IHA Daily Briefing: April 17
In Today’s Issue
Illinois Hospital Leaders, IHA Meet with Congressional Officers
Recognizing Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17
Recall: Abbott/Thoratec Corp. Recalls Heart Pumps
COVID-19 Information
Briefly Noted
Leading the News
Illinois Hospital Leaders, IHA Meet with Congressional Officers
Illinois hospital and health system leaders joined IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi this week in Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (6th District), Jesús “Chuy'' García (4th District), Darin LaHood (16th District), Brad Schneider (10th District) and Lauren Underwood (14th District), to discuss issues of importance to the hospital community. During those conversations, Wilhelmi and hospital leaders discussed the need for further protections of the federal 340B program; workforce issues, including addressing violence against healthcare workers through the SAVE Act; the need for federal support of hospitals, including opposition to Medicare cuts; and prior authorization obstacles.
IHA and hospital representatives were in our nation’s capital to attend the American Hospital Association annual meeting. During the meeting, Jim Prister, President and CEO of RML Specialty Hospital, facilitated a discussion with Sen. Durbin on the difference hospitals make in their communities. During the conversation, Sen. Durbin underscored how the Chicago Hospital Engagement, Action, and Leadership (HEAL) initiative has driven community engagement to reduce violence and improve health access and patient outcomes.
The members of the delegation were very open and receptive to hospital leaders’ concerns and comments. All lawmakers expressed gratitude for the important contributions of the hospital community and Illinois’ healthcare workers. IHA will continue to meet with Illinois’ federal representatives, with a focus on end-of-year packages that may include healthcare issues that may impact Illinois hospitals and health systems.
Recognizing Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17
Today marks the last day of Black Maternal Health Week, running from April 11-17, 2024. Black Maternal Health Week was established as an opportunity to raise awareness about the disparities in maternal health outcomes experienced by Black women in America.
The week kicked off with a Proclamation from the White House recommitting to ending the maternal health crisis that is taking the lives of far too many of our Nation’s mothers. The Proclamation calls upon all Americans “to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States by understanding the consequences of institutional racism; recognizing the scope of this problem and the need for urgent solutions; amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women, families, and communities; and committing to building a world in which Black women do not have to fear for their safety, well-being, dignity, or lives before, during, and after pregnancy.”
Yesterday, Health News Illinois (HNI) hosted a discussion to examine Illinois’ maternal health crisis and discuss solutions to improve disparities in outcomes. A panel of experts, including Dr. Ngozi Ezike, CEO of Sinai Chicago and Illinois Dept. of Public Health’s Director, Dr. Sameer Vohra, highlighted the Department’s 2023 Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report, underscoring that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions than white women.
Panelists collectively emphasized the importance of better collaboration and coordination to address the crisis and disparities in outcomes, HNI reported. Dr. Ezike expanded on this, citing the importance of not only screening patients for social needs but collectively mapping out the community resources available, connecting patients to them and, finally, uplifting the important role community health workers play. Dr. Ezike also highlighted the vital importance of ongoing data collection with review, which she emphasized will help organization measure successes and identify areas in need of improvement.
Panelists also noted that the state’s proposed 1115 waiver, which is currently pending federal approval, would expand Medicaid to include new services that address health-related social needs and make a significant impact on reducing disparities.
The panel also included industry experts Matt Wolf, President of Molina Healthcare of Illinois, Jeanine Valrie Logan, Founder of Chicago South Side Birth Center, and Dr. Tracy Irwin, Medical Director of Reproductive Health at Erie Family Health Centers.
Click here to access recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on ways healthcare providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, states and communities, and the public can reduce factors that contribute to pregnancy-related complications and death.
Recall: Abbott/Thoratec Corp. Recalls Heart Pumps
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a Class I recall of a pair of heart devices linked to nearly 300 injuries and 14 reported deaths. The HeartMate II and HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Systems, manufactured by Thoratec Corp., a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories, are used to help the heart pump blood when it's not able to do so effectively on its own. The devices are being recalled due to an issue called Extrinsic Outflow Graft Obstruction, which happens when biological material builds up between the HeartMate Outflow Graft and the Outflow Graft Bend relief or additional components added during surgery. This buildup can obstruct the device, making it less effective in helping the heart pump blood. It can trigger alarms indicating low blood flow and affect the device's ability to help the heart properly. The accumulation of biological material typically occurs over two years or more. The recall impacts more than 13,880 devices.
COVID-19 Information
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) has launched a weekly Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard that will be updated weekly on Friday. This report provides the public with the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data.
Click here to visit the IDPH COVID-19 resources webpage. IDPH will continue to report the weekly number of people with COVID-19 admitted to hospitals from emergency departments, deaths and vaccinations, with COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information also reported through the dashboard of the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System.
Briefly Noted
Yesterday, the White House released the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy, outlining actions to prevent, detect and effectively respond to biological threats. By working with 50 nations worldwide and other stakeholders, the strategy will act as a guide to protect the country during a future pandemic, outbreak or biological threat.
RN annual median wage for all 50 states
Becker’s Hospital Review reported (4/16) that, “Registered nurses in the U.S. have a median annual wage of $86,070 annually and a median hourly wage of $41.38, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data, released April 3.”
Executive compensation at HCA, CHS, Tenet and UHS: 7 things to know
Becker’s Hospital Review reported (4/16) that, “Most of the top-earning executives, including CEOs and CFOs, at four of the largest for-profit health systems in the U.S. saw their overall compensation increase in 2023, according to proxy statements recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
How Cleveland Clinic uses Epic to prevent workplace violence
Becker’s Hospital Review reported (4/16) that, “In a move to bolster patient safety and caregiver well-being, Cleveland Clinic has integrated a feature within its Epic EHR system aimed at preparing staff for encounters with patients presenting known risks.”