Monday, April 08, 2002
Rep. Brown Champions Health Care Needs
The high price of prescription drugs came under attack from Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Elyria) as he joined other members of Congress today at the American Hospital Association annual meeting in Washington D.C. In a panel discussion, Brown said Congress must address that problem and also help hospitals address workforce shortages and develop surge capacity to handle more common occurrences such as flu outbreaks as well as prepare to treat mass casualties of possible bioterrorist attacks. Brown added Medicare has worked well and is the reason why life expectancy after age 65 is higher in the U.S. than elsewhere. The challenge now is to extend coverage to younger uninsured Americans, Brown said. He added health care needs are too important to try to accomplish in a budget-neutral approach without increased revenue, noting $21 billion in cuts will occur if Congress does nothing. (Jonathan Archey, jonathana@ohanet.org)

AHA Calls On Hospital Leaders to Fight Workforce Shortage
The American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Commission on Workforce for Hospitals and Health Systems today issued a report with specific recommendations to help hospitals deal with the health care workforce shortage now and in the future. The report, In Our Hands: How Hospital Leaders Can Build a Thriving Workforce, calls for strong leadership and aggressive action from hospital leaders in five key areas: fostering meaningful work; improving workplace partnerships; broadening the base of health care workers; collaborating with others; and building societal support.

Currently, shortages are being reported in nearly every type of hospital job. Solving the shortage will require efforts by multiple parties, including those in the health care field, state and federal policymakers, business people and workers. Nearly 100 “real world” examples of successful approaches to solving the workforce problem are highlighted in the report. The commission, a group of 27 leaders in health care, labor, business and education, was established in 2001 to identify strategies to increase recruitment, retention and development of qualified caregivers and support staff in hospitals. The complete report is available at www.aha.org/info/releasedisplay.asp?passreleaseid=405.

DAILY NEWS CLIPS

For your daily health care news digest, go to the Hannah News Service's StateHealthClips.com.

Health-care system stymies immigrants
Columbus Dispatch
Monday, April 08, 2002
Somalis, Latinos and others face a greater struggle than uninsured Americans because of language and cultural barriers and Medicaid rules.

UH is sued in clinical-trial death
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Saturday, April 06, 2002
The family of a Warrensville Heights woman who died after being fed an apparent overdose of an over-the-counter dietary supplement during a clinical trial has sued University Hospitals and its academic partner, Case Western Reserve University.

OPINION: Medicare cuts force doctors to choose
Toledo Blade
Sunday, April 07, 2002
Access to health care for our senior citizens is in jeopardy. The Academy of Medicine of Toledo and Lucas County, the Ohio State Medical Association, and the American Medical Association are in agreement with your recent editorial regarding "Breaking the medical promise."  

Tuesday, April 09, 2002
Tobacco Foundation Gearing up for Grant Proposals
The Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation board last week placed a high priority on completing the process for accepting proposals for prevention and cessation grants at its meeting Friday. Regional coalition and community partnerships can submit letters of intent in May indicating they will submit a grant by the August deadline. Exact criteria for the grants and due dates are yet to be finalized. However, interested parties may begin formulating three-year implementation grants, ranging between $150,000 and $1 million; or capacity-building requests, capped at $50,000. Grant proposals will require matching funds, cash or in-kind, of about 10 percent of the amount requested. 

In other business, representatives of Northlich Inc. reported on the status of the “Stand” tobacco counter-marketing campaign. The Youth Advisory Panel accepted 53 out of 245 applications received from teens to help develop the anti-smoking youth campaign. A summit with Gov. Taft is planned for April 20-21 in Columbus. Meetings with the leadership of the Ohio House and Senate are planned for April and early May.

Thank a Pediatric Nurse Today!
Today begins National Pediatric Nursing Week, a celebration of the specialty practice of pediatric nursing, a profession dedicated to promoting the optimal health of children and excellence in nursing care of children and their families. Please take time during the recognition week, running from April 9-16, to thank one of these exceptional caregivers. For more information, contact the Society of Pediatric Nursing at 850.494.9467 or visit www.pedsnurses.org.

DAILY NEWS CLIPS

For your daily health care news digest, go to the Hannah News Service's StateHealthClips.com.

Allen Medical Center in tentative pact with RNs
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Tuesday, April 09, 2002
The Allen Medical Center and 25 registered nurses reached a tentative contract agreement late yesterday during an emergency meeting.

Clinical lab technicians becoming scarce in area
Steubenville Herald-Star
Tuesday, April 09, 2002
STEUBENVILLE — Clinical lab technicians are becoming a scarce breed in the Ohio Valley and in the nation.

Nursing Profession Unveils Strategic Plan
Youngstown Business Journal
Tuesday, April 09, 2002
WASHINGTON -- As the nation grapples with decreased nurse staffing in many settings today and predictions of an unprecedented shortage of nurses in the next decade, national nursing organizations have united around a shared vision for the future of the profession and developed a strategic plan to address the complex, interrelated factors that have created a growing shortage of nurses.

Friday, April 12, 2002
Hospitals Lead the Way
How are Ohio hospitals making their communities better places to live, work and raise families? It’s not just the health care they provide but the critical role they play as major employers and good corporate citizens. OHA is proud to recognize the following honors bestowed recently on Ohio hospitals and hospital executives as examples of how Ohio hospitals lead the way in a quest to create healthy and prosperous communities.

• St. Luke’s Hospital received the Maumee River Award for philanthropy from the Maumee Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes “exceptional generosity and civic responsibility in providing financial support or leadership in the community.” St. Luke’s President and CEO Jack Bartell, who also chairs the OHA Board of Trustees, accepted the award from State Rep. Lynn E. Olman.

•  The Muskingum Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America presented the highest award a council can bestow, the Silver Beaver Award, to Genesis Healthcare System President and CEO Tom Sieber, who is also chair-elect of the OHA Board. Sieber was honored for his work including service as a past council president and chairman of the Friends of Scouting campaign.

• Parma Community General Hospital was honored as a best place to work in Northeast Ohio in 2001 by the Employers Resource Council. Parma President and CEO Tom Selden is secretary-treasurer of the OHA Board.

• Memorial Hospital of Union County President/CEO Danny L. Boggs was recognized as the Business Leader of the Year for 2001 by the Union County Chamber of Commerce. The first annual award recognized his leadership as hospital CEO for 15 years, his community involvement and innovation in improving the quality of life of Union County residents.

Share your leadership examples with OHA. (Mary Yost, maryy@ohanet.org)  

Limitless Vision, Boundless Opportunities
That’s the theme of this year’s OHA Annual Meeting, scheduled at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in downtown Columbus June 3 and 4. The two-day event offers 14 targeted educational tracks, two dynamic keynote speakers, over 130 speakers, more than 30 exhibitors, and several networking meal functions. Watch your mailbox for registration materials mailed this week or check online for program information at www.ohanet.org.