IHA Daily Briefing: September 26

Ruth Colby Leadership Award Presented at IHA Leadership Summit

Recognizing excellence in leadership among senior-level women leaders, IHA honored Mary Starmann-Harrison with the Ruth Colby Excellence in Leadership Award yesterday. Starmann-Harrison led Hospital Sisters Health System as President and CEO before her retirement in 2021. The award was presented for the second year since Colby, who was President and CEO of Silver Cross Hospital and IHA Board Chair-Elect, passed away in 2023.

This award recognizes women hospital leaders for:

"I am humbled to accept this award in honor and memory of Ruth Colby," Starmann-Harrison said. "I am so grateful to my many past colleagues for their incredible leadership and unwavering commit to quality." She encouraged hospital leaders to "never stop learning from others, never stop improving even when things are going well, always believe that things can be done, and always stay focused on your mission and values."

IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi and IHA Board Chair Shawn Vincent, President and CEO of Loyola Medicine, presented Starmann-Harrison with the award. She was in healthcare administration for 42 years and served on the IHA Board of Trustees from 2016-2021. Starmann-Harrison was IHA Board Chair in 2019.

"We at IHA have been honored to have Mary's leadership on our Board of Trustees, including her service as Chair-a role in which she brought calm, courage and clarity during an important time in healthcare," Wilhelmi said. "Her leadership has consistently reflected integrity, grace and a fierce dedication to improving health for those in the communities she served."

IHA Honors Advocacy Award Recipients at Leadership Summit

Leaders from IHA-member health systems were honored for their outstanding advocacy efforts during an awards presentation at IHA Leadership Summit yesterday. The awards recognized three leaders for their tireless advocacy on behalf of the Illinois hospital community:

Gallagher received the Grassroots Champion award in recognition of his successful efforts to educate elected officials on how major issues impact the hospital community; broaden the base of community support for his health system; and tirelessly advocate for hospitals and patients.

Wilhelmi noted that Gallagher, who served as IHA Board Chair in 2023 and 2024, "led the charge for IHA in key meetings with the Governor and legislative leaders in 2023 when we were able to achieve a 10% Medicaid base rate increase for hospitals. J.P. also made the trip to Washington, D.C., last year and led the charge in our Hill visits with the Illinois Congressional delegation."

Antes and Uphoff received the Most Valuable PAC Player award that honors outstanding leaders who raise contributions on behalf of the IHA and American Hospital Association (AHA) Political Action Committees (PACs).

IHA thanks the three leaders for their dedication to advancing Illinois healthcare through advocacy.

Gov. Pritzker Releases Illinois Birth Equity Blueprint

Yesterday, Gov. JB Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Stratton, and the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) released the Illinois Birth Equity Blueprint-a roadmap the Administration says is designed to improve maternal healthcare and birth outcomes in Illinois. The blueprint builds upon the Illinois Birth Equity Initiative, and represents a multi-agency plan that identifies systemic inequities in maternal healthcare and birth outcomes due to systemic racism and geographic inequalities. The blueprint provides four strategic goals:

Driven to action by the data reported in the 2021 and 2023 Illinois Maternal Mortality and Morbidity reports and ongoing conversations in the community, Illinois launched the Illinois Birth Equity Initiative in February 2024 focused on improving maternal health outcomes and investing in birth equity programs and support services.

IMPORTANT: Medicaid IMPACT Revalidations Due Sept. 30

The Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is currently conducting IMPACT Medicaid provider revalidations. Providers in the September cohort must complete IMPACT revalidations by next Tuesday, Sept. 30. Completing this information is necessary to continue receiving Medicaid reimbursement. If you are in this revalidation cycle and do not submit your revalidation information by Sept. 30 you will be disenrolled from the IMPACT system and cannot receive retroactive enrollment. IHA urges all providers to check their revalidation cycle due date-including physicians and physician groups affiliated with your hospitals-and to check for any incomplete revalidations. NOTE: If a physician providing services at your hospital does not revalidate, your hospital will not receive payment for those services provided by that physician.

To check your revalidation due date, search the basic information page of your IMPACT enrollment. HFS has provided IHA with step-by-step instructions to check the status and due date of servicing providers that you can access here. The IMPACT Provider Revalidation website includes step-by-step instructions, a frequently asked questions document and a townhall webinar recording.

IDPH Launches New Safe Storage and Suicide Prevention Webpage

Reducing a suicidal person's access to highly lethal means is an integral part of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention. Increasing the time and distance between a person in suicidal crisis and their access to lethal means can reduce suicide risk and save lives. Strategies to reduce access to firearms among people at risk of suicide can be found at Illinois Dept. of Public Health's (IDPH) new Safe Storage and Suicide Prevention webpage, which was added under the Safe Storage section of the IDPH Gun Safety website.