OHA - HEALTH e-NEWS

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Monday, February 5, 2007
WANTED: Programs to Keep People Well, Reduce Health Insurance Costs
OHA’s Foundation for Healthy Communities is looking for a few good ideas for promoting wellness with a long-term eye at reducing high health insurance costs. OHA member hospitals are encouraged to apply for new Hospital Wellness Partnership grants by March 2. Up to $100,000 in grants will be awarded by June 2007. Successful projects will identify a particular need or problem within a defined population and describe how the grant will be used to promote good health and prevent disease. Applicants must be Ohio hospitals that are members of OHA. The target population for the grant cannot be the hospital’s employees. Applications must be submitted electronically using forms and requirements available at http://www.healthycommunitiesohio.org/grants_howtoapply.asp. (Maggie Williams, maggiew@ohanet.org)

Hospitals’ Heartbeat
A 2006 nominee for the Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award

Richard Jackson
Social Worker, Home Care Services
Upper Valley Medical Center
Troy

A look inside Richard’s nomination –
Rick has taken a lead role as a patient advocate and staff educator regarding Ohio’s DNR-CC and DNR CC-Arrest laws. He has taken upon himself to become knowledgeable and to act as a resource for the patients and the rest of the home care and UVMC team. He became a notary so he could notarize documents such as living wills and durable powers of attorney for home bound patients. The UVMC Home Care department deems the social worker as an important member of the team, and in Rick we have found a person totally dedicated to that role. Whatever will make a patient’s life better and safer; Rick is the proper link to the resource for its fruition. A co-worker verifies, "Rick is an exceptional person who consistently demonstrates caring, generosity and love for so many people. The word ‘can’t’ is not in his vocabulary. He extends himself to our patients long after their discharge. He is a positive influence on all and his energy and attitude become contagious as he spreads goodwill throughout the community.”

Tuesday, February 6, 2007
CMS Proposes Rate Change for LTACHs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a proposed rule designed to ensure appropriate payment to long-term acute care hospitals (LTCAHs) for care to severely ill or medically complex patients. The rule would update the LTACH prospective payment system federal rate by 0.71 percent.

CMS also proposed extending its “25 percent rule,” which reduces payments to LTACHs that operate within a hospital if more than 25 percent of their patients are referred from the host hospital. The new rule would extend to virtually all LTCAHs in which more than 25 percent of its patients are admitted from an individual hospital, regardless of where the hospital is located. CMS also proposed changes to graduate medical education payments to teaching hospitals whose residents are trained in non-hospital sites.

CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule for 60 days and publish a final rule later this spring. The final rule will be effective for discharges occurring on or after July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. (Charles Cataline, charlesc@ohanet.org)

Hospitals Reminded to Register with ODH by March 1
All hospitals much register with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) by March 1 and report specific information such as type and volume of services, number of hospital beds and types of inpatient services. The registration rules are available at www.odh.ohio.gov/rules/final/f3701-59.aspx. Additional information and the reporting form are available at www.odh.ohio.gov/odhPrograms/io/hospreg/hosp1.aspx. Contact ODH with questions at 614.644.7238. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)

Hospitals’ Heartbeat
A 2006 nominee for the Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award

Susan Weisenbarger
Director of Medical Administrative Services
Wayne Hospital
Greenville

A look inside Susan’s nomination –
Susie Weisenberger is a mentor to many and a friend to all. She’s the answer lady. She’s the one willing to dig to find the root causes of problems. She’s just abrasive enough to be effective. She’s hard-headed enough to not quit. But ask people at Wayne Hospital about Susie and most often you’ll hear “I don’t know what we’d do without her.”

She serves as a liaison between hospital administration and the medical staff and between the community and the hospital. Susie Weisenbarger is one of the “Faces of Wayne Hospital.” True leaders lead by example and you will ALWAYS find Susie at the forefront of everything – except when it’s time to take credit – then she’ll often not be found, or if found, extolling the virtues of others.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Reminder on Friday Deadline for OHA Leadership Awards
Hospitals have until this Friday, Feb. 9, to make a nomination for the Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award or OHA’s prestigious Health Care Leadership Awards. All Health Care Worker of the Year nominees and other award recipients will be honored at the OHA Recognition Dinner June 18 or as part of the OHA Annual Meeting June 18-20 at the Columbus Hilton at Easton. (Tiffany Himmelreich, tiffanyh@ohanet.org)

Hospital Reps Invited to Tobacco Control Conference
The Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation will join tobacco prevention and cessation organizations in neighboring states to host States of Change: A Regional Tobacco Control Conference March 5-6 in Columbus. The conference will explore how regional industry leaders, policy makers and tobacco control and prevention experts have jumpstarted policy and systems change that facilitate tobacco-free environments. More than 30 presenters representing a wide scope of industries with successful tobacco-free policies, systems and campaign efforts will share their perspectives. For a complete overview, registration, hotel and reservation information, visit www.statesofchange.com.

