ByHeart Infant Formula Maker Recalls Products Due to Botulism Outbreak 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health and regulatory officials in several states, the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program, and Food and Drug Administration are collecting different types of data to investigate a multi-state outbreak of infant botulism.

Epidemiologic and laboratory data show that ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula might be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum and has made infants sick. As a result, baby formula maker ByHeart is recalling all of its products. 

Since the last update on Nov. 8, two new cases from Kentucky and North Carolina have been added to the investigation, according to the CDC. Both cases were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®.

As of Nov. 10, this outbreak includes 15 infants with suspected or confirmed infant botulism from 12 states, including Illinois (see map). Laboratory confirmation for some cases is ongoing. For 14 cases with illness onset information available, illnesses started on dates ranging from Aug. 9 to Nove. 10 (see timeline). All 15 infants were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®. No deaths have been reported. For 14 infants with age and sex information available, they range in age from 16 to 157 days.

State and local public health officials are interviewing caregivers about the foods infants were fed in the month before they got sick. Fifteen infant botulism cases have been identified that were fed ByHeart Whole Nutrition powdered infant formula before getting sick.

REGISTER: IHA Webinar to Prepare for Increased ED Usage Nov. 20
Medicaid is currently the primary payer of mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services in the U.S., yet policy changes in H.R. 1 are expected to leave nearly 12 million Americans, including as many as 500,000 Illinoisans, without Medicaid coverage over the next decade.

With the loss of coverage, hospitals can expect to see greater numbers of individuals seeking care for mental health conditions and SUD in the emergency department (ED). A complimentary IHA webinar on Nov. 20 will address the anticipated rise in ED utilization and how hospitals can prepare.

IHA Corporate Sponsor Health Management Associates (HMA) will lead the session, from 2-3 p.m. CT, covering:

• Common hurdles and evidence-based solutions to overcome capacity, staff, and logistical barriers;
• Case studies with best practices from diverse healthcare settings;
• Innovative solutions including warm hand-off models, peer recovery specialists, and effective screening and assessment tools;
• Tools and resources to initiate or refine ED warm hand-off models; and
• How to strengthen partnerships with community providers.

The session is designed for hospital and health system C-Suite leaders as well as Chief Medical Officers, Chief Nursing Officers, and Emergency Department Directors. There is no cost to attend. The webinar will be recorded and made available to all registrants following the program. Register today.

Staff contact: Bridget McCarte

Healing Communities: UChicago Medicine AdventHealth’s Free Physicals
To participate in Special Olympics, aspiring athletes must first get a physical. Yet some children who want to compete don’t have insurance, a primary care doctor or transportation to get to an appointment. 

That’s where UChicago Medicine AdventHealth comes in. For the past three years, UChicago Medicine AdventHealth residents have provided the needed physicals for free at Special Olympics Screening Events held in Bedford Park. The residents perform vision, hearing and motor ability tests. They carefully assess each child for medical conditions that might make it unsafe for that child to participate in athletics.
 
“One of the things that drew me to medicine is to be able to give back,” said Dr. Sravani Sagireddy. “It’s really nice to be able to step into the community and help people who really need it.”
 
While focused on giving back to the community, the free Special Olympics Screening Event is mutually beneficial, said Dr. Leslie Sleuwen, director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale.
 
“I think it goes both ways,” she said. “We are helping these participants to be able to do the things they love, which is activity, and yet they’re also helping us in enriching our residents’ education and just how to take care of all different populations.”
 
IHA’s Healing Communities: Hospital Stories webpage features the good work of hospitals across Illinois. Submit your hospital’s or health system’s story to Valerie Culver, Assistant Vice Presidents, Corporate Communications and Marketing, at vculver@team-iha.org.
 
IHA’s Healing Communities campaign focuses on four pillars representing the positive impact of hospitals and health systems beyond care provided in the hospital setting. The pillars are: driving local economies, addressing community needs, providing accessible care and training future clinicians.