Monday, October 17,
2005
House Panel Passes Vaccination Bill
The Ohio House of
Representatives is preparing to pass a bill requiring hospitals and
nursing homes to offer vaccinations against influenza and
pneumonia. The bill requires that hospitals offer the vaccines to
patients admitted to the hospital in accordance with guidelines
issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
unless a physician has determined the vaccination medically
inappropriate. Similar requirements are set for nursing homes to
vaccinate all residents.
OHA opposed the
original version of House Bill 257, sponsored by Rep. John P. Hagan
(R-Alliance). In June, Carol Jacobson, OHA’s director of emergency
management, testified before a House panel, arguing that the
original language was too restrictive because required
all inpatients 50 years and older to be vaccinated, regardless of
the month they were admitted, and it conflicted with CDC
guidelines. Rep. Jim Raussen (R-Cincinnati) amended the bill,
addressing OHA's concerns. OHA currently is not opposed to the
legislation, which will move to the Ohio Senate for consideration
following a full vote by the House of Representatives. For a copy
of Jacobson’s testimony, visit
www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/issues/testimony/fluvaccine061505.pdf.
To view the bill online, visit
www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText126/126_HB_257_I_Y.pdf. (Jeff Klingler,
jeffk@ohanet.org)
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Katrina Victims Still In Need Of Aid
While nearly
$655,000 in donations have been pledged to The Care Fund to help
hospital workers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama rebuild their
lives after Hurricane Katrina, there is a need for continued
support.
An estimated 5,800
hospital workers in the three states hardest hit by the hurricane
suffered devastating losses, yet continued caring for patients and
neighbors who were ill or suffered injury as a result of the storm.
"While the headlines surrounding the storm's aftermath have died
down, the enormity of the need has not," said AHA President Dick
Davidson. "So many hospital people who lost everything are just
beginning to rebuild their lives and their needs are tremendous.”
Established by the
hospital community in the affected states, The Care Fund is a
501(c)(3) charitable organization that gives 100 percent of
donations to the hospitals’ staffs and victims of the storm. See
www.thecarefund.net for more information and to donate. (Carol
Jacobson,
carolj@ohanet.org)
Pandemic Threats
Topic of REF Seminar
OHA’s Research and
Educational Foundation, in partnership with the Ohio Department of
Health (ODH), is hosting a seminar on Preparing for Pandemic
Threats and Emerging Infections Nov. 2 in Dublin.
The conference
offers an opportunity for participants to hear from ODH and the Ohio
Infectious Disease Society on emerging infections, the 2005-06 flu
season, pandemic and avian influenza as well as surveillance systems
in Ohio. Current Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations infection control standards will also be a
focus-point.
ODH Director Nick
Baird, M.D. will open the conference.
Other speakers include
Forrest Smith, ODH State Epidemiologist; Jeffery Weinstein,
Infectious Disease Specialist at Community Mercy Health Partners;
Bob Campbell, ODH Bureau of Health Surveillance Chief; Candace
Friedman, Director of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology at the
University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers; and a panel of
experts discussing such issues as detection processes, control
procedures, activation of incident command centers, and coordination
with responding agencies.
Hospital infection
control practitioners, emergency department staff, hospital medical
staff leaders, nurse executives, safety officers, and city and
county health department representatives are encouraged to attend
the seminar, and media are welcome to attend. The registration fee
for participants is $175, which covers all materials and lunch.
Visit
www.ohanet.org/education/EmergingInfectionsBroch1105.pdf
for more information and to register. (Rick Sites,
ricks@ohanet.org, Carol Jacobson,
carolj@ohanet.org)
Wednesday,
October 19, 2005
Hospitals as the Healthiest Workplaces in Ohio! Grants
Announced
OHA’s Foundation
for Healthy Communities today announced the recipients of the second
annual Hospitals as the Healthiest Workplaces in Ohio!
grants, which support hospitals’ efforts at containing employees’
health risks and health care costs.
The foundation
will award four grants totaling $70,000 for employee wellness
initiatives, representing investments of nearly $320,000 in
workplace wellness through hospital commitments of staff and in-kind
services.
The 2005 recipients of the grants are expected to receive renewal
funds of $30,000 to continue their programs.
The 2006 grant
recipients are:
-
East Ohio
Regional Hospital,
Martins Ferry, receiving a $20,000 grant toward its Race to
Wellness – Martins Ferry 500;
-
St.
Elizabeth and St. Joseph Health Centers,
Youngstown, receiving a $20,000 grant toward their Because We
Care program;
-
St.
John West Shore Hospital,
Westlake, receiving a $20,000 grant toward its Employee
Wellness Program;
-
Memorial Hospital,
Fremont, receiving a $10,000 grant toward its Commitment to
Health program.
Since its
inception, the Foundation for Healthy Communities has funded 105
grants to Ohio hospitals, totaling more than $1 million. These
grants have seeded many innovative approaches to health improvement
and community health collaborations that have led to long-term
solutions to health issues. View a news release on the Hospitals
as the Healthiest Workplaces in Ohio! grants at
www.ohanet.org/HealthyCommunities/newsreleases/2005/101905.htm.
