Advocacy Resources: IHA Small and Rural Backgrounder, PowerPoint
Nearly 40% of Illinois hospitals are small and rural hospitals that serve over 1.6 million rural Illinois residents. These 85 hospitals continue to provide lifesaving, high-quality healthcare yet face significant challenges, as over 41% operate on negative or thin margins.
IHA’s Small and Rural Backgrounder, which members received at IHA’s Small & Rural Hospitals Annual Meeting in June, and our customizable backgrounder PowerPoint (IHA website login required) are essential advocacy resources to use in meetings with elected officials and other stakeholders in 2026 and 2027. Both data-based pieces identify the characteristics of small and rural hospitals and key trends impacting hospital viability, including:
- Nearly 75% of their inpatients and just over 60% of their outpatients are covered by Medicare and Medicaid, government programs that do not cover the full cost of care.
- Outpatient services represent nearly 78% of net revenue for small and rural hospitals, compared with just over 51% among urban hospitals, which negatively affects small and rural hospital financial stability.
The backgrounder highlights that, despite the challenges, small and rural hospitals are innovating to address community needs. Through storytelling, the backgrounder includes a special focus on enhancing mental and behavioral health.
IHA will mail 10 copies of the backgrounder to each small and rural hospital the week of July 27. Contact Abby Radcliffe if you’d like your hospital’s mental or behavioral health story included on IHA’s backgrounder webpage.
Rural Health Hospital Transformation Program – HFS Requesting More Information
The Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has sent communications to hospitals that applied for Hospital Transformation Planning Grants under the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) asking for additional information. HFS is asking hospitals that applied for the grant to fill out a revised budget worksheet and submit through the Euna platform no later than Friday, July 31. To assist hospitals with this request, HFS is holding a technical training this Friday, July 24 at 10 a.m. CT; a forthcoming registration link will be sent to applicants by the Department. Question regarding this process may be sent to HFS at hfs.rhtp@illinois.gov.
IDFPR Extends Physician and Chiropractic Physician Renewal Deadline to Aug. 31
The Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced today that the renewal period for physicians and surgeons, as well as chiropractic physicians, has been extended to Aug. 31, 2026. Holders of these license types should have received an email from IDFPR announcing this extension.
Guide to Help Improve Healthcare Workforce Well-Being Program Evaluations
Healthcare organizations are investing more than ever in initiatives to improve clinician well-being, strengthen retention, and address operational challenges. But when it comes time to evaluate those efforts, many leaders are left asking the same questions: Is this initiative making a difference? How do we know? Should we continue, refine or scale it? The Initiative Intelligence Guide, which focuses on workforce well-being, was released recently to help healthcare organizations better evaluate the impact of retention, workforce, operational, well-being and clinical initiatives that support care teams’ whole health. The guide, developed by the American Hospital Association, The Coalition for Physician & APP Well-Being, Advent Health, Providence and Atalan, assists organizations in clarifying the purpose of evaluations and identifying the strongest practical way to assess initiatives.
New Cholesterol Guideline Could Expand Statin Eligibility to 21.5 Million U.S. Adults
A new American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/multisociety guideline on the management of high cholesterol (dyslipidemia) could expand eligibility for primary prevention statin therapy to an estimated 21.5 million additional U.S. adults, according to a JAMA study published July 20. The new 2026 guideline replaced 2018 guidance, substantially expanding the population recommended for primary prevention statin therapy, predominantly in lower-risk individuals. In fact, the researchers estimated that under the new guideline 87.5 million U.S. adults, representing 56.6% of adults ages 30 to 79 years without known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, would be eligible for primary prevention statin therapy.
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
Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories is voluntarily recalling four lots of an over-the-counter allergy medication due to a potentially life-threatening cross contamination issue with Ranitidine. Four lots of cetirizine hydrochloride tablets were recalled. No reported adverse incidents associated with this issue have been reported at this time.
Leading the News
HR 1 at 1 year: Hospital CEOs adjust to ‘new game’ of payment cuts, work requirements
Becker’s Hospital Review
One year ago, President Donald Trump signed HR 1 and health system CEOs calculated the potential effects and began preparing for them. Today, CEOs are budgeting for financial losses, educating their boards on the changing landscape and in some cases reevaluating community programs.
Opinion: Transparency must come before expansion in Illinois’ 340B program
Crain’s Chicago Business
The 340B Drug Pricing Program was established with a clear and important mission: to help safety-net healthcare providers stretch scarce resources and expand access to quality care for underserved patients. For Black communities, low-income families, and medically underserved populations across Illinois, that mission remains as vital today as when the program was first created. Supporting the goals of the 340B program, however, does not require accepting expansion without accountability. Before Illinois broadens the program through Illinois HB 2371, Gov. JB Pritzker should ensure the transparency and oversight measures proposed in Illinois HB 4327 are enacted.
Andrew Rand retires after 35 years as AMT CEO; Todd Baker appointed successor
25 News
A new leader will soon take over the helm of a regional emergency medical services provider in the Heart of Illinois. Advanced Medical Transport said CEO Andrew Rand is retiring after 35 years.
