IHA Webinar: Enhancing Health Outcomes with Z Codes and SDoH Data
Learn how to use Z codes and social drivers of health (SDoH) data to improve care delivery and health outcomes during a complimentary IHA webinar on May 14. In recent years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented new requirements for the collection of SDoH screening data to help healthcare providers identify opportunities for improvement and support the development of targeted interventions to enhance care delivery.
Dr. Shawn Rossi, Vice President of Communication and Member Engagement at the Mississippi Hospital Association, will cover:
- Z codes and how they support SDoH initiatives;
- The purpose and use of Z codes in SDoH documentation;
- CMS and regulatory requirements; and
- How SDoH data can drive targeted health interventions.
This one-hour session on Wednesday, May 14 at noon CT is open to all healthcare providers and leaders. Nurse continuing education credits are available for those who attend the live event. Click here to register.
For questions, contact QualityPatientSafety@team-iha.org.
Illinois 2025 Measles Update
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) confirmed today that six measles cases have been identified in Illinois in 2025. Two new cases in Southern Illinois were confirmed over the weekend, adding to two in the Marion area that were identified in April. Two unrelated cases were previously confirmed in Cook County. One of the new cases was confirmed over the weekend is in the Franklin-Williamson Bi-County area. This now meets the technical Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of an “outbreak” in that area (three or more cases that are linked to one another). Social links between the three cases are known. Consult the IDPH measles page for links to exposure locations; diagnosis, reporting and testing guidance; and related measles resources and recommendations.
As of May 1, the CDC has confirmed 935 measles cases reported by 30 U.S. jurisdictions. There have been 12 outbreaks (defined as three or more related cases) reported in 2025, and 93% of confirmed cases (869 of 935) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week Resources
About one in eight people experience postpartum depression, and over half of people with postpartum depression are not treated for it. This Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, May 5-11, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is urging the public to spread the word about HRSA’s National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA), which provides emotional support, resources and referrals to new parents. Since its launch on Mother’s Day 2022, the free, confidential hotline has received more than 54,173 calls and texts from individuals seeking help for themselves (73%) or on behalf of someone else (4%). The hotline is available in English and Spanish and offers interpreters in more than 60 languages. HRSA has also made available a promotional toolkit with outreach materials to raise awareness and use of the hotline.
Additional state resources and guidance can be found at the Illinois Dept. of Human Services Bureau of Maternal and Child Health’s website, Illinois Dept. of Public Health’s (IDPH) Maternal Health website and IDPH’s Maternal, Child & Family Health website.
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
While seasonal flu activity is now declining, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
report released last Friday says the 2024-2025 influenza season has been classified as high severity across all age groups—the first such designation since 2017–2018. There have been 216 pediatric deaths reported, surpassing the previous record of 207 in a non-pandemic season. The CDC estimates indicate at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalizations and 26,000 deaths to date. Hospitalization rates are the highest recorded since the 2010–2011 season, underscoring the season’s widespread impact.
Leading the News
Pritzker has to keep Illinois a priority as he eyes the presidency
Chicago Sun-Times
Rich Miller: This state is far too important and its position has long been far too precarious to sacrifice it on the altar of national ambition.
Editorial: Illinois is Uncle Sam’s piggy bank again. But Gov. JB Pritzker must follow the law.
Chicago Tribune
Illinois’ schools, transit agencies and health systems have known for a long time that federal pandemic relief is ending and a budget squeeze is coming. Now an obscure but important calculation from the federal government is flashing red, suggesting everyday residents should prepare for harder times ahead as well. Federal pandemic relief temporarily changed the balance, meaning Illinois came out ahead. Today, Illinois is well on its way to becoming one of Uncle Sam’s piggy banks again.
The U.S. hospital system is approaching a financial breaking point
Becker’s Hospital Review
After nearly five decades in hospital and healthcare administration, I’ve seen firsthand the fragility of the financial framework supporting hospitals — and today, that foundation is starting to crack. If current discussions in Washington result in sweeping policy changes, we may soon witness a collapse that could destabilize hospitals across the country.
Trump’s 2026 budget plan cuts healthcare funds: 6 notes
Becker’s Hospital Review
President Donald Trump unveiled his fiscal 2026 budget proposal May 2, cutting non-defense federal spending by $160 billion.