Learn more about the Foundation for Healthy Communities, grants it
funds and partnership opportunities online at
www.HealthyCommunitiesOhio.org.
(Lynne Ayres,
lynnea@ohanet.org)
H ospitals'
Heartbeat
2005 nominee for
the
Albert
E. Dyckes Health
Care Worker of the Year Award
Jodi Lodge,
MACCSLP
Speech Therapy
Supervisor, Rehabilitation Services
Adena Health
System. Chillicothe
Photo
Thursday, October
20, 2005
Budget
Reconciliation Bills Continue to Evolve
The U.S.
Senate and House of Representatives are hashing out their final
fiscal year 2006 budget reconciliation bills, with votes in both
chambers expected by the end of next week. Still in flux, both
versions could be subject to change during floor debate in the days
ahead and OHA will follow the legislation closely and keep members
apprised on changes that impact hospitals.
Currently the Senate bill contains only the $10 billion in cuts to
Medicaid and Medicare mandated by the budget resolution passed this
spring. Hospital advocates thus far have lobbied successfully against
any significant cuts to hospital Medicare and Medicaid payments. A
proposed freeze to outpatient Medicare payments seems to have been
eliminated and cuts to physician payments under Medicare were
avoided in the Senate version, though a freeze for each remains
possible. More dangerous for hospitals, the House version may
contain cuts to Medicaid and Medicare above $10 billion, with some
fiscally conservative legislators pushing for significantly greater
cuts.
Both
versions of the legislation could reach conference committee as
early as the start of November, and a final bill may emerge by the
end of November or early December. OHA today sent letters to the
Ohio delegation, outlining issues important to hospitals as they
make final budget decisions. View the letter online at
www.ohanet.org/advocacy/federal/resources/reconciliation_letter_102005.pdf
. Hospital advocates are encouraged to contact their federal
lawmakers to reinforce key messages spelled out in the letter. OHA
will provide updates as the legislation continues to move and
evolve. (Jonathan Archey,
jonathana@ohanet.org)
Hospitals,
Lawyers, Libraries Partner For Health Care Decisions Week
Ohio lawyers and
health care providers will help Ohioans better understand advance
directives during Plan Ahead… Health Care Decisions Week ’05.
Designated libraries across the state will host information sessions
the week of Oct. 31 – Nov. 5, with attorneys and health care
providers on hand to answer questions about living wills, health
care powers of attorney and other advance directive topics.
Although
participating lawyers will not be providing legal advice, they and
other volunteers will provide information and help visitors fill out
appropriate forms if they wish to do so. Visitors will also receive
a copy of Living Wills and Health Care Prowers of Attorney
and other informational materials.
Materials for
volunteers and those wishing to promote Health Care Decisions Week,
including talking points, a news release, a list of volunteers and
locations, a promotional flier and volunteer instructions, are
available at
www.ohiobar.org/pub/?articleid=590. More information about
advance directives is available at
www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/issues/advance_directives.htm.
(Rick Sites,
ricks@ohanet.org)
Friday, October
21, 2005
Price Tag for Medicare Changes a
Welcome Surprise
Receiving its
first “bill” from the federal government for its share of the new
Medicare prescription drug benefit, Ohio was pleasantly surprised that
the price-tag was $20 million less than expected.
The Medicare “Part
D” program goes into effect Jan. 1, and the state expected a loss as
a trade-off for the federal government taking control of
prescription drugs costs for patients dually-eligible for Medicare
and Medicaid. Due to inaccurate calculations from the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), initial estimates showed Ohio
stood to lose $80 million for 2007, a number which later dropped to
$55 million. But the first official charge from the federal
government arrived late last week, and the difference between state
costs under the current system and the new federal law showed a
price tag of $35 million.
According to the
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), an estimated
192,000 Ohioans in 2006 and 201,000 in 2007 will be eligible for
both Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug coverage. Though the
$35 million loss is better than expected, ODJFS will continue to
advocate for adjustments to the formula CMS uses to calculate the
payments. Currently the inflation factor assumed by CMS for Ohio is
35.54 percent annually, while Ohio’s annual increases have tracked
close to 32 percent. This and other discrepancies will be the focus
of ODJFS’ lobbying efforts with the federal government.
To learn more
about Ohio’s Medicare program, view a fact sheet online at
www.ohanet.org/media/fact_sheets/medicare.pdf or visit
www.ohanet.org/advocacy/federal/resources/medicareprimer.htm.
(Jonathan Archey,
jonathana@ohanet.org)
Hospitals’ Heartbeat
A 2005 nominee for
the
Albert
E. Dyckes Health
Care Worker of the Year Award
Suzy McIlduff, RN
Critical Care
Staff Nurse, Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Akron General
Medical Center, Akron
Photo
© 2001-2008 OHA. Last updated
January 03, 2008.
Please direct comments, corrections or additions to: oha@ohanet.org
614.221.7614.
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