Monday, February 18, 2008
HHS Releases
Proposed Rule on Patient Safety Reporting Program
Ohio Patient Safety Institute to Apply for PSO Status
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last week
published a
proposed rule
implementing a voluntary, non-punitive
national patient safety reporting program, more than two years after
it was authorized by the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act.
The rule would allow a variety of public and private organizations
to become Patient Safety Organizations, which would confidentially
collect and analyze data to provide feedback on ways to improve
patient safety. HHS will accept comments on the
proposed rule
through April 14.
The Ohio
Patient Safety Institute (OPSI), an organization founded by
OHA, the Ohio State Medical Association and the Ohio
Osteopathic Association in 2000 to improve patient safety in
Ohio, will seek Patient Safety Organization status. Recent
initiatives driven by OPSI include the creation of an Ohio
Surgical Verification Protocol, statewide standardization of
patient wristband colors and the distribution of
low-literacy medication safety materials. Learn more about
OPSI at
http://www.ohiopatientsafety.org/.
(Rosalie Weakland,
rosaliew@ohanet.org)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
House Passes Maternity Licensure Bill
Legislation that would provide much-needed revisions to Ohio’s maternity
licensure statute unanimously passed the House floor today and now heads
to the Senate. House Bill 331, sponsored by Sen. Mark Wagoner
(R-Toledo), is the result of collaboration between the OHA Maternity
Licensure Task Force and the Ohio Department of Health. It combines the
two current sets of 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. (Bridget Gargan,
bridgetg@ohanet.org)
Senate Committee Passes Health Care Simplification Act
Today the Senate Civil - Judiciary Committee unanimously passed
Amended Substitute House Bill 125, the Health Care
Simplification Act. OHA supports the bill, which includes a
two-year moratorium on the use of most favored nation clauses in
hospital provider agreements with health plans and creates a
committee to study the effects of most favored nation clauses on
the availability, accessibility and affordability of health
insurance. The legislation also makes several reforms to the
managed care contracting process and requires health plans to
provide a summary disclosure form for each contract. Health
plans must also use a standard credentialing application form
when credentialing physicians and adhere to streamlined
credentialing time frames.
The bill,
sponsored by Rep. Matt Huffman (R - Lima), now moves to the
Senate floor for action. (Jeff Klingler,
jeffk@ohanet.org; Mary Gallagher,
maryg@ohanet.org)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
OHA
Foundation Offers “Hospitals for Healthier Workforces” Grants
OHA’s Foundation for
Healthy Communities is now accepting applications from not-for-profit
member hospitals for grants to improve wellness in Ohio workplaces by
focusing on obesity as one of Ohio’s greatest health risks. Through the
Hospitals for Healthier Workforces Grants, the Foundation will award up
to $100,000 for four to six projects. Grants will range from about
$10,000 to a maximum of $25,000 and will be awarded in June. Grant
applications must be received electronically by
Monday, March 10. Visit the
Foundation’s Web site to view and download application materials.
The Foundation for
Healthy Communities was endowed by Ohio hospitals in 1994 to
encourage collaboration between hospitals and other community
organizations on programs aimed at improving community health
status. The Foundation is a charitable arm of OHA. (Mary Yost,
maryy@ohanet.org)
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Honor
Your Hospital’s Health Care Hero
Don’t miss the opportunity to publicly recognize one of your hospital’s
most extraordinary employees. Hospitals have until Monday, March 10
to submit nominations for OHA’s 2008 Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker
of the Year Award. All nominees will be celebrated at the
OHA Recognition Dinner June 9 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton
during
OHA’s Annual Meeting. Four finalists and the ultimate recipient will
be announced at the event. Nominations must be sent electronically to
awards@ohanet.org using the official
nomination form by the FINAL deadline, March 10. Find more
information and download the nomination form at
www.ohanet.org/annualmeeting/Awards/. OHA is no longer accepting
Health Care Leadership Award nominations. (Tiffany Himmelreich,
tiffanyh@ohanet.org)
Hospitals Should Report
Suspicious Videotaping
The Ohio Strategic Analysis and Information Center (SAIC) learned of
several incidents involving men videotaping the inside of a hospital and
leaving the property when asked by security personnel for
identification. The Ohio SAIC requests that hospitals report any similar
suspicious activities by calling 1.877.647.4683. Learn more about the
Ohio SAIC at
http://www.homelandsecurity.ohio.gov/PDF_files/SAIC_brochure.pdf.
Friday,
February 22, 2008
Board
Endorses Community Benefit Report, Booster Seat Bills
At the February meeting of the OHA Board of Trustees, OHA staff updated
the Board on the Jan. 29 meeting between OHA, other provider
organizations and Gov. Ted Strickland about the frozen Medicaid update
to providers. Following the meeting, the governor announced he would
halt the planned 2008 recalibration of Medicaid rates for hospitals and
provide physicians with their first Medicaid update in seven years,
effective July 1. The halted recalibration will save hospitals $13
million.
The Board voted to support legislation requiring children between 4 and
8 years old and less than 4 feet 9 inches to be secured in a booster
seat and to endorse the Boost Ohio Kids Coalition. OHA staff
provided an overview of key provisions of the Ohio C.A.R.E. legislation,
introduced on Jan. 29 by Rep. Jim Raussen (R-Springdale). Staff also
provided updates on legislation to require hospitals to maintain a 24/7
emergency department, the OHA-backed nurse staffing bill and the
Investing in Tobacco-Free Youth campaign, an initiative to raise the
non-cigarette tobacco products tax statewide.
The Board voted to support OHA’s release of a statewide community
benefit report to include statewide aggregate data at a statewide news
conference June 10 as part of the OHA Annual Meeting.
After discussing challenges of payers linking payment with quality, OHA
staff provided five key takeaways for quality reporting: always
document, know your scores, communicate scores, demonstrate improvement
and evaluate policies.
The Board was briefed on litigation OHA brought against the Ohio Bureau
of Workers Compensation in 2005, OHA v. Ohio Bureau of Workers'
Compensation, two of OHA’s current strategic initiatives and the
first staff-to-staff meeting with the office of the Ohio Attorney
General. (Jim Castle,
jimc@ohanet.org)
