Iowa news
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics creates new solutions to formula supply shortage
The formula shortage from last year is still trickling down. Medical officials at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are still feeling the effects, which is why they have a team prepared to meet this need and continuously learn from previous surges. Each ingredient in the Stead Family Children’s Hospital Formula Room is worth it’s weight in gold as techs work to prepare nutrients for various patients. These medical officials are in constant contact discussing what supplies they have, and how much more they need to ensure the affects of supply-chain shortages never catch up to their patients. (KCRG)
Nationwide data breach affects 20,800 Iowa Medicaid members
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced that a data breach at a third-party contractor affected around 20,800 Iowa Medicaid members. Independent Living Systems, a state-contracted company responsible for performing service assessments, detected the breach, which is believed to have occurred from June 30 to July 5, 2022. The breach led to the release of personal identifying information, including full names and Medicaid details. The system was the only one affected, and the Iowa Medicaid system was not breached. Affected members will receive letters detailing the compromised information with guidance about how to prevent its unauthorized use. (KCIM-AM)
Iowa leads in cracking down on PBMs
Sen. Chuck Grassley and several Democratic and Republican members of Congress are fighting back against pharmacy benefit managers, which are multibillion-dollar companies that determine what Iowans pay for their prescription medicines. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks also joined bipartisan colleagues to introduce the Help Ensure Lower Patient Copays Act to protect patients from harmful practices. One of every four U.S. adults say they have trouble paying for their prescription drugs. (The Gazette)
National news
Crisis looms as 800,000 more nurses plan to exit workforce by 2027
The critical U.S. nursing shortage is going to get worse according to results of a comprehensive National Council of State Boards of Nursing and National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers study. About 800,000 nurses say they intend to leave the workforce by 2027. There is also evidence that suggests decreased practice and assessment proficiency for new nurses. This fact, coupled with the dwindling nursing support staff, has pushed the council to call for significant action to foster a more resilient and safe U.S. nursing workforce moving forward. (Becker’s Clinical Leadership and Infection Control)
HHS to extend certain PREP Act liability protections beyond COVID-19 public health emergency
The Department of Health and Human Services plans to amend its Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration for COVID-19 to extend liability protections for certain COVID-19 countermeasure activities beyond the May 11 end of the public health emergency. Under the amendment, PREP Act liability immunity will apply through 2024 to all COVID-19 medical countermeasure activities provided through a federal agreement and to pharmacists, pharmacy interns and pharmacy technicians who administer COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines and COVID-19 tests, despite a federal agreement or emergency declaration. (American Hospital Association)
Google, Microsoft and startups test out generative AI in health care
Google is releasing a version of its medical LLM, called Med-PaLM 2, to a limited group of users. The tech giant continues to invest in medical large language model research. LLMs are AI tools that demonstrate capabilities in language understanding and generation. Google developed Med-PaLM 2 late last year as a version of PaLM tuned for the medical domain to more accurately and safely answer medical questions. Google has been working with clinicians and nonclinicians to assess Med-PaLM and Med-PaLM 2 against multiple criteria including scientific consensus, medical reasoning, knowledge recall, bias and likelihood of possible harm. Google also unveiled its new AI-enabled tools designed to streamline processes for health insurance prior authorization and claims processing. (Fierce Healthcare)