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Nebraska nurses become hospice and palliative care certified
LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska’s hospice association,
the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership (NHPCP), recently announced
that several health care professionals became certified in hospice and
palliative care by the National Board for Certification of Hospice and
Palliative Nurses.
Read
more.
Heineman names Ann Frohman as state’s director of insurance
(Governor's release) -- Gov. Dave Heineman has
announced his appointment of Ann Frohman to serve as the director of the
Nebraska Department of Insurance (DOI). Frohman has served the department as
acting director since October 2007 and has been deputy director since January
2004. Her appointment is effective immediately. The department is charged with
regulating and examining all insurance companies and certain related operations
doing business in Nebraska. The department also administers the Excess Liability
Fund and supervises the Residual Malpractice Insurance Authority. Frohman is a
native of North Platte and has over 15 years of service with the DOI.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Daily Update,
November 29, 2007.
State Chamber seeking Leadership Nebraska participants
The application deadline for the State Chamber’s
Leadership Nebraska class of 2008 has been extended. The State Chamber’s
Leadership Nebraska program works to develop and motivate a cross-section of
leaders who will use their talents and abilities to inspire others and to foster
a new spirit of energy, enthusiasm and vitality throughout the state. Each year
a class of some 30 leaders is selected to participate in the State Chamber’s
Leadership Nebraska. Participants must have demonstrated skills and experience
in civic activities, public affairs and in their professional careers. Although
the selected participants will be from different regions, have varied
backgrounds and possess diverse talents, they all must have one common
characteristic - an abiding interest in Nebraska.
Class II of the Nebraska Leadership Institute
begins February 2008. Scheduled sessions and themes include:
February 6-8, orientation
March 4-6, government and public policy
April 30-May 2, agriculture
June 25-27, economic development
August 5-7, education
September 17-19, health care and human services
October 24, commencement
The tuition rate of $3,000 includes the program and materials, lodging
and meals. Please consider your employees or others in your community with an
interest in leadership and the future of Nebraska to apply to be a part of the
second class of the State Chamber’s Leadership Nebraska program. Information is
available at:
www.statechamberleadershipnebraska.com.
For more information contact Don Mihovk, Leadership Nebraska executive director, at
402/474-4422.
States vary in how they administer Medicaid mental health
services
States have taken various approaches to
expanding Medicaid to cover mental health services, according to a new
report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
In 28 states, state Medicaid and mental health agencies are within the same
umbrella agency. In 26 states, the state match for Medicaid mental health
services comes at least partly from a different source than the state general
fund. Most states restrict Medicaid providers of mental health services to those
with a mental health designation.
— AHA News Now, November 27, 2007.
FAMC's Callaway appointed to State Trauma Board
FREMONT, Neb. – Pat Callaway, RN, BSN, director of
Emergency Services at Fremont Area Medical Center (FAMC), was recently appointed
to the Nebraska Region 1 Trauma Board. Nebraska’s statewide trauma care system,
which was developed to ensure optimal care for all trauma victims across the
state, is divided into four regions, each with a regional committee comprised of
ten members appointed by the state’s director of Regulation and Licensure. The
members serve three-year terms.
Region 1 (the northeast Nebraska region) consists
of 28 Nebraska counties. Callaway is a certified nurse administrator, certified
in Emergency Nursing, serves on the board for the Crisis Center for Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault, and is a member of the State Trauma Designation
Committee.
Two new clinics through UNMC, The Nebraska Medical Center,
address special needs after cancer treatment
The Comprehensive Assessment Clinic, and the
Internal Medicine Clinic for Cancer Survivors, will address ongoing physical and
psychosocial needs of those who have completed cancer treatment. The clinics,
sponsored by the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and its hospital
partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, will be held at Clarkson West Medical
Center, 144th St. & West Center Rd.
“Some people feel lost after treatment,” said
Deborah Darrington, M.D., UNMC assistant professor of internal medicine and
medical director of the clinics. “Our goal is to help the patient transition
from cancer treatment to recovery. The clinic is an opportunity for cancer
survivors to be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals in
one day. We will be providing patient education, answering questions and giving
survivors resources for future reference.”
Read
more.
Grand opening for Alegent's new Quick Care location
PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. – Immediate relief for the
common cold is now available for residents in Plattsmouth and the surrounding
area simply by going to the neighborhood Pamida store. That’s where the area’s
first Alegent Health Quick Care is located. Since November 1, this partnership
between Alegent Health and Pamida stores has offered consumers a time-saving
solution when minor medical ailments arise. On Thursday, December 6 at 8:30
a.m., the Plattsmouth Chamber of Commerce will officially welcome the Alegent
Health Quick Care with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store located at 211 S.
23rd St. After the ceremony, residents are invited to stay for a healthy snack,
free giveaways and tour of the facility.
Read
more.
