IHA Daily Briefing: August 19

NEXT WEEK: IHA, Medical Solutions Workforce Strategy Forum Aug. 27
Workforce strategy impacts every measure of organizational performance, from access to care and patient flow to financial stability and staff retention. An in-person event next Thursday hosted by IHA, IHA Strategic Partner Medical Solutions and Exigent Medical Education will drill down into strategies that support staff and patients, hospital operations, and organizational performance.

"Shaping the Future Healthcare Workforce: A Leadership Forum " will be held at Northern Illinois University's Naperville campus, where IHA's office is located, from 9 a.m.-4 pm. CT on Aug. 27. The forum is designed for hospital and health system executives and HR, physician, and nursing leaders. Sessions will cover:

• The connection between workforce pressures to key organizational outcomes;
• Workforce culture, team performance, and the ability to recruit and retain staff; and
• Data, technology, governance, and targeted workforce strategies to support workforce planning, decision-making, and operational flexibility.

An Illinois-specific workforce session will feature leaders from Endeavor Health Edward Hospital, Loyola Medicine and Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital discussing workplace violence prevention. There is no fee to attend. Register today.

Staff contact: Patrick Sonin

Gov. Pritzker Signs Bills to Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
On Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law three bills expanding access to sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) across the state, while also implementing more comprehensive orders of protection for survivors of domestic violence, and identification and intervention protocols for cases of high-risk intimate partner violence.

The Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA) is regularly updated by a working group led by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, which includes representatives from the IHA and Illinois hospitals, as well as medical professionals, advocates, and attorneys. As part of the group's ongoing effort to address the shortage of SANEs, SB 3506 was passed and signed yesterday to make sexual assault examinations more accessible across Illinois by allowing for additional telehealth options, including:

• Allows a hospital or approved pediatric healthcare facility to submit a plan for the use of a TeleSANE interactive telecommunications system to the Illinois Dept. of Public Health.
• Clarifies that a medical forensic examination for a sexual assault survivor age 13 or older can be performed by a trained in-person examiner and supervised by a qualified medical provider through the use of a TeleSANE interactive telecommunications system.

SB 3506 also clarifies language around patient consent for medical forensic examinations. In cases where a medical provider determines that a survivor is without decisional capacity, the patient can still receive an examination with the consent of a guardian, spouse, or power of attorney. The Governor also signed the following bills into law:

• SB 3044: Strengthens protections for survivors of domestic violence and harassment by closing a legal loophole that occurs between emergency and final orders of protection.
• SB 3048: Creates safeguards for those at the highest risk of being seriously injured or killed by an intimate partner.

To read the full announcement, click here.

FDA Seeking Feedback on Generative AI-enabled Medical Devices
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking public feedback on a discussion paper it released yesterday that outlines potential regulatory approaches for generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)-enabled medical devices. The paper presents several areas of consideration including risk assessment, premarket evaluation, post-market monitoring and other topics related to the regulation of GenAI-enabled medical devices. The FDA intends to collect stakeholder input and use the feedback to advance broader discussion on policy frameworks for generative AI. Click here to view the discussion paper, learn more about the process and submit feedback. Comments must be submitted by Oct. 19.

HHS Announces Funding Support for Peer Support Prevention Services
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) today announced it is now approving federal matching dollars for states that pursue coverage under two new peer support programs that have been added to the Title-IV Prevention Services Clearinghouse. ACF has determined that two new peer support interventions meet the evidence standards to be included in the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse, enabling states to claim federal matching funds when delivering these services, including:

Family-Based Recovery: This is an intensive in-home clinical treatment to support parents of children ages 0-5 with the chronic disease of addiction. The treatment allows a parent to receive the help they need, including a weekly peer support meeting, while ensuring children develop in a safe, substance-free, and stable home with their parents.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP): WRAP is a facilitated peer group program, delivered by trained peer facilitators, designed to support individuals in the areas of mental health and the chronic disease of addiction. The program coaches individuals through recovery concepts and helps participants respond to and recover from crises.

Family-Based Recovery and WRAP join two other programs that feature peer support already included in the Clearinghouse with a Supported rating, Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) and Parents Anonymous.

In Illinois, Certified Peer Recovery Specialists can be certified and reimbursed under Medicaid when working under providers licensed to offer Substance Use Treatment Services under 77 Ill. Adm. Code 2060.

IDPH FAST PHACT Webinar: Summer Safety - From Cyclospora to Critters and Cooling Shelters
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) continues to host its series of clinician-directed interactive info sessions on timely emerging and high-impact public health issues that directly involve clinical care or health system considerations.

The FAST PHACT (Public Health Allied Clinician Talks) webinar titled "Summer Safety: From Cyclospora to Critters and Cooling Shelters" will be held tomorrow, Aug. 20, from noon-1 p.m. CT.

The webinar will focus on:

• Increasing clinician awareness of their role during outbreak investigations such as cyclospora, salmonella and measles.
• Enhancing knowledge of tick prevention and emerging diseases associated with them.
• Improving practices around rabies prophylaxis and managing bat exposures. Reviewing heat and air quality impact and management.

All healthcare professionals are invited to participate. Up to one credit hour of Continuing Medical Education credit is available with live webinar attendance and completion of the post-webinar survey and quiz. To register and view a list of upcoming webinars, click here.

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

Becton Dickinson (BD) is recommending certain convenience kits be corrected prior to continued use by removing components affected by the Huons Co., Ltd. recall of potentially compromised sodium chloride ampules. Sterility concerns related to the sodium chloride injection may expose patients to microorganisms, endotoxins, and/or foreign matters generated during manufacturing, which could cause serious injury or death. As of July 29, BD has not reported any serious injuries or deaths associated with this issue.