Clinical Care

About Clinical Care

California’s hospitals are dedicated to providing high-quality, safe, and person-centered health care. This wouldn’t be possible without the clinical services hospitals provide, which include emergency care, surgery, X-ray/radiology, laboratory services, and behavioral health care. The care that hospitals provide is shaped by their communities’ needs.

CHA Responds to Nationwide IV Fluid Shortage

What’s happening: On Oct. 3, CHA informed members of an IV fluid shortage due to the temporary closure of Baxter International’s North Carolina plant, which supplies 60% of the country’s IV solutions. The facility was damaged by flooding from Hurricane Helene.   

What else to know: The update from CHA includes guidance for hospitals to mitigate the impact of the IV shortage.  

Johnson & Johnson Halts Proposed 340B Rebate Model

What’s happening: Johnson & Johnson will stop its plan that would have required hospitals participating in the 340B drug discount program to purchase Stelara and Xarelto at full price and apply for a rebate instead of receiving full discounts upfront.  

What else to know: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) notified J&J it would be kicked out of the 340B Drug Pricing Program if it did not halt implementation.  

CHPSO’s October Webinars Address Three Critical Issues in Health Care

What’s happening: This month, the Collaborative Healthcare Patient Safety Organization (CHPSO) is hosting three separate webinars that address patient safety, health care professional suicide, and maternal sepsis.  

What else to know: Each webinar is designed to equip health care professionals with the latest research, practical solutions, and tools for improving patient outcomes and supporting clinician well-being — and CHA/CHPSO members who attend may earn continuing education credits with the California Board of Registered Nursing. 

Ask Reps. to Sign Letter Opposing 340B Program Changes

What’s happening: A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives is leading a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra about efforts by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to undermine the 340B Drug Discount Program.   

What else to know: Hospital leaders should call or email their U.S. representative and urge them to sign on to the letter by Sept. 27.  

CMS Requests Information on AI Use in Health Care

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a request for information (RFI) on how artificial intelligence (AI) is used to improve health care delivery, with the goal of informing future rulemaking. 

What else to know: CMS will select organizations to showcase their AI products and services to educate the agency and inform future policymaking during a series of “Demo Days” starting in October. 

Donations Needed as US Faces Emergency Blood Shortage

What’s happening: Following a precipitous decline in blood and platelet inventory, multiple organizations are asking for hospitals’ and health systems’ help in encouraging community members to donate blood or platelets. The most needed donations are platelets, O-positive blood, and O-negative blood.  

What else to know: The shortage was caused by record temperatures during summer and recent disruptions in blood collections, which caused the national blood inventory to drop by more than 25% in July.