IHA’s Wilhelmi Moderates Will County Healthcare Panel
IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi yesterday moderated a panel discussion, “The Health of the Healthcare Industry,” which brought together hospital leaders for a conversation on key issues shaping healthcare delivery in Will County. 

The in-person event, hosted by the Workforce Investment Board of Will County in partnership with IHA, was held at City Hall in Crest Hill. Panelists included Michael Mutterer, President & CEO of Silver Cross Hospital; Larry Coomes, CEO of Prime Healthcare St. Joseph Medical Center; and Yvette Saba, President of Endeavor Health Edward Hospital, who shared their insights and experiences navigating the workforce challenges facing healthcare. Panelists also discussed opportunities to expand access to care and improve patient outcomes, and innovations driving the future of healthcare in the region. 

A very engaged audience, including healthcare leaders, frontline staff, public health professionals, and workforce and education partners, attended the event and offered valuable insights into the healthcare needs in Will County and discussed opportunities for potential collaboration in response to the workforce demand in the region. These perspectives are essential as we navigate workforce shortages, federal cuts, and ways to remove barriers while continuing to expand access, and provide safe, quality healthcare.

FDA Announces Real-Time Clinical Trials, Request for Information
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced plans to move forward with the implementation of real-time clinical trials (RTCT), which invite participants to supply reports and data to the agency during the approved clinical trials rather than at completion. The agency said it has already successfully completed two proof-of-concept trials using RTCT reporting. As part of the announcement, FDA also issued a request for information seeking input on a proposed pilot program to assess the impact of artificial intelligence on efficiency, speed and quality of decision-making in early phase clinical trials. The agency will accept comments through regulations.gov for 30 days following publication in the Federal Register and said it intends to disseminate final selection criteria in July and complete pilot selections in August. 

Webinar: Sustaining Rural Labor and Delivery Programs 
Rural hospitals face ongoing financial and operational pressures that have contributed to the closure of many labor and delivery programs nationwide. Click here to register for a webinar intended for rural Medicare hospitals that will focus on practical strategies to help rural hospitals assess and strengthen the financial sustainability of these services. 

The Monday, May 4 webinar will highlight key insights from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy-funded Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs brief. The program will cover approaches to improving how costs are tracked and reported; understanding the financial performance of labor and delivery services; and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and partnerships. Attendees will gain actionable insights to support informed decision-making and help maintain access to essential maternity care in rural communities.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an April 28 Safety Communication, “Risks of Using TRUE METRIX Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems by Trividia Health,” to highlight risks associated with the use of TRUE METRIX devices. FDA recommends all TRUE METRIX users transition to an alternative method for testing their blood glucose (blood sugar) when possible. The TRUE METRIX device may show an E-5 Error Code indicating patients have very high glucose or that they have a test strip error, in which case their blood glucose may be normal or it may be dangerously low or high. 

FDA also noted yesterday that Bolton Medical has issued an Urgent Medical Device Recall notice providing updated use instructions for all Relay Pro Thoracic Stent Graft System, N4: Non-Bare Stent Configuration 32mm and above. Bolton Medical stated that in some cases the graft is unable to unclasp from the delivery system because the proximal clasp is disconnected from the outer control tube. As of April 23, Bolton Medical has reported three deaths associated with this issue, including one aortic perforation and two conversions to open surgery which resulted in patient deaths due to stroke.