Illinois Health and Hospital Association

07/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/21/2026 14:40

IHA Daily Briefing: July 21

IHA Leadership Summit: Hear from National Experts and Peer Leaders
From game-changing disruption to the imperative of telling your hospital's story, IHA Leadership Summit on Oct. 1-2 will feature national experts with essential insights and strategies to strengthen hospitals. You'll also hear from peer leaders at Illinois hospitals and health systems.

Global innovation expert Scott Anthony and consultant Craig Deao, a noted thought leader, will present the keynote session, "The Choice Ahead: Own Your Future or Be Disrupted By It," on how leading organizations across industries are responding to disruption.

Illinois hospital and health system leaders will expand on the topic, discussing the strategic discipline needed to lead and the industry-wide policies and targeted investments needed to strengthen sustainability. CEO panelists will be:

  • Deborah Graves, President and CEO, Memorial Hospital Belleville | Shiloh;
  • Tom Jackiewicz, President and CEO, University of Chicago Health System;
  • José R. Sánchez, President and CEO, Humboldt Park Health, Chicago;
  • Kevin Zachary, CEO, JCH HealthCare, Jerseyville; and
  • Damond Boatwright, President and CEO, Hospital Sisters Health System, Springfield, and Chair, IHA Board of Trustees (moderator).

Other noted speakers include communications and operations expert Michael Hildebrand on "Public Perception and the Importance of Telling Your Hospital's Story" and Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Gretchen Evans-one of the most highly decorated women to serve in the U.S. Army-on "The Life-Changing Power of Your Rope Team."

Learn more about the speakers and session at this year's Summit-and bring your team with reduced registration rates. Register today.

Staff contact: David Strickland

Save the Date: IHA-MAPS PSO Legal Webinar on Sept. 10
Save the date for a Sept. 10 complimentary legal webinar, "The Legal Value of PSO Membership and State Reporting Mandates," hosted by IHA and Midwest Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS) Patient Safety Organization (PSO). This session will feature Wesley R. Butler, JD, a nationally renowned PSO attorney, who will discuss the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 fundamentals, current case law and Illinois mandatory state reporting.

The program is open to all IHA members and Illinois healthcare providers and is intended for risk professionals; patient safety managers and leadership; clinical staff involved in PSO/state reporting; and internal and external legal counsel.

IHA is offering this webinar through our component patient safety organization, MAPS PSO, which has been providing support since 2015. Nurse continuing education credit and minimum continuing legal education credit are available. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

HHS: Uptick in Use of Vishing to Attach HPH Sector
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) is alerting the healthcare and public health (HPH) sector to elevated cyber threat actor risks due to an observed uptick in the use of "vishing" to gain access to HPH systems. Vishing scams happen over the phone, voice email or voice over internet protocol calls. Threat actors manipulate victims into providing information that allows them to access their contact lists, mobile applications and password information. Click here to view the most recent HHS cybersecurity newsletter for information to help keep your systems secure.

Illinois Respiratory Disease Surveillance Data

The Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard from the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) provides the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data. IDPH also tracks COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information through the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System dashboard.

Briefly Noted

Baxter has issued a letter to affected customers recommending certain Duo-Vent solution sets be removed from where they are used or sold. Baxter has identified certain lots of Duo-Vent solution sets that may have air bubbles in the drip chamber and tubing when a pressure cuff is in use or when the tubing is flushed at the fully open position. No deaths or injuries related to this issue have been reported at this time.

Leading the News

What makes patients choose 1 hospital over another?

Becker's Hospital Review

Most patients decide on a hospital before settling on a physician - or land on both in the same step - when they first encounter a new health concern, according to survey results U.S. News & World Report published July 20.

3 decisions health systems need to make before 2027: Deloitte

Becker's Hospital Review

Health system leaders should focus on three strategic decisions during the second half of 2026 to strengthen operations heading into 2027, according to Deloitte's midyear healthcare outlook, published July 16.

Illinois AFL-CIO makes endorsements after putting Democrats on pause

Chicago Tribune

The Illinois AFL-CIO on Monday issued endorsements for the Nov. 3 general election, a month after saying it was deferring support for statewide and legislative candidates in a stinging rebuke to the state's Democratic Party rule.

Illinois Health and Hospital Association published this content on July 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 21, 2026 at 20:40 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]