Biweekly Briefing Articles

5 Things To Know: Fentanyl Screening, Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), CHA Forum, State of Emergency, Behavioral Health

FENTANYL SCREENING: The California Department of Public Health has issued an All Facilities Letter (AFL) 22-25 on fentanyl screening. The AFL notifies general acute care hospitals (GACH) of the passage of Senate Bill 864 (Chapter 169, Statutes of 2022) and its requirement that a GACH that is conducting a diagnostic urine drug screening must also include testing for fentanyl, until Jan. 1, 2028. For questions about this AFL, hospitals should contact their respective district office.

5 Things To Know: Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), Nursing Grants, Report on State Legislation, Medi-Cal RX Expansion, AHA Suicide Prevention Resources

COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA): Please join HASD&IC and CHNA-participating hospitals, health systems, and health districts for a community stakeholder briefing  from 10 to 11:30 a.m. (PT) Nov. 29. The briefing will include a presentation on the 2022 CHNA as well as a discussion about potential future research and the next steps to address the identified community needs. Please forward this information to anyone in your network who might be interested in attending. The 2022 CHNA report is available on the HASD&IC website. After reviewing the report, please consider sharing your feedback through our survey.

A Time to Reflect and Give Thanks

Gratitude (noun): the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Next week, many of you will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving. And although we all have our own ways in which we will observe the day, gratitude will no doubt be at the heart of the celebrations.

5 Things To Know: Medi-Cal Fraud Prevention Training, Retention Payment Program, Behavioral Health Funding Opportunities, Skilled-Nursing Facilities, Community College Instructors Needed

MEDI-CAL FRAUD PREVENTION TRAINING: The Department of Health Care Services Investigations Division will join HASD&IC for a webinar on Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon (PT) to provide Medi-Cal Fraud Prevention Training. The main objective of this training is to help preserve professional ethics and integrity to ensure that Medi-Cal benefits and other public program benefits are provided only to eligible persons. Attendees will hear potential fraud indicators and appropriate actions to take if they do encounter a suspicious situation. This training opportunity is highly encouraged for any hospital or vendor staff who assist patients with their Medi-Cal application and is a great opportunity to ask any questions about Medi-Cal fraud concerns. Please pass along the invitation to any staff and colleagues who would be interested in attending.

Associate Member Spotlight: IPROTEAN

IPRO is the nation’s fastest growing virtual board education company for hospital and health system board members. Featuring the nation’s most distinguished thought leaders and subject matter experts in health care, the IPRO platform delivers bite-sized micro-lessons in governance; finance; mission and strategy; quality; and technology and innovation. Video lessons are available on-demand and viewable […]

5 Things To Know: Imperial County, Reminder — CDPH Leadership Updates and District Session, Addressing Homelessness, MEDICARE MEDI-CAL Plans (MMPS), Loan Repayment and Scholarship Program Application Cycles

IMPERIAL COUNTY: Larry Lewis, who has been Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District CEO since 2012, has been hired to lead the Imperial County Local Health Authority. The announcement was made at the commission meeting on Oct. 10. He will assume responsibilities with the health authority on Nov. 14. We thank Larry for his years of service on the HASD&IC board and for his leadership at Pioneers to enhance the health and well-being of Imperial County communities. We wish him the best in his next endeavor and look forward to working with him in his new role.

HASD&IC BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING SUMMARY 

The HASD&IC Board of Directors convened on Sept. 21. Board Chair Tom Gammiere, Corporate SVP/Regional Chief Executive – South, Scripps Health, officiated. 

Special guests Mayor Todd Gloria and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher met with the board and engaged in update and discussion of our region’s overall health needs and the following important issues: people experiencing homelessness, housing/shelter, behavioral health, CARE Courts, conservatorship, Medi-Cal Managed Care, CalAIM, and workforce needs. Gloria and Fletcher emphasized their commitment for city and county to work collaboratively to address these issues and offered their support in state legislative advocacy efforts.