(July 17, 2026) – July is Chronic Disease Awareness Month, an opportunity to reflect on the high-quality care Kansas hospitals provide to patients with chronic disease and on their efforts to prevent it. Kansas hospitals' efforts to improve community health are critical to Kansans and the Kansas economy. The Kansas Hospital Association is pleased to support this work through Kansas Health Matters, Kansas' premier source for population health data, resources and best practices, as well as through the population health work conducted by Healthworks, KHA's foundation.
In 2021, the Kansas Hospital Association's Board of Directors voted to add a "strategic aim" to the 2022-2024 KHA strategic plan – Improve Kansas' statewide health ranking with a focus on preventive health services. At that time, Kansas had fallen from eighth in the nation (1991) in overall health rankings to 31st. This was the most precipitous drop of any state during the prior 30 years.
The strategic aim became not only a focal point of KHA's strategic plan but also a call to action for KHA member hospitals and partner organizations across the state to work together to improve the health of Kansans and Kansas' health rankings. The KHA Board of Directors retained this aim in our current 2025-2027 Strategic Plan.
Since 2022, Kansas' overall health ranking has gradually improved to 27th in the nation, according to the most recent data from America's Health Rankings. We have a long way to go, but with our hospitals working together and the support of partners across the state, we are Unstoppable Together, as our 2026 convention theme highlights.
--Chad Austin