IHA Daily Briefing: October 13

ICAHN to Host October Information Sessions on RHTP Technology Innovation

The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) is preparing to launch the next phase of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) technology innovation project, beginning with important activities that will help shape future funding opportunities and grant applications for eligible rural hospitals. To help hospitals prepare, ICAHN will host two virtual information sessions on Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. CT and Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m. CT.

The sessions will provide an overview of the technology innovation project, outline what eligible hospitals can expect in the coming months, and explain how the initial activities will support upcoming funding opportunities. All eligible rural hospitals are encouraged to participate to better understand the process, upcoming expectations, and next steps.

Registration is required. Both webinars will cover the same information, so participants may select whichever date and time works best and register for just one session. Click hereto register.

Webinar Tomorrow with HHS/CMS Officials on Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will host a webinar tomorrow, Oct. 14 at noon CT during which representatives from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will discuss the voluntary Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge and how hospitals can participate.

Among other items, the pledge asks hospitals to align patient food services with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; work to ensure inpatient meals meet individual nutritional needs and support healing, recovery and long-term health; and provide accessible nutrition resources and education as part of discharge planning to help patients sustain healthy habits. The pledge was launched in April.

During the webinar, HHS and CMS officials will provide an overview of the pledge, address frequently asked questions and share promising practices from hospitals working to create healthier food environments for patients, employees and visitors. The webinar will include an opportunity for hospital leaders to ask questions about the pledge.

Click here to register for the Oct. 14 webinar. After your registration is approved, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for how to join the webinar. If you have questions, please contact the AHA at 800-424-4301 or by emailing mailto:[email protected].

CMS Releases 2027 Medicare Advantage, Part D Star Ratings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released 2027 Medicare Advantage plan information, including star ratings, through the Medicare Plan Finder. With Medicare open enrollment beginning Oct. 15, the data can help Medicare beneficiaries evaluate their coverage options, including available MA plans and Traditional Medicare for 2027. Star ratings for MA plans assess plan performance across a range of quality and patient experience measures using data from the previous three years. According to CMS, approximately 42% of MA plans, representing nearly 71% of MA enrollees, earned an overall rating of four stars or higher. Click here to access a CMS fact sheet with additional information.

FAST PHACT SESSION: Fall Respiratory Season Webinar

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 "Fall Respiratory Season Webinar" will be held this Thursday, Oct. 15 from noon-1 p.m. CT. Learning objectives include:

• Providing understanding of the current state guidance for fall respiratory viral vaccines and practice implications.
• Reviewing updated testing, treatment, and preparedness tools and resources for decision making.
• Understanding the epidemiology of recent respiratory viral seasons in Illinois and the anticipated trends of the 2026-2027 season.

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.

Critical Vulnerability Discovered in Certain Citrix Products

A new critical vulnerability has been discovered in Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway products that could allow cyber actors to take remote control of a victim's system or deny service under specific configuration conditions. The vulnerability scored a 9.5 out of 10 under the Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The company is strongly urging affected customers to upgrade the impacted products to recommended versions as soon as possible. As of Oct. 8, Citrix said it is unaware of any unmitigated exploits of the vulnerability.

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

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services recently launched the Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit Program to provide families with a one-time kit of essential newborn postpartum supplies, maternal health items, and information and resources. Each NEST Kit includes practical supplies for both mom and baby, including diapers and wipes, an infant thermometer, postpartum recovery and breastfeeding supplies, a blood pressure monitor, and other newborn essentials. Families also receive trusted information on postpartum health, infant safety and care, feeding and nutrition, and available programs and resources.

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