Hospital Operations

About Hospital Operations

Hospitals are grappling with staffing shortages, financial shortfalls, and extensive oversight and regulation. One in five hospitals is at risk of closure, yet hospitals remain committed to maintaining the care communities rely on and supporting the state’s health care workforce. To do this, hospitals are actively working with legislators and policymakers to find innovative and efficient ways to deliver care to all Californians.

HCAI, OSHPD Release Design Guide for Planning and Preparing for Disasters

What’s happening: The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) have released a new Design Guide for Planning and Preparing for Disasters to assist hospitals in planning, preparing, and responding to disasters.   

What else to know: The 102-page document includes coordinating references and illustrations supporting hospitals’ obligation to save lives and prevent injury or property damage in their emergency response. 

CHA Translates Required Patient Language Assistance Taglines

What’s happening: Regulations recently adopted by the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) under the Hospital Fair Pricing Policies Law require hospitals to provide “taglines” on patient documents in several different languages. 

What else to know: The taglines inform patients that language assistance services are available and how to access them. CHA has included a tagline sheet with translations in 18 languages.  

CHA’s Rural Health Care Symposium Brings Hospital Leaders Together on Critical Issues

What’s happening: Timely educational offerings and productive discussions at CHA’s Rural Health Care Symposium on March 4-5 will help shape future organizational strategies for rural and critical access hospitals.  

What else to know: With record attendance, the 71 members representing 35 rural and critical access hospitals received updates on CHA’s state and federal legislative efforts, rural seismic strategies, and Medi-Cal and state finances. 

CHA Encourages Members to Participate in the Vitality Index Payer Scorecard

What’s happening: CHA is endorsing member participation in the Vitality Index Payer Scorecard, which will provide critical information to support CHA’s advocacy to hold insurers accountable for timely and accurate reimbursement.  

What else to know: The CHA Board of Trustees has endorsed this tool, which will automatically draw de-identified claims and remittance information from hospitals without requiring additional reporting or surveys.  

CHA Shares Updates on Change Healthcare Cyberattack

What’s happening: Hospitals and health systems operations continue to be impacted by the cyberattack on Change Healthcare. 

What else to know: CHA supports AHA’s recommendations urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take steps to mitigate the impact on providers experiencing issues with claims processing and pharmacy operations.  

CHA Will Host Vitality Payer Scorecard Webinar

This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.

What’s happening: CHA is hosting a complimentary, members-only webinar on Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. (PT) to highlight the American Hospital Association Vitality Payer Scorecard, which was recently endorsed by the CHA board.  

What else to know: The scorecard captures necessary and normalized data points without sharing protected health information. The automated process is based on de-identified claims and remittance files and eliminates the need for CHA surveys on this issue.  

CMS Updates Hospital Guidance for Texting Patient Info

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated guidance for hospitals and critical access hospitals related to texting patient information.  

What else to know: Hospitals should use a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant secure texting platform that complies with Medicare and Medicaid conditions of participation.