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Connection Newsletter
By AzHHA Communications ● March 27, 2025
Smart Brevity® count: 7.5 mins...1999 words
This week, read about:
- Striker season being upon us in the legislative session.
- The heads of NIH and FDA being confirmed and a Senate vote expected on CMS head soon.
- The Arizona Transition to Practice Program being featured in two articles in a peer-reviewed journal.
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Striker season is upon us
We’ve officially reached Day 74 of the legislative session, and while we’re seeing slow progress, it’s clear we still have a few more months to go before the finish line.
- As of this week, 13 bills have been passed — 12 signed into law and 1 vetoed.
- Although it has been a slow start to the signing and veto season, we expect these numbers to increase significantly in the coming weeks.
One notable success: HB2173, an AzHHA-supported bill, has passed both chambers and was transmitted to the Governor on Wednesday.
- This bill, widely supported across the healthcare industry, ensures that medical licensing boards cannot require disclosure of past behavioral health treatment or diagnoses.
- While the medical board already follows this practice, HB2173 will formally codify it into law across all Arizona healthcare boards — a decisive step forward in protecting provider privacy.
We’re also closely monitoring two key pieces of legislation: SB1219 and SB1291.
- Both are AzHHA priorities and received unanimous approval in the House Health and Human Services Committee last week.
- We anticipate these bills will continue on a clear path toward the ninth floor.
Senate vacancy update – Legislative District 9: As many of you know, Senator Eva Burch resigned earlier this month.
- On Thursday, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Kiana Sears to fill the vacancy.
- Sears brings experience in both academics and public administration, and we’ll be watching closely as she steps into her new role.
Members-only Friday legislative updates: Don’t forget — AzHHA hosts a members-only Friday afternoon call to provide real-time updates on legislative happenings, insights into the upcoming week and opportunities to engage.
- If you're a hospital member and would like to join, please don't hesitate to contact Damien Johnson, director of government relations, at [email protected].
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Heads of NIH and FDA confirmed; Senate vote on CMS head expected soon
On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Marty Makary, M.D., to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Why it matters: The policy and programmatic decisions made by the heads of these highly impactful Health and Human Services agencies will have significant implications for hospitals.
- Reductions in federal research funding and shifting research priorities will affect hospitals relying on such funding and research collaboration.
- FDA modifications to approval processes and the regulation of drugs and devices as well as shifting healthcare priorities will influence the treatment options hospitals rely on.
Dr. Bhattacharya, confirmed to lead the NIH, is a professor of medicine at Stanford University who has focused his research on the economics of healthcare systems.
- Although the Trump administration has significantly downsized NIH staff and reduced research funding, in light of a recent court order, Dr. Bhattacharya stated that he would reconsider some of the funding cuts to universities and grantees.
- Dr. Bhattacharya explained his intention to focus NIH research on combating conditions such as obesity, heart disease and cancer.
- He also stressed the importance of ensuring that the research supported by the NIH is "replicable, reproducible and generalizable," asserting that "much modern biomedical science fails this basic test."
Dr. Makary, confirmed commissioner of the FDA, is a professor of surgery and public health at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and author of several books advocating for healthcare system reform.
- During his confirmation hearing, Dr. Makary emphasized returning the FDA to a "gold standard of trusted science, transparency and common sense" notwithstanding recent workforce cuts.
- Although Dr. Makary voiced concerns regarding certain COVID-19 vaccination strategies, he asserted at the hearing that he supports the benefits of vaccines.
- Dr. Makary also pledged to address how food affects health, indicating a commitment to evaluating chemicals in food.
What’s next: The Senate Finance Committee has voted along party lines to advance the nomination of Mehmet Oz, M.D., to become the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to the full Senate.
- At the hearing, Dr. Oz again dodged questions on whether he supports $880 billion in cuts called for the in the House budget resolution.
- A vote in the full Senate on Dr. Oz’s confirmation is expected soon.
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Arizona Transition to Practice Program featured in two articles in a peer-reviewed journal
Earlier this month, two articles co-authored by members of our care improvement team were published in Nursing Administration Quarterly, a peer-reviewed journal:
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Leveraging State Legislation to Impact Workforce Shortages, co-authored by Vicki Buchda, MS, RN, NEA-BC, SVP, Care Improvement, AzHHA, about how AzHHA leveraged the legislative process to obtain funding for the workforce programs.
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Addressing the Unique Challenges of a Statewide Nurse Transition to Practice Program, co-authored by Vicki Buchda, MS, RN, NEA-BC, SVP, Care Improvement, and Karen Ofafa, EdD, MPH, BSN, RN, director, Transition to Practice Program at AzHHA, which contains an overview of the Arizona Transition to Practice Program.
These articles were a collaboration with OpusVi, who is our curriculum partner for the Arizona Transition to Practice Program.
By the numbers: The Arizona Transition to Practice Program has already achieved an astounding 94% retention rate among program participants.
Go deeper: Read the full case study on OpusVi’s website for more information on how this strategic approach to transition to practice is driving measurable results statewide.