Children’s Hospital begins demolition at future site of Specialty Pediatric
Center
OMAHA, Neb. – With a countdown and a ceremonial
hit, Children’s Hospital kicked off demolition on November 19 at a site
inauguration for its new Specialty Pediatric Center. The facility, which will
provide expanded space for outpatient specialty care, will be located at the
southeast corner of 84th & West Dodge Road. “The new center will enable us to
continue providing leading edge specialty health care services for children from
the community, greater Nebraska and the region,” said Gary A. Perkins, CHE,
president and chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital. “It represents our
continued commitment to caring for children now and into the future. We
anticipate that in just the next seven years, this center will be meeting the
health care needs of nearly 60,000 children annually.”
Read
more.
The
Nebraska Medical Center, UNMC Physicians and UnitedHealthcare sign new
agreement
OMAHA, Neb.– The Nebraska Medical Center,
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Physicians and UnitedHealthcare,
and its affiliate, United Resource Networks, have signed new multi-year
agreements. The new agreements, effective December 1, 2007, and January 1, 2008
(The Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC Physicians, respectively), enable
UnitedHealthcare commercial, Medicare and Medicaid health plan participants
uninterrupted access to affordable, quality health care.
Read
more.
With many thanks: Organ donation gives girl a sweeter life
Daisy Friedman stretches her arms as far as they
go and details the list. Between her right hand and her left is an imaginary
sheet of paper that holds her dreams for the future. She reads from it. "I want
to make desserts," she said. And ice cream and candy.
Her favorite food is chocolate, she said, and her
favorite show is anything about cooking. Her obsession with food is no mystery.
Daisy, 4, has been eating - actually putting food in her mouth to chew, taste
and swallow - for only a little less than a year. For the first three years of
her life, she relied on liquid food pumped directly into her stomach for
nutrition.
In July 2006, she received a small bowel and liver
transplant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Now, the world is
before her. And Daisy seems to know it.
Read the
full article.
— Veronica Stickney, Omaha World Herald, November
21, 2007.
CMS issues report on value-based purchasing in Medicare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) last week sent
Congress its plan for implementing a value-based purchasing program for
hospitals under the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS)
beginning in fiscal year 2009. The plan was required by the Deficit Reduction
Act of 2005. CMS Acting Administrator, Kerry Weems, said the agency’s proposal
builds on the Medicare pay-for-reporting program implemented in 2005, which
requires hospitals to report on specific inpatient quality measures to receive a
full IPPS payment update, by including financial incentives for better
performance. In its report, CMS said the plan “should be implemented in a manner
that does not increase Medicare spending.”
— AHA News Now, November 26, 2007.
Medicare to launch online enrollment for providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) encourages health care providers to register for an online account so they
can access a new online enrollment process for Medicare when it becomes
available. The service also will allow enrolled providers to update their
information online. CMS expects to roll out the new process soon and announce
details as they become available. For more information, including how to
register for an online account, see the
first in a series of planned Medicare Learning Network articles on the
topic.
— AHA News Now, November 21, 2007.
DHHS: Flu vaccine for kids equals healthier holiday season
LINCOLN, Neb. - The holiday season is upon us
and with all the celebrations and socializing, flu viruses pick up the pace and
invade homes, schools and child cares. "We know kids not only spread the flu but
they’re more susceptible to complications," said Dr. Joann Schaefer, chief
medical officer for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
"Flu hit Nebraska children hard last year. One child died, several were
hospitalized and many schools and child care centers closed. Getting vaccinated
helps keep kids healthy and stops the spread of the virus." National Flu
Vaccination Week is November 26 – December 2.
Read
the full article.
HRSA issues online course on provider-patient communications
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
has launched an
online
training course to help health care providers communicate effectively with
patients based on the patients’ health literacy, cultural background and
language skills. The course’s five modules take about four to five hours to
complete. HRSA Administrator, Elizabeth Duke, called the course “an innovative
way” to advance health literacy efforts.
— AHA News Now, November 26, 2007.
Toolkit helps seniors find health information online
The National Institute on Aging has developed a
free training program to help seniors find accurate health information online.
The toolkit
for trainers uses two National Institutes of Health Web sites (NIHSeniorHealth.gov
and MedlinePlus.gov) as models for the lessons, which include a lesson plan,
student handouts, and glossary of computer and Internet terms. The course can be
delivered in nine 90-120 minute sessions or customized to meet students’ needs,
the agency said.
—AHA News Now, November 27, 2007.
Memorial
Health Care Systems Hospital Lobby Open House
December 1, 2007 – Seward, NE
Final CY 2008 Hospital Outpatient PPS Update Webinar
December 4, 2007
Memorial Health
Care Systems 55 Plus Christmas Celebration
December 5, 2007 – Seward, NE
Nursing Law Update 2007 Webinar
December 7, 2007
Technical Component of Evaluation and Management (E/M) Coding Webinar
December 13, 2007
How to Conduct Effective Meetings Webinar
December 13, 2007
Integrating Palliative Care Into Long-Term Care Seminar
December 13, 2007 – Lincoln, NE
2008 Outpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule Audioconference
December 20, 2007
Smoke-free
Lobby Day
January 22, 2008 – Lincoln, NE
Click here for a list
of upcoming NHA audioconferences and webinars.
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 in Newslink or 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. Contact Christy Rasmussen, director of
communications, at 402/742-8151, or email,
crasmussen@nhanet.org.
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