Sign-Up for IHA’s Nursing Care Committee Co-Chair Forum
Nursing leaders and their nursing care committee co-chairs are encouraged to participate in IHA’s Nursing Care Committee Co-Chair Forum. This forum meets regularly to highlight the background and requirements of the Nurse Staffing Improvement Act and discuss resources available to assist hospitals with implementing the Act’s requirements. This collaborative group promotes open discussion, sharing of ideas, and learning opportunities to inspire you and ensure your Nursing Care Committee thrives and lives up to its potential. 

We invite the nursing leaders and committee co-chairs in your organization to register and participate in our upcoming meetings. Please share the registration information with others in your organization who lead your nursing care committee’s efforts. 

Please direct questions to NurseStaffing@team-iha.org.  

White House Releases AI Action Plan
The White House yesterday released an artificial intelligence (AI) strategic action plan that outlines more than 90 federal policy recommendations. The plan was developed following the Jan. 23 executive order, “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence,” with policy actions aligned across three pillars — accelerating AI innovation, building American AI infrastructure, and leading in international AI diplomacy and security. 

The action plan recommends the launch of sector-specific efforts, including healthcare, and emphasizes bringing together stakeholders charged with accelerating the development and adoption of national standards for AI systems and testing AI system pilots in real-world settings across healthcare and other sectors. Other policy recommendations include removing onerous federal regulations that hinder AI development and deployment; supporting the construction of data centers and semiconductor facilities; expanding AI literacy and skills in education and workforce training; and bolstering critical infrastructure cybersecurity as it relates to AI.

Urgent: Widespread Active Exploitation of Microsoft SharePoint 
Threat actors have been observed exploiting a critical zero-day vulnerability, known as ToolShell, which impacts Microsoft SharePoint servers. While Microsoft recently patched the ToolShell flaws, threat actors were able to bypass the patches. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that all hospitals and Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) sector partners review the Microsoft customer guidance for information on vulnerabilities, search their internal systems for indicators of compromise, and apply the appropriate mitigations. Related details about the vulnerabilities have been posted by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

ALERT: Providers Should Be Aware of Medicare Fraud Scheme
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has identified a fraud scheme targeting Medicare providers and suppliers. Scammers are impersonating CMS and sending phishing requests for medical records or payment of alleged Medicare debts, often via fax or email, falsely claiming to be part of a Medicare audit or debt collection efforts. CMS generally does not initiate audits via fax or email unless a provider requests it, and Medicare overpayment collections are handled through Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). If you receive a suspicious request, don’t respond. Instead, work with your Medical Review Contractor to confirm if a medical records request is real or with your MAC to discuss overpayment collections.

HHS Adopts Recommendation to Remove Thimerosal from Flu Vaccines
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services announced yesterday that it has adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the U.S. Last month, the ACIP committee members voted 5-1-1 that all children 18 years and younger, pregnant women, and adults receive only single-dose influenza vaccines free of mercury.