Monday, January 7, 2008
Flu Season Starts Slow, Hospitals Begin to See More Cases
Though the 2007-2008 flu season started off slowly, influenza activity continues to increase and hospitals that reach capacity due to flu may request Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval to place patients in prospective payment system exempt beds (rehabilitation, psychiatric, ambulatory surgery center beds). Hospitals needing a waiver should contact Illia Villanueva, Region 5 CMS NonLongterm Care Branch Chief, at 315.353.3756 or illia.villanueva@cms.hhs.gov. Please also send a notice to OHA’s Rick Sites at ricks@ohanet.org or Carol Jacobson at carolj@ohanet.org to help OHA monitor the regional and statewide situation and determine whether a public health emergency exists.

Visit OHA’s flu and pneumococcal Web page at www.ohanet.org/flu/index.html or monitor flu activity through the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Public Health Council Announces 2008 Dates, Members
The Public Health Council (PHC) has announced its public hearing dates for 2008. The first meeting will be held Jan. 10, followed by meetings March 6, May 1, June 26, Aug. 21, Oct. 16 and Dec. 11. The PHC meets on the 8th floor of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) in Columbus, and the meetings are open to the public. Almost all regulations issued by ODH must be approved by the PHC, and hearings regarding ODH rule changes are heard by the PHC.

There is once vacancy on the PHC. Current members are Sheila M. Thomas, Pharm.D. (Chair); John D. Clough, M.D. (Vice-Chair); Kenneth Kerik, M.P.H., R.S.; Lawrence J. Yodlowski, M.D.; Chris Simpson, D.O., Ph.D.; and Rosemary Chaudry, R.N., Ph.D., M.H.A.  Dr. Thomas' term ends June 30 of this year.   For more information about the PHC, visit www.odh.state.oh.us/rules/publicHealthCouncil/publicHealthCouncil.aspx. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)
 

Wednesday, January 9, 2008
California Nurses Union Steps Up Organizing, Lobbying Efforts in Ohio
Union activity is heating up in Ohio as the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC) of the California Nurses Association (CNA) continues to send mailings and convene meetings soliciting registered nurses for membership, inviting them to educational sessions and encouraging them to contact their legislators to request legislation requiring mandatory staffing ratios. Suggested actions and talking points for hospitals to develop a proactive plan are available to members only online at www.ohanet.org/pr/talking_points/CNA.doc.

Members of the NNOC are expected to testify in today’s House Health Committee hearing in opposition to a common-sense staffing bill, House Bill 346, which was developed collaboratively by OHA, the Ohio Nurses Association and the Ohio Organization for Nurse Executives. More information about the bill is available on the OHA Web site. Check HEALTH e-NEWS Plus tomorrow for coverage of today’s hearing. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org; Jean Scholz, jeans@ohanet.org)

Upcoming Sessions Focus on Energy, Community Benefit, Patient Safety
OHA’s Center for Education is now accepting registrations for upcoming seminars and phone conferences on key issues, including energy, community benefit and patient safety.

Ohio Electricity Environment: An Update for Hospitals
Feb. 1, Dublin
This seminar will outline key provisions in pending Senate Bill 221 and review how they will affect Ohio’s hospitals. It also will review 2008 natural gas and electric rate increases as well as innovative energy management strategies.

Planning and Reporting Hospital Community Benefit
Feb. 7, Columbus
This session will provide background and best practices on building a sustainable community benefit program with an emphasis on the new requirements for the IRS Form 990 Schedule H.

Ohio Patient Safety Institute: 2008 High Stakes Communication Series (audioconferences)
Feb. 13, March 12, April 9, May 14, July 9, Sept. 10, Oct. 8
Communication is a critical aspect of ensuring the health and safety of patients. This audioconference series will cover many aspects of high stakes communication.
 

Thursday, January 10, 2008
CNA Speaks Out Against OHA-Supported Nurse Staffing Bill
The California Nurses Association (CNA) yesterday appeared before a legislative panel, slamming OHA, Ohio hospitals’ commitment to patient safety and an OHA-supported bill requiring hospitals to ensure a voice for direct care nurses when establishing staffing plans.

Five registered nurses representing the National Nurses Organizing Committee, a federal nurses union affiliated with CNA, testified before the House Health Committee in opposition to House Bill 346. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hughes (R-Columbus), would require hospitals to:

• create a hospital-wide nursing care committee charged with developing recommendations for a written nursing care staffing plan guiding the assignment of nurses. Direct care nurses representing all types of nursing services offered by the hospital will serve on the committee as will the hospital’s chief nursing officer.

• create a staffing plan, giving significant regard to the committee recommendations. The nursing services staffing plan, which must be consistent with current governmental and private accreditation standards, must then be provided to all staff nurses and to the public when requested.

CNA asserted that nurse staffing is unsafe in all hospitals, except for those in California and Australia, where government-mandated nurse-to-patient ratios have been enacted, regularly resulting in patient injury and death. CNA indicated it plans to introduce a competing bill in the coming weeks, which would mandate ratios in various units within the hospital. OHA has learned the nurse-to-patient ratios to be proposed in the CNA-supported legislation would be set at critical care 1:2; operating room 1:1; labor and delivery 1:1; pediatrics 1:3; med/surg 1:4; and step down and telemetry 1:3.

OHA will continue to advocate for enactment of HB 346, touting it as a common-sense nurse staffing bill that provides hospitals with the flexibility needed to ensure quality patient care and provides nurses with a greater voice in the staffing plan process. The bill also is supported by the Ohio Nurses Association and the Ohio Organization for Nurse Executives. Members of the House Health Committee have also expressed their support for the bill, which could receive a committee vote as early as next Wednesday. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org; Jean Scholz, jeans@ohanet.org)

OHA Testifies in Support of Maternity Licensure Revisions
At its hearing yesterday, the Ohio House Health Committee heard proponent testimony from OHA’s Bridget Gargan on legislation that would provide much-needed revisions to Ohio’s maternity licensure statute. Gargan noted that the current Ohio Department of Health (ODH) maternity licensure was enacted in the 1950s and hasn’t been revised to keep pace with advancements in care, new technology and a changing hospital accreditation process. Mandatory hospital quality standards for maternity care were added in 1996, creating a second set of regulations that were somewhat inconsistent with the antiquated maternity licensure requirements.

House Bill 331, sponsored by Rep. Mark Wagoner (R-Toledo), is the result of collaboration between the OHA Maternity Licensure Task Force and ODH. It combines these requirements to reduce regulatory burden and confusion, lower costs and enhance maternal and newborn care in Ohio. The bill would impact the 121 active hospital maternity units and three functional maternity homes in Ohio. A committee vote on the bill is expected next week. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)

Friday, January 4, 2008
Survey Explores Educational Needs of Employers
The Ohio State Board of Education asks employers from the business community, including hospitals, to participate in a short survey on the types of skills, knowledge and behaviors employees need to be successful in the workplace. The Board of Education will use the survey results in its efforts to educate students for success in higher education, careers and as fully-participating citizens. Results also will help guide policy recommendations and next steps in reforming Ohio’s education system as the board strives to ensure Ohio is competitive in the new global economy. Complete the survey at https://webapp1.ode.state.oh.us/odesurvey/surveys/Edge_Survey.asp.

Hospital Rep Selected for EMS Trauma Committee
Edward Michaelson, M.D., chairman of emergency medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and chief of emergency medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, has been selected to serve on the Ohio Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Trauma Committee. OHA nominated Michaelson to serve in this capacity and congratulates him on his selection.