Book Your Room: IHA Leadership Summit Hotel Discount Ends Aug. 31
Take advantage of IHA’s reduced room rate for your overnight stay at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, the venue for the 2026 IHA Leadership Summit. Book your room by Monday, Aug. 31 to save on reservations between Sept. 30 and Oct. 2.
Over 140 hospital and health system leaders have already registered for this year’s Summit, “Navigating Disruption Together,” on Oct. 1-2. Join your peers from across Illinois to hear from:
- U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin, a steadfast supporter of Illinois hospitals, who will retire in January after over 40 years of public service;
- Global futurist Scott Anthony and thought leader Craig Deao in “The Choice Ahead: Own Your Future or Be Disrupted by It” keynote session.
- American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack on navigating federal health policy; and
- Communications expert Michael Hildebrand in “Public Perception and the Importance of Telling Your Hospital’s Story.”
Learn more about the sessions and speakers at this year’s Summit on our registration website—and book your room by Aug. 31 by clicking here.
Staff contact: David Strickland
Webinar: Human Connection Amid Technological Disruption Sept. 8
In an increasingly automated world, how can you ensure human connection is core to a clinician’s workplace experience? A complimentary webinar sponsored by Medical Solutions will help answer that question on Sept. 8, from 11 a.m.-noon CT.
Healthcare veteran Kerry Sirkka, Medical Solutions’ chief recruitment officer, will lead the session, “Tech + Touch: Balancing Human Connection with Technology in Healthcare Workforce Solutions.” Attend to hear how the personal touch can drive trust, satisfaction, and long-term workforce partnerships. The strategies Sirkka will present can apply to current clinical staff as well as clinical job candidates in the recruitment process.
Leaders in human resources, nursing and clinical operations will benefit from the webinar. The webinar is free for IHA-member hospitals and health systems. The program will be recorded and made available to all registrants. Click here to register for the Sept. 8 webinar.
Medical Solutions, an IHA Strategic Partner since 2018, is also offering an in-person event, “Shaping the Future Healthcare Workforce: A Leadership Forum,” jointly with IHA and Exigent Medical Education. Click here to register for the Aug. 27 forum in Naperville.
Staff contact: Bridget McCarte
New Filing Fee Proposed for Certain H-1B Visas
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a proposed rule that would create a new $103,265 filing fee for H-1B visa petitions subject to statutory numerical caps, including petitions qualifying for the advanced degree exemption. Cap-exempt visa applications would not be subject to the proposed $103,265 fee. Notably, the proposed rule does not give DHS the discretion to waive or reduce the fee based on national interest. Public comments will be accepted through Sept. 24. The proposed fee is distinct from last year’s $100,000 fee on all new H-1B visas established by a presidential proclamation. A federal court blocked implementation of that proclamation in July, and the federal government’s appeal is still pending.
FDA Issues Several Early Alerts, Recall Notices
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a number of early alerts and recall notices to alert the medical community and public to potentially serious or life-threatening issues with several medical devices. These include:
- CooperSurgical recommends discontinued use of INCA Neonatal Nasal CPAP Complete Set and Replacement Sets, due to a loose connection that may result in loss of CPAP pressure. This may reduce the effectiveness of treatment and lead to decreased oxygenation of the patient.
- NOxBOX has issued updated use instructions for certain nitric oxide delivery systems following complaints of oxygen leaks due to failure of the oxygen tubing or tubing connection within the NOxMixer module of the NOxBOXi device.
- AVID Medical is recommending convenience kits affected by the BD ChloraPrep Applicator Recall be removed due to a fungal contamination that may occur under certain environmental conditions, which may lead to systemic infection, sepsis, illness and death.
- Medline is recommending certain convenience kits affected by the BD ChloraPrep Applicator Recall be removed due to fungal contamination that may occur under certain environmental conditions.
- GE HealthCare has issued updated use instructions for all Portrait Mobile Monitoring Solutions operating on certain versions of Portrait Core Services software in response to reported circumstances that resulted in a loss of patient monitoring or unintended alarms.
- Medline is recommending removal all affected Hudson RCI Neonatal/Infant Heated Wire Breathing Circuits be removed following reports of sporadic failures involving the electrical connector of certain neonatal and infant heated wire breathing circuits.
- Medical Action Industries is recommending certain epidural kits be corrected prior to continued use by removing components affected by the Huons Co., Ltd. recall, specifically sodium chloride ampules that have had their sterility compromised.
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
Today, Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the launch of Illinois’ Opportunity Zones 2.0—a statewide initiative to identify and nominate the next group of federally designated Opportunity Zones intended to will help attract private investment to communities across Illinois, promoting job creation and economic development in these areas. Updates to the program include new reporting requirements and additional incentives for qualifying Rural Opportunity Zones.
Leading the News
Illinois agrees to temporarily limit enforcement of assisted suicide law
Crain’s Chicago Business
Illinois has agreed to hold off on enforcing sections of its end-of-life law against healthcare entities in the diocese of Springfield, a Lutheran nursing home and four doctors who are jointly challenging the law. The two agencies and lawyers for the plaintiffs came to an agreement that the state would hold off from applying the law against the plaintiffs when it takes effect Sept. 12 until after a similar lawsuit works its ways through appeals.
6 things to know about the CEO role in 2026
Becker’s Hospital Review
Many systems have fewer dedicated hospital CEO positions than they did a year ago, as vacated seats are being folded into existing regional roles rather than filled with new hires. Separately, CEO turnover is running ahead of 2025’s pace. And the responsibilities attached to the role continue to expand, now regularly including AI governance, cybersecurity preparedness and political advocacy, even as CEOs manage a fresh round of federal payment cuts under HR 1 that will continue phasing in through 2028.
Unexpected GLP-1 side effect? Studies show the meds may help people with addictions
The Hill
From unexpected babies to “Ozempic teeth,” the ultra-popular class of GLP-1 medications is turning out to have a few unanticipated side effects. Emerging research shows the drugs, which have proven effective in treating obesity and diabetes, may also be useful in treating addiction.
