If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Innovation, Reflection, and Sustainability: In Pursuit of Health Equity
The Power in Numbers
There’s something to be said for the solitary journey. After all, Robert Frost wasn’t taking the road less traveled with fifteen of his closest friends. We all require moment of solitude and quiet reflection to do our best work, no matter if we are writers, athletes, doctors, nurses, teachers, or anything in between.
Yet even as we must save time to create, train, and learn without distraction, our work is significantly improved when we test our ideas with others. AHE’s 2024 Fall Convening –Innovation, Reflection, and Sustainability: In Pursuit of Health Equity was conceived with the understanding that we can accomplish so much more when we dream, think, and plan together.
This year’s convening, held in Chicago’s vibrant South Loop neighborhood, will bring together representatives from nearly every one of AHE’s Learning Collaborative teams, as well as members of our National Advisory Committee to work on creating viable solutions to eliminating health inequities and enacting payment reform. Attendees will take part in workshops and team breakout and poster sessions, as well as have ample time to get to know one another outside of the work they do.
Although making long-term, impactful changes to the U.S. health care system is difficult, it is not impossible. By dint of their work and attendance at the AHE 2024 Fall Convening alone, attendees are showing that they are up for the challenge. Keep reading for more information on AHE’s 2024 Fall Convening, including taking a first glance at the event agenda, finding directions from Chicago’s major airports, and downloads from some of our most recent projects.
Agenda
During the Convening, attendees will:
- Build relationships via networking sessions and working side-by-side within and across Learning Collaborative teams;
- Learn from each other via workshops and a poster session-gallery walk featuring all Learning Collaborative teams;
- Reflect on accomplishments and carefully determine next steps related to team- specific care delivery transformation, payment reform, and partnerships with patients and communities; and
- Continue to build a culture of equity and antiracism in all aspects of our time together.
To see our sessions and how we are implementing our theme in more detail, please download the agenda (at right).
The 2024 Fall Convening agenda reflects AHE’s belief that we can’t create, ideate, or change the status quo if we’re exhausted. We built in time for rest in the hope that you will feel encouraged to check in on your friends and family, take a walk around our beautiful city, or maybe even take a nap during one of our breaks.
We hope this convening will be an opportunity to celebrate wins, connect with peers, foster new relationships, and inspire possibilities for advancing health equity.
Getting Around Chicago
Chicago is a great city, both in size and beauty—we’ve even got a Great Lake! (pun intended). That If you stop to ask for directions or use a rideshare, be sure to explicitly mention the Hilton on South Michigan Ave. because there are numerous Hilton Hotels in Chicago (including one near North Michigan Ave.). Please use this guide as well as the Fall Convening Tourism Guide spreadsheet and the Fall Convening Google Map to help you plan some team-based or solo excursions.
Airport
Because we don’t do anything halfway, Chicago has two major international airports, O’Hare and Midway. Both are accessible by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and taxi or rideshare. Here’s how to get to Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan) from both.
- O’Hare: Rideshare or a taxi can cost anywhere from $45-55 depending on the time of day you arrive. Because of construction on I-90/94 (The Kennedy Expressway), it can take 45-75 minutes to get into town. (If you’re thinking, “Gee, wasn’t it under construction at last year’s Convening?” Yes, it was. Legend has it that it’s been under construction since before Henry Ford invented the automobile.)
Traffic times vary, but rush generally runs from 2:30-6:30pm. You may want to add more travel time to your itinerary mind when you plan your return trip.
You can also take the Blue “L” line from inside the airport to the LaSalle L station, where you’ll take a scenic, pleasant ½ mile walk to the hotel. The train ride should be about 60 min. Your departure station will depend on what terminal you walk out of. If you get confused, just ask someone. Chicagoans are generally happy to help because O’Hare confuses everyone at some point in time. Trains runs often but be sure to allow extra time for unexpected delays.
- Midway: Rideshare or a taxi can cost anywhere from $30-40 depending on the time of day you arrive. Generally, a trip from Midway in a car is about 30 depending on traffic. Like O’Hare, it’s also easily accessible by train with the Orange line. Midway is the terminal stop, so the only direction is into the city. Get off at Roosevelt and take a scenic, pleasant ½ mile walk to the hotel. Trains runs often but allow extra time for unexpected delays.
Rideshare
Uber, Lyft, and Curb apps are a good option if you want to avoid public transit. Rides can be planned in advance. Please note that prices can climb quickly during peak times.
Bus or Train
Riding the bus is really easy in Chicago. Bus drivers are generally friendly and willing to give directions if you hop on the wrong bus. To use the CTA system, which covers subway (the L) or buses, you can simply wave your credit card over the reader when entering the bus or train station. You can also purchase a Ventra card, single-use tickets, or day passes at most L stations. If you want to get outside of the city, you can purchase Metra Rail tickets using the Ventra mobile app.
Important note: Buses are exact change only. If you put $20 in the machine by accident, Chicago thanks you in advance for your donation.
One of the most accurate ways to track the buses is with the Ventra app, not Google Maps. We recommend downloading the Ventra App from the Chicago Transit Authority. It often has more up-to-date, real-time info than Google maps. Buses and trains are still having pandemic-related service issues. Plan extra time to get to your destinations.
Bike, e-Bike or e-Scooter
Divvy stations are available throughout the city for convenient bike and e-bike rental. While Chicago is becoming more bike- and scooter-friendly, it can be dangerous to ride on roads with heavier traffic. Caution is advised.
Consider checking out The 606 (The Bloomingdale Trail) “A 2.7-mile elevated rail trail linear park running east/west on the northwest side of Chicago. It is the longest greenway project of a former rail line in the Western Hemisphere, and the second longest in the world, after the Promenade Plantée linear park in Paris,” says Wikipedia, which is never, ever wrong.
ParkingIf you decide to drive into Chicago, welcome! We’re actually really nice people off the road. Promise! There are parking garages located all over the city. You might also find parking apps such as ParkWhiz and SpotHero helpful. Parking onsite at the hotel is available for $70/night or $16/day.
Exploring Lake Michigan:
A good way to explore the city is with the bike path that runs along Lake Michigan and the entire length of the city. The water is refreshing, but not too hot and not too cold. Montrose Beach has a bird sanctuary, swimming, and places to picnic. Oak Street Beach (downtown) is good for distance swimming and people-watching. September may be chilly to some, but for Chicagoans, it’s the perfect month to take a dip before things get too cold.
Resources & Highlighted Publications
- AHE’s Health Equity Communication Guide
- Engaging Emergent Strategies in Facilitating Multi-Stakeholder Health Equity Collaboration
- Opportunities for Psychologists to Advance Health Equity: Using Liberation Psychology to Identify Key Lessons From 17 Years of Praxis
- What Should Antiracist Payment Reform Look Like?