HRSA nursing scholarships available
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications online through June 30 for its fiscal year 2007 Nursing Scholarship Program. The program provides scholarships to eligible nursing students in exchange for at least two years service at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. HRSA expects to award 220 scholarships this year, with preference given to applicants enrolled or accepted as full-time students in an undergraduate nursing program.
For more information visit: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship/
or complete the online application at: https://nis.hrsa.gov/login.aspx.
West Nile deaths up last year; two die in state
ATLANTA - Deaths from the mosquito-borne West Nile virus increased last year to their highest level since 2003, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). At least 177 people died from West Nile in 2006 out of 4,269 reported cases, the CDC said. The number of deaths was the greatest since 2003, when 264 people died out of nearly 10,000 cases.
The deadliest year for West Nile was 2002, when 284 people died. In 2006, the nation also saw a 14 percent increase in the most serious West Nile cases involving encephalitis, meningitis or paralysis, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Those severe cases are the most likely to be reported to health authorities and are considered the most reliable measurement of the illness' impact on the U.S. population from year to year.
Read the full article in the Columbus Telegram.
— Associated Press, June 12, 2007.
NGA cites SCHIP priorities
The nation’s governors last week outlined their priorities for federal legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in a
letter to leaders of the Senate Finance Committee. “As you know, governors appreciate the combination of increased funding and the general philosophy that options and incentives for states are preferable to mandates,” the National Governors Association said. “This principle is reflected in the bill recently introduced by Sens. John Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). We are hopeful that the legislation the Senate Finance Committee marks up will take this into account as well.”
S. 1224, introduced by Sens. Rockefeller and Snowe in April, would maintain coverage for the
six million children enrolled in SCHIP and help states reach out to six million more children who are eligible but not enrolled. The bill also would modify the funding formula to account for rising health care costs, population growth and a state’s uninsured population, among other provisions.
— AHA News Now, June 11, 2007.
Iowa will publicize availability of havens
DES MOINES (AP) - The case of an Iowa teen accused of killing her newborn baby in Florida is reviving the debate over Iowa's safe-haven law and whether it should be advertised. The teen is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing her baby while on a family vacation in Pompano Beach, Fla. Authorities said she gave birth in a bathroom on the seventh floor of a hotel Saturday, then dumped the baby down a garbage chute.
It is unclear if Truitt was aware that Iowa and Florida have laws allowing parents to drop off unwanted babies at health care facilities - no questions asked. Iowa's safe-haven law was passed in 2001. Roger Munns, spokesman for the Iowa Department of Human Services, said the state will begin promoting its Safe Haven program with TV ads on cable programs later this month or in early July. The $50,000 budget for the ads comes from federal child welfare funds administered by the Department of Human Services, Munns said. Previously, no money was made available to publicize the law, Munns said.
Since 2001, eight Iowa babies have been left at safe havens and placed with adoptive families.
According to the agency, at least four babies have died in Iowa after being unsafely abandoned since the safe-haven law was passed. Florida has had 71 babies turned over since its law was enacted in 2000. The state also spends $500,000 a year on TV messages.
— The Associated Press, June 9, 2007.
Alegent Health announces expansions
Alegent Health last week announced $190.3 million in expansion and renovation at
its Bergan Mercy and Immanuel Medical Center. The work, which includes expanded cancer centers, is the biggest and most expensive renovation and expansion that Alegent has carried out. Alegent says the projects are needed to meet growing demand for medical services in the Omaha area. The improvements were identified during a year long study that involved doctors, nurses, patients and community members, said Wayne Sensor, Alegent's chief executive officer.
Of the total, $107.2 million of the work will be at Bergan, 7500 Mercy Road; and $83.1 million will be at Immanuel, 6901 N. 72nd St. Sensor said $15 to $20 million of the total cost will be raised through community donors. The rest will come from tax-exempt bonds and savings. The work will start this fall.
Read the full article.
— Michael, O’Connor, Omaha World Herald, June 7, 2007.
Husker legends visit Children’s Hospital
OMAHA, NE – Two Husker legends stopped by Children's Hospital on Monday bearing gifts for the patients. Jerry Murtagh, who played linebacker in the 1970s, and Danny Noonan – a Husker defensive end during the '80s – handed out autographed footballs to the patients.
Noonan has five children of his own, and he said the mission was near and dear to his heart. "Anytime that we can come in and give autographed footballs from guys like Tommie Frazier and Eric Crouch … and brighten these kids’ day, it brightens our day, as well," Noonan said.
The footballs had the autographs of players who were at Nebraska over the last 35-plus years.
— KETV, June 11, 2007.
Tobacco-free target nears for FAMC
FREMONT, NE – Effective July 1, 2007, the use of tobacco products will no longer be permitted on Fremont Area Medical Center (FAMC) premises. The new policy applies to all staff, physicians, volunteers, patients and visitors, and includes all buildings, grounds and parking areas considered to be part of the FAMC campus, as well as any property leased by FAMC for its exclusive use.
“As a health care organization, we are committed to the health and safety of our patients, employees and community,” says Mike Leibert, FAMC president and chief executive officer. “We have a responsibility to take a leadership role on this major health issue, and allowing the use of tobacco products defeats this purpose. It’s important for us to emulate the health behaviors we want to see in our community.” The hospital’s buildings have been smoke-free for decades, and up until this point smoking has been permitted in designated areas outside the facilities. These areas will be eliminated as of July 1.
