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Monday, June 14, 2004
OHA recently sent member hospitals its 2004 Executive/General and Chief Executive Officer Salary Surveys. The 2004 survey has been streamlined to make participation easier. An electronic version of the survey is also available this year to further ease participation. To receive the electronic survey instrument (Excel format), please e-mail your request to ohasurvey@mgmtscience.com.
Hospitals have until June 30 to return the questionnaires to Management Science Associates, Inc. (MSA), the firm coordinating the survey process. Participating organizations will receive confidential survey reports in mid August analyzing the salary information, pay rates and practices for chief executive officers and over 100 executive and other hospital and health system positions. These surveys represent the only comprehensive statewide hospital compensation information available in Ohio and are invaluable tools for human resources and organizational planning and management. Questions can be directed to Kelly Taylor at MSA, at 816.795.1947 or Kelly.Taylor@mgmtscience.com. (Jean Scholz, jeans@ohanet.org; Debbie Wolfe, debbiew@ohanet.org)
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
New Associate Joins OHA Team
OHA would like to welcome Joseph P. Roel, who joins the organization
this week as manager of data initiatives. As a member of OHA’s Data
Services department, Joseph will work with quality initiatives in Dayton
and Columbus and will also support other data programs, research and
projects. Joseph can be reached at 614.221.7614 or
jroel@ohanet.org.
Wednesday,
June 16, 2004
Chief Justice Moyer Addresses OHA Board
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas J.
Moyer today outlined his judicial philosophy and the process by which
cases are heard in Ohio’s highest court for the OHA Board of Trustees at
its latest meeting.
Moyer explained his traditional philosophy on reviewing issues before the court, which favors judicial restraint by interpreting but not rewriting law.
Moyer has served as Chief Justice since 1987. Moyer is up for re-election for one of four open seats on the Ohio Supreme Court this fall. OHA’s political action committee, Friends of Ohio Hospitals, has endorsed Moyer, along with Justice Terrence O’Donnell and Judge Judith Ann Lanzinger, in this year’s Ohio Supreme Court elections. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)
Thursday,
June 17, 2004
At its last meeting, the OHA Board of Trustees approved early advocacy efforts to halt proposals expected to surface next year to cut Medicaid and Medicare funding as part of legislation likely to mirror the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Board members agreed o ask their hospital boards to send a resolution to federal lawmakers calling on Congress to halt any cuts to providers.
The Board also voted to support hospital participation in the 2004 Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Medication Safety Self Assessment for Hospitals. It will gather information necessary to help hospitals make medication delivery safer for patients by measuring hospitals’ progress since the 2000 survey and allowing them to compare their systems and practices to those of other hospitals nationwide. ISMP estimates the preliminary aggregate national data will be released in late 2004. For more information and to view the survey, go to www.ismp.org.
Looking at the medical malpractice insurance crisis, the Board authorized development of a Web site to educate Ohioans about the med mal crisis and the Ohio Supreme Court’s role in solving the problem. Register at the site, www.AskYourDoctorOhio.com, to receive an e-mail when the public site goes live. The site will include background information on the crisis and importance of the Ohio Supreme Court, along with downloadable grassroots materials for providers.
The Board approved OHA’s request to investigate a new assessment formula for the Hospital Care Assurance Program with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to minimize the losses of economic contributors to the program. The Board also approved a resolution to ask the American Hospital Association to address the Medicare outpatient lab fee schedule on the federal level. (Jim Castle, jimc@ohanet.org)
Friday,
June 18, 2004
Gov. Taft this week signed into law House Bill 215, which builds upon previous legislative work to help Ohio’s health care providers obtain affordable medical malpractice insurance. OHA and the Ohio State Medical Association supported the legislation, which authorizes the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) to collect data on judgments and settlements, and requires that expert witnesses providing testimony practice the same specialty as the defendant and have expertise on the subject of the trial. OHA will work closely with ODI to develop rules for the elements of data collection. The legislation also prohibits either a physician or defendant’s prior statements of sympathy to be used as evidence. For more information on Ohio’s medical malpractice crisis, visit http://www.ohanet.org/med-mal/. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)
Hospitals Take Leading Role in Improving ED Services
Although television’s ER isn’t always a realistic portrayal of a typical
hospital’s Emergency Department (ED), it does show how hospitals deal
with challenges like overcrowded waiting rooms and aging facilities as
more patients visit EDs with limited resources. Despite difficulties,
Ohio hospitals are improving their ED services in an effort to provide
better care for patients.
One improvement in patient service is decreased waiting times. Several
Ohio hospitals have launched guarantees for speedy trips from waiting
rooms to exam rooms and other ED areas. These guarantees ensure patients
will be seen by a physician in a certain amount of time or be given
compensation in return. Ohio hospitals are also working to update
facilities. Several hospitals have opened new or renovated EDs in the
past 18 months and at least 15 additional hospitals have broken ground,
or are in the planning stages, for ED improvements.
Overcoming obstacles to eliminate overcrowded waiting rooms and update
aging facilities in Ohio hospital EDs is a drama much larger than TV’s
ER, but Ohio’s hospitals are up to the challenge.
For more examples of Ohio hospitals’ improvements in ED services, view
the June Healthbeat at
http://www.ohanet.org/healthbeat/.
OHA Center for Education
Don’t miss the OHA educational seminar, Implementation of ISO 9001:2000
for Hospitals, on June 25 at the Clarion-Dublin Hotel, formerly
Wyndham-Dublin Hotel. For more, visit
http://www.ohanet.org/education/education_programs.asp or call
614.221.7614.