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.
CDPH Health Advisory Urges Summertime Testing for Influenza A
What’s happening: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released a Health Advisory on June 11 recommending that, as the 2024-25 flu season ends, health care providers continue testing for influenza throughout the summer — particularly in patients with respiratory illness, conjunctivitis, or avian influenza A (H5N1) exposure risk factors.
FDA Inaction Effectively Eliminates Final Rule to Regulate Laboratory-Developed Tests
What’s happening: The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) did not appeal the March 31 final judgment in which a U.S. district court ruled that it lacks the authority to regulate laboratory-developed tests as medical devices, effectively eliminating the May 6, 2024, final rule.
CDPH Shifts Influenza, RSV Surveillance to New Department
What’s happening: As of May 5, responsibility for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surveillance will move from the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH’s) Immunization Branch to its Coronavirus Control Branch.
Heading into Midpoint of Legislative Session, a Look at Hospital Priorities
A couple of weeks ago, California’s Senate and Assembly appropriations committees determined which bills should move forward and which should be held this year based on estimated costs to the state.
Labs Must Transition to Email for CLIA Notifications by March 2026
What’s happening: For laboratories to continue receiving Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) fee coupons and certificates, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that they must switch to email notifications starting March 1, 2026.
CHA Develops State and National Partnerships to Advance Pharmacy Practice
What’s happening: CHA and the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) are calling on pharmacy professionals to join the movement for substantive change in pharmacy practice through their partnership with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (ASHP) Practice Advancement Initiative (PAI) — and joining the movement begins with taking the California Hospital Survey.
What else to know: Originally launched in 2010, PAI has helped pharmacists across diverse practice settings implement local changes to improve patient care — and ASHP is bolstering these efforts by launching PAI 2030. In PAI 2030, ASHP has introduced 59 updated recommendations aimed at enhancing medication use, expanding the roles of pharmacists and technicians, and embracing emerging technologies.
CDPH Issues New Guidance to Support Doula Access in Hospitals
What’s happening: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released All Facilities Letter (AFL) 25-13 on March 24 that offers guidance to hospitals on supporting the Medi-Cal doula benefit — available since January 1, 2023 — and outlines recommendations for patient visitation policies and procedures.
Court Rules FDA Cannot Regulate Laboratory-Developed Tests
What’s happening: In a final judgment filed March 31, the U.S. District Court for Eastern Texas ruled that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to regulate laboratory-developed tests, rendering a final rule issued May 6, 2024, null and void.
What else to know: This final rule phased out the FDA’s general enforcement discretion approach for most laboratory-developed tests to instead provide greater oversight.
2025 Emergency Services Forum Returns to Newport Beach
What’s happening: In just over six weeks, the Emergency Services Forum returns to Newport Beach, where emergency services professionals will gather for a day of learning, discussion, and networking.
What else to know: The forum, held May 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., is open for registration. The deadline for booking at the discounted hotel room rate is April 14.
Registration Opens for DHCS Birthing Care Pathway Webinar
What’s happening: On March 4, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is hosting a webinar from 3-4:30 p.m. (PT) to discuss the Birthing Care Pathway, a comprehensive policy and care model roadmap to address racial and ethnic disparities throughout the journey of pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal members — from conception through 12 months postpartum. Registration is open.
What else to know: The goals of the roadmap are to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality and address these significant disparities in maternal health outcomes among Medi-Cal members who are Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander.