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NHA releases 2007 Member Value Report
This week the Nebraska Hospital Association released the NHA 2007 Member Value Report.
The NHA works diligently to protect and promote the interests of its 85 hospital
members and the 39,000 health care workers they employ. The Member Value Report
highlights the Association's strategies for fulfilling its mission: To serve as
the unified voice for Nebraska’s hospitals and health systems, helping hospitals
provide comprehensive care to their communities.
NHA President Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE,
said “I am pleased with the Association’s achievements in 2007 and look
forward to working with our members to navigate the challenges and
opportunities that lie ahead.” To receive a copy of the 2007 Member Value Report
call
Christy Rasmussen, director of communications, at 402/742-8151 or download a
copy on the NHA Web site.
Nebraska gets perfect score in emergency readiness
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska was among seven states that received a perfect score in
preparing for pandemic flu and other health emergencies, according to a national
report released Tuesday. The annual Ready or Not? survey by the nonprofit Trust
for America’s Health assesses how prepared states are to deal with public health
crises such as bioterrorism attacks or mass illness. Indicators include funding
for public health services, vaccination rates and disease surveillance.
Nebraska was among seven states to score a perfect 10, a two-point improvement
over last year. In 2005, the state scored six on the survey. In 2004, the score
was an eight.
Read the full article.
— Associated Press, December 18, 2007.
Children's task force members face removal
LINCOLN, Neb. — Representatives of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) might be removed from a legislative task force on children's mental
health after they abstained from voting on the group's final recommendations.
Several members of the Children's Behavioral Health Task Force were surprised by
the department's decision to abstain, which prompted pointed comments from
Elizabeth Crnkovich, a Douglas County Juvenile Court judge on the task force.
The group was created to make recommendations to improve children's mental
health services.
Three of the task force's 12 members are in charge of divisions of the
department: Scot Adams from behavioral health, Terri Nutzman from the Office of
Juvenile Services, and Todd Landry from children and family services. The task
force was scheduled to vote on its recommendations Nov. 28 when the group
learned that the representatives would abstain. The task force did not have
enough votes, because of abstentions and absences, and reconvened Friday.
Read more.
— Karyn Spencer, Omaha World Herald, December 15, 2007.
Mall shooting survivor thankful, recovering at The Nebraska Medical Center
When Fred Wilson finally opened his eyes, he saw sunshine. That's what he
remembers.
He could be wrong. After being shot in his right arm, losing three-fourths of
his blood and enduring about six hours of surgery, his senses were foggy. The
brightness could well have been lights in his room at the Nebraska Medical
Center.
But he likes to think it was sunshine, a sort of love pat from heaven telling
him that he had more to do in his life.
Maybe more plays to direct. More young people who need to be told they're
special. More presents to wrap.
"I've been given a gift," said Wilson, who two weeks ago was critically wounded
in the mass shooting at Omaha's Von Maur department store, where he regularly
wrapped different kinds of gifts.
"I should have been dead. I should have been dead, and I'm not."
Read the full
article.
— Dane Stickney, Omaha World Herald, December 19, 2007.
Sen. Nelson honors stricken senator with bill
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson is helping fellow U.S.
Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota celebrate his recovery from a brain
hemorrhage.
Nelson asked the Senate today to rename his bill intended to ensure access to
Medicare's inpatient rehabilitative care. The name? The Tim Johnson Inpatient
Rehabilitation Preservation Act of 2007.
Johnson, also a Democrat, is a co-sponsor of the bill. Nelson says a
bureaucratic rule change at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is
threatening the ability of senior citizens to get care through rehabilitative
hospitals -- like Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln.
Read the
full AP article or a related
press release from Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln.— Associated Press, December 12, 2007.
Study estimates savings from comprehensive health reform
A combination of universal coverage and several policy options could result in
$1.5 trillion in U.S. health care system savings over 10 years, according to a
report released
Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund. “Bending the Curve: Options for
Achieving Savings and Improving Value in U.S. Health Spending,” reviewed 15
federal policy options for producing and using better information, promoting
health and disease prevention, aligning incentives with quality and efficiency
and correcting price signals in the health care market. Commonwealth Fund
President Karen Davis said the report shows that “there are policy solutions out
there that will save money, and ensure that Americans get improved value for
their health care dollars—but we need to start now.” The report cautions that in
order to see real savings and higher value, policies must address overall health
system costs and not shift cost from one part of the health care system to
another. To see the AHA’s framework for health reform, Health for Life: Better
Health, Better Health Care, visit www.aha.org.
— AHA News Now, December 18, 2007.
CUMC celebrates 30 years
OMAHA, Neb. —
Thirty years ago, the U.S. Army Reserves, the Air Force Reserves, the Bellevue
Rescue
Squad Ambulance and the University of Nebraska Medical Center Mobile Intensive
Care
Unit were called in to help. Saint Joseph Hospital had outgrown its humble
beginnings and
was on the move. It took an army of helpers to move all of the patients to the
new hospital
located on 30th Street in downtown Omaha.Monday, December 17, 2007, Creighton University Medical Center
(CUMC) celebrated its
30th
anniversary since “The Big Move”. Mayor Mike Fahey delivered a proclamation and
acknowledged CUMC’s dedication to the community and less privileged.
