FYI WEEKLY

Each day, VHHA actively works on behalf of its members, their employees, and Virginians to advance the interests of Virginia’s hospitals and health systems. In the past week, these are some developments of interest to Virginia hospitals and health systems:

VHHA Hosts Board of Directors, Executive Committee Meetings

This week, VHHA hosted meetings of the Board of Directors and the Board’s Executive Committee for discussions on matters of importance to hospitals and health systems including issues of state and federal public policy and their impact on the healthcare delivery system.

VHHA Hosts Meeting of the Workforce Steering Committee

This week, the VHHA Workforce Steering Committee met to discuss registered apprenticeship initiatives in light of forthcoming Rural Health Transformation Program funding to support allied health apprenticeships, current workforce challenges, and advocacy priorities to help inform the committee’s 2027 draft workforce legislative agenda. Contact Sharon Alexander at salexander@vhha.com with questions about the committee.

Submit Rural Health Transformation Project Funding Applications to VHHA Foundation by Sept. 15

The VHHA Foundation is accepting applications from healthcare organizations seeking Rural Health Transformation Program project funding support for proposals on remote patient monitoring and graduate medical education initiatives. The VHHA Foundation is partnering on the Virginia Rural Health Transformation work to administer grant funding for several key initiatives that are part of the broader transformation framework. The remote patient monitoring program is intended to support continuous care technologies that help rural providers extend care beyond traditional clinical settings. The graduate medical education effort is focused on the expansion of rural residency slots in high-priority specialties to strengthen Virginia’s rural physician workforce pipeline and help health systems recruit, train, and retain physicians who are prepared to serve rural communities. The application deadline for project funding is Sept. 15 and awards will be announced by Oct. 30. Visit the VHHA Foundation online for more program information. That website also features a recording of a recent webinar on the Rural Health Transformation work. VHHA Foundation staff are also available to provide technical assistance and guidance to hospital staff pursuing grant funding for graduate medical education and remote patient monitoring projects. Visit this link to book time for a graduate medical education session and this link for an appointment on remote patient monitoring.

Register today for the 2026 Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Leaders Summit, whose theme is “100 Years Strong: Honoring Our Past. Shaping the Future.” The Summit will be held Nov. 4-6 at The Omni Homestead Resort as part of the continuing celebration of the 100th anniversary of VHHA this year. For more than a century, Virginia’s hospitals and health systems have served as the heartbeat of communities, providing compassionate care and leading through times of challenge and opportunity. This year’s Summit brings together VHHA and hospital officials from across the Commonwealth to celebrate a century of service, honor the leaders who have shaped healthcare in Virginia, and look ahead to the next 100 years. Visit this link to register.

Submit Nominations for the 2026 VHHA Outstanding Service Awards, Deadline is Sept. 18

VHHA is accepting nominations for the 2026 VHHA Outstanding Service Awards, which will be presented at the 2026 Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Leaders Summit in November. The awards recognize individuals who have made a real difference to Virginia’s hospitals and health systems, and to healthcare in general through selfless, energetic, and passionate service. Awards are presented in the following categories: the Distinguished Service Award (given to past or present chief executive officers), the Meritorious Service Award (given to non-CEO healthcare leaders), and the Excellence in Governance Award (given to members of hospital or health system governing bodies). Each award recognizes those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to Virginia’s hospitals and health systems. The deadline to submit nomination materials is Sept. 18. The nomination form with submission instructions can be accessed through this link. Read more about VHHA awards and see lists of past recipients here.

News Updates

VDH Issues Vaccine Recommendations for Respiratory Virus Season

Ahead of respiratory virus season, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has expressed support for the 2026-2027 respiratory vaccine recommendations for children and adults endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). VDH encourages healthcare providers to draw on their clinical training and professional judgment, along with the latest evidence and scientific information, when talking with patients, parents, and caregivers. The VDH recommendations follow recent action by the federal government to revise previous vaccine recommendations across a range of immunization options.

