The newsroom includes access to Council Connect, our twice-monthly newsletter on Hospital Council’s work. Key articles and issues of interest, along with the President’s Message, are included below.
Newsroom
The Future Doesn’t Wait — and Neither Do Hospitals
The calendar might not agree, but everywhere you look, signs of fall are here: Kids are going back to school, Halloween decorations have hit stores, and football games will start in the next couple of weeks.
Section Updates for August 13, 2025
CENTRAL VALLEY: As part of the Central Valley Health Care Landscape Analysis, Hospital Council hosted a focus group in which leaders from 18 member hospitals across seven counties attended. During the meeting, members reported an increase in survey activity from California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regional offices, resulting in a sharp rise in immediate jeopardy events and fines. New resources from CDPH and the California Hospital Association can help hospitals navigate licensing surveys.
AB 1204 Equity Reporting Portal Opens — Still Time to Register for HQI Support
As the deadline for inaugural Hospital Equity Measures Report submissions under Assembly Bill (AB) 1204 (2021) approaches, the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) has officially opened its online reporting portal.
HQI and Hospital Council to Host 2025 Annual Conference
The Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) and Hospital Council will host a joint 2025 Annual Conference on Sept. 28-29 in Lake Tahoe, where the focus will be on advancing patient safety in health care’s new era.
Health Care Providers Brace for Impact, Knowing Relationships Matter Most
As the dust settles on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law earlier this month by President Donald Trump, the work facing hospitals now begins in earnest.
Section Updates for July 23, 2025
CENTRAL VALLEY: River Vista Behavioral Health Hospital is now designated as a crisis stabilization unit, which means emergency medical services providers can transport patients directly to River Vista instead of an emergency department — great news for a region that averages 500 transports to alternate destinations each month.
OHCA Should Account for Federal Cuts via Blanket Waivers and Scrutinize Insurer Profits, CHA Argues
Last week, the California Hospital Association (CHA) wrote to the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) board, asking that it proactively account for the largest health care cuts in the history of the Medicaid program, passed earlier this month under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
From Local Initiatives to Federal Fallout, Hospitals Stand Strong
With federal activity top of mind, the Hospital Council Board of Directors met this week to discuss priority issues for hospitals across Northern California.
Lebra’s AI Tools Help Hospitals Improve Workforce, Drive Results
Lebra, Hospital Council’s newest corporate associate member, has built an artificial intelligence-powered platform that aims to help hospitals build personal connections with staff, board members, and community members, all in service of improving their culture of caring.
As AB 1204 Deadline Nears, HQI Offers Equity Reporting Assistance to Hospitals
By Sept. 30, California hospitals are required to submit detailed health equity reports under Assembly Bill (AB) 1204 (2021) to the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) — and the Hospital Quality Institute’s (HQI’s) automated reporting program can help.
