IHA Strategic Partner: Support Staff Are a Strategic Asset
Physicians and nurses often take center stage in conversations about staffing. Yet a truly resilient healthcare workforce requires a full complement of professionals supporting care delivery. A recent blog post by IHA Strategic Partner Medical Solutions delves into the important role of healthcare support roles in reducing operational strain and workforce burnout, while helping ensure quality care.

The blog post notes the “effectiveness of care delivery depends heavily on the teams that support clinicians before, during, and after patient encounters,” with support staff making possible efficient workflows, timely care, and sustainable staffing models.

Investing in allied health staffing helps hospitals and health systems:

• Streamline workflows and reduce bottlenecks;

• Improve throughput and capacity management;

• Maintain compliance with documentation and regulatory requirements; and

• Respond more effectively to changes in patient volume.

Viewing support staff as a strategic asset better equips IHA-member hospitals and health systems to adapt to daily operational demands and long-term challenges, especially in rural environments where teams are stretching limited resources.
Medical Solutions is a leading healthcare talent ecosystem provider and an IHA Strategic Partner since 2018. See IHA’s Medical Solutions flyer.

Contact Jake Whitmore at 402-446-3799 or Jake.Whitmore@medicalsolutions.com to learn how Medical Solutions can help your organization develop staffing solutions that strengthen support teams.

Staff contact: Gary Drain

State Legislative Update
The Illinois General Assembly was off last week, but will reconvene today, Feb. 17 through Feb. 19. The Governor will present his combined Budget and State of the State Address to a joint session of the Legislature tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 18. In addition to getting a first look at the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal, with the bill filing deadline now behind us, the Legislature will begin considering legislation at the committee level. More than 30 committee hearings have been scheduled in the House and Senate this week as lawmakers seek to advance bills ahead of the legislative deadlines to pass bills out of committee, which are March 13 in the Senate and March 27 in the House. A list of upcoming House Committee hearings is here and the Senate Committee hearing schedule is here.  

Virtual Session: Medical Respite Referrals – Tips for Success
The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) and Cook County Medical Respite Network are hosting a complimentary March 2 virtual session focused on referral processes and resources for medical respite for people experiencing homelessness. Click here to register for the session, “Medical Respite Referrals: Tips for Success from Patient Identification to Admission,” which will provide timely information on medical respite programs operating throughout Chicago and Cook County. The program will review best practices and common challenges, from screening through the admission process. 

Medical respite is post-acute care for people experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover from an illness or injury on the street or in a shelter, but who do not require hospital level care. Medical respite provides short-term residential care that allows people an opportunity to remain near their community, rest, recover, and heal in a safe environment while also accessing clinical care and support services. 

The webinar is open to all healthcare providers who are interested in more information about medical respite referrals. Please share the program information with your networks and colleagues who may be interested in more information about medical respite in Chicago, Cook County, and across Illinois.

CDC Travel Advisory for the Seychelles
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a new travel advisory for the Seychelles amid an ongoing chikungunya virus outbreak. CDC issued a “Level 2” advisory for the Seychelles, urging U.S. travelers to “practice enhanced precautions” when visiting the islands. Mosquitoes spread the virus that causes chikungunya. Vaccination is recommended for travelers who are visiting an area with a chikungunya outbreak. Pregnant travelers are encouraged to reconsider travel to the affected areas, particularly if they are close to delivering their baby. CDC recommends clinicians review information on chikungunya vaccination. Healthcare providers should discuss the benefits and risks of vaccination with individual travelers based on their age, underlying health conditions, destination, trip duration, and planned activities.