Hospitals’ Heartbeat
A 2006 nominee for the Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award

Jeff Emrick, RN
Surgical Services and Emergency Department
Wilson Memorial Hospital
Sidney

A look inside Jeff’s nomination –
Jeff has been a nurse at Wilson Memorial Hospital since 1989, working in the Surgical Services and Emergency Departments. Jeff is well respected by staff and physicians at the hospital, which is primarily due to the friendly, professional and caring manner in which he treats everyone. Always cognizant of his patients’ needs, Jeff does his best to alleviate their pain while treating, comforting and reassuring them. Numerous patients have sent letters to hospital administration praising Jeff for the quality of care he provided them, and many nursing students have flourished and been inspired by working with him during their observation hours. He is also a positive representative for the hospital and has volunteered his time to work at health fairs, screening programs and educational seminars to promote awareness about prostate cancer and other men’s health issues. He also volunteers for many community efforts promoting the health and well-being of others.

Thursday, February 8, 2007
President's Budget Cuts Billions Hospital Services
The president’s budget proposal was released this week with proposals for more than $100 billion in reductions to provider reimbursements under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), the hospital community would be hit to the tune of $75 billion in Medicare reductions and $25.7 billion in cut-backs to Medicaid, which could reduce funding for Disproportionate Share Hospitals through the Hospital Care Assurance Program. The funding would be diverted to create a federal subsidy to the states to help provide insurance to low-income individuals. The proposed budget also would mean reduced reimbursement to physicians under Medicare.

If adopted, these reductions would have dangerous repercussions for hospitals as well as the 3.6 million Ohioans who rely on the state’s Medicaid and Medicare programs. AHA strongly opposes these provisions and will urge Congress to reject them. In addition, OHA is arranging for interested hospital representatives to meet with federal legislators in Washington, D.C., and within legislators’ districts in Ohio. Contact Jonathan Archey at 614.221.7614 or jonathana@ohanet.org to express interest in arranging a visit with your lawmaker. View the proposed budget at www.hhs.gov/budget/docbudget.htm. (John Callender, johnc@ohanet.org; Jonathan Archey, jonathana@ohanet.org)

Friday, February 9, 2007
Hospitals Lead the Way
Ohio hospitals continue to receive recognition for ongoing efforts to improve services and take on new challenges.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently honored hospitals for raising the organ donation rates of eligible donors from their facility. The following Ohio hospitals received Medals of Honor for Organ Donation: Summa Health System Akron City Hospital; Akron General Medical Center; Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron; Mercy Medical Center, Canton; Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati; University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland; Mount Carmel West, Columbus; St. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima; MedCentral Health System, Mansfield; St. Vincent’s Mercy Medical Center, Toledo; and The Toledo Hospital.

The Ohio Psychological Association honored Humility of Mary Health Partners with a Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award. Ashtabula County Medical Center’s Nutrition Services Department received the Cleveland Clinic’s Patient Satisfaction Award for the Most Improved Performance. St. Elizabeth Health Center, a member of Humility of Mary Health Partners, is the only Ohio hospital to receive the 2006 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Energy for its innovative approaches to improve energy efficiency.

Akron General Medical Center now offers its patients CaringBridge, a free online service to keep patients and loved ones in touch during hospital stays. Patients and their families can create a site to post journal entries and photographs and their families and friends can read updates and post message of support and encouragement. (Mary Sterenberg, marys@ohanet.org)

CORRECTION: President's Budget Cuts Billions
The federal budget cuts reported in yesterday’s HEALTH e-NEWS Plus of $75 billion for Medicare and $25.7 billion in Medicaid were based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s estimated cuts to each program on the whole, not just for hospital services as reported. Analysis conducted in the interim shows the direct impact on hospitals is approximately $26 billion in Medicare reductions over 5 years for the largest components of the program including inpatient, outpatient, skilled nursing, rehab, home health and bad debt reimbursements. Ohio’s share of the Medicare cuts is conservatively estimated at $980 million over 5 years. State-specific impact of the Medicaid cuts is still being analyzed. Although less than originally reported, the hefty cuts would still have dangerous repercussions for hospitals. (John Callender, johnc@ohanet.org; Jonathan Archey, jonathana@ohanet.org)