REGISTER: Medical Solutions’ Elevating Workforce Wellness Webinar May 19
Mental well-being among your hospital workforce has a vital role in employee retention and satisfaction. Learn about strategies to reduce burnout and promote wellness across healthcare teams during a May 19 webinar led by IHA Strategic Partner Medical Solutions.

Medical Solutions Chief Nursing Office Patti Artley will present approaches that prioritize mental wellness and empower healthcare professionals to thrive, helping healthcare organizations build resilient teams and improve patient care.

With over 35 years’ experience as a registered nurse, Artley has served in a variety of nursing and clinical leadership roles, including chief nursing officer for a statewide hospital system. During the webinar, from noon-1 p.m. CT, she will discuss how to foster a supportive work environment and utilize staff to the top of their license. Click here to register for the complimentary webinar.

Medical Solutions is a leading healthcare talent ecosystem provider and an IHA Strategic Partner since 2018. The company is also a Gold IHA Corporate Sponsor. See IHA’s Medical Solutions flyer. 

Contact Tony Lehman at 402-295-3600 or tony.lehman@medicalsolutions.com to learn more about Medical Solutions.

Staff contact: Gary Drain

REMINDER: Medicaid IMPACT Revalidations Town Hall TOMORROW
The Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is currently conducting IMPACT Medicaid provider revalidations. To assist providers with navigating the IMPACT enrollment System and answer questions, HFS is now hosting monthly, virtual town hall meetings. IHA recommends hospitals participate in these town hall meetings if you have an upcoming revalidation. The next town hall is tomorrow, April 17, from 10-10:45 a.m. CT. Click here to view the town hall meeting schedule and register for a future town hall.
 
IHA urges all providers to check their revalidation cycle due date and submit necessary information to complete their revalidation. To view the revalidation due dates of servicing providers affiliated with your hospitals, click here for step-by-step instructions. If you do not complete your revalidation, you will be disenrolled from IMPACT and providers can no longer bill for services provided to Illinois Medicaid enrollees, including those enrolled in managed care organizations.
 
Staff contact: Elizabeth Nelson

Measles Preparedness in Healthcare Facilities
The United States is currently experiencing a large surge in measles cases across multiple states. Although Illinois currently has no 2025 cases, the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) has developed measles-focused materials for healthcare facilities in anticipation of any future cases. Resources include: 

• A flyer outlining steps your clinic/facility can take now to prepare for possible measles cases in the future.
• A flyer outlining guidance that your clinic/facility can follow if measles is actively present in your community.
• Two signs to post in entrances to your facility, to complement the guidance in the second flyer. Click here and here to access the signs. 

AASM Highlights Impact of Sleepiness on Health and Safety
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has issued a new position statement urging healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to prioritize the recognition and treatment of sleepiness, which it identifies as a critical patient-reported outcome with broad health, safety, and quality-of-life implications. Excessive daytime sleepiness—affecting about one-third of U.S. adults—is linked to cognitive impairment, mental health concerns, workplace and driving accidents, and chronic sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy.

Published April 14 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the statement highlights the urgent need for improved diagnosis and management of sleepiness, and calls for greater research and innovation in sleep-wake disorder treatments. The statement is supported by 25 national and regional medical and scientific organizations.

Illinois COVID-19 Data