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A two-year examination of Nebraska’s health care workforce shows a critical need for expanded efforts to remedy a shortage of health care professionals.
The report analyzed the current workforce—physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, primary care providers, allied health, public health and mental health professionals,
and projected future needs and determined shortages in various fields and geographic areas.
“Nebraska is one of the best at producing a health care workforce and is a national leader in rural health programs. However, we face a looming crisis in the number of health care workers and the professionals we have are not distributed across the state in the same way as our population,” said Keith Mueller, Ph.D., professor in UNMC’s College of Public Health and director of the Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research (NCRHR) which conducted the study.
Read more.
— UNMC press release, September 15, 2009
Walk-in medical clinics run by retailers provide care for routine illnesses that is as good as, and costs less than, similar care offered in doctors' offices, hospital emergency rooms, and urgent care centers, according to a Rand Corp. study. The cost savings over emergency rooms, in particular, was quite dramatic, the study found.
Read more.
— Washington Post, September 15, 2009
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said upwards of 50 million doses of a new vaccine for the H1N1 virus will be available in mid-October, with millions more doses quickly following. The initial vaccines will go to what Sebelius
calls priority populations: including caregivers, young people ages 6 to 24,
hospital workers, pregnant women, and some seniors.
Read more.
— Washington Post, September 15, 2009
HASTINGS—Nurses need to be prepared for any patient care or emergency situation
but don't always experience every type of case as part of their education. A
federal grant will be used to purchase high-fidelity mannequins that can be
programmed to simulate various health care scenarios that student nurses might
not encounter during clinical rotations. The grant will also fund a full-time
nursing simulation instructor at Central Community College (CCC) in Hastings and
a part-time simulation trainer at Saint Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Read more.
— The Grand Island Independent, September 6, 2009
OMAHA—Coming back to Omaha to become director of the Rural Health Education Network (RHEN) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center was a perfect opportunity for Patrik Johansson, M.D., M.P.H.
As a medical student on rotation in western Nebraska, Dr. Johansson witnessed first-hand the unique challenges of providing health care in rural areas, an experience that greatly influenced his career interests.
“In the 12 years since, I have worked in clinical medicine and health policy and conducted research with different communities experiencing health disparities,” he said. “The position of RHEN director allows me to return to my home state to address health disparities and enhance community health through workforce development.”
As RHEN director, Dr. Johansson said he will work to strengthen the rural partnerships the office has established in the state. Those include partnerships with the Area Health Education Centers, local public health departments, health professions associations, as well as state, tribal and federal agencies.
Read more.
—
UNMC press release, September 11, 2009
WAYNE—Beginning November 1, 2009, a policy creating an Identity Theft
Prevention Program will officially go into effect at Providence Medical Center
(PMC). At that time, according to Marci Thomas, Administrator, Providence
Medical Center will begin taking steps to further put into effect and provide
for controls to protect the identity of patients.
“I want to express our gratitude to our patients and their families as we adopt this new policy at Providence Medical Center. Patience and understanding will be greatly appreciated as we move forward,” said Thomas.
Thomas went on to explain that medical identity theft is very serious because, in addition to causing financial issues, identity theft may lead to inappropriate medical care when incorrect information is included in a patient’s medical record.
Read more.
—
PMC press release, September 14, 2009
OMAHA—Methodist Health System has become the presenting sponsor of all University
of Nebraska—Omaha
(UNO) women's athletics teams, a six-figure arrangement that was announced Wednesday.
“The partnership is the largest initial sponsorship that UNO athletics has ever received,” said Michele Roberts, UNO's
associate athletic director and senior woman administrator. “Not only is it
history in the making, it is a partnership that truly has made a difference for
our female student-athletes. It demonstrates the true meaning of women helping
women.” Read
more.
—
Omaha World-Herald, August 26, 2009
WASHINGTON—The Senate Finance Committee's formal health care bill was
released today. Chairman Max Baucus unveiled