New Rules Adopted for Health Facilities and Services Review Board: The Health Facilities and Services Review Board (HFSRB) has adopted amendments to the Health Facilities and Services Review Operational Rules (77 Ill. Adm. Code 1130), (June 20 Illinois Register, pages 8366 to 8435). The adopted amendments, which are now effective, focus on definitions, technical assistance, fees, extension of financial commitment and permit renewal. Applications for permit or exemption and post-permit transactions received by HFSRB after July 1, will be subject to these rules and fee requirements.
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IHA Emails_Daily Briefing

Monday, July 14, 2025

Today's Top Stories

  • New Health Facilities and Services Review Board Rules Adopted
  • Webinar Invitation: Cook County Medical Respite Network Guide
  • Reminder: Highlight Your Hospital’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiatives
  • AHA Quest for Quality Prize 2026
  • COVID-19 Information
  • Briefly Noted
  • Leading the News

New Rules Adopted for Health Facilities and Services Review Board 
The Health Facilities and Services Review Board (HFSRB) has adopted amendments to the Health Facilities and Services Review Operational Rules (77 Ill. Adm. Code 1130), (June 20 Illinois Register, pages 8366 to 8435). The adopted amendments, which are now effective, focus on definitions, technical assistance, fees, extension of financial commitment and permit renewal. Applications for permit or exemption and post-permit transactions received by HFSRB after July 1, will be subject to these rules and fee requirements. Click here to access an IHA memo that summarizes the key changes.

 

Staff contact: Lance Kovacs

 

Webinar Invitation: Cook County Medical Respite Network Guide
Medical respite—also called recuperative care—provides short-term residential care that allows people experiencing homelessness an opportunity to remain near their community, rest, recover, and heal in a safe environment while also accessing clinical care and support services. The Illinois Public Health Institute is hosting a webinar this Wednesday, July 16, from noon-1 p.m. CT that will use the recently published “Cook County Medical Respite Network Guide,” as a point of discussion for current and future medical respite programs across Illinois. Click here to register for the webinar. 

 

The guide is a web-based tool for referring hospitals and health centers to medical respite programs for people experiencing homelessness in Cook County. It includes information about active programs including bed count, model of care, eligibility/ineligibility, physical accessibility, points of contact, and referral forms (when available). The guide is inclusive of all active Medical Respite programs in Cook County and will be expanded to include emerging and active programs across Illinois in 2026.

 

Reminder: Highlight Your Hospital’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiatives
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) Division of Patient Safety and Quality has launched the Acute Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll, a new program established to recognize hospitals that prioritize and excel in implementing evidence-based practices of antimicrobial stewardship. The Honor Roll seeks to encourage hospitals to adopt high-impact strategies that optimize antimicrobial use, facilitate the sharing of successful interventions and best practices, and foster collaboration among healthcare facilities to collectively combat antimicrobial resistance. 
 
Click here to access the Acute Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll application. Hospitals have until Sept. 30 to complete their application for the fall submission period. IDPH has provided several resources with more information about the Acute Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll, including a guidance document with an overview of the Honor Roll,  recognition framework, benefits of the program, application information and deadlines, and other pertinent information. The Department has also provided a leadership support letter and attestation for applicants. 

 

AHA Quest for Quality Prize 2026
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is encouraging hospitals and health systems to apply for its 2026 Quest for Quality Prize by Sept. 9. Click here for more information about the AHA Quest for Quality Prize, which honors hospitals and health systems committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health. Applicants should provide access to exceptional quality, safe and patient- and family-centered care, partner with community organizations and agencies to improve the health status of their communities, and develop new and innovative models of care.

 

Illinois COVID-19 Data

 

The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) has a weekly Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard that is updated weekly on Friday. This report provides the public with the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data. 

 

Click here to visit the IDPH COVID-19 resources webpage. IDPH will continue to report the weekly number of people with COVID-19 admitted to hospitals from emergency departments, deaths and vaccinations, with COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information also reported through the dashboard of the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System. 

 

Briefly Noted

 

Healthcare data breaches reached a record high in 2024, and according to Modern Healthcare it looks like cyberattacks will continue to pose a significant challenge for healthcare in 2025. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has listed 378 breaches affecting 500 or more individuals during the first six months of 2025. While fewer than the 408 incidents were reported through June 2024, it is still more than all previous years. It was reported that the top five data breaches that occurred during the first six months of the year affected 1 million or more individuals—with the most significant breach affecting at least 5.5 million people. 

 

Leading the News

 

Newsradio WJPF interview with John Antes & AJ Wilhelmi

WJPF
SIH President and CEO John Antes and Illinois Health and Hospital Association CEO AJ Wilhelmi joins The Morning Newswatch.

 

207 community hospital presidents and CEOs to know | 2025

Becker’s Hospital Review

Community hospitals play a vital role in closing healthcare access gaps, and the CEOs who lead them are committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective care tailored to the needs of their local communities.

 

The only 41 hospitals to earn Magnet’s top honor

Becker’s Hospital Review

In 2022, the American Nurses Credentialing Center unveiled the Magnet with Distinction program to recognize the world’s highest performing Magnet organizations. Since then, 40 hospitals in the U.S. and one in Saudi Arabia have achieved the designation. 

 

State Farm says Pritzker’s rate hike claims are ‘factually incorrect’ political rhetoric

WSIU

State Farm said Friday that Gov. JB Pritzker’s attacks on its 27% homeowners’ insurance rate increase are “factually incorrect” political rhetoric. 

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