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The economic crisis is forcing many hospitals to hit the brakes when it comes to capital investments, including delaying and scaling down information technology (IT) projects. The 100 Most Wired hospitals are torn between building on their IT successes and keeping a sharp eye on budgets. Marking its 11th year, the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study continues to lead the field in analyses and benchmarking of health care IT.
Four hospitals from Nebraska were named to the 2009 Most Wired list:
- Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha - Most Wired
- Community Hospital, McCook - Most Improved
- Nemaha County Hospital, Auburn - Most Wired Small and Rural
- Regional West Medical Center, Scottsbluff - Most Wired Small and Rural
Read more.
— Health Forum press release, July 8, 2009
Every 11 minutes another name is added to the list of over 102,000 Americans
waiting for life-saving transplants. Making the decision to become a donor will
not affect the medical care provided or the outcome of a terminal situation, but
it can provide other patients with a life-saving transplant. One organ donor potentially has the power to save the
lives of eight people. One tissue donor can improve the lives of more than 60
people with their donation.
In 2008, 6,290 candidates died while waiting for a life-saving organ. Right
now, 102,346 people are waiting for an organ transplant in the U.S. In the state
of Nebraska there are approximately 450 people waiting for a life-saving
transplant.
Nebraska Organ Recovery System (NORS) is the Federally Designated Organ Procurement Organization for the State of Nebraska. NORS is responsible for facilitating the donation process. Serving approximately 1.7 million people, their mission is to maximize the recovery and quality of organs and tissues for transplantation while maintaining a sensitivity, compassion and respect for people of all cultures.
The donation process is simple: When someone passes away in a hospital, the hospital staff is required to call NORS. A medical screening is completed with the hospital staff to determine eligibility. NORS staff will arrive on site to speak with the family about donation. If the family consents to donation, or if the patient is on the Nebraska Organ Donor Registry, NORS will begin medical management of the patient. During this time, the patient’s organs are placed at different transplant centers around the nation, and an operating room time is set. When the time comes the family is allowed to say their good-byes and the recovery process begins.
There is never a cost to a donors family or their estate to donate, and the
donation process will not delay funeral arrangements or disfigure a body.
Donor and Family Notification Cards:
- Declare your wish on your Nebraska driver's license.
- Join the Nebraska Organ and Tissue Donor Registry at www.nedonation.org.
- Include donation in your advance directives, will and living will.
- Tell your family, physician, faith leader and friends.
- Complete a donor card and carry it in your wallet.
Visit the NORS Web site for more
information.
The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) commends Congressman Jeff Fortenberry for his recent comments published in the
Lincoln Journal Star
regarding the debate on health care.
Coverage for all is the number one goal of health
care reform and all must share this responsibility. The
letter
reiterates the NHA's commitment to doing our part to make health care more affordable and effective.
The NHA looks forward to working with Nebraska's congressional delegation and
health care stakeholders to address the importance of wellness, nutrition and
preventive care, as well as sustainable,
affordable and high quality health care services.
Senator Mike Johanns recently issued the following statement after holding eight roundtable meetings in Omaha and Lincoln to discuss health care reform with Nebraskans, including members of the health care community:
"I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to visit with health professionals and Nebraskans who have faced health care difficulties to discuss this tremendously important issue. I hosted these roundtables to get beyond the Washington rhetoric and to hear first-hand the challenges facing our health care system.
"I was very encouraged with what I heard this week. The meetings reinforced what we all know: Nebraskans are engaged, informed and passionate about such a pressing issue facing our state and our country. The thoughts and suggestions of people from across the state and from all perspectives will be invaluable to me when I return to Washington to continue working for real health care solutions."
Senator Johanns was in Lincoln on July 2 and Omaha on July 3. He met with concerned Nebraskans; health care professionals; representatives for the uninsured and underinsured; hospitals; advocates for the disabled and mental health professionals; small business owners; health care providers; labor advocates; insurers; and members of the Native American community.
— Johanns.senate.gov, July 3, 2009
According to a recent
notice from HUD regarding Section 242 financing,
the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is immediately implementing its authority under section 223(f) of the National Housing Act to provide, in conjunction with financing under Section 242 of the National Housing Act, refinancing of debt for hospitals, without conditioning such refinancing on new construction or renovation as is the current program requirement.
— U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, July 1, 2009
NORFOLK—Norfolk, Nebraska is the hometown of Johnny Carson, the former king of late night comedy. The city of 23,000 in northeast Nebraska and the surrounding region, also has 15 percent of the state's population with favorable demographics that show growth and a strong economy.
