A “Healthier U.S.” starts in Nebraska
Officials gathered at the Capitol yesterday to welcome the “A Healthier U.S. Starts Here” bus tour. Gov. Dave Heineman and Dr. Joann Schaefer, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) chief medical officer, spoke about the important benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. HHS Assistant Secretary of Health, Dr. John Agwunobi, urged local leaders to encourage those in their communities to take advantage of Medicare’s preventative benefits. “We have to come together and develop this culture of wellness,” he said.
The tour is a combined effort from the HHS and the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focused on motivating seniors and future Medicare beneficiaries to make the most of Medicare’s preventative services. The bus also visited Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney to recognize the hospital’s unique healthy living center and telemedicine program. Later Thursday evening, officials made a public appearance at the Omaha Royals baseball game at Rosenblatt stadium. For more information on the tour, visit
www.healthierus.gov.
View coverage of Kearney’s event on KHGI-TV
or a press release from Good Samaritan
Hospital. Coverage of Lincoln’s event is available in the Lincoln
Journal-Star. Photos are also available on the NHA Web
site.
HHS lays off 3 top managers; more may be on way
Three top Health and Human Services (HHS) managers are being laid off, with more layoffs expected in the future, as part of a move to streamline the agency and flatten the top administrative structure. One of the layoffs has raised concerns in Nebraska’s disability community about the agency’s commitment to clients with disabilities. The three managers all work for the new Division on Medicaid and Long-Term Care, the division that is furthest along in its strategic planning, according to Kathie Osterman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The three managers who received layoff notices were originally hired by the former Department of Social Services.
Mary Jo Iwan, administrator for home and community services, was hired in August 1972 as a case worker. Cec Brady, a Medicaid deputy administrator, was hired in June 1988 as an attorney for the social services agency. David Cygan, a medical/surgical managed care administrator, was hired in March 1994 as an attorney.
Read the full article.
— Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star, July 10, 2007.
UNMC's new med school will help fill physician shortage
(Omaha World-Herald) – The University of Nebraska's new medical school is rising out of the ground in midtown Omaha. The structural frame of the Sorrell Center for Health Science Education is nearly complete. The $52.7 million building will help to provide better technology for the 480 medical students and consolidate their classrooms into one building. The Sorrell Center's fall 2008 opening will coincide with an increase in medical students. The university is increasing enrollment to help address a national physician shortage and provide more doctors for the state. Starting in 2008, UNMC will increase the first-year class by 10 students to 130, or
8 percent. Over the next several years, UNMC will consider boosting the first-year class to 140 students, an increase of about 16 percent over the current level.
— Nebraska Chamber Daily Update, July 9, 2007.
Insurers expect health care costs to slow in 2008
U.S. health insurers expect the growth in medical costs to slow in 2008, according to a new
report
from PricewaterhouseCoopers. The firm’s Health Research Institute surveyed five U.S. carriers that insure more than 30 million people. The insurers expected medical costs to rise 9.9 percent for preferred provider organizations and health maintenance organizations, down from 11.9 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, this year. Factors contributing to the decline include slower spending growth for prescription drugs and increased employee cost sharing, the report says. In addition, it says more employers are investing in wellness and developing incentives for healthier lifestyles, and use of health information technology is expanding.
— AHA News Now, July 10, 2007.
HHS seeks rural hospitals for Medicare gain sharing demo
The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) published a notice last week in the
Federal Register encouraging rural inpatient hospitals to apply to participate in the Medicare gain sharing demonstration program. Authorized under the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005, the demonstration will test and evaluate methodologies to determine whether gain sharing can successfully align incentives between hospitals and physicians to improve the quality and efficiency of care provided to beneficiaries, and to promote improved operational and financial performance at hospitals. Two of the six short-term demonstration projects must involve rural hospitals. Because few rural hospitals applied when HHS initially issued a notice in September 2006, the agency is seeking additional applicants. Applications must be sent to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by Sept. 4.
— AHA News Now, July 5, 2007.
