CHA News

CHA Report Finds Labor and Delivery Closures Driven by Three Factors

What’s happening: Maternal health care is in the spotlight both nationally and in California, with a focus on declining birth rates and improving equitable outcomes. A new report from CHA centers on one aspect of access to maternity services: factors driving the decline in hospital-based labor and delivery unit availability. 

What else to know: The report, Maternity Care in California: An Environmental Scan, describes various approaches in California and other states to help policymakers understand that addressing this complex issue requires flexibility and consideration of a community’s unique needs — and that any path forward must prioritize mothers’ and babies’ safety and emphasize high-quality care.  

CHPSO Webinar Tackles Comprehensive Care Plans for High Utilizer Patients

What’s happening: The Collaborative Healthcare Patient Safety Organization (CHPSO) — a division of the Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) — is hosting a webinar on Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. (PT) to discuss empowering high utilizer patients through individualized comprehensive care plans, including partnership with the California Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

What else to know: HQI is an approved continuing education (CE) provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing and will provide CHPSO members who attend the webinar with an opportunity to earn CEs of 1 contact hour (Provider No. CEP16793). Registration is open. 

Upcoming Programs Support Your Advocacy on OHCA, Federal Policy

With the state Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) barreling toward singling out hospitals for even lower spending growth targets than the statewide goal — and federal legislators debating budget proposals that would decimate Medicaid and Medicare funding — CHA has developed two opportunities for hospitals to prepare for engagement on both of these critical issues.  

CHA Presentation Details Hospitals’ Role in Health Care Ecosystem

What’s happening: As part of CHA’s efforts to educate new and existing lawmakers on hospitals’ role in the health care ecosystem, Kathryn Austin Scott, senior vice president, state relations and advocacy, and vice presidents of advocacy Kalyn Dean, Mark Farouk, and Vanessa Gonzalez hosted a “Hospital 101” legislative staff briefing on Jan. 14.   What else […]

CHA Publishes New Advocacy Materials on Priority Issues

What’s happening: In December, CHA’s board approved three advocacy priorities for California hospitals in 2025: Insurer Accountability, Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), and Securing Hospitals. New and updated advocacy materials on these priority issues are now available on CHA’s website.  

Registration Open for Chief of Staff Boot Camp 2025

What’s happening: The Institute for Medical Leadership is hosting its Chief of Staff Boot Camp 2025 — geared toward medical staff leaders, chief medical offers, hospital executives, and medical staff managers — Feb. 28 to March 2 in Los Angeles. Tuition begins at $2,195, and registration is open. 

What else to know: The Chief of Staff Boot Camp aims to provide new chiefs of staff the information they need to succeed in their complex role by sharing the knowledge and tools necessary to work collaboratively with peers, hospital administration, and staff members. 

2025 HR Conference Offers Continuing Education Credits

What’s happening: In partnership with the Hospital Association of Southern California, CHA will host the two-day 2025 HR Conference in Long Beach, taking place Feb. 19 from noon to 5 p.m. and Feb. 20 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

What else to know: The conference will cover topics relevant to human resource (HR) professionals, and professional continuing education (CE) credits are available to registrants who complete certain requirements. Registration is open for CHA members.   

HCAI Webinar to Cover Seismic Grant Program for Small and Rural Hospitals

What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Access and Information’s (HCAI) Office of Facility Loan Insurance is conducting a webinar on Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon (PT) to discuss a seismic grant program for small, rural, and critical access hospitals.  

What else to know: The webinar will cover eligibility criteria, additions to the program due to Assembly Bill 869 (2024), and the application process. Registration is open.  

CMS Announces Quality Reporting Exceptions for Hospitals Impacted by Los Angeles Fires

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is granting exceptions for certain measures in Medicare quality reporting and value-based programs to hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and post-acute providers in designated areas affected by the California Wildfires and Straight-line Winds public health emergency in Los Angeles.  

What else to know: If providers voluntarily report data where exceptions are allowed, CMS notes that the data will be used for public reporting and applying scoring methodologies under value-based programs.  

Authors
  • Peggy Broussard Wheeler
    Vice President, Policy
  • Mark Farouk
    Vice President, State Advocacy