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Monday,
April 23, 2007 The Ohio Department of Health invites hospital representatives to attend Coming Together for Action – Part II, the second statewide meeting focused on the health issues of immigrant and refugee women in Ohio, June 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Columbus. The meeting will feature presentations from Ohio organizations on best practices in providing health care services to immigrant and refugee women and workgroup meetings to develop implementation recommendations based on the report from the first meeting in December 2006. The plan will be sent to the Region V Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, state agencies in Ohio and local service providers. There is not cost to attend but registration is required. For more information, contact Judi Moseley at jmoseley@columbus.rr.com or 614.668.3152. Commitment to Communities
SPOTLIGHT
Pet Therapy
Partners Susan Ertel and her dog Belle visited William Thompson of Wilmington while he was recovering from knee replacement surgery at Clinton Memorial Hospital. The hospital has welcomed pet therapy partners for the past decade, but has recently expanded its program to bring joy to patients struggling physically or mentally. Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and other small animals assist in therapy as part of formal treatment plans and also as visitors to patients in various health care settings. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week issued a memorandum for hospitals, critical access hospitals and other providers clarifying requirements for gaps in corridor doors. · In a smoke compartment that is not fully sprinklered, a gap between the face of a corridor door and the door stop should not exceed ¼ inch, provided that the door latch mechanism is functioning. · In a smoke compartment that is fully sprinklered, a gap between the face of a corridor door and the door stop should not exceed ½ inch, provided that the door latch mechanism is functioning.
The information applies to corridor doors other than those in required enclosures of vertical openings, exits and hazardous areas. It does NOT apply to doors in smoke barriers, which have other requirements. The information is current policy and is in effect for all health care facilities. View the complete memorandum at www.cms.hhs.gov/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/downloads/SCLetter07-18.pdf. (Rosalie Weakland, rosaliew@ohanet.org)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Legislation to establish the Shaken Baby Syndrome Education Program received testimony today in the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee. Senate Bill 144, sponsored by Sen. Steve Stivers (R-Columbus), would require the Ohio Department of Health director to convene a group of experts to assist the department in developing education materials on Shaken Baby Syndrome. The department will provide the materials on its Web site enabling child birth educators, pediatricians and obstetricians, hospitals and child care centers to educate expecting or new parents. OHA supports the legislation because it will provide meaningful resources to parents in multiple settings without imposing an operational burden on already-busy hospital maternity units. It also establishes a tracking system to monitor the program’s effectiveness. View an OHA letter in support of SB 144. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org) BWC Budget Clears Committee,
Includes Hospital Safe Lifting Proposal The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks nurse aides, orderlies and attendants first, and nurses sixth, on a list of at-risk occupations for strains and sprains. In 2005, the legislation established within the bureau a fund to assist nursing homes in purchasing, improving, installing or erecting equipment to facilitate a “no manual lifting” environment. The amendment to House Bill 100 adds hospitals to this existing program. For more information on HB 100, sponsored by Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati), visit www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/status127.htm. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org)
Thursday,
April 26, 2007 Not-for-profit hospitals operate outside of the typical business model. Unlike other businesses, they seek financial stability not to provide returns to stockholders, but to continue improving the quality and efficiency of their services. In addition, they do not refuse to offer critical services to their customers, regardless of whether they will ever receive payment. But like other businesses, they must manage losses and gains and maintain a financial margin that allows them to not only keep their doors open, but upgrade technology, keep up their facilities and pay the many health care workers within their walls. They are expected to act like a charity but run like a business. As an alternative to refusing care to patients or letting quality slip, hospitals are forced to rely on funds from more profitable services to offset lower-paying services. Often referred to as “cost shifting,” this practice can help keep hospitals financially afloat. But as the hospital community struggles to cover losses on multiple fronts, more and more costs must be shifted, meaning insured patients, taxpayers and ultimately all Ohioans pay a steep price. There will be little relief from rising health care costs if providers must continue to battle reduced payments from government programs, a growing uninsured population and the loss of more-profitable services to limited-service hospitals. Without continuing efforts to address the root causes – such as the proposed Medicaid inpatient update and legislation requiring all hospitals to operate 24/7 emergency departments – this cross-subsidization could become a dangerous and expensive cycle affecting all Ohioans. For more information, view OHA’s complete April HealthBeat at www.ohanet.org/healthbeat/2007/0407.htm. (Mary Sterenberg, marys@ohanet.org)
Bill Would Provide Free Medical Records to Support Disability Claims
Rep. Peter
Ujvagi (D-Toledo) gave sponsor testimony in the House Health
Committee this week on legislation that would clarify that
health care providers should provide one copy of a patient’s
medical records to a patient or his or her representatives
without charge when requested to support a disability claim.
OHA supports House Bill 122 and will continue working with
Rep. Ujvagi on the legislation.
Friday, April 27, 2007 To coincide with the fourth anniversary of the enforcement of the Hospital Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched an enhanced Web site to provide user-friendly information for consumers, providers and others. The site offers information about compliance and enforcement efforts, statistics on the most-frequently-received complaints, guidance on how to submit complaints and extensive guidance for entities that must comply with the rule. Visit the new site at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/enforcement/. Recognizing Hospital Excellence Inside and Out The Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) is soliciting nominations for its Green Star Awards, which recognize the nation’s top hospital or institution grounds management programs. The program complements other national landscape award programs that recognize outstanding landscape design and construction by saluting the grounds superintendent and staff responsible for maintaining a well-manicured landscape year round. The deadline for entries is Aug. 3 and official entry forms, as well as additional information and a listing of eligible categories, are available at www.pgms.org/greenstars. The cost to enter is $150 for PGMS members and $225 for non-members.
Commitment to Communities SPOTLIGHT The efforts of Ohio’s hospitals – and the 300,000 people working in these facilities – go far beyond providing basic health care services. Below is one example of the many ways Ohio’s hospitals support their communities.
Looking to the Future Knox Community Hospital
Sarah Johnson, Emily Branstool, Melanie Morningstar and Bethany Lahmon are members of Knox Community Hospital’s Future Nurses Club. Through fun and educational experiences, the club gives students insight into a career in nursing. The club is active in five area high schools and Knox Community Hospital nurses serve as advisors to the different chapters. © 2001-2008 OHA. Last updated
January 03, 2008. |