But, a significant workforce shortage, a growing demand for health services, and the associated need to increase the number of nurses with bachelor’s and graduate degrees, threatens the health of the community and its economic vitality.
Nebraska Senator Mike Flood, the state senator representing the area, recognized something had to be done. So three years ago, Flood met with University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken to make a case to create a division of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing located in Norfolk.
The feat would not be complete without overcoming other significant challenges, including raising private money to build the facility, securing ongoing costs for operations funded by the state, recruiting faculty and securing clinical sites to train students.
Read more.
— University of Nebraska Medical Center press release, July 8, 2009
LINCOLN—On June 25, Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center hosted the Partnership for Prescription Assistance
(PPA) "Help is Here” Express. The bus travels across the country helping people pay for prescription medicines. Many people who have little or no insurance qualify for programs that provide their prescription medications for free or nearly free.
Open to the public, individuals boarded the bus and filled out paperwork that
included a full list of their prescription medications. Armed with computers and
mobile phones, specialists on board helped determine instantly whether
someone qualified for the programs.
The Saint Elizabeth Foundation chose to sponsor the PPA bus because of its awareness of the ever-increasing need to help cover medical costs for those within
the community. That need is very real as evident by at least one person who was waiting for the bus two hours before its scheduled arrival.
LINCOLN—The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) Research and Educational Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2009 Graduate Studies Tuition Aid Program and the Undergraduate Health Career Scholarships. Hospitals across the country, especially in rural states like Nebraska, are experiencing a severe shortage of health care professionals.
The NHA Research and Educational Foundation is helping to address the ongoing shortage by assisting the future leaders of health care in their efforts to pursue a degree in health care or further their education through the two scholarship programs established in 1987.
“For twenty years this program has helped several talented people reach their career aspirations while concurrently helping to build Nebraska’s pool of health care professionals and leaders. It is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in pursuing a health-related profession,” said NHA President, Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE.
Read more.
OMAHA—Barbara Person, a partner with Baird Holm LLP, has been elected Chair of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education.
The Conference for Mercy Higher Education sponsors 16 colleges and universities in 11 states, including the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Read more.
— Baird Holm LLP press release, July 6, 2009
WASHINGTON— The American Hospital Association (AHA) recently announced its support for an agreement on health care reform that expands health coverage to 95
percent of Americans in part through reductions in payment to hospitals of $155 billion over 10 years. The agreement, which was negotiated with the White House and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), was announced during a White House event with the AHA, Catholic Health Association and Federation of American Hospitals.
"Today, the AHA reform framework calls for 'coverage for all, paid for by all,’” said AHA President Rich Umbdenstock. "And hospitals are ready to do our part. But so must all other involved stakeholders, and that includes everyone across our economy - employers, unions, individuals, suppliers, insurers, practitioners and providers." In a
joint statement, the three organizations said they "stand ready to work with the Senate, House and Administration to enact comprehensive health reform that works for patients and families and the hospitals and health care professionals that serve them."
— AHA News Now, July 8, 2009
LINCOLN—The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) recently submitted comments
to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
(HIT) on the definition of “meaningful use” of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology.
The NHA appreciates the work of the HIT Policy Committee and the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology and we recognize the challenging timeline that must be met to implement the HIT provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The NHA strongly supports the use of HIT to improve the efficiency and quality of the health care system, and the spirit of the incentives provided through ARRA; however, we have some concerns about this first draft definition.
This comment letter
includes remarks to the 2011 goals, objectives and measures, as well as
suggestions
regarding timelines for implementation of the
Meaningful
Use Matrix.
WASHINGTON—As the Obama administration hopes to boost its health care reform effort with financial concessions from the hospital and pharmaceutical industries, it is instead confronting deep dissension from the Democratic ranks and possible defections among key constituencies. There are several other warning signs for the administration as it pushes health reform, including a slipping timetable in the Senate, internal division in the hospital industry and mounting tensions between AARP and the pharmaceutical industry.
Read more.
— Washington Post, July 9, 2009
Auditing Provider-Based Operations to Ensure Compliance with CMS Webinar
July 14, 2009 – Webinar
NEBGEC Annual Conference
July 16-17, 2009 – Omaha
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 Kelley Porter, Director of
Communications, kporter@nhanet.org.
NHA Newslink is published by the Nebraska
Hospital Association, 3255 Salt Creek Circle, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68504-4778.
Phone 402/742-8140, Fax 402/742-8191. Contact Kelley Porter, Director of
Communications, at 402/742-8151, or email,
kporter@nhanet.org.
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