Physicians at The Nebraska Medical Center will soon shave their heads
Omaha, Neb. – On Friday, July 13, identifying with their patients will take on a whole new meaning for Alfred Grovas, M.D. and Bruce Gordon, M.D., oncologists at The Nebraska Medical Center. The two doctors have agreed to shave their heads to benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which helps children with cancer. The shave-a-thon will be held in the Durham Outpatient Center West Atrium at The Nebraska Medical Center from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. A local barber has volunteered to do the shaving. The following week, the doctors will head to Camp CoHoLo (Courage, Hope and Love) in Gretna, with many of their young cancer patients.
“It’s hard enough for kids with cancer to deal with being sick, let alone looking sick too, without their hair,” said Suzanne Nuss, R.N., PhD, pediatric oncology clinical nurse specialist at The Nebraska Medical Center. “Now these doctors will sport the same ‘do’ at camp to show support and solidarity for how their young patients are feeling. At the same time, they will likely raise a few eyebrows and awareness for the support of cancer research.”
Read the news release.
Community Medical Center in Falls City plans to build new hospital
Falls City, Neb. – “Community Medical Center (CMC) has decided that the best way to meet ongoing community and patient needs is to build a new hospital facility,” according to hospital administrator, Ryan Larsen, in an announcement last week. The decision was made after a lengthy analysis involving physicians, employees, engineers, architects and community leaders. According to Larsen, details are still being developed.
The full project is expected to cost around $20 million and will be funded through tax-exempt bonds, augmented by hospital funds and charitable contributions. No tax dollars will be used on this project. According to the hospital, this is something of a rarity in Nebraska, because many small hospitals require city or county support to operate, something CMC is proud not to depend upon.
Read the full news release from Community Medical Center.
Regional West Medical Center recognized for rapid response teams
Scottsbluff, Neb. – Regional West Medical Center has been recognized by VHA Inc., a national health care provider alliance, for its implementation of rapid response teams as a way to provide safer, more effective care for patients. Only 69 of VHA's 1400 member hospitals received the award at VHA's annual Leadership Conference in Denver on May 20. To qualify, Regional West was required to demonstrate at least a 20-percentage point decrease in patient "code blues" (respiratory or cardiac arrest) outside of its intensive care unit to decrease patient mortality rates.
Rapid response teams include a variety of hospital staff members, including nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists and pharmacists. When patients show signs of distress or changes in vital signs, the team is called within minutes to the bedside for rapid assessment and treatment. Their response is crucial because patient survival rates are directly impacted by how quickly the patient can be assessed and treated.
View the news release.
Good Samaritan Hospital recognized for patient satisfaction
Kearney, Neb. – Good Samaritan Hospital recently won two Excellence Through Insight awards for Inpatient Pediatrics patient satisfaction and Outpatient Oncology patient satisfaction given by HealthStream ResearchTM. The hospital was awarded these honors for its commitment to excellence in patient care. To qualify for an award, a hospital must have been a patient satisfaction-tracking client of HealthStream Research in 2006, scored in the 75th percentile or higher, and surveyed a minimum of 100 patients. Good Samaritan Hospital was chosen for receiving the highest ratings in both pediatrics and outpatient oncology patient satisfaction among HealthStream Research’s clients, as well as exceeding industry standards. The hospital was compared to others of all sizes throughout the nation.
Good Samaritan was the only hospital that met the qualifications for pediatrics. John W. Allen, president and CEO of the hospital, said, “To have earned this national recognition, our pediatrics staff must please both the young patients and their parents. That’s an outstanding statement about the quality of care they provide for families and patients.”
HFMA
releases patient-friendly billing report
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) recently released a report calling on hospital financial leaders to transform the nation’s hospital pricing system. The report, which is supported by AHA, encourages providers to improve their pricing systems and patients’ abilities to understand and compare prices. This is done by examining approaches that mitigate the impact of pricing changes under Medicare and Medicaid payments and regulations, and adopting pricing strategies or discount policies for patients of limited means. Other suggestions include developing formal, written policies for providing estimates to patients, explaining what the estimates do and do not cover, and simplifying and standardizing the charge master throughout the organization.
The report includes results from an HFMA survey of hospital and health system financial leaders that found 97 percent of survey respondents reported “some” or “significant” progress in setting discount policies for uninsured patients, while 41 percent reported progress in creating a systematic approach to establishing rational, easily accessible pricing information.
