IHA Daily Briefing: September 12

REGISTER: Sept. 29 Webinar Explores Digital Staffing Revolution
Advancing technology is reaching all corners of healthcare, including how hospitals and health systems manage staffing. A webinar from IHA Strategic Partner Medical Solutions will examine the ways technology is driving innovation across staffing challenges.

The complimentary webinar, "The Digital Staffing Revolution: How Technology Is Transforming Staffing as We Know It," will be held Sept. 29 from noon-1 p.m. CT. Karin Selfors-Thomann, Chief Client Officer at Medical Solutions, will lead the program addressing:

• How tech-enabled solutions can improve flexible work programs;
• Technology's role in recruitment and retention; and
• Evolution in the healthcare industry into the future.

Attend the free webinar for actionable insights to strengthen your workforce strategy and position your organization for long-term success. Register today.

Medical Solutions assists hospitals and health systems in building a staffing strategy that adapts to industry trends, optimizes care, and manages costs effectively. See IHA's flyer about Medical Solutions, an IHA Strategic Partner since 2018.

IHA, Small and Rural Leaders Meet to Discuss Fed. Rural Health Program

Yesterday, IHA leaders met with members of the IHA's Small and Rural Steering Committee, Small and Rural IHA board members and other Small and Rural Hospital representatives, to discuss the potential impact of the $50 billion, five-year Rural Health Transformation Program included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The dialogue and feedback from this meeting will be used to inform IHA's recommendations to the Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services' (HFS) on what should be included in the state's application to the federal government for the Rural Health Transformation funds. Small and rural leaders strongly underscored the need to prioritize these dollars for Illinois hospitals and ensure no rural community is left behind.

"We know how indispensable our 85 Small and Rural Hospitals are to the more than 1.6 million Illinoisans who rely on them. Your impact goes far beyond advancing health and wellness-you are often the primary source of good-paying jobs and a cornerstone of your communities' economic stability," said A.J. Wilhelmi, IHA President and CEO. "This meeting was instrumental to help us develop recommendations to make sure Illinois' application prioritizes the needs of Illinois' hospitals and the rural communities they serve."

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a website with details of the Rural Health Transformation Program, and additional program information can be found on the HFS Rural Health Transformation Program webpage.

Resources for Hospitals Regarding Upcoming ICE Enforcement Actions
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security's (DHS) recently announced the commencement of "Operation Midway Blitz," an immigration enforcement operation in Chicago as part of the Trump Administration's effort to target "sanctuary cities." A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling will let agents proceed with raids, including stopping or detaining people without "reasonable suspicion" that they are in the country illegally, by relying on race or ethnicity, or if they speak Spanish or English with an accent, among other factors. IHA has issued a memo providing information on related federal actions and resources for hospitals about how to respond to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities.

Staff contact: Karen Harris

IHA's A.J. Wilhelmi Joins Expert Panel to Discuss What's Next for Medicaid
Changes are coming to Medicaid. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to cut hundreds of billions from the Medicaid program and force millions from the program through work requirements, provider payment restrictions and more. What does it all mean for Illinois' Medicaid program? Health News Illinois has assembled a panel of experts who will meet Monday, Sept. 15 in Chicago to discuss the impact of this legislation. A.J. will be joined by:

• Elizabeth Whitehorn, Director, Department of Healthcare and Family Services
• Ashley Snavely, CEO, Illinois Health Care Association
• Jill Hayden, CEO, Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans
• Stephanie Altman, Of Counsel and former Director of Healthcare Justice and Senior Director of Policy, Shriver Center on Poverty Law
• Ollie Idowu, CEO, Illinois Primary Health Care Association

Click hereto register and access more program information.

FDA Guidance on Non-Opioid Options for Chronic Pain, Curb Misuse
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidance titled "Development of Non-Opioid Analgesics for Chronic Pain" to accelerate safe and effective non-opioid treatments and to reduce prescription-related opioid misuse. Despite recent declines, opioids remain commonly prescribed to about one in five U.S. adults who live with chronic pain as effective alternatives are limited, according to the FDA.

The new draft guidance emphasizes efficient drug development approaches, with specific attention to trial design, appropriate patient populations, and meaningful outcomes- such as reducing the need for opioid use.

The draft guidance outlines regulatory considerations related to:

• Establishing indications for different scopes (e.g., broader categories covering multiple chronic pain conditions versus individual chronic pain indications);
• Designing clinical trials that ensure robust evaluation of safety and efficacy, including innovative trial designs and the role of mechanistic understanding of both the drug and the chronic pain conditions being treated;
• Evaluating the ability of non-opioid drugs to avoid, reduce or eliminate opioid use; and
• Incorporating statistical principles, patient-reported outcomes and the use of expedited programs to support drug development in this area.

This guidance fulfills a mandate under Section 3001(b) of the SUPPORT Act, which requires the FDA to issue guidance to help address challenges related to developing non-opioid treatments for pain management. Stakeholders have 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register to submit feedback on the draft guidance electronically at https://www.regulations.gov or in writing to the Dockets Management Staff, referencing FDA-2025-D-0610 in the Federal Register notice.