IHA Daily Briefing: October 1

President's Address: Facing Disruption from Every Direction

As hospitals face mounting disruption from every direction, it will be critical for hospital leaders to connect key stakeholders in their communities to share their story and help them understand what hospitals make possible every single day, A.J. Wilhelmi, IHA President and CEO, emphasized during his President's Address today at IHA's Leadership Summit.

Reflecting the Summit's theme, "Navigating Disruption Together," Wilhelmi pointed to federal Medicaid cuts, workforce pressures, medical liability costs and continued threats to the 340B program. Across these issues, he said, the central question remains: "What's at stake?"

"That question has guided much of IHA's advocacy this year and the answer has remained consistent: What's at stake is the ability of hospitals to continue investing in their communities," said Wilhelmi. "What's at stake is ensuring that every Illinois patient-regardless of where they live or their ability to pay-can receive high-quality care close to home. That is our North Star. And that North Star keeps us focused on what's important to the people you serve-and working with policymakers at every level of government to protect access to care."

Wilhelmi highlighted passage of Illinois' 340B law as a major advocacy victory made possible by sustained engagement from hospital leaders and staff. With pharmaceutical manufacturers now challenging the law in court and seeking its suspension during the veto session, he called on members to keep speaking up.

"This campaign reminded us that advocacy doesn't end when a bill is signed into law. That means we have to continue telling our story," Wilhemi emphasized. "Invite your legislators into your hospitals before there's a crisis-and a need for their vote. Help people understand what hospitals make possible every single day. Because when the community understands your value before a legislative fight begins, our advocacy is much more effective-especially when the stakes are high."

Wilhelmi underscored that shared challenges require shared solutions, saying that the hospital community is stronger when it acts together.

"We can't view these challenges through the lens of individual organizations. They are shared challenges requiring shared solutions. And so, our collective advocacy must make it crystal clear to policymakers across the state that their decisions have real-world consequences on all hospitals and on access to care for their constituents," Wilhelmi said.

See IHA's Summit recap on our social media channels X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Brenda Wolf Honored with IHA's Ruth Colby Leadership Award

Recognizing excellence in leadership among senior-level women leaders, IHA honored Brenda Wolf, who led La Rabida Children's Hospital before her retirement in 2023, with the 2026 "Ruth Colby Excellence in Leadership Award."

The Ruth Colby Excellence in Leadership Award recognizes a woman hospital leader who has made distinguished contributions to healthcare leadership in Illinois; who has a demonstrated passion for improving community health; and has a passion for mentoring and developing aspiring women leaders in healthcare.

"I'm truly honored and grateful to receive this recognition," said Wolf. "This award means a lot to me, even more so because of its namesake, Ruth Colby….I will always think about the special person she was and how she led. She was strong and stated her opinion, she cared and was innovative, and she thought outside the box. Receiving this award is so much more meaningful because of that."

IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi presented Wolf with the award, emphasizing, "Brenda Wolf is an extraordinary healthcare leader and tireless champion for children. She has spent her career improving the lives of children with complex medical needs and the families who care for them. She has led with purpose, invested in her community, and mentored women as they forged their career in healthcare. Brenda's leadership is grounded in compassion, partnership and an unwavering commitment to serving others."

For more than 35 years, Wolf served in a wide range of leadership roles at Chicago's La Rabida Children's Hospital, culminating in 12 years as President and CEO. Throughout her tenure, Brenda worked tirelessly to ensure the well-being and long-term sustainability of La Rabida, which primarily serves families from low-income communities. She earned her MBA with concentrations on Health Administration and Marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Wolf served on the IHA Board from 2013-2022.

IHA established the "Ruth Colby Excellence in Leadership Award" in 2024, in honor of Colby's tremendous legacy within the Illinois hospital community. Prior to her passing in 2023, Colby was the Silver Cross Hospital President and CEO, and widely recognized as a visionary and respected healthcare leader.

See IHA's Summit recap on our social media channels X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

IHA Leadership Summit: 'The Choice Ahead' Keynote Address

Daredevils, visionaries and madmen may come to mind when thinking about society's disruptors, yet it's often achieved by regular people following common behaviors, said Scott Anthony, global innovation expert and clinical professor of strategy at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business, at IHA Leadership Summit today.

Anthony identified those behaviors-curiosity, customer obsession, collaboration, adept in ambiguity and perseverance-as he anchored the keynote session in what defines disruptive innovation: taking things that are complicated and expensive and making them more affordable and accessible.

"Twenty-six years ago, disruption happened in pockets, now it is pervasive," Anthony said. "It is the phenomenon that is affecting every organization in the world."

Anthony encouraged hospital leaders to conduct a pre-mortem thought experiment on a change your organization is looking to make or new process you'd like to adopt. "What's the worst possible thing that could happen? It costs nothing and involves zero risk."

Thought leader Craig Deao, managing director with the global consulting firm Huron, joined Anthony in presenting the session, "The Choice Ahead: Own Your Future or Be Disrupted by It." He emphasized taking time to "write down what's core to the fabric" of your organization, what differentiates it from others.

Which service lines are part of your core identity and which ones aren't, Deao asked, noting it "takes great humility" to acknowledge that your organization can't drive all service lines. Consider partnering on a service line your organization cannot sustain or discontinuing it, he said.

Moving toward a future vision "starts with one person doing one thing-that's how change happens," said Anthony.

See IHA's Summit recap on our social media channels X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

CMS Finalizes New Drug Payment Model

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is finalizing a new drug payment model, the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model, which uses an alternative method for calculating Medicare Part B drug inflation rebate amounts for certain separately payable Medicare Part B drugs and biological products. CMS said these are medications typically administered by clinicians in healthcare settings. The model tests an alternative approach to the Original Medicare Part B drug inflation rebate calculation for selected drugs using international drug pricing information to identify a benchmark that reflects prices paid in a set of economically comparable countries. The GLOBE Model will operate for five years, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and ending March 31, 2032, with pharmaceutical manufacturer rebate invoicing and reconciliation continuing until March 31, 2034. Click here to view the final rule.

Joint Commission Launches Food Recognition Program

Joint Commission this week announced the launch of a new, voluntary recognition program, which supports healthcare organizations in improving their approach to food and nutrition. The Joint Commission said the program advances a multi-tiered recognition of hospitals and care settings that integrate healthy, delicious, and clinically appropriate food into their operations, culture, and community engagement. The goal of the Commitment to Healthy and Enticing Food (CHEF) program is to elevate and restore the role of healthy and enticing food as a critical component of patient satisfaction, patient safety, quality improvement, and overall health outcomes. For more information on the CHEF program, 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

Two new briefs from the American Hospital Association (AHA) outline field-tested strategies on strengthening supply chain resilience and hospital capacity readiness to maintain quality of care during public health emergencies. The briefs were developed from focused discussions with healthcare leaders with expertise in supply chain and group purchasing and distribution, along with public health officials, emergency management professionals, and other stakeholders across the field. Click here to access these resources.

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