The Biden administration issued a proposed rule that would suppress public access to hospital safety data "due to the impact of the Covid-19 [public health emergency]," in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from California, the District of Columbia, and Texas.

• California: Kaiser Permanente on Monday announced a pledge to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, and by 100% by 2050. The company will evaluate and address emissions from purchased goods and services, investments, business-related travel and transportation, waste, and employee commuting. Notably, Kaiser Permanente in 2020 became the first U.S. health care organization to achieve carbon-neutral status. "Climate change and people's health are inextricably linked. As a healthcare organization we see the negative impacts and know we need to lead and act quickly," said Kaiser Permanente chair and CEO Greg Adams. "It is our collective moral obligation to reduce our own emissions, protect the health of our communities and support the vulnerable populations who are most impacted by climate change. We ask others to join us in our pledge, so together we can create a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable path forward." (Emerson, Becker's Hospital Review, 6/7)

• District of Columbia: The Biden administration issued a proposed rule that would block public access to hospital safety data, including infection rates, falls, and reports of bed sores. "An important part of [CMS'] commitment to patient safety is ensuring public access to the highest quality data regarding the performance of health care facilities: We want the public to have complete trust in the data and will only be providing data we have determined has a high confidence of credibility and accuracy," said Lee Fleisher, director of CMS' Center for Clinical Standards and Quality. However, consumer groups and members of the public have pushed back against the proposed rule. "The public has a right to know what happened during the pandemic. We have a right to know when lives are at risk and which hospitals did the best job of protecting their patients," said Leah Binder, CEO of the Leapfrog Group. Notably, several studies have found an increase in preventable hospital-acquired infections, including central line infections. "There's no question hospitals have been under unprecedented pressure and it's clear to us they've responded to the pressure the best they could. But in some cases, that's been harmful to patients," Binder said. "We have to face up to the consequences of this pandemic in all of their nuances." Medicare will be accepting comments from the public through June 17. (Reed, Axios, 6/7)

• Texas: Corpus Christi Medical Center on Wednesday announced that Hilda Dalfonso was appointed as CFO for two hospitals and five affiliated sites of care, effective June 1. Dalfonso, who stepped into the role after Chris Nicosia retired, has 23 years of financial, operational, and business management experience in health care. "Hilda's previous experience as a healthcare executive and her proven leadership record will be an asset to Corpus Christi Medical Center as we continue to expand our operations and patient services to meet the growing needs of the communities we serve," said Eric Evans, CEO of Corpus Christi Medical Center. "I look forward to working with her and have no doubt she will be a great addition to our senior leadership team." (Plescia, Becker's Hospital Review, 6/8)