Nebraskans
care about their health care and it shows! Nebraska currently leads the nation
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NHA
President proposes potential workforce initiative to Governor
Last week NHA President, Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE, issued a letter to Gov.
Dave Heineman proposing a potential workforce initiative to "Build the
Pipeline for Health Care." In the letter Ms. Redoutey touted the economic impact that Nebraska's
future health care workforce
shortage will have on the state's economy. She pointed out that according to a U.S. Department of Labor 2006 survey, the average
wage for a registered nurse in Lincoln, Neb., was $46,716. Without any adjustment for inflation, the
full employment of the estimated 3,800 full-time RNs needed by 2020 would mean an additional $177.5 million per year in gross wages. That is nearly $200
million annually—from one profession alone. Read
the full letter on the NHA Web site.
UNMC student enrollment climbs to record high
For the third straight year, student enrollment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
(UNMC) reached an all-time high with 3,124 students enrolled for the 2007-08 school year – an increase of 1.9 percent over last year’s previous record total of 3,067.
The biggest increase occurred in the Graduate College where enrollment climbed by 54 students from 590 to 644, a 9.2 percent increase. Most of this increase was seen in master’s level nursing students, said Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies.
The College of Nursing offers 11 masters degrees and 10 doctoral degrees in programs such
as cancer research, public health, genetics, cell biology and anatomy, and pathology and microbiology.
Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, said, “We mirror the trend that is evident elsewhere in the country – more students are knocking on the door to a nursing career.”
Read more.
Teen who left her baby called fearful,
confused
Under pressure, a teen who already has one child and was hiding her current pregnancy from her
parents, carried her hours-old baby boy into Bergan Mercy Medical Center last Monday and left him in a restroom with a note asking someone to care for him, her attorney, Ryan Hoffman, said.
The woman will not face criminal charges.
So-called "safe haven" legislation has been discussed in the Legislature for seven years but has not been adopted. The proposal would give parents three days to voluntarily surrender a child. Hospitals would be designated as the only safe havens. The bill's sponsor, State Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center, plans to bring it up again in January. State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha has been the primary opponent. He said recently he would continue to oppose the bill, which he characterized as a "knee-jerk reaction" to isolated incidents. He said more children could be saved if the Legislature were willing to spend more money on prenatal care and food stamps.
Forty-eight states have adopted safe haven laws since 1999. Alaska appears close to enacting one. The infant abandoned Monday is the second in Omaha this year.
Read the full article.
— Lynn Safranek and Kevin Cole, Omaha World Herald, September 6, 2007.
Senators call on Bush to withdraw SCHIP limits
A bipartisan group of 44 senators, led by Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Gordon Smith (R-OR),
urged President Bush to withdraw new requirements for states that cover children in families with incomes above
250 percent of the federal poverty level through the State Children’s Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP). “We oppose these new requirements as they will result in the loss of coverage for tens of thousands of children and could block efforts underway by other states working to insure more kids,” the senators wrote. Noting that many states have expanded SCHIP to the working poor “as access to private insurance has grown further and further out of reach," they
said. “At least one-third of states now cover children above
250 percent of the federal poverty level, nearly all of which were approved during your tenure, with additional states working to implement plans to cover children at or above this level.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently said it will require states to adopt certain strategies when expanding SCHIP to children above
250 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). For example, the agency will seek assurance that the state has enrolled at least
95 percent of eligible children below 200 percent of the FPL in SCHIP or Medicaid.
— AHA News Now, September 11, 2007.
Saint Francis Medical Center's new patient tower to open soon
Lush, green plants, swooping architectural features and soothing water features greet patients and visitors in the lobby. Paintings and photographs by local artists accent the calming shades of green, blue, burgundy and brown on the patient floors.
And statues reflecting the traditions and heritage of Central Nebraska dot the landscape out front.
St. Francis Medical Center's new patient tower was unveiled to the media Tuesday for the first time in its nearly finished state. The tower was designed inside and out to create a "healing environment" for patients, visitors and staff members, said Mike Gloor, St. Francis president and chief executive officer. "We think it is extremely unique in the Midwest among hospitals," Gloor said. Planning for the new patient tower began six years ago as St. Francis saw a need
for a greater number of patient rooms and more space in those rooms, said Dale Hartwig, vice president of ancillary
services. Today, the $65 million tower is nine stories high, spans 270,000 square feet and includes 163 private patient rooms.
The building will also feature new equipment and a number of added services, including 24-hour visiting hours, room service, universal signage and a triangle-shaped floor plan that should be easier to navigate than the existing patient care area's layout.
Read
the full article in the Grand Island Independent.
View
more photos from the tour.
— Meredith Gardner, Grand Island Independent, September 12, 2007.