The big picture: The Arizona Transition to Practice Program is made possible by funding and support by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and the Governor’s Office. We are grateful for their backing so we can tackle this important work.
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Welcome to new AzHHA member, College Medical Center Phoenix!
AzHHA is excited to announce the addition of College Medical Center Phoenix (CMCP) to hospital membership and the larger behavioral health community.
- Formerly known as St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Center under Steward Healthcare, CMCP is now proudly owned and operated by College Health Enterprises, which also oversees four other hospitals in California.
Get to know CMCP: The hospital, located in central Phoenix, is dedicated to serving both voluntary and court-ordered behavioral health patients, with plans to staff up and expand its services to pediatrics, adolescents, adults and senior adults once all units are operational.
- This transformation marks a significant step forward in providing behavioral healthcare to Arizona, and we eagerly look forward to the positive impact CMCP will bring.
Join us in welcoming College Medical Center Phoenix!
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Attend the AHA Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Membership Meeting will be held from May 4-6, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Why it matters: Join AzHHA at the event and on our Arizona delegation Hill visits. This is an important way we can make sure our collective voice is heard at the federal level.
The big picture: The meeting will feature insightful conversations with policymakers, legislators and thought leaders on our most pressing issues.
- You’ll connect with decision makers who create, shape and implement healthcare policy and influence the political landscape.
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Great leaders in healthcare recognized
Steve Purves, president and CEO of Valleywise Health and AzHHA board member, was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the “Great Leaders in Healthcare” for 2025, one of only four in Arizona.
- Steve is recognized for helping reshape Arizona’s safety net health system.
- Facing a dire financial situation upon initially taking the president and CEO role, he spearheaded cost-cutting and operational improvements that resulted in over $170 million in fiscal improvements, setting the stage for expansion without major staffing cuts, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The new Valleywise Health Medical Center opened in April 2024, a 10-story, 673,000 square-foot facility featuring 233 private patient rooms and a state-of-the-art Arizona Burn Center, which is the largest civilian burn unit in the country.
Congratulations, Steve!
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AzHHA releases DataGen report
In relationship with DataGen, AzHHA distributes reports to hospitals based on information submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. DataGen generates hospital-specific reports which are sent to AzHHA hospital members as part of their membership.
Why it matters: This data helps hospitals understand the financial impact of proposed changes and annual updates.
- The reports can also assist in preparing budgets or benchmarking results with other similar organizations.
The below report was recently sent to members:
- Medicare FFS Margins Analysis 4Q2024 (sent Wednesday, March 12, 2025)
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Member spotlight: Summit Healthcare
Summit Healthcare’s groundbreaking project, “An Emergency Department Story of Success with Peer Support - All We Did Was Say Yes,” has been awarded first place at the Human Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Communities Opioid Resource Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank Reverse Site Visit, held on March 4-5, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
- The presentation was delivered by Lindsay Westbrook, lead peer support specialist at Hope Inc., and Sean Hopler, RN, director of emergency services at Summit Healthcare. (Lindsay and Sean are pictured in the front row in the above picture.)
Why it matters: Launched in March 2023, the program integrates peer support specialists into the Emergency Department, inpatient floors and surrounding communities and is part of a $1 million RCORP Implementation Grant awarded in September 2022.
- The program has demonstrated measurable success, including reduced Emergency Department wait times, fewer repeat visits, faster placements in treatment facilities and millions in Medicaid cost savings.
By the numbers: Since its inception, the program has received 495 referrals, with 440 from the Emergency Department and hospital, and 56 from the community.
Congratulations on this tremendous achievement!
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Thursday, April 3 - AzPHA Annual Conference
This year’s conference theme is “building an innovative and inclusive infrastructure for the public health of the future” and will feature topics such as using AI to enhance public health practice and population outcomes, data infrastructure and informatics, public health workforce and engaging public health professionals. Register now.
April 15-16 - 2025 Arizona Immunization Conference
This one-of-a-kind event provides education and resources so you can better understand the challenges around vaccine confidence and leave the conference encouraged by the success stories from around the state. Join over 500 attendees at the 2025 conference. Register here.
Tuesday, April 29 - Hospital Capacity Management Consortium
This free virtual event is the opportunity to connect with other healthcare capacity management professionals to innovate, find out what works and drive the field to create safer, more efficient hospitals. Register today.
Wednesday, May 13 - AHA Workshop: Community health and the environment
The workshop will be held in Scottsdale, Ariz. and will bring together frontline hospital leaders in community health strategy, population health and emergency planning to better understand opportunities and challenges related to addressing community health and the environment. Interested in attending? Contact Sean Thorton or Andrew Jager.
Wednesday, May 28 - Introduction to POLST
Join physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) paradigm for their one-hour virtual workshops equipping healthcare professionals with knowledge and resources to begin using POLST in Arizona. Register here.
Sept. 7-12 - National Tribal Health Conference
This is a week-long event that serves American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the space of health - behavioral and public health. The conference will showcase the interconnectedness of policy, advocacy and Indian health best practices. Register by Saturday, April 12, 2025, to receive the early bird rate.
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