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Connection Newsletter
By AzHHA Communications ● Sept. 28, 2023
Smart Brevity® count: 4 mins...1031 words
In this issue, you’ll find:
- An update about the potential government shutdown.
- How to reserve a room at a discounted rate for the 2023 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference before next week’s deadline.
- Details on Governor Hobbs withdrawing agency nominations.
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Potential government shutdown looms
The federal government is likely to officially shut down at midnight on Saturday.
- The U.S. House and Senate are on divergent paths to avoid a shutdown.
- The Republican controlled House is attempting to advance their fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget by moving individual spending bills one at a time. Speaker McCarthy has to flip some Freedom Caucus members who are opposed to the spending plan, including two of Arizona’s congressional representatives: Rep. Andy Biggs and Rep. Eli Crane.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is going in another direction, moving a “shell” that could serve as a stopgap spending bill. The House won’t like it, but it might be the only option to prevent a shutdown.
- The most recent shutdowns took place in 2018 (over 30 days) and 2013 (16 days).
Why it matters: What does this all mean for healthcare?
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released their contingency plan late last week, which includes furloughing just shy of half of their staff.
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says they have cash on hand to cover the first quarter of FY2024, which means through the end of the calendar year.
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Last chance to reserve a room at a discounted rate
Attending the 2023 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference? Time is running out to reserve your room at a discounted rate.
- You must reserve your room by Tuesday, Oct. 3. Book now.
The big picture:
📢Less than one month to register! Deadline is Friday, Oct. 13. Register today.
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Governor Hobbs withdraws agency nominations
What’s new: On Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, Governor Katie Hobbs penned a letter to Arizona Senate President Petersen, officially withdrawing her nominations for agency directors.
- According to her letter, the decision was prompted by the Committee on Director Nominations' refusal to review and approve appointments.
- Governor Hobbs elaborated on specific instances where candidates were held back due to partisan considerations.
Go deeper: Visit this page to read the full letter and the list of 13 nominations that were withdrawn.
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AzHHA releases DataGen reports
In relationship with DataGen, AzHHA distributes reports to hospitals based on information submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 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. DataGen generates hospital-specific reports which are sent to AzHHA hospital members as part of their membership.
The below reports were recently sent to members:
- FFY 2024 Medicare Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Final Rule Impact Analysis (sent 8/31/23)
- Critical Access Hospital and Small Rural PPS Utilization Analysis (sent 9/5/23)
- 2Q2023 Outpatient Quality Measure Trends Analysis (sent 9/12/23)
- 2Q2023 Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program Analysis (sent 9/13/23)
- Cost Report Model (sent 9/14/23)
- 2Q2023 Quality Measure Trends Analysis (sent 9/20/23)
- 2Q2023 Value-Based Purchasing Program Analysis (sent 9/20/23)
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New webinar series: Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements
What’s new: Starting next week, CDC’s Project Firstline is kicking off a five-part webinar series for healthcare professionals in collaboration with the American Medical Association.
Why it matters: The series will introduce the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements, a framework designed to help U.S. hospitals implement, monitor and optimize institutional sepsis programs and sepsis outcomes.
Go deeper: Learn more about the webinar series and register.
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RSV cases on the rise in Arizona
What’s new: The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is seeing a rise in RSV cases across the state.
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The current increase reflects three weeks of rising RSV case counts in Arizona, which in past seasons has marked the start of an RSV surge in hospitalizations.
Go deeper: Arizona clinicians should:
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Celebrating Deaf Awareness Month: Inclusion matters
September is Deaf Awareness Month.
Why it matters: This is a great time to reflect on policies and procedures your organization has in place to make sure you can meet the needs your patients.
- Need assistance creating a policy? Check out this sample policy to help ensure all patients, regardless of their individual needs and backgrounds, receive inclusive and accessible healthcare services.
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Wednesday, Oct. 11 - Improving maternal and neonatal safety webinar
This webinar will highlight the sobering statistics for both maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. This will be paired with current high reliability strategies of deference to expertise, high performance practices and continuous process improvement that can be used to optimize maternal and neonatal care. Register here.
Friday, Oct. 13 - Arizona Burn Symposium
The Arizona Burn Symposium is an opportunity for medical professionals to gather, learn and connect with experts in the field of burn care. The symposium features engaging speakers, informative panel discussions and interactive workshops that provide the latest advancements in burn care. Register today.
Thursday, Oct. 19 - Introduction to POLST
Join physician orders for life-sustaining treatment paradigm (POLST) for their one-hour virtual workshops equipping healthcare professionals with knowledge and resources to begin using POLST in Arizona. Register here.
Oct. 25-27 - 2023 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference
The 2023 Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference will once again be held at the exquisite Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson on Oct. 25-27. 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 now.
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