Fahey declared, December 17th to be “Creighton University Medical Center Day.”
“While this building is now 30 years old, it’s the lives we’ve saved, touched
and changed in
the past 30 years that are CUMC’s legacy,” said Linda Ollis, chief executive
officer of
Creighton University Medical Center.
Read the
full article.
Pool-drain victim 'hanging in there' after transplants
OMAHA, Neb. —
A Minnesota girl who was seriously injured in June when a pool drain sucked out
21 feet of her small intestine underwent a triple organ transplant this week at
the Nebraska Medical Center.Six-year-old Abigail Taylor of Edina, Minn., underwent liver, small bowel and
pancreas transplants Monday, said Andrea McMaster, a spokeswoman for the medical
center.
The three transplants were performed during a single operation, which lasted
between eight and nine hours.
Abigail, who was listed in serious condition Tuesday night, was injured when she
landed on an open drain hole in a wading pool at the Minneapolis Golf Club.
"She's hanging in there," said Bob Bennett, the family's attorney. "She is a
tough little patient."
Read the
full article.
— Michael O'Connor, Omaha World Herald, December 19, 2007.
Gordon Memorial Hospital addresses community's workforce shortage concerns
GORDON, Neb. — Nursing as a profession is undergoing change at a very rapid
rate. As health care technology has moved forward in the last several years, the
nursing profession has had to change to meet the demands and needs.
The average age of the nurse several years ago was 44. Now the average age
of the clinical nurse is around 46. Previously, the average age of a nursing
instructor was early 50s. The average age for nursing instructors now is mid to
late 50s. Nurses are beginning to retire from both clinical and instructor
positions leaving gaping holes in the nursing profession. The requirements are
also changing. Nursing instructors must now have a minimum education of a
bachelors degree in nursing and be working toward their masters or doctoral
degree in nursing to be able to teach future nurses.
The aging workforce, added to an ever-increasing demand for nurses in the
health care profession or other related fields, has put great tension on the
workforce. Hospitals and nursing homes everywhere are struggling to hire enough
nurses to keep up with the demands for increased services and technological
advances.
Read the full article.
— Sheridan County Journal Star, December 12, 2007.
Alliance calls for voluntary system of unique patient identifiers
The National Alliance for Health Information Technology
has called for
creating a voluntary patient-controlled system of unique patient identifiers to
ensure privacy and accuracy when exchanging medical information through an
electronic health network. Based on research and input from experts, the
Alliance concluded that the current statistical process for matching patients to
their records based on such attributes as name, address and birth date was too
unreliable. It said a system of unique identifiers would make medical
information more complete, accurate, private and secure and let patients decide
who has access to their health records without worrying about incomplete
information or identification mix-ups. AHA is a member of the Alliance.
— AHA News Now, December 13, 2007.
327 UNMC students to receive diplomas
Diplomas will be conferred on 327 University of Nebraska Medical Center
(UNMC) students
during ceremonies in Kearney, Lincoln, Omaha and Scottsbluff.
In Kearney, a ceremony will be held Thursday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m., at the
University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Fine Arts Recital Hall for UNMC College of
Nursing Kearney Division students.
In Omaha, a ceremony will be held Friday, Dec. 21, at 2 p.m., at the Witherspoon
Concert Hall in the Joslyn Art Museum for students graduating from the School
of Allied Health Professions, the Graduate College, and the UNMC College of
Nursing (Omaha).
In Lincoln, a ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 22 at 9:30 a.m. at the Bob
Devaney Center for UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division students.
In Scottsbluff, a ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m., in the
Midwest Theater, 1707 Broadway, for UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska
Division students.
Read the full UNMC news release.
Smoke-free Lobby Day January 22
The Nebraska Hospital Association together
with seven other health associations is sponsoring “Smoke-free Lobby Day.” The
January 22 event is designed for “Smoke-free Nebraska” advocates from across the
state to visit with their legislators and advocate for a smoke-free Nebraska.
The Legislature can save lives by passing legislation that provides clean air
for all Nebraskans. Our state senators must hear from advocates like you for
this to become a reality. The NHA and its partners invite you to join us for an
8 a.m. breakfast and an exciting three-hour program at the Cornhusker
Marriott Hotel, located at 333 S.
13th Street in Lincoln. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Attendees are asked to
RSVP by January 12 by
clicking here. For more information contact Carly Runestad, director of
health policy at 402/742-8153 or
crunestad@nhanet.org. Co-sponsors include the American Cancer Society,
American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Nebraska Medical
Association, Nebraska Nurses Association, Nebraska Rural Health Association and
the Public Health Association of Nebraska.
Implementation of an EMR in a Community Hospital Webinar
January 9, 2008
Ensuring Compliance: The 30 Patient Safety Practices for Better Health Care Webinar
January 10, 2008
Chargemaster Pricing, Charge Compression and Devices Webinar
January 15, 2008
Smoke-free
Lobby Day
January 22, 2008 – Lincoln, NE
Recent Stark II Developments Impacting Hospitals - Reporting and
Phase II Webinar
January 31, 2008
The Joint Commission Medical Staff Standards: 2008 Update Webinar
January 31, 2008 Center for Transcultural Learning
2008 course
schedule for medical interpreters.
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. Send news items to Christy Rasmussen, director of
communications, at crasmussen@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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