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Monday,
November 15, 2004
Ohio hospitals will have a new tool to help facilitate patient- and family-centered care as the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Institute for Family-Centered Care's Strategies for Leadership: Patient- and Family-Centered Care toolkit arrives this week.
OHA endorsed the toolkit, which aims to improve care for all patients by partnering with patients and families to involve them in decisions about their care. The toolkit includes a video, video discussion guide, resource guide and hospital self-assessment tool. AHA says patients and families’ insights will help hospitals to better plan and deliver care and increase staff satisfaction. The toolkit also complements previous toolkits and other AHA activities that have focused on safety, effectiveness, efficiency, timeliness and equity in care. For more information, go to www.aha.org/aha/key_issues/patient_safety/resources/patientcenteredcare.html. To learn more about OHA’s efforts to increase patient safety, go to www.ohiopatientsafety.org/. (Rosalie Weakland, rosaliew@ohanet.org)
Online CDC Session Offers Flu Vaccine Update
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a netconference
this Friday, Nov. 19, at noon EST. The session will include an update on
the influenza vaccine supply as well as information on antiviral
medications for influenza and infection control measures to prevent
influenza transmission. The program will combine an audio conference
with simultaneous online visual content, including a question and answer
segment accessible via both telephone and the Internet.
The event can accept a limited number of participants, so those interested should register as soon as possible at www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/fluconference. Replay of the webcast will be made available within 24 hours of the conference. Visit www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/training/novnetconf.htm for more information. For more information on immunization and the flu vaccine shortage in Ohio, visit www.ohanet.org/flu/. (Carol Jacobson, carolj@ohanet.org)
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
A new resource is available to help hospitals perform next of kin notifications quickly and easily, while complying with next of kin statutes and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act requirements.
Created by the Next of Kin Education Project, The Seven Steps to Successful Notification, recommends hospital employees follow these guidelines when notifying a patient’s next of kin in a variety of medical situations:
- Patient status confirmed
- Examine personal effects for emergency contact numbers
- Retrieve patient’s home number
- Seek other sources for contact information
- Oversee or make the notification call
- Need to follow up? Recall main contact or second number
- Shift to social service or police
Before utilizing the kit, OHA suggests hospitals get final approval from legal counsel or risk managers to ensure the kit is used in compliance with written hospital policies in accordance with Ohio law. Recent passage of State Issue 1 in Ohio should not change existing notification requirements.
Download the kit at http://clik.to/7steps under “Download Your Copy Here.” For more information on the release of patient information, view the OHA media guide, General Guidelines for Hospitals and the News Media, at www.ohanet.org/media/mediaguide.htm. (Ricks Sites, ricks@ohanet.org; Jean Scholz, jeans@ohanet.org)
Calendar Kicks Off 2005 Event Planning
As 2004 comes to a close and thoughts turn to the new year, the 2005
Health Observances and Recognition Days Calendar kicks planning for next
year’s events into gear. The Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market
Development (SHSMD) offers this publication, which provides information
on nearly 300 health-related observances. Each listing includes contact
information for event coordinators and Web sites if available.
SHSMD members receive a complimentary copy and additional copies are available for order at www.ahaonlinestore.com/ProductDisplay.asp?ProductID=1018&cartID=335700 or by calling 1.800.AHA.2626.
Wednesday,
November 17, 2004
The Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), recently released the first comprehensive data reports from the Ohio Trauma Registry. The 2001 and 2002 reports are now available online at www.ems.ohio.gov/ and 2003 data will follow in coming months.
These reports contain the most complete statewide data available on trauma in Ohio. They are the result of the effort and cooperation of many hospital employees, and can serve as a resource to health care providers caring for seriously injured patients and policymakers seeking comprehensive information.
Ohio hospitals began submitting data to the Ohio Trauma Registry in 1999 and this registry represents one section of a larger emergency and trauma database. For more information, contact the EMS Data Center at 614.387.1951 or EMSdata@dps.state.oh.us.
Seminar Offers Keys to Linking Patients With Rx Drug Assistance
The Access to Benefits Coalition (ABC) invites health care providers to
learn how to best assist older, disabled or low-income Ohioans in
navigating the many opportunities for financial assistance to cover the
costs of prescription drugs. Held Wednesday, Dec. 1, Unlocking the
Medicine Chest: Connecting the People We Serve to the Rx They Need
will examine the purpose, eligibility requirements and scope of benefits
available through state, federal and private prescription assistance
programs in Ohio. The seminar will also cover strategies for developing
funding proposals and designing successful Rx assistance programs within
an organization’s community.
The one-day conference, held from 8:15 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. in Columbus, offers a variety of continuing education credits. View registration materials at www.ouw.org/otherfiles/unlockingmedicinechestbrochure.pdf. For more information, contact Ellen Mee at 614.231.4621 or mmee@columbus.rr.com. Organizations providing funding for the conference include Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton, The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation.
Thursday,
November 18, 2004
The Ohio House Health Committee this week considered House Bill 541, legislation requiring hospitals to submit patient billing data to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The department would use to the data to provide the public with performance outcomes information via the ODH website. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Raussen (R-Cincinnati), is supported by employer groups, trade unions, the American Association of Retired Persons and small businesses. While OHA is not opposed to initiatives that provide consumers with useful information to help them make informed health care decisions, the association is educating lawmakers on the magnitude of data hospitals currently submit to ODH and other organizations, such as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Committee Chairman John White (R-Kettering) announced the bill would not receive additional hearings this year. OHA will continue to examine this issue as it likely will appear on next year’s docket in the new General Assembly. For more information on this and other OHA-tracked legislation, visit www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/resources/status125.doc. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org)
Newborn Safe Havens Law Touted as Success
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) this week announced
that 30 newborn babies have been safely surrendered since Ohio's Safe
Havens for Newborns law was enacted in April 2001. The figure is based
on a recent survey of Ohio's county public children service agencies.
Ohio hospitals have an important role in the law that allows parents to anonymously drop off newborns less than 72 hours old at hospitals, law enforcement agencies or emergency service organization without fear of prosecution. After a baby is delivered to the appropriate hospital employee, the hospital is required to take measures to protect the baby’s health and notify the local children’s services agency that the child has been taken into possession. Hospitals are also required to make available to parents written materials developed by ODJFS for use by hospitals explaining the program and also allowing for collection of basic medical information on the child. Those materials are available on the ODJFS Web site at www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/pdf/01672.pdf.
Hospitals and other community groups that are interested in promoting the program within their communities can download a brochure and posters, along with additional information about the program, on the ODJFS Save Havens Web site at http://jfs.ohio.gov/safehavens/. Find an ODJFS news release at http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases/rl111504.stm. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org)
Additional Disorder to be Tested in Newborns
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Newborn Screening Advisory Council
is expected to recommend an additional newborn screening test for cystic
fibrosis. When adopted, the test will require an additional $2 increase
in the newborn test kit fee. As mandated by ODH’s genetic screening
program, newborns are now tested for approximately 30 disorders for
which medical intervention is critical and effective. The addition is
expected in 2006. More information is available at
www.odh.state.oh.us/ODHPrograms/NEWBRN/nbrn1.htm.
OHA traditionally opposes unfunded mandates. However, it is unlikely OHA will oppose the increase given its modest nature and the importance of the test. OHA is exploring ways to shift the cost of the newborn screening program to the general revenue fund since the testing programs benefits all taxpayers. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)
Friday,
November 19, 2004
Ohio’s hospitals continue to exceed their roles as health care providers by fostering the growth of dynamic health care leaders, setting high standards for their quality of care and reaching out to serve the greater good of their communities.
Deanna Taynor, a licensed practical nurse at Children’s Hospital, Columbus, was one of 15 health care professionals in the nation to be recognized with a 2004 Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award. Taynor was honored for her exceptional service in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. Hospital administrators are also being recognized for their contributions to health care. Brian Smith, executive vice president and chief operating officer at St. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima, was recognized as a 2004 Up & Comer by Modern Healthcare for being a rising star in health care management.
Setting a high standard for cardiovascular care, Akron General Medical Center’s Heart and Vascular Center has been granted accreditation as a Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers and Providers, making it Summit County’s only accredited chest pain center. In addition, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation; University Hospitals of Cleveland; Bethesda North Hospital, Cincinnati; and The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati were among Solucient’s 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals for 2004.
Employees at Mercy Medical Center, Canton, are reaching out to their growing Hispanic community. Employees have been brushing up on their language skills through Spanish classes the hospital is offering free of charge. Other hospital employees are also being recognized for their contributions to local communities. Joanie Washburn, Marietta Memorial Hospital, was recently named Kiwanian of the Year by the Kiwanis Club of Marietta. Washburn has assisted in or participated in nearly every club project including Relay for Life, Salvation Army bell ringing, park maintenance and sponsored youth programs.
The last edition of Hospitals Lead the Way inadvertently left Parma Community General Hospital off NorthCoast 99’s list of the 99 Best Places to Work in Northeast Ohio. (Mary Sterenberg, marys@ohanet.org)