD, medical director for West Health Institute, to discuss: “Trustees: Empowering the Team Towards Enhanced Patient Safety.” Their well-attended dyad underscored the strong interest in this topic among the approximately 1,200 CEOs, government relations staff, board members and senior executives at the conference.
In the fireside-chat style session, Drs. Agha and Cooper discussed the role of trustees and C-suite leaders in scaling age-appropriate, patient-safety-driven care models. Dr. Cooper shared her perspective as a surgeon, healthcare executive and board member, describing how the Accelerator is improving efficiency, patient outcomes and sustainability in the face of growing health system pressures.
Dr. Cooper also highlighted how the Accelerator’s four interconnected areas of focus — care delivery, Epic automations, dashboards and measurement, and the West Health Champions Program — align and advance multiple system priorities such as the “For Every Patient” strategy at Mass General Brigham, ensuring excellence in quality, safety and experience for every patient, at every age. Dr. Agha added his lens as a steward of West Health Institute’s mission, underscoring the organization’s commitment to evidence-based solutions that lower costs and improve care for older adults. The two physician leaders outlined what they hope their four-year partnership will accomplish and how their learnings will benefit health systems nationwide.
Looking ahead, the team will return to the spotlight at an upcoming AHA event on January 28, 2026, when Dr. Cooper and Accelerator Co-Director, Rachelle Bernacki, MD, MS, will share updates on progress to date, lessons learned, and next-phase plans for 2026. The conversation will further reinforce how the Accelerator’s work dovetails with Mass General Brigham system goals and how trustees and senior leaders can stay engaged and supportive of the journey.