VHCF: Apply for Grant Funds to Support Medicaid Outreach, Enrollment

The Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) recently announced a new request for applications (RFA) to expand the Project Connect program through an 18-month special grant focused on increasing access to Medicaid outreach and enrollment assistance as Virginia prepares for new federal requirements under H.R. 1. For nearly 30 years, VHCF has partnered with the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to help eligible Virginians enroll in Medicaid through Project Connect, a statewide network of community-based outreach workers who provide outreach, education, and enrollment assistance. Under the new RFA, VHCF will award 18-month grants to double the Project Connect workforce, adding approximately 13 additional outreach workers statewide to help eligible Virginians navigate the new federal requirements. The RFA application deadline is Oct. 15, with award notification scheduled for Dec. 18 and grant funding starting in 2027. View more information here and access this link to register for a pre-application webinar to be held Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.

CDC Shares Drug Overdose Prevention Data Resources

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently launched a new online resource that provides data on fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses, prevention strategies, and information about related CDC programs. The CDC Overdose Prevention Data Channel is part of a broader data modernization effort and it offers access to high-value data that can help public health professionals monitor changing overdose patterns, recognize emerging threats, coordinate prevention efforts, and make data-informed decisions.

AHA 2027 Dick Davidson NOVA Award Application Period Open Through Oct. 8

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is now accepting applications for the 2027 Dick Davidson NOVA Award, which recognizes hospital achievements in improving community health status in collaboration with other community stakeholders. Five winning organizations will be recognized at the 2027 AHA Healthier Together Conference, May 4-6, in Anaheim, CA. The application deadline is Oct. 8.

VHCF Accepting Applications on RHT Funding for Provider Productivity Projects

The Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF), a key implementation partner in Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) efforts, is accepting applications for provider productivity project funding. Health information technology is reshaping care delivery by enabling providers to coordinate seamlessly across settings, safeguard patient data, and spend less time on administrative tasks and more time with patients. Yet many rural providers in Virginia lack the digital infrastructure to fully participate in this connected system. The provider productivity sub-initiative under the RHT framework is designed to support adoption of digital productivity tools, including AI-enabled decision-support, documentation, and workflow automation, to reduce administrative burden, ease provider burnout, and allow rural clinicians to focus more of their valuable time on patient care. Read more details about the application process at this link. The provider productivity application deadline is Sept. 14.

State Health Agencies Hosting Town Halls on New Medicaid Work Requirements

New Medicaid work requirements are coming to Virginia in four months. As of January 2027, certain adult Medicaid enrollees will be required to take part in a community engagement activity such as working a job or participating in an educational or training program to remain eligible for Medicaid coverage. Adults ages 19-64 who are in the Medicaid expansion population will be expected to spend at least 80 hours each month working a job, participating in a work training program, actively engaged in an educational or career training program, or doing community service under the new federal standard. That requirement is among several meaningful changes to Medicaid policy established in federal law last year. Another federal Medicaid policy change will require adults in the expansion population to have their coverage eligibility re-evaluated more frequently — every six months rather than annually. These federal policy changes have implications for hospitals and health systems that care for Medicaid enrollees who are subject to the new federal work requirements. To inform providers and Medicaid-eligible adults likely to be impacted by the new rules, the Virginia Office of the Health and Human Resources Secretary, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), and the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS) are hosting a series of 13 in-person town hall meetings on the coming changes in communities across the Commonwealth during September and October. Visit this link for location information and registration details. DMAS has also posted resources online about the Medicaid work requirements. The Medicaid work rules do not apply to enrolled children under 18 or adults older than 65, pregnant women and recently postpartum mothers, parents and caregivers to young children or a person with a disability, and individuals with certain disabilities. Recent state data shows that more than 535,000 Virginians are in the state Medicaid expansion population. Of those, nearly 111,000 are deemed “caretaker adults.” Another 424,000 expansion enrollees are not in that category. VHHA is actively engaged with state agencies and officials in the work to prepare for the impact of coming Medicaid policy changes, including work requirements.

Events

Register now for the 2026 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit, which is scheduled for Sept. 24 at The Westin-Richmond. The theme for this year’s Summit is “Innovating with Purpose: Building a Resilient Behavioral Health System.” The annual Summit is a daylong event that brings together providers, patient advocates, administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders to explore practical strategies for strengthening behavioral healthcare across the Commonwealth. Summit sessions will focus on topics including behavioral health treatment, workforce and wellbeing initiatives, patient and staff safety, crisis response, and innovative approaches to care delivery. Register for the Summit here.