Chadron CEO receives Outstanding Rural Health Achievement Award
The Outstanding Rural Health Achievement Award, presented at last week's Nebraska Rural Health Association's annual conference, recognizes an individual for leadership and noteworthy initiative in promoting the development of community-oriented, rural health care delivery. Harold Krueger was the recipient of this award. During Harold’s leadership as
chief executive officer, Chadron Community Hospital (CCH) has grown to encompass a much wider range of services than the typical small town hospital offered in the past. In addition to traditional hospital based services, Chadron Community Hospital and Health Services reaches throughout the town and surrounding areas to provide services where
they are needed. Community Outreach Programs such as
Women, Infants and Children (WIC), commodities, Family Reproductive Health, Early Intervention, Immunizations, Ryan White, Family Advocate and Community Support are administered through Western Community Health Resources and offer support to a wide range of clients from birth to old age.
The hospital operates rural health clinics in the neighboring communities of Crawford and Hay Springs so that residents can see providers in their home town. The Chadron State College Health Clinic operates in the
hospital's building during the school year. Pine Ridge Job Corps students do on-the-job training in CCH facilities. The hospital has been instrumental
in recently opening a soup kitchen in Chadron to serve the needy, and is developing plans to open a homeless shelter as well. Many of these programs are collaborative efforts between public and private agencies to meet the needs of the community.
— Nebraska Rural Health Association e-News, September, 2007.
Norfolk
hospital in talks to merge with chain
(AP) Sioux Falls-based Avera Health is negotiating to extend its reach in Nebraska.
Officials say Avera may partner-up with Faith Regional Health Services of Norfolk,
Neb.
If the deal is completed, Avera would become an equal partner in Faith Regional, and the Nebraska hospital system would become a sixth region in the Avera system.
Faith Regional was formed in 1997 when two Norfolk hospitals merged.
The proposed merger of Faith and Avera would be another significant expansion for Avera -- which owns or manages medical clinics and hospitals in more than 100 locations in eastern South Dakota and parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota.
— KTIV, September 4, 2007.
Faith Regional Health Services to host Medical-Surgical Seminar
Norfolk, Neb. — A Med-Surg Select Topics one-day seminar for nurses, respiratory therapists and other
health care providers who care for medical/surgical patients will be held at Divot’s Conference Center on October 29 and 30. The topics to be covered each day
include current management strategies, the early signs of crisis and what to do about
them, how to
gain confidence in assessment and reporting skills, how to establish credibility with peers and
patients, and what test numbers mean. Read
more.
The Nebraska Medical Center receives Joint Commission Certifications for heart failure and heart attack
Omaha, Neb. — The Nebraska Medical Center's Congestive Heart Failure program and
Acute Myocardial Infarction program each have received "Gold Seal of Approval" certification
from The Joint Commission making these services the first and only nationally certified
programs of their kind in the state of Nebraska.
Nationwide, The Nebraska Medical Center is one of thirteen hospitals to be certified in the
treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack), and one of 29 hospitals to be certified
in the treatment of Heart Failure. These certifications are based on an organization’s utilization
of best practices, compliance with rigorous nationally approved standards as well as
demonstration of superior outcomes. Read
more.
Great Plains Regional Medical Center going tobacco-free
North Platte, Neb. — Great Plains Regional Medical Center on Monday will join the hundreds of U.S. hospitals that have gone tobacco-free to protect the health of patients and employees.
Hospital President Cindy Bradley said the move is probably overdue. While the hospital has been smoke-free indoors for about 15 years, employees and others still could smoke outside in designated areas. This led to many complaints from those who had to walk through clouds of smoke at entrances.
Beginning this Monday, the hospital will prohibit the use of any tobacco product — including smokeless products such as chewing tobacco — on any property owned by the hospital.
The ban extends to the hospital's sports and therapy clinic, home-care equipment office, education facility and parking lots.
— The North Platte Telegraph, September 7, 2007.
Alegent Health offers personal health records
Alegent Health and SouthPointe Digital Technologies, LLC, jointly announce their partnership to create and distribute a standardized Personal Health Record for consumers as a primary addition to
MyPersonalVault.
MyPersonalVault, from SouthPointe Digital Technologies, offers priceless protection against natural disasters, unintentional loss, hackers and system crashes. It’s a personal electronic safety deposit box featuring drawers and files to customize and organize. For about the cost of an average safety deposit box at a local bank, families can store, view and share their important documents and data from their homes or offices. The addition of the standardized Personal Health Record is an important part of this service and will allow consumers to further enhance their “life management.”
Currently Alegent Health will offer MyPersonalVault to employees, their families and friends, and then to their patient base in September, 2007. For subscriber convenience, both companies have also agreed to provide access through their websites.
