Monday, April 21, 2008
Sub Bill on Radiologist Assistants Licensure Addresses OHA Concerns
The Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee has passed a substitute version of legislation that would create licensure requirements for radiologist assistants. The OHA Quality Improvement and Accreditation Committee evaluated the original bill against the OHA Principles for Licensing Healthcare Workers and raised several quality concerns, especially with provisions requiring the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to serve as the regulatory entity overseeing radiology assistants rather than the State Medical Board. OHA participated in numerous meetings on the legislation, and these concerns were all addressed in the new version of the legislation.

Committee Chairman Kevin Coughlin (R-Cuyahoga Falls) said the sub bill would: 

·         Transfer the regulation of radiologist assistants from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to the State Medical Board and allow the board six months to adopt rules and implement the program.

·         Require that applicants hold credentials from the National Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

·         Permit assistants to perform procedures not listed in the bill if they are authorized in the board's rules.

·         Limit assistants' authority to administer drugs to those directly related to the radiological procedure being performed.  (Jeff Klingler)
 

Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Ohio Hospitals Give Back to Mother Earth
Hospitals across Ohio commit themselves to protecting the environment on Earth Day and every day by implementing and improving waste reduction programs, recycling initiatives and plans to help preserve the health of the planet for future generations. Some examples include:

• By mid-summer, all Cleveland Clinic Health System hospitals will use software that automatically shuts off computers at the close of business, saving valuable energy.
• To conserve water, The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati has converted its sprinkler system in its flower beds to a drip irrigation system.
• In just three months, Bucyrus Community Hospital stopped 5,200 pounds of plastic from going to landfills by using reusable sharps containers.
• Barnesville Hospital is offering 900 digital thermometers in exchange for dangerous mercury thermometers for residents of Belmont and Monroe counties.
• Cincinnati hospitals are holding an Earth Day “Go Green Challenge” breakfast to recognize organizations committed to reducing their environmental impact and implementing green business practices.

Looking to make a difference statewide, OHA continues working to bolster hospitals’ commitment to the environment throughout the year.

• Again this year, OHA will sponsor its Pollution Prevention University, which educates hospitals about eliminating mercury, reducing waste-stream volume and preventing pollution.
• OHA’s Environmental Leadership Council is holding regional meetings to assist hospitals recycle electronic waste, such as computers and other devices.
• OHA will also award one environmentally savvy hospital with its seventh annual John Chapman Award at the OHA Annual Meeting June 9.

Learn more about Ohio hospitals’ accomplishments and efforts to protect the environment at www.ohanet.org/p2/.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Senate Hears Hospital, Nurse Support for Nurse Staffing Bill
The Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee today heard proponent testimony for the “common sense” nurse staffing legislation supported by OHA, the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) and the Ohio Organization for Nurse Executives (OONE). Suzanne Martin, RN, JD, testified on behalf of both OHA and OONE about the unique collaboration between hospitals and nurses that ultimately resulted in House Bill 346, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hughes (R-Columbus).

Martin outlined the bill’s requirement that hospitals create a nursing care committee with nurses representing all types of nursing services offered by the hospital. The committee will develop recommendations for a nurse staffing plan that is consistent with current private or governmental accreditation standards. Hospitals would be required to significantly consider the recommendations when establishing staffing plans, and they must provide the nursing staff with a copy of the staffing plan, free of charge, and offer it to others who request it for a nominal fee.

Martin also noted that while the bill does not provide penalties on hospitals that do not comply with its provisions, hospitals will be held accountable by their nurses, patients and communities for developing safe staffing plans. She said hospitals have a long-standing record of complying with state requirements, even without the threat of a financial penalty or investigations by a state agency.

To learn more about the nurse staffing issue visit OHA’s state health care issues Web site. (Jeff Klingler; Jean Scholz)
 

Thursday, April 24, 2008
Hospitals Applaud Newly-Passed Energy Bill
Ohio’s hospital community supports the final version of Ohio’s comprehensive energy bill passed by the General Assembly yesterday, hopeful it will improve reliability and help Ohio avoid sharp increases in electric rates beginning next year. Senate Bill 221, sponsored by Robert Schuler (R-Cincinnati), now heads to Gov. Ted Strickland who said he will sign it into law. Overall, electric rates under the bill are expected to increase moderately during the next 2-3 years under electric security plans, although FirstEnergy rates may increase more significantly if it makes good on earlier statements that it planned next year to go to high market-based electric rates. 

Thanks in large part to the leadership of the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, the final bill also includes net metering language that will enable Ohio hospitals with appropriate electric generating equipment to use on-site electric generating facilities in times of peak demand to sell electricity back to the utility's power grid.  Another provision in SB 221 permits a utility and a commercial or industrial customer, or group of customers, to file a special rate schedule with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.  This may provide an opportunity for hospitals to obtain lower electric rates if they are willing, for example, to have their power interrupted during times of peak demand.

OHA is analyzing the bill and will provide a detailed member bulletin in May.  However, passage of SB 221 is considered a success because electric rates after this year were expected to increase, with the potential to jump dramatically as in states with deregulated electric rates. OHA is a member of the Ohio Coalition for Affordable Power, which supported SB 221 in its advocacy for a framework to ensure affordable and reliable power. For more information, visit OHA’s energy Web page. (Bridget Gargan; Rick Sites)

Friday, April 25, 2008
ODH Issues Flu Reporting Survey Results
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) issued the results of its 2007 survey of proposed rule changes that would require hospitals to report lab-confirmed influenza-associated hospital admissions. A majority of hospitals responding to the survey agreed there is public health benefit to such reporting, and most also agreed they are able to make such reports. About half of responding hospitals cited barriers to reporting, including insufficient staff, time constraints and lab or information technology equipment deficiencies. ODH says it is still working on the draft communicable disease rule changes, which are expected to be circulated in the near future. View the report and a cover letter from State Epidemiologist Forrest Smith, M.D.