VHHA to Host In-Person Just Culture Workshop in Partnership with ECRI on Sept. 22

VHHA, in partnership with ECRI, invites hospital leaders to register to attend an in-person workshop at VHHA offices in Glen Allen, VA on Sept. 22 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) focused on implementing Just Culture principles across their organizations. By fostering an environment where team members feel empowered to speak up, learn from mistakes, and contribute openly, leaders can strengthen patient safety and workforce engagement. This one-day, in-person course equips healthcare leaders and professionals across roles with the foundational knowledge and practical tools needed to implement and sustain Just Culture principles within their organizations. Workshop attendees will receive all course materials, lunch, and be eligible to complete the Managers and Influencers course exam asynchronously following completion of the program. View registration details here.

Join VHHA Foundation for Sept. 17 Webinar on Sustaining Hospital Peer Recovery Specialists

Peer recovery specialists (PRS) are important members of hospital teams who meet patients with substance use disorders in hospital emergency departments. They work with interdisciplinary teams, guiding patients on a self-directed journey, offering recovery resources and support and improving outcomes. An upcoming VHHA Foundation webinar will provide hospital teams with insights on sustaining those roles for daily effectiveness and long-term impact. The webinar content will clarify the role of PRSs, cover the process of billing reimbursement through the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), and offer additional funding opportunity suggestions. The webinar is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. Register here.

In collaboration with the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group, the Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services is providing a three-part webinar series intended for clinical microbiology laboratory testing personnel to provide education and improve understanding of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). The first webinar in the series on the “Importance of Identification for Diagnosis and Treatment” was held in August. Future webinars are scheduled for Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. on “Best Practices for Interpretation and Reporting” and Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. on the “Importance of Surveillance and the Role of Public Health.”

The Virginia Chapter of APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) is hosting the 51st Annual APIC Virginia Conference Oct. 15-16 in Lynchburg. The conference theme is “Moving Mountains: Influencing the Future of Infection Prevention.” Register for the conference and see event details here. APIC-VA is a multi-disciplinary voluntary organization committed to mentorship of members, support of best practices, and ultimately, improvement of the quality of healthcare. Its members include nurses, physicians, technologists, public health administrators, military personnel, and others involved in infection control and epidemiology.

Podcast

Dr. John Muse, neurosurgeon with Mary Washington Healthcare

VHHA Patients Come First Podcast Features Mary Washington Healthcare Physician on Open Brain Surgery

This episode of VHHA’s Patients Come First podcast features Dr. John Muse, MD, MBA, a neurosurgeon with Mary Washington Healthcare, for a conversation about his professional journey, treatment for patients who experience a stroke, brain aneurysm, or other neurological conditions, the recent health system achievement of a successful open brain surgery procedure, and more. Listen to the episode here and hear past episodes through this link.

Podcast episodes are also available through these podcast apps and networks: Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, Blubrry, iHeart Radio, Deezer, Podbay, Pocket Casts, the Virginia Audio Collective, Podcast Health, and the World Podcast Network. The podcast can also be heard on the radio airwaves — episodes air Sundays at 10 a.m. on 100.5 FM, 107.7 FM, 92.7 FM, and 820 AM across Central Virginia and 1650 AM in Hampton Roads. Send questions, comments, feedback, or guest suggestions to pcfpodcast@vhha.com.

Around the State

Baker

Lesser

Christopher W. Baker, CISO at UVA Health, and Nate Lesser, Vice President and CISO at Children’s National Hospital, have been named to the Becker’s Hospital Review list of 55 hospital and health system CISOs and chief privacy officers to know.

Carmouche

Dr. Jonathan Carmouche, MD, MBA, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery for Carilion Clinic and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine after serving as interim chair since January. Dr. Carmouche has practiced in Roanoke for more than 18 years and held numerous leadership roles across the organization. His previous positions include vice chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, vice chair for research, section chief of spine surgery, scoliosis, pediatric orthopaedics and orthopaedic physical medicine and rehabilitation, interim section chief of orthopaedic trauma, and chief of orthopaedic surgery at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Dr. Carmouche earned his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed his orthopaedic surgery residency and research fellowship at the University of Rochester. He completed a fellowship in adult and pediatric scoliosis and spine surgery at Twin Cities Spine Center and later earned an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. In addition to his clinical leadership, Dr. Carmouche serves as professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Read more here.

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