Read
more.
CMS awards regional MAC contract
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has named Wisconsin Physicians Service Health Insurance Corp. the Medicare Administrative Contractor
(MAC) for Part A and Part B fee-for-service claims in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, the agency announced
this week. For more on the contract, visit the CMS Web
site. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 required CMS to replace all Medicare fiscal intermediaries and carriers with MACs. CMS expects to award 15 Part A/B MACs by 2009.
Click here to view the MAC
award letter or view
the frequently asked questions. For more information contact David Burd,
senior director of finance at 402/742-8144 or dburd@nhanet.org.
Study: Adverse drug events on rise
The number of serious adverse drug events reported annually to the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) more than doubled from 1998-2005 to 89,842, according to a study in the Sept. 10 Archives of Internal Medicine. While 1,489 drugs were associated with adverse events,
20 percent of them accounted for 87 percent of the reports. Thirteen biotechnology products were associated with more than 9,000 events in 2005, up from 580 events in 1998. Reports of fatal adverse drug events more than doubled over the period to 15,107. Of the 15 drugs most frequently associated with fatal events, seven are pain medications. The authors said the study results “illustrate the need for improved systems to manage the risks of prescription drugs.” The study looked at serious adverse events reported to the FDA’s voluntary Adverse Event Reporting System that involve inpatient and outpatient drugs.
— AHA News Now, September 10, 2007.
UNK program hopes to increase rural physicians
Kearney, Neb. (AP) — A University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) program encourages nontraditional students to become family practice physicians in rural Nebraska.
Selected students will receive full tuition for their pre-professional studies. If the students maintain a 3.5 grade point average and pass medical school entrance exams, they are guaranteed entry into the University of Nebraska College of Medicine.
Peggy Abels is UNK director of Health Science Programs. She says 51 million Americans live in areas classified as non-metropolitan. Only
10 percent of the nation's physicians are practicing in these areas. The first two students in the UNK program are Hilary Miller and Justin Westengaard.
Abels says up to five students per year may be admitted to the program.
— Associated Press, September 9, 2007.
UNMC
students train across the state
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) students are working with health professionals
across Nebraska as part of their health care education requirements at UNMC. The
student rotations are part of the UNMC Rural Health Education Network (RHEN), an
innovative program developed to help address the shortage of health professionals in
rural Nebraska.
The students represent the College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, College of
Dentistry, and the School of Allied Health Professions. The RHEN program was developed to expose students to a rural health setting with the
idea that if students receive their training in a rural area, the chances are greater they may
consider returning to a rural area once they complete their training. Read
more.
Study examines public health preparedness
Seven in 10 local health departments that receive Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) preparedness funds have “to a great extent” developed a plan for mass vaccination or preventive treatment, according to new
report from the National Association of County and City Health Officials. More than half report similar progress toward an all-hazards preparedness plan, and implementing the National Incident Management System and new or improved communication systems, the organization said. The report says recent cuts in CDC funding for public health preparedness threaten these advances, however, particularly the ability of local health departments to hire qualified permanent staff.
— AHA News Now, September 10, 2007.
Multicultural
Training Institute: Cultural Competency for Health Care Professionals Training
September 15, 2007 – Margre Durham Center, Omaha, NE
Hospital
Foundation Directors Seminar
September 17, 2007 – Doubletree Hotel, Omaha, NE
"Capital Campaigns and Planned Giving Programs"
Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Overview Webinar
September 19, 2007 – Webinar
Stark:
A Moving Target Moves Again Webinar
September 20, 2007 – Webinar
Sponsored by the NHA and the Nebraska Chapter of HFMA
Exploring
the Challenges for Tax-Exempt Organizations
October 11, 2007 – Omaha, NE
Sponsored by the Omaha Community Foundation and Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP
National Depression Screening Day
October 11, 2007
The American Association of Suicidology, Suicide Prevention Action Network USA, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the National Hotline are collaborating to promote National Depression Screening Day. Register now for event held nationwide on October 11 by going to www.mentalhealthscreening.org.
NHA Critical Access Hospital Conference on Quality
October 18, 2007 – Holiday Inn & Convention Center, Kearney, NE
For more information contact Monica Seeland, NHA vice president of quality
initiatives, at 402/742-8152 or mseeland@nhanet.org.
NHA 2007 Annual Convention and Trade Show
October 31-November 2, 2007 – Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, Lincoln,
NE
"Pathways: Navigating the Nature of Health Care." The NHA's Annual
Convention is the biggest health care event of the year.
Visit the Events page on the NHA Web site for more information on any of the events.
If you have an event you would like listed on the NHA Web site, submit it to
Heather Bullock, marketing and events coordinator, at hbullock@nhanet.org.
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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