Connection newsletter 8-27-26

Connection Newsletter

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Connection Newsletter

By AzHHA Communications ● Aug. 27, 2026

Smart Brevity^® count: 5 mins...1293 words

This week, read about:

Next week’s early bird registration deadline for the 2026 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference.
The FDA developing generative AI guidance for healthcare.
Health system warning patients about a growing MyChart phishing scam.

Register now: Early bird deadline is Wednesday

Last chance to receive the early bird discount on registration for the 2026 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference.

What you need to know: You must register by Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, to receive the discount.

Take advantage of our buy five – get one free offer for teams.
We also offer early bird member ($600) rates.
Conference registration prices will increase next week, so don’t wait!

The big picture:

📅Oct. 21-23, 2026
📍El Conquistador Tucson, a Hilton Resort
📄Review the agenda

FDA developing generative AI guidance for healthcare

Illustration of a neon sign in the shape of a yellow plus with an information "i" in the center.

Generative AI is rapidly making its way into healthcare products, clinical tools and medical devices.

Why it matters: As adoption grows, developers and healthcare organizations have been seeking clearer regulatory expectations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

What's happening: The FDA is actively developing formal guidance for medical devices that use generative AI, according to Rick Abramson, director of the agency's Digital Health Center of Excellence.

The agency plans to issue both broad guidance covering generative AI technologies as a whole and more specialized guidance focused on specific applications that may present unique challenges or risks.

Between the lines: The FDA is reportedly considering a competency-based approach to regulation, signaling an effort to create flexible oversight that can keep pace with rapidly evolving AI capabilities while maintaining patient safety.

What they're saying: Abramson emphasized that the healthcare ecosystem is looking for greater clarity and that the FDA intends to provide it through formal policy guidance.

The bottom line: Clearer FDA rules could reduce uncertainty for innovators, accelerate responsible AI adoption and help establish a consistent framework for bringing generative AI-powered healthcare solutions to market.

Go deeper: Read the article from STAT (subscription required).

Health systems warn patients about growing MyChart phishing scam

Healthcare organizations across the U.S. are alerting patients to a surge in phishing attacks that imitate MyChart, one of the nation's most widely used patient portals.

Why it matters: The scams highlight the growing cybersecurity risks facing patients and health systems alike.

What's happening: More than a dozen health systems have issued warnings about fraudulent emails posing as MyChart.

The messages use MyChart branding and logos to appear legitimate, often promoting a free "senior health package" or "MyChart Medicare kit" in an effort to collect personal information from patients.

How it works: Recipients are encouraged to click a link to claim an offer, which directs them to a website requesting sensitive personal information.

Health systems note that suspicious emails may contain spelling errors, unusual wording or unfamiliar sender addresses.

What they're saying: Epic, the developer of MyChart, says the increase in scams reflects criminals exploiting the popularity of the MyChart brand, not a security issue with the platform itself.

The company advises users to verify senders, be skeptical of unsolicited offers and avoid sharing personal information through unexpected messages.

The bottom line: As AI enables more convincing phishing attempts, patient awareness remains one of the strongest defenses against healthcare-related cyber fraud.

Federal vaccine policy debate comes as Arizona childhood immunization rates decline

Illustration of gloved hand holding a megaphone.

Federal health leaders are reconsidering how vaccine recommendations are made, while Arizona continues to see declining childhood vaccination rates that could increase the risk of disease outbreaks.

What's happening: On Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requested public input on the framework used for federal vaccine recommendations.

The review examines whether current categories, including routine, risk-based and shared clinical decision-making recommendations, should be updated, along with how evidence, informed consent and communication are handled.

The backdrop: The move follows broader federal discussions on childhood vaccination policy.

Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposed changes to the childhood immunization schedule earlier this year, those changes are currently on hold following a federal court stay.
Providers should continue following the July 2, 2025 CDC schedule.

By the numbers: Only 87.4% of Arizona kindergartners received the recommended two-dose MMR vaccine for the 2025-26 school year, below the national rate of 92.4% and under the 95% level associated with strong community immunity. Just 28.1% of Arizona schools met that threshold.

The bottom line: Healthcare providers should continue following current guidance while monitoring potential federal policy changes.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 – Deadline for AzPHA Public Health Awards nominations
The Arizona Public Health Association (AzPHA) is accepting nominations for its 2026 Public Health Awards to recognize the people and organizations whose dedication, leadership, service and impact deserve to be celebrated. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at The Social Hall in Tempe. Submit your nomination today.

Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026 - Inpatient Diabetes Care Learning Collaborative
Join the American Diabetes Association for a free learning opportunity that will provide a practical overview of a comprehensive inpatient diabetes care program, with targeted approaches for high-risk patient populations. The featured speaker for this session is Lahey Clinic. Register now.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 and Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 – Alzheimer’s and Dementia in Practice: Bridging the Gap Between Diagnosis and Treatment
Yavapai County Community Health Services is hosting two free, three-hour professional development classes in Cottonwood and Prescott to learn from medical experts in the field of Alzheimer’s and dementia on how to bridge the gap between early diagnosis and effective treatment by improving screening practices and connecting patients and caregivers with valuable resources. Register here for the Cottonwood session on Sept. 11 and register here for the Prescott session on Sept. 12.

Sept. 12, Sept. 19 and Oct. 3, 2026 – AzNA Regional Townhalls
Join the Arizona Nurses Association (AzNA) for its regional townhalls in September and October. Townhalls will be held in Phoenix, Flagstaff and Yuma. Board reports and networking will take place at all three events, and the full business meeting (including the induction of new board members) will occur in Phoenix. Learn more and register.

Monday, Sept. 14, 2026 – Arizona summit on workforce resilience
Registration is now open for “Resilient Together: Arizona Summit on Behavioral Health Workforce Well-being,” which will take place in Tucson, Ariz. In partnership with the Opioid Response Network, La Frontera Center and the ASU School of Social Work, this full-day summit will focus on supporting the resilience of our behavioral health workforce. Continuing education credit is available.

Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 – AzONL 2026 Summit
The Arizona Organization of Nurse Leaders (AzONL) will hold it’s 2026 summit at Mayo Clinic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. The event’s theme is “Bridging Generations, Building Leaders” and will also include naming the 2026 AzONL Nursing Leadership in Action Award winners. Register today.

Oct. 21-23 – 2026 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference
The 2026 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference will be held at the El Conquistador Tucson, a Hilton Resort on Oct. 21-23. This will be an inspirational gathering of more than 200 hospital and healthcare executives seeking opportunities for continuing education, meaningful discussion and relationship building. Register by Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, to receive the early bird discount.