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The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) announced $4,517,700 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for projects in 20 communities and one county. Grants were awarded to mostly small, rural communities in the Public Works and Planning categories.
Read more.
—
NEDED press release, July 20, 2009
Times are tough for employees and businesses alike. But when the federal minimum wage goes up Friday, it will have a split impact.
Employees across Nebraska who could most use a raise will earn 70 cents more an hour, which for full-time workers comes out to $121 more each month.
Yet a jump in payroll couldn’t come at a worse time for many businesses dealing
with tighter consumer spending and slimmer profits.
Read more.
—
Omaha World-Herald, July 19, 2009
WASHINGTON—Current health care reform bills under consideration would expand the number of insured, but 90
percent of voters already have insurance. Congressional leaders say the bills would cut costs, but experts point out that covering the uninsured would cost billions. So the
New York Times notes that the typical person watching is left wondering: What will this project mean for me, besides possibly higher taxes?
Read more.
— New York Times, July 22, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a seasonal flu vaccine for 2009-2010. The seasonal vaccine will not protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, but the agency said it continues to work with vaccine makers and other government agencies to facilitate a potential H1N1 vaccine. A seasonal vaccine is developed each year using flu virus strains expected to cause the most illness in the upcoming season.
Read more.
— FDA.gov, July 20, 2009
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that as many as 25
percent of the 1.2 million Americans who are HIV positive are unaware that they are carrying the virus. In order to better understand the opportunities and challenges the nation faces in identifying and treating those infected, the Health Research & Educational Trust
(HRET) of the American Hospital Association (AHA), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is surveying approximately 1,000 hospitals on their current practices of HIV testing policies and procedures.
The survey was mailed to 1,000 hospital CEOs in late June and is geared toward hospital infection control professionals. Findings from this study will be used as the basis to refine CDC’s 2006 revised recommendations for offering HIV testing on a routine basis in hospital settings in a manner which causes minimal impact on and disruption of their other clinical activities.
Responses to the survey are completely confidential. Please complete the survey
if your hospital is contacted by HRET. For more information, contact
Juliet Yonek, principal investigator, at
(312) 422-2644.
KEARNEY—Good Samaritan Hospital’s Family Birth Center partnered with Telehealth Services so a new father stationed in Iraq could watch the birth of his son in Kearney. Since that instance, several other families have used telehealth in similar fashion, in addition to other limited instances where families have joined together via teleconferencing equipment at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Read more.
— Good Samaritan press release, July 16, 2009
OMAHA—For the second year in a row, The Nebraska Medical Center has received the American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes the medical center’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment for at least 24 months according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
The Nebraska Medical Center will be recognized by the American Stroke Association in an advertisement in the July 21 “America’s Best Hospitals” issue of
US News & World Report.
Read more.
— The Nebraska Medical Center press release, July 22, 2009
FREMONT—Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable tool for diagnosing multiple sclerosis and tracking its progression. However, many people – because of insufficient insurance coverage or an already stressed income – are not able to take advantage of this valuable technology. Fremont Area Medical Center (FAMC) has partnered with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) to help provide MRI scans for those who have the need, but not the resources.
Read more.
— FAMC.org, June 2009
BEATRICE—Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center now provides the latest in mammography screening technology.
The hospital has added digital mammography to its diagnostic imaging services. Digital mammography incorporates revolutionary imaging technology that provides sharp breast images for quicker, more accurate viewing. The images appear on the technologist’s monitor in a matter of seconds. There is no waiting for film to develop, which means less time in the breast imaging suite for patients.
Read more.
— Beatrice Daily Sun, June 2009
WASHINGTON—President Obama is significantly raising his personal stake in the effort to overhaul America's health care system, as Democrats and the public express growing unease about the costs. Obama has faced criticism from some quarters for being too removed from the health debate, and he may have little choice but to get more deeply involved. Obama supporters still are clamoring for passage of legislation by August, and House leaders signaled that they will attempt to hold a vote by the end of this month.
Read more.
— Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2009
WASHINGTON—Moderate House Democrats and a key committee chairman emerged from a three-hour meeting at the White House on Tuesday with a tentative agreement to give an outside panel—rather than Congress—the power to make cuts to government-financed health care programs.
OMB Director Peter Orszag called it “probably the most important piece that can be added” to the health care bill in the House, and the deal between the Blue Dog Coalition and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.)
was the first positive development Democratic Party leaders could claim since
the American Medical Association endorsed their bill last week.
But the arcane-to-the-outside development is a pint-sized breakthrough in an
ocean of concern. It’s also a concession to one subgroup — the Blue Dogs —
that’s likely to inflame others.
Read more.
— Politico, July 22, 2009
WASHINGTON—Union leaders appear to be warming up to a “card check” bill being drafted by Senate Democrats. But the business community already has the yet-to-be introduced legislation in its sights.
An organized labor official confirmed that compromise negotiations with Senate offices on the Employee Free Choice Act
(EFCA) are ongoing and that “everything remains on the table,” including a provision that would make it easier for workers to organize by giving them the right to union recognition after a majority of workers sign pro-union cards.
Read more.
— RollCall.com, July 20, 2009
The Nebraska Hospital Association, in partnership with the Texas Hospital Association, offers a new comprehensive suite of tools to help hospitals understand the social media landscape and how social media may benefit the health care organizations. Developed through extensive research using social media tools themselves, the social media resources combine how-to-advice with best practices from social media experts and hospital early adopters.
Click here for more information or contact
Jon Borton, Vice President, Educational Services, at (402) 742-8147.
The Department of Labor is accepting applications through October 5 for $220 million in competitive
grants to prepare workers for careers in health care and other high-growth fields. Authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the grants will give priority to projects to train people for health care careers, including nursing, allied health, long-term care and health information technology.
“Health care continues to offer workers opportunities to enter career-track
jobs, earn good wages and make a positive impact on the communities in which
they live and work,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.
Read more.
— U.S. Department of Labor, July 21, 2009
The Power of Empowerment: Coaching for Quality Performance
July 28, 2009 – Webinar
Fun in the Sun: Free Summer Safety and Skin Cancer Awareness Event
July 30, 2009 – Kearney
Health Career Fair for Minority High School Students
July 31, 2009 – Lincoln
Preparing for Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Audits
August 26, 2009 – Lincoln
August 27, 2009 –
Kearney
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 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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