The chair of the Maryland Health Care Commission, Craig Tanio, announced at yesterday's meeting of the commission that he is stepping down from his position. A replacement has not yet been named.

The Food and Drug Administration has announced it is restricting the use of codeine and tramadol in children, as well as recommending against prescribing these medicines to breastfeeding mothers due to possible harm to their babies. Both carry serious risks that could be even greater in children younger than 12. The medicines should also be limited in some older children. More details are in this Quality Advisory from the American Hospital Association.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance to determine when health care personnel should be tested for Zika virus infection following an occupational exposure and recommendations for post-exposure management. The document describes initial management, assessment of the exposure incident and determination of the need for Zika virus testing, clinical management, counseling and laboratory testing. It also discusses how to manage health care personnel who develop Zika virus infection following an occupational exposure, and notes that work restrictions are not generally required. 

The Maryland Healthcare Education Institute on Tuesday held the first in a series of programs to help hospital leaders better understand diversity and health disparities. The kickoff session of the Thinking About Diversity series, "Understanding Implicit Bias," focused on defining the causes of implicit bias, identifying the impact it has on decision-making, and relating it to the provision of health care and health care equity. There are two additional programs in the series, with the next scheduled in the fall. For details, email Mark Rulle.

The Maryland Healthcare Education Institute will offer its fourth annual "The Practice of Leadership for Physicians" seminar beginning in September. This four-day seminar (September 14, October 12, November 9 and December 7) is intended for to help physicians prepare to lead groups of individuals who are responsible for critical strategic goals. More details are available in this flier. For questions or to register, please contact Alison Burrows.

LifeSpan Network's 2017 Leadership Summit: Transforming Maryland's Healthcare System will take place May 16 at Turf Valley in Ellicott City. The summit will focus on how Maryland's health care system is being transformed by data, both big and small. It brings together partners from across the continuum of care: LifeSpan, The Beacon Institute, Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients, MHA, MedChi, and the Maryland National Capital Homecare Association. Please see this flier for more information, and click here to register. Hospital employees will get the LifeSpan membership rate.

The American Hospital Association has designated June 9 as #HAVhope Friday: A National Day of Awareness to focus attention on ending violence within hospital walls and our communities. The campaign starts with the AHA's digital toolkit, which details different ways hospitals can participate. Support involves sharing photos of your colleagues and community supporters holding hands, along with a short description of your commitment to combating violence through social media using #HAVhope. Sign up to support the event at www.aha.org/preventviolence.