IHA Business Lines Support Hospitals, Reduce Costs

When it comes to delivering value to IHA members, advocacy on your behalf is a highly visible core component. Just as essential are IHA's business resources, whose behind-the-scenes work help strengthen hospital and health system finances while offering key insights for future planning. Our business line revenue also helps fuel the strong advocacy you expect from IHA.

In the coming weeks and months, we will feature IHA business lines in this space so hospital and health system leaders can gain a greater understanding of the services we offer. You’ll learn about IHA’s:

• Insurance solutions for professional liability and workers’ compensation to reduce risk and expense;

• Group purchasing organization to reduce supply chain expenses;

• Human capital services to support hiring and control costs; and

  Informatics to identify market and service line trends.

We encourage you to reach out to our business leaders Patrick Sonin and Amy Tozzi. They’ll be at IHA Leadership Summit on Oct. 1-2 in Oak Brook to meet with you face to face and at our Aug. 27 leadership forum on workforce strategy in Naperville.

REMINDER: Funding Opportunity to Expand NSPS Level 2 Facility Network
The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) has launched a funding opportunity to expand the National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) Level 2 facility network. This effort supports a more resilient, coordinated and nationally integrated approach to high-consequence infectious disease (HCID) response. 

Participating in the Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) Award program may enable your facility to strengthen institutional and regional preparedness and readiness; gain national visibility as a special pathogen leader; access NETEC training, consultation, and technical support; and become part of a Community of Practice with other national leaders in HCID response.
Currently a one-time funding opportunity, up to 21 healthcare facilities will be awarded $500,000 per facility. The application deadline is Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. CT, and the anticipated performance period is Sept. 1, 2026-June 29, 2027. Click here for more information on the funding opportunity, including eligibility requirements, application information and resources, program background, and additional FAQs.

Staff contact: Keneatha Johnson

IDPH FAST PHACT Webinar: Back to School
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) has announced a series of clinician-directed interactive info sessions in an office hours format to raise timely awareness of emerging and high-impact public health issues that directly involve clinical care or health system considerations. 

The FAST PHACT (Public Health Allied Clinician Talks) webinar titled “Back to School” will be held on July 16, from noon-1 p.m. CT. 

The webinar will cover the following topics: 

• Public health priorities for youth health in the upcoming school year, including immunizations, access to emergency medications at school, health screenings and mental health.

• Clinical and public health implications of Illinois’ transition to universal childhood lead testing.

• Challenges and opportunities of the back-to-school season on the mental health of youth.

• How and when to utilize Illinois DocAssist when seeing youth with mental health concerns.

All healthcare professionals are invited to participate. Up to one credit hour of Continuing Medical Education credit is available with live webinar attendance and completion of the post-webinar survey and quiz. To register and for a listing of upcoming webinars, click here.

Applications Accepted: Pilot New Tool for Behavioral Health Interventions 
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center is offering counties free, hands-on support from CSG’s national policy experts to pilot its new decision-making tool designed to improve outcomes in the justice system for people with mental health and/or substance use needs. Through the Counties Aligning Health & Safety initiative, a cohort of 10-12 counties will receive free, direct technical assistance to help them select and implement interventions best suited to their local context, data, and system capacity. Selected counties will also contribute to a growing base of research that can benefit counties across the country. You are encouraged to share this opportunity with appropriate stakeholders within your network. The deadline to apply is July 31 at 10:59 p.m. CT. Click here for more information.