— AHA News Now, July 5, 2007.
Study: electronic health records don’t always improve care
Electronic health records (EHR) make little difference in the quality of medical care, at least when it comes to walk-in doctor visits, a study found. "In clinic visits in which doctors did use and didn't use electronic health records, we didn't find clear evidence that EHR use was associated with better quality," said study lead author Dr. Jeffrey Linder.
Read the full Washington Post article.
— Health Leaders Daily News, July, 11, 2007.
CMS: physician pay-for-performance pilot improves quality and savings
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that all participating physician groups improved the clinical management of diabetes patients in the first year of the three-year Medicare Physician Group Practice (PGP) Demonstration. This demonstration rewards providers for coordinating and managing the overall health care needs of Medicare patients with chronic conditions. “With health care costs continuing to grow and the Medicare population expanding, it is critical that we find ways to control costs while also improving the quality of care,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said. “This demonstration project provides new evidence that paying for quality of care instead of volume of services helps the program, physicians and patients.”
Under the demonstration, which began April 1, 2005, physician groups continue to be paid on a fee-for-service basis and have the opportunity to share in savings generated from enhancements in care management.
Read the CMS news release.
Faculty shortages threaten health professions education
Growing faculty shortages are forcing many academic health centers to limit enrollment in programs that prepare nurses and other health professionals, according to a new
report by the Association of Academic Health Centers. Nine of ten CEOs at academic health centers surveyed by the association thought faculty shortages were a problem in at least one health
profession school at their institutions. According to the report, several factors account for the widespread shortages, including low level of interest in academic careers among those entering the health professions; heavy faculty workloads; sharp disparities in salaries between academe and practice; and the cost of education and high-incidence of debt among graduates. Faculty shortages in nursing education were rated most severe.
— AHA News Now, July 9, 2007.
Bill would promote employee wellness programs
Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) recently introduced the Healthy Workforce Act, AHA-supported legislation that would provide tax incentives to businesses that offer comprehensive wellness programs. “Every year, U.S. businesses spend billions of dollars on employee health care, yet thousands of employees suffer unnecessarily from common chronic conditions,” said AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack. “Today’s legislation rightly joins employers, health providers and
Americans together to fight chronic disease and foster healthier lifestyles. Together, we can manage and often prevent chronic conditions. Many employers have programs in place that actively promote wellness. By acknowledging the hard work done and encouraging additional employers to join the effort, we can create a network of support and resources that help even more working Americans exercise regularly, eat healthier, and access preventive tests and screenings. The American Hospital Association applauds Sen. Harkin and others for their leadership and commitment to America’s health.”
— AHA News Now, July 9, 2007.
Cornhusker State Games
July 20-29 – Lincoln, NE
Register online at CornhuskerStateGames.com or call 1-800-30-GAMES for more information.
Missing Links 1: Improving Health Care by Removing Language Barriers
July 26-27, 2007 – Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, Lincoln
This two-day conference will use the federal CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services) standards as a starting point to discuss a variety of topics related to providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services in Nebraska and assuring quality interpretation services.
Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Hospice 101 Conference
August 9-10, 2007 – North Platte and Lincoln, NE
Jefferson
Community Health Center Charity Golf Tournament
August 10, 2007
Nebraska Rural Health Conference
September 6-7, 2007 – Holiday Inn Convention Center, Kearney
Kimball Hospital Foundation Golf Classic
September 8, 2007 – Kimball, NE
NHA 2007 Annual Convention and Trade Show
October 31-November 2, 2007 – Cornhusker Marriott Hotel,
Lincoln
,
NE
The NHA 2007 Annual Convention is
Nebraska
’s largest health care event of the year. The
deadline for the Trade Show participation and sponsorship opportunities is July
16, 2007. For more information on the Trade Show or sponsorship
availability, contact Heather Bullock, marketing and events coordinator, at
402/742-8147 or hbullock@nhanet.org.
Registration materials for the Convention will be available in September. For
more information about the NHA 2007 Annual Convention and Trade Show click
here.
Visit the Events page on the NHA Web site for more information on any of the events.
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.
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