Iowa governor signs REH bill supported by Iowa Hospital Association
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a rural emergency licensure bill establishing the new hospital designation. IHA advocated for passage of the legislation throughout the legislative process.

“In the last decade, more than 140 hospitals have closed in the United States. Most of those hospitals are in rural areas including one here in Iowa,” said IHA President and CEO Chris Mitchell. “This bill provides a potential lifeline to our rural hospitals across the state, gives struggling hospitals another option to avoid closure and ensures that local access to care is maintained.”

Rural hospitals choosing to opt in to the new category will continue to furnish emergency department services, observation care and, if a hospital chooses, other specified outpatient medical and health services. Services rendered must not exceed an annual per-patient average of 24 hours. For eliminating inpatient care, rural emergency hospitals will be paid the applicable Outpatient Prospective Payment System rate plus 5% and a monthly facility payment.

The final bill was unanimously passed by the Senate on March 14. IHA extends its thanks to Gov. Kim Reynolds, Sen. Mark Costello, Sen. Jeff Reichman, Rep. Martin Graber and Rep. Tom Moore for their leadership, and the House Republicans who worked on the bill. IHA extends special thanks to Sen. Charles Grassley for his work at the federal level on the new designation.

Spots still available for ISHHRA spring conference
It’s not too late to register for the 2023 Iowa Society for Health Care Human Resources Administration Spring Conference. Participants will learn from Joe Collins with the Iowa Department of Education and Kent Storm with Iowa HOSA – Future Health Professionals about creating health care workforce pipelines. They also will review resources to engage and prepare students for a health care career.

Other sessions include:

• Legal updates affecting health care workers.
• Networking with peers.
• Strategies to retain top performers.

The conference is scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 19.

Getting to Know: Allison Wild, M.S.N., UnityPoint Health-Des Moines

Allison Wild, M.S.N., RN, is the clinical education specialist for the nurse residency program at UnityPoint Health-Des Moines. She focuses on staff development and education. She has developed training for staff nurses, preceptors, charge nurses and other educators. Wild’s background includes working as a staff nurse, preceptor, charge nurse and educator in a progressive care setting. She has more than five years of experience in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of adult education.

Carl Behne resigns as Burgess Health Center CEO
The Burgess Health Center Board of DIrectors has announced CEO Carl Behne’s resignation. Behne has been with Burgess Health Center since September 2020 and will leave the hospital in mid-June. During his tenure, he led the hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic and guided the $18.1 million expansion and renovation of the hospital. The board of directors is working on a plan for interim leadership until a permanent replacement is found. Behne will stay in a consultative role for the interim leader.

Register for HRSA cannabis-use disorder webinar
The Health Resources and Services Administration, the AIDS Education and Training Center, and the Bureau of Pharmacy Health Care is hosting a webinar for clinicians and other health care providers to discuss the rising use of cannabis to address health conditions.

James Gasper, Pharm.D., BCPP, will review the history and epidemiology of cannabis and identify signs and symptoms of cannabis-use disorder. Participants also will discuss treatment approaches. The webinar is scheduled from 11 a.m.-noon Monday, April 10.