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Monday, January 5, 2004
Reports Analyze U.S. Health Care Quality
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released two reports outlining the first national comprehensive effort to measure the quality of health care and differences in access to health care services in America for priority populations. National Healthcare Quality Report and National Healthcare Disparities Report provide baseline information on the quality of health care and differences in use of these services. HHS plans for future reports to help the national continue to improve by tracking quality.

The reports were prepared by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as directed by Congress. They include information for seven clinical conditions: cancer, diabetes, end-stage renal disease, heart disease, HIV and AIDS, mental health and respiratory disease. They also include data on maternal and child health, nursing home and home health care and patient safety. The reports are available online at www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov. Print copies can be obtained by calling 1.800.358.9295 or by e-mailing ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov. (Rosalie Weakland, rosaliew@ohanet.org)

Tuesday, January 6, 2004
Hospitals Lead the Way
Ohio hospitals are paving the way towards excellence in their communities and throughout the world.

Reaching out beyond its four walls, Fairview Hospital in Cleveland and a team of local physicians has offered to pay all surgery and related hospital fees to care for two Kurdish brothers severely injured when they stumbled upon a land mine in northern Iraq last March.

Parma Community General Hospital was named honorable mention in Modern Healthcare magazine’s Spirit of Excellence Award for Quality for its program Healthcare Excellence Through Action Teams (HEAT). Through HEAT, the hospital’s emergency department cut diversion hours by 33 percent, the average length of stay by 39 percent and the number of patients leaving without being seen by 52 percent.

Through a project called Kids Care, Lodi Community Hospital is helping local fire and rescue units obtain special pediatric equipment and training to treat children in emergency situations.

Ohio caregivers are also being recognized on an individual level. The Ohio Society of Healthcare Risk Managers has named Susan E. Carter, director of Akron General Health System’s risk management department, its 2003 Ohio Hospital Risk Manager of the Year. Carter also received this award in 1999, making her the only risk manager in Ohio to receive the award twice. Larry Copeland, M.D., an internationally known expert in gynecologic malignancies at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the M.D. Anderson Alumni and Faculty Association for exceptional career achievement. (Mary Yost, maryy@ohanet.org)

Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Hospitals Change With Community Needs
In a continuing quest to provide the best service to their communities, several hospitals throughout the state are currently in negotiations regarding possible mergers, collaborations of services or additions and renovations.

Officials at Akron General Health System, the owner of Massillon Community Hospital, and Triad Hospitals Inc, which owns Doctors Hospital of Stark County, are discussing how they could collaborate to improve health care services for patients in western Stark County. More information will be available at the close of these discussions. Allen Medical Center is in the midst of merging with Community Health Partners, giving the hospital additional financial resources as well as access to new technology and reduced costs.

OHA Center for Education
Make a New Year’s resolution you can keep - get your required continuing education credits out of the way early! Don’t miss the following OHA educational seminars. Visit www.ohanet.org/education/education_programs.asp or call 614.221.7614 for more information about these and other upcoming seminars.

Mental Health Client Self Directed Care Seminar
January 23, 2004
Ramada Plaza Hotel, Columbus

Update Your Outpatient Revenue Cycle for 2004 - Two Special Sessions
January 27, 2004 - "2004 APC Rules and 2004 HCPCS Update"
January 28, 2004 - "Ambulatory Surgery Reimbursement Landscape Under APCs"
Radisson Airport Hotel, Columbus

Multi-State Hospital Trustee Conference
April 18, 19 & 20, 2004
The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Who Should Attend: Hospital trustees and members of the senior management team

Thursday, January 8, 2004
JUA Bill Heads to Senate
The Ohio House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation yesterday granting the state authority to revive a version of the Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) by a 92-0 vote. House Bill 282 would permit the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) director to transfer $12 million from the former JUA to fund a new Medical Liability Underwriting Association (MLUA) in the event ODI determines a substantial number of physician applicants for medical malpractice insurance are denied coverage and the situation threatens the availability of health care for Ohioans.

MLUA would issue policies with $1 million and $3 million limits for physicians meeting minimum eligibility and underwriting standards. It would address only availability, not affordability of coverage. The legislation now heads to the Senate. For more about the medical malpractice insurance crisis, visit www.ohanet.org/med-mal/. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)

Medicaid Commission Plots Course of Action
The Ohio Commission to Reform Medicaid, charged by the governor with offering suggestions and recommendations for the reform of Ohio’s Medicaid program by Jan. 1, 2005, has set its 2004 calendar. A conference call planned for next week was postponed due to the public sunshine law but the group will soon begin discussions. It will hold a public hearing in Columbus on April 19 and plans to adopt final recommendations by the start of December.

Ohio hospitals provide health care to more than 1.5 million low-income citizens through the Medicaid program. One-fourth of Ohio’s Medicaid population accounts for almost 75 percent of its cost due to high-cost conditions. Patients with two or more severe diseases or conditions, immune system diseases, a severe disease plus an additional disease, two chronic diseases or those living on a ventilator represent the most expensive conditions. Exploring methods for more cost-effective delivery of services to this and other populations requiring expensive or extensive care is part of the commission’s goal for this year. For more information on Ohio’s Medicaid program, visit www.ohanet.org/medicaid/. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)

Hospitals Offer More than Health Care
Infusing funds back into the local economy, leading neighborhood revitalization efforts, offering high quality employment--and this is just the start. Ohio hospitals are assets to their communities in many ways. OHA has sent a 2004 Community Benefit Toolkit to hospital public relations representatives throughout the state to help them raise awareness among community members, legislators and others of the many ways their hospitals benefit their communities. The toolkit contains examples, templates and a variety of other resources. Please contact Mary Sterenberg at 614.221.7614 or marys@ohanet.org with any questions or if you did not receive this toolkit.

Friday, January 9, 2004
OAE Invites Hospital Presentations
The Ohio Award for Excellence (OAE) will present its second annual seminar highlighting best practices in the health care industry this spring. The April 5 seminar will provide an opportunity for health care organizations to share best practices and network with other professionals pursuing organizational excellence. Hospitals are invited to submit presentation proposals to OAE by Jan. 20. Contact Sandy Simpson at simpsons@somc.org or 740.356.6410 for details. For more about OAE, visit www.oae.org. (Rosalie Weakland, rosaliew@ohanet.org)

Tobacco Prevention Grants in the Pipeline
Similar to its request for proposals for programs to reduce tobacco use by college students, the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation (TUPCF) will be releasing a request for proposals to address tobacco use by young adults. Proposals for pilot projects will increase understanding about tobacco use among young adults ages 18-24 years old in Ohio and identify effective strategies for preventing and reducing their use of tobacco products. The total available funding is $500,000 and proposals will be due April 15. Information will be available soon on TUPCF's Web site www.standohio.org. (Lynne Ayres, lynnea@ohanet.org)

OHA Congratulates Associates
OHA welcomes Kelly Harrison as an executive assistant to the education department. Kelly can be reached at 614.221.7614 or kellyh@ohanet.org. OHA also would like to congratulate Paula Almendinger, who has been promoted to manager of personal membership groups, and Jeannette Noll, who has been promoted to manager of education programs and services.

OHA associate Carla Peery will leave her post as assistant to the Foundation for Healthy Communities this month. She has accepted a position with OHA Insurance Solutions and OHA wishes her continued success.