Monday, April 14, 2008
Awards Recognize Excellence in Grounds Management, Project Leadership, Human Research Protection
Applications are now available for the following awards, giving hospitals the opportunity to be recognized for the many ways they improve care and the patient experience beyond providing quality health care.

The Professional Grounds Management Society will honor the nation’s top hospital or institution grounds management programs with its Green Star Awards. The awards bring national recognition to grounds maintained with a high degree of excellence. The deadline for entries is Aug. 1. Visit www.pgms.org/greenstars for additional information, including an official entry form, qualifications and a full explanation of categories.

The Construction Owners Association of America announced the Call for Entries for the Project Leadership Award. The award is given to an owner whose design/construction team has achieved excellence through cooperative efforts in project management. Projects nominated must have been substantially completed between Jan. 1, 2007, and the submission deadline of Aug. 31, 2008. Visit www.coaa.org for more information and to view past winning projects.

The Health Improvement Institute is accepting applications for the 2008 Award for Excellence in Human Research Protection until Sept. 29. Any individual or institution that conducts research involving human beings, including medical and social science research, or that contributes to human research protection, is eligible to apply. The institute honors recipients in the categories of Best Practice, Innovation and Life-time Achievement. To learn more or obtain an application, visit http://www.hii.org/ or contact the awards coordinator at 301.320.0965 or hii@hii.org.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
CMS Releases Proposed IPPS Rule for 2009
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week released its hospital inpatient prospective payment system (HIPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year 2009. A preliminary analysis by the American Hospital Association details:

• A 3 percent update for hospitals that submit data on 30 quality measures – an addition of two measures of surgical site infection prevention and one measure of 30-day mortality rates for pneumonia. Hospitals not submitting data would receive a 1 percent update. For FY 2010, CMS proposes adding 43 new measures and retiring one measure for a total 72 measures.
• Reductions in the update to offset what CMS refers to as a “behavioral offset” as the transition to the new Medicare-Severity diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) system reached completion Oct. 1.
• An update to the hospital area wage index calculation.

Also included in the rule are changes regarding hospital-acquired conditions, outliers, hospital readmissions, transfer policy, disclosure regarding physician ownership, physician self-referral provisions and EMTALA. Comments are due by June 13. The final rule will be published Aug. 1 and the policies and payment rates will be effective Oct. 1. Visit OHA’s Finance Web site to view the proposed rule and AHA analysis.  (Charles Cataline)

OIG Refines Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today refined its Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol, under which health care providers can voluntarily report fraudulent conduct.  View the Open Letter to Health Care Providers.

The OIG suggests the self-disclosure protocol be used only for fraudulent or illegal conduct.  “Disclosures that are characterized as mere billing errors or overpayments are not appropriately addressed by the [self disclosure protocol] and should be submitted directly by the provider to the appropriate claims-processing entity, such as the Medicare contractor.”  The OIG also sets forth specific information that must be included in an initial disclosure. Complete disclosure, an accurate audit and cooperation by a provider are indications of an effective compliance program – and will result in the OIG’s presumption that a corporate integrity agreement is not necessary.

The Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol has been in place since 1998 and has resulted in approximately $120 million in recoveries to date. (Mary Gallagher)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Hospitals Invited to Event on Fight Against Chronic Disease
The Ohio Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) and BioOhio invite hospital leaders to join some of Ohio's top bioscience, business, health, and venture capital experts to discuss Ohio's ability to address chronic disease from laboratory to marketplace. “BioPharma in Ohio III: Fighting Chronic Disease with Innovation & Products from Ohio” will he held from noon to 4:30 p.m. May 7 at the Westin Columbus. The keynote speaker is Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., the executive director of PFCD and a noted health care economist. Panel discussions featuring Ohio researchers, innovators and business leaders will further explore Ohio’s ability to connect bioscience to chronic conditions. Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher is also slated to give the closing remarks.

The event is free of charge and lunch will be provided. However, space is limited and the registration deadline is April 25. Visit www.ohiobizbio.com for more information or to register.

ODH Seeks Comments on X-Ray Rules
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is seeking comments to proposed changes in regulations governing fluoroscopy and hospital "quality assurance" for radiation-generating equipment.  Proposed changes to the fluoroscopic rule are primarily technical. Changes to the quality assurance rule include requiring a "member," as opposed to a "representative," of the hospital administration to participate on the radiation quality assurance committee. Comments are requested by May 15, and information about the comments as well as the proposed changes are on the ODH website at www.odh.ohio.gov/rules/drafts/3701_1_66.aspx. The comments will be reviewed by ODH's Radiation Generating Equipment Committee, which includes hospital representation. Please also forward comments to OHA at ricks@ohanet.org.  (Rick Sites)
 

Thursday, April 3, 2008
Senate Committee Hears Hospital Support for Maternity Licensure Revisions
Legislation that would provide much-needed revisions to Ohio’s maternity licensure statute this week received proponent testimony from hospital representatives in the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee. Kleia Luckner, administrative director for women’s services at The Toledo Hospital, told the committee that the legislation would allow caregivers to spend more time with patients and in clinical care activities by reducing the time spent meeting outdated licensure requirements. She also praised the bill for setting standards of care that are evidence-based, current and non-duplicative. She said the bill provides care standards that are comprehensive and sensitive enough to reflect the needs of The Toledo Hospital, an urban hospital that delivers over 4,300 mothers a year, as well as Fulton County Hospital, a rural hospital in northwest Ohio that delivers 339 mothers a year. She also supported the bill’s creation of an Advisory Council to address the many individual Ohio Department of Health (ODH) programs pertaining to newborn health. View Luckner’s testimony

Friday, April 18, 2008
Resources Now Available for National Nurses Week
National Nurses Week, May 6-12, is an opportunity to recognize nurses for the vital role they play in meeting the health care needs of Ohioans. The week kicks off with National Nurses Day May 6 and ends on Florence Nightingale’s birthday May 12. This year’s theme is Nurses: Making a Difference Every Day and the American Nurses Association provides an online media kit to give hospitals ideas for publicity and positive events to honor nurses. Hospitals also can request the National Nurses Week logo by e-mailing tony.ward@ana.org or Catherine.wiafe@ana.org.

As a kick-off to National Nurses Week, nurses and nursing students are invited to purchase discount tickets to the Columbus Destroyers arena football game Saturday, May 3 at 7 p.m. Download an order form. Orders must be received by May 1 at 5 p.m.

OHA Releases Analysis of Healthcare Simplification Act
OHA this week issued a Member Bulletin with a detailed analysis of the Healthcare Simplification Act (House Bill 125), which will take effect June 25. OHA supports the bill and will continue advocating for stronger most favored nation clause statutes.