Through an Ohio State University College of Pharmacy research study, this program was proven to positively impact medication safety administration and it also qualifies participants for continuing nursing education. Large physician clinical practices and all Ohio nursing homes will also receive the interactive tool and OPSI will monitor the use and results of this new resource.

OPSI is a subsidiary of the Ohio Health Council, which was founded by the Ohio Hospital Association, the Ohio State Medical Association, and the Ohio Osteopathic Association. It draws together all the stakeholders in patient safety statewide to share data, resources, and expertise to improve the safety of patients in Ohio. To learn more, visit www.ohiopatientsafety.org/. (Joseph Roel, josephr@ohanet.org; Rosalie Weakland, rosaliew@ohanet.org)

According to the Alabama Hospital Association, the court’s decision confirms the hospital board’s final authority over decisions related to management of the hospital, even if those decisions affect the ability of some medical staff members to practice in the hospital. Last year, a proposed amendment in the Ohio Senate sought to limit the authority of hospital governing boards in their role of credentialing physicians. OHA advocates that the responsibility for ensuring hospitals have the resources to meet their communities’ needs lies with the hospital's governing board, and that hospital boards take decisions regarding hospital staff privileges for physicians very seriously, but they must retain the ability to act in the best interests of the facilities they serve. For more information on this issue in Ohio, visit www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/issues/credentialing.htm. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)

The foundation expresses its appreciation to retiring board members Nancy Dix, community representative from Newark, and Patsy Matheny, director of community health improvement for VHA, Inc. in Columbus.

The Foundation is a charitable arm of OHA, created and endowed by Ohio hospitals in 1994 to promote creative collaborations for better health. For more information, visit www.ohanet.org/healthycommunities/. (Lynne Ayres, lynnea@ohanet.org)

Friday, January 28, 2005
Board Recommends HCAP Model, Approves Strategic Direction Plan
At its January meeting, the OHA Board of Trustees made recommendations on a 2005 Hospital Care Assurance Program (HCAP) distribution model based on recommendations of the OHA Executive Committee and OHA Finance Committee. The Board-recommended 2005 HCAP distribution model removes ambulance and durable medical equipment costs from the assessment formula, authorizes the development of a three-tiered system for assessments, multiplies all public hospitals’ Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) caps by 130 percent, adjusts the critical access hospital and rural hospital pools of money, and sets a floor of $7 million for the children’s hospitals’ pool.

Looking to the future, the Board approved a four-year strategic plan with initiatives focusing on: accountability, financing, healthy communities and lifestyles, hospital-physicians relations, leadership, quality and patient safety, and workforce.
The Board also voted to oppose a patient compensation fund in Ohio barring an analysis from the Ohio Department of Insurance on the cost to providers, which is likely to exceed the perceived benefit of the program.

On the federal level, the Board continued looking into limited-service, physician-owned hospitals and the threat these facilities pose to the health care delivery system. OHA supports the American Hospital Association’s position to extend the federal moratorium on these facilities. The moratorium is set to expire in June. The Board was also briefed on emerging federal advocacy priorities for hospitals in 2005. (Jim Castle, jimc@ohanet.org)

Hospitals Lead the Way
Ohio hospitals continue receiving recognition and expanding ways to benefit their communities, and others around the world.

Following the tsunami in South Asia, nurses at Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk embarked on a fundraising campaign to assist the victims by creatively encouraging employees to contribute up to eight hours of vacation time to the American Red Cross’ fund. Combined with employee contributions, donations from the public, and the hospital’s matching funds, Fisher-Titus raised over $20,000. Many other hospitals throughout Ohio, including Ashtabula County Medical Center, Lodi Community Hospital and Humility of Mary Health Partners in Youngstown, initiated unified collection efforts and donated supplies and other services.

Facing an ice storm at home, MedCentral Health System in Mansfield reopened its closed Crestline Hospital to serve as an emergency shelter for the community, used hospital lobbies as warming facilities for residents and opened its cafeteria to the public, allowing residents to take carry-out meals home.

Hospital recognition goes to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, ranked number five in the nation by Child magazine for treating sick children. J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program honored three Toledo hospitals, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, St. Charles Mercy Hospital and St. Anne Mercy Hospital, for service excellence. McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford was honored as the Business of the Year by the Oxford Chamber of Commerce. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ presented OhioHealth in Columbus with the ASHP Research and Education Foundation’s first Award for Excellence in Medication-use Safety. Children’s Medical Center in Dayton was a finalist for the award.

Receiving individual recognition is Grace Wakulchik, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Akron Children’s Hospital, who received the Nursing Leadership Award from the Ohio Organization of Nurse Executives. Frank Perez, president and chief executive officer of the Kettering Medical Center Network, was named the winner of the annual Heart of Dayton award, give by the Dayton chapter of the American Heart Association for a significant contribution to the organization’s mission. (Mary Sterenberg, marys@ohanet.org)