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Monday,
November 22, 2004
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week provided Ohio with information on the distribution of influenza vaccine. Ohio will receive 280,500 doses of vaccines for hospitals and long term care facilities including nursing homes and residential care facilities. These doses will arrive in two shipments. During November and December, 65 percent of the vaccine will be distributed and the remaining 35 percent will be provided in January. CDC will also distribute 49,000 preservative-free vaccine doses for children ages 6-23 months and 23,000 doses for public health.
Because vaccine remains limited and a primary concern is the transmission of influenza from infected individuals to high-risk populations, hospitals are encouraged to first vaccinate health care workers who provide direct patient care and then vaccinate patients with the highest potential for morbidity or mortality. Also, preservative-free vaccine for children should not be given to adults.
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) continues to collect information on the need for vaccine. Call the local health department or e-mail ODH at Tpayton@odh.ohio.gov immediately if additional vaccine is needed. To view the official update, visit www.ohanet.org/flu/doc/update.pdf. (Carol Jacobson, carolj@ohanet.org)
ADDITION: Last week’s Hospitals Lead the Way column should have included recognition of Ashtabula County Medical Center for receiving the Bey Blanchard President’s Award from the Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County. This award is the highest in the Best of County program, which celebrates individuals and organization that provide the fabric of Ashtabula County.
Hospitals receiving awards and other honors should forward news releases to Mary Sterenberg at marys@ohanet.org to be considered for future Hospitals Lead the Way articles.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
The Ohio Medical Malpractice Commission continued its look at the feasibility of an Ohio patient compensation fund (PCF) and the impact of tort reform at its meeting last week. Robert L. Sanders, FCAS, MAAA, with Milliman Consultants and Actuaries, testified before the commission on a recommended structure and impact on physicians of a patient compensation fund as part of a long-term solution to the medical malpractice insurance crisis. Milliman recommends the PCF be structured to provide coverage on a per-claim basis with an attachment point of $500,000, with providers buying the first $500,000 from the commercial market and the second $500,000 from the PCF. Providers wanting more than $1 million in coverage would also use the commercial market. All providers, including self-insured hospitals, would be required to participate in the PCF. Sanders said the estimated total cost savings would be about 5 percent.
The commission, charged with studying Ohio’s medical malpractice insurance crisis, will meet again in December to discuss state tort reform measures, captive insurance companies, reinsurance and an outline of its final report, which is due to the Ohio General Assembly by April 10, 2005. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)
Preparedness Survey Hits Hospitals Next Month
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will survey
hospitals next month to assess their preparedness for chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive events. Consulting
company Booz Allen Hamilton will administer the Web-based survey to all
hospitals participating in the Health Resource and Services
Administration’s (HRSA) Bioterrorism Preparedness Program on behalf of
HRSA and HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
An appropriate contact person has been identified in participating hospitals and will receive a link to the online survey via e-mail Dec. 1. The contact person is asked to collect all information and seek input from other professionals within the hospital. Hospitals have until Dec. 22 to complete the 30- to 40-minute survey. All information collected will be used to understand the overall preparedness of hospitals and will remain confidential. Information will be used to determine the preparedness levels of hospitals in the event of a terrorist event or natural disaster. Ohio hospitals that are asked to participate are encouraged to do so. (Carol Jacobson, carolj@ohanet.org)
Wednesday,
November 24, 2004
The Ohio Department of Insurance reminds Medicare beneficiaries and those working with them that beneficiaries must enroll in a Medicare-approved Prescription Drug Discount Card program by Dec. 31, 2004, to receive the $600 low-income assistance credit for 2004. The credit for 2004 can automatically carry over to 2005 and eligible beneficiaries will receive an additional $600 for the new year to put toward the purchase of prescription drugs. The drug card enrollment fee of up to $30 annually will be waived for low-income individuals with no other source of drug coverage in both 2004 and 2005. The discount card program will be in effect until Jan. 1, 2006, when the Medicare prescription drug benefit begins.
Interested beneficiaries should select a discount card program and submit an enrollment form identifying their Medicare and Medicaid status to the program. To qualify for the $600 credit, beneficiaries’ incomes must not exceed the federal poverty level of $12,569 for an individual or $16,862 for a married couple. For a complete listing of Ohio’s drug discount cards or additional information, call 1.800.686.1578 or visit www.ohioinsurance.gov/prescriptiondrugs/index.asp. (Berna Bell, bernab@ohanet.org)
Hyping Health Care Jobs
A PowerPoint presentation outlining the many opportunities for health
care careers in Ohio’s hospitals and the potential for organizations to
partner with hospitals is now available on the Governor’s Workforce
Connection at
www.ohioworkforce.org/docs/OneStop/Hospitals-One-Stops-Opportunities.ppt.
Created by OHA, Ohio’s Hospitals and One-Stops: Opportunities for New
Partnerships gives an overview of Ohio’s hospitals and potential
opportunities for public workforce projects to partner with hospitals
and get job seekers into health care positions. (Jean Scholz,
jeans@ohanet.org)
Thursday,
November 25, 2004
OHA is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Friday,
November 26, 2004
OHA is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.