“Our decision to go tobacco-free is not an attempt to force anyone to quit using tobacco products,” explains Leibert, “but a concrete way we can demonstrate our ongoing commitment to healthy living.” Patients are encouraged to talk with their physicians and nurses about the use of nicotine replacement products.
For more information, contact FAMC Public Relations at 402/727-3844.
FACHE Board of Governors Exam free for a limited time
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) recently announced that new members joining the Fellows of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) can take the FACHE Board of Governors Exam at no cost. To take advantage of the limited-time opportunity, submit an FACHE application ($250 fee) by June 30. After the application is approved, the ACHE will waive the Board of Governors Exam fee. Apply online or download an application at
ache.org.
CMS to discuss NPI dissemination plan
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
hosted a
National Roundtable June 14 to discuss its plans for sharing National Provider Identifier (NPI) data with health care providers and others who need it to process claims for payment. The dissemination plan was published in a May 30
notice. CMS plans to post the initial NPI data on the Internet June 30. May 24 was the deadline for health care providers and most health plans to implement NPIs for standard electronic transactions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. However, entities that acted in “good faith” to become NPI compliant can accept legacy numbers through May 23, 2008, according to a CMS contingency plan.
— AHA News Now, June 8, 2007.
Senators urge CMS to eliminate IPPS cuts
Yesterday, 63 senators urged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Director Leslie Norwalk to stop nearly $25 billion in proposed cuts to the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System. In a
letter sponsored by Sens. Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Pat Roberts (R-KS), the senators said the proposed cuts would “jeopardize beneficiary access to critical hospital services” and “stifle hospital investment in technology that will increase patient quality and reduce health care costs.”
A companion House letter, spearheaded by Reps. John Lewis (D-GA) and Jerry Weller (R-IL) and signed by 268 representatives, was expected to be sent today. In the fiscal year 2008 proposed inpatient PPS rule, CMS proposes a 2.4 percent cut to operating and capital payments in FYs 2008 and 2009 to eliminate the effect of coding or classification changes it claims would not reflect real changes in case-mix. The agency also would freeze capital payments for all urban hospitals – a 0.8 percent cut – and eliminate the capital payment add-on for large urban hospitals – an additional 3 percent cut.
— AHA News Now, June 6, 2007.
Service to offer patient Rx histories in disaster
A new online service, ICERx.org, gives licensed doctors and pharmacists caring for disaster victims secure access to a patient's medication history. The free service pools the information from a variety of participating sources, including community pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, and state Medicaid programs. Doctors and pharmacists who have registered for ICERx.org can login to the online prescription database during emergencies. The service is a collaborative effort of the American Medical Association, Informed Decisions, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Community Pharmacists Association, RxHub and SureScripts, as well as state Medicaid and other government agencies. For more information, visit
www.ICERx.org or call 888/423-7950.
— AHA News Now, June 7, 2007.
State quality snapshots released
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) updated its
State Snapshots Web tool based on data from its 2006 National Healthcare Quality Report. The data draws on 129 quality measures from various sources, and includes state rankings for a subset of 15 measures chosen to represent a broad range of common diseases. The snapshots provide summaries by type of care, care setting and clinical area, and users can view whether a state has improved in a particular area and how it compares to other states. The tool includes a section on diabetes care and a table containing all the measures for every state.
— AHA News Now, June 11, 2007.
Family Military Leave Webinar
With the Nebraska Legislature's recent passage and the Governor's signature of the Family Military Leave Act, employers with 15 or more employees are now required to provide Family Military Leave. Baird Holm, LLP is offering an interactive Webinar on June 21 to help organizations understand which employees are eligible for Family Military Leave, their rights as an employer, and the steps that should be taken to protect their organization.
For more information click here.
— Baird Holm, LLP, news advisory, June 12, 2007.
Nursing recruiters fear Congress could make their jobs more difficult
"The immigration proposal doesn't do anything to help us bring in registered nurses," says Catheryn Cotten, director of the international office of Duke University Medical Center and Health System, which currently has 73 foreign nurses working on temporary status.
She and other hospital representatives say the current system, which can experience long delays in getting applicants' visas, is at least controlled by employers. Under the proposed system, hospitals would no longer be able to seek out applicants with specific qualifications, such as a cardiac nurse.
Instead, foreign residents would apply to come to the USA, then, based on a point system, get in if they had enough points. The most points would be awarded for advanced degrees.
Others raise concern that the bill would remove a current requirement that nurse applicants are screened by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, an independent non-profit that evaluates their schooling and other credentials.
Read the full article.
— Julie Appleby, USA Today, June 3, 2007.
High court rules against home-care workers
(Associated Press) The Supreme Court ruled Monday that home-care workers are not entitled to overtime pay under federal law. The unanimous decision upheld a 1975 Labor Department regulation exempting the nation’s
one million home-care workers from the protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Justice Stephen Breyer wrote that the agency did not exceed its authority when it left home-care workers without overtime protection and that “courts should defer to the department’s rule.” Paying overtime would cost billions, the home-care industry says.
— Modern Healthcare’s Daily Dose, June 11, 2007
NHA Newslink is published by the Nebraska Hospital Association, 3255 Salt Creek Circle, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68504-4761. Phone 402/742-8140, Fax 402/742-8191. Christy Rasmussen,
director of communications, at 402/742-8151, or email, crasmussen@nhanet.org.
Click here to Subscribe to Newslink
Click here to Unsubscribe to Newslink
Click here to change your email address
or call Heather Bullock at 402/742-8148.
Please be sure to include the individual's name, title, email address and preference for
a plain text or html version if subscribing, unsubscribing or changing
information.
Back To Main
|
