|
| Hot Issues |
| Publications |
| Advocacy Center |
| Research & Data |
| Education |
| News Media Center |
| Find a Hospital Job |
| Membership |
| Corporate Partners |
| Home |
Search:
 |
Monday,
October 25, 2004
A judicial panel in Philadelphia last week ruled against the consolidation of federal class-action lawsuits against non-profit hospitals and health systems involving their billing practices. The court said that consolidation “would neither serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses nor further the just and efficient conduct of this litigation.”
The American Hospital Association, which is named in the lawsuits, and the hospital defendants opposed the motion at a hearing in late September, arguing consolidation would ignore the unique benefit each individual hospital provides to its community through charity care, community health programs and other charitable services. (Mary Gallagher, maryg@ohanet.org)
Providers Asked to Limit Flu Vaccine
In the wake of a flu vaccine shortage, Ohio Department of Health (ODH)
Director J. Nick Baird, M.D., is strongly requesting all health care
providers limit flu vaccinations to individuals deemed high-risk by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Designated priority groups include:
- all children ages 6-23 months,
- adults older than 65,
- persons 2-64 years old with underlying chronic medical conditions,
- all women pregnant during flu season,
- nursing home and long-term care facility residents,
- children ages 6 months to 18 years on chronic aspirin therapy,
- health care workers involved in direct patient care, and
- out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children under 6 months old.
CDC and Aventis Pasteur, creator of this year's available flu vaccine, are working together to distribute 22.4 million doses of unshipped vaccine to areas of need throughout the country. Over the next six to eight weeks, about 14.2 million doses will go to high-priority providers, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes and private providers caring for young children. The remaining doses will be shipped to other high-need areas. Updated information and materials are online at www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccineshortage.htm.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
In response to the nationwide flu vaccine shortage, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) asked OHA to provide an analysis on the availability of flu vaccine in Ohio to be shared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In response to ODH’s request, OHA sent a six-question survey to hospitals the week of Oct. 11 to gauge hospitals vaccine needs.
To date, only 35 percent of member hospitals have responded. Because the OHA survey is the only opportunity hospitals have to voice their vaccine needs to both CDC and the ODH, OHA urges hospitals to complete the survey before Oct. 29, when ODH will provide an update to CDC. Hospitals that have not completed the survey can find it online at www.ohanet.org/terrorism_preparedness/ and fax it to 614.358.2731 or e-mail it to carolj@ohanet.org.
About 70 percent of responding hospitals have not received all the vaccine they ordered. Approximately 91,584 additional doses of vaccine are needed statewide to provide for the priority groups as defined by CDC. In addition to completing the survey, clinicians can access a CDC document at www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/qa_clinician.htm outlining what to do if they lack the vaccine necessary to immunize high-risk patients. (Carol Jacobson, carolj@ohanet.org)
Wednesday,
October 27, 2004
Raymond Marvar, vice president and general counsel for the Cleveland Clinic Health System's Western Region, and other health care and insurance leaders last week testified at an Ohio Medical Malpractice Commission meeting that examined Ohio captive insurers and their role within the state’s medical liability insurance environment.
The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI), concerned physicians facing skyrocketing liability premiums are turning to captive insurers without fully examining potential consequences, is considering introducing legislation to regulate captive insurance companies seeking to do business in Ohio.
Those who testified described both the advantages and disadvantages of captive insurers, which allow individuals or companies to self-insure certain risks by relying on their own resources to pay claims and expenses. Marvar cited advantages such as cost savings and tax and regulatory benefits. Mike D’Eramo of MaternOhio Management Services described other advantages, such as removing doctors from volatile markets, and the possible risks and underlying work involved. Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, president of the Medical College of Ohio, addressed the medical liability insurance crisis’s impact on medical education, saying the costs associated with the current insurance market do not allow doctors to both teach and practice. To learn more about Ohio’s medical liability crisis and its connection to the Ohio Supreme Court, go to www.AskYourDoctorOhio.com. (Mary Gallagher, maryg@ohanet.org)
Hospitals Urged to Review Data Online
A final reminder to hospitals participating in the Hospital Quality
Alliance to review their first-quarter 2004 quality data by Nov. 6 to
ensure accuracy before the information is released to the public.
Hospitals submitted data for 10 quality measures and can access and
verify this information at
www.qnetexchange.org. Significant errors should be reported to Ohio
KePRO and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service will work to
correct the error. For additional information, contact the QualityNet
help desk at 1.866.288.8912 or
qnetsupport@ifmc.sdps.org.
The information will be available to the public at
cms.hhs.gov later
this year. (Rosalie Weakland,
rosaliew@ohanet.org)
Thursday,
October 28, 2004
Two Ohio hospitals are joining the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) in a pilot program to counsel Medicare beneficiaries about their insurance coverage.
Memorial Hospital Fremont and Barberton Citizens Hospital will provide SHIP Mates, trained and certified ODI and hospital volunteers, to assist Medicare beneficiaries and their family members with insurance concerns while at the hospital. Follow-up services and a comprehensive insurance kit are available to beneficiaries when they leave.
The program, administered by ODI’s Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP), is the first of its kind spearheaded by a state insurance agency and is being considered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for possible nationwide implementation. To learn more about OSHIIP or to become a SHIP Mate, call 1.800.686.1578 or visit www.ohioinsurance.gov. (Charles Cataline, charlesc@ohanet.org)
Hospitals Invited to Annual HIPAA Roundtable
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites hospital
representatives and others to participate in the 17th National
HIPAA Implementation Roundtable conference call 2-3:30 p.m. EST on
Wednesday, Nov. 10. This year’s call focuses on the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act security standards.
The conference is free and requires no registration, but due to the large volume of callers, CMS recommends dialing in 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. The call-in number is 1.877.203.0044 and the conference identification number is 1347026.
Friday,
October 29, 2004
A new type of “movement” is underway in the Buckeye State. Ohio on the Move, the state affiliate of America on the Move, is encouraging Ohioans to take part in America on the Move Day, Friday, Nov. 5. Ohio on the Move is a statewide initiative headquartered in Cincinnati by the Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati to help Ohio communities and all Ohioans commit to small, sustainable steps to healthy eating and active living.
Several activities are planned in Cincinnati on Friday, Nov. 5, and individuals across the state can participate by taking a pledge to walk 2,000 extra steps (one mile) and eat 100 fewer calories that day. Ohio is vying for the title “Healthiest State on the Move,” which can be won by securing more pledges than any other state.
Visit
www.americaonthemove.org or call 1.800.807.0077 to take the pledge.
For more information about America on the Move Day events in
Cincinnati, including a fitness fair to sample healthy food, pick up
health information and win prizes, visit
www.the-collaborative.org and select “Ohio on the Move.”
Back to School: Pollution Prevention 101
The next Pollution Prevention University (P2U), scheduled for Dec.
13-15, is now accepting registrations from hospital employees interested
in gaining hands-on experience with meeting Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations environmental requirements and
preparing pollution prevention activities in hospitals. The workshop
shows attendees how to reduce waste stream volume and expense. The
conference will be held at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. Due
to the nature of the program, only a small number of participants can
take part in each P2U, so register early to guarantee admission. Find a
registration form at
www.ohanet.org/p2/events/fullday.pdf.
Through participation in the P2U program and other pollution prevention efforts, Ohio’s hospitals continue to serve as community leaders in protecting their patients, their employees and their environment. For more information on hospital pollution prevention initiatives, visit www.ohanet.org/p2/. (Susan Zabo, susanz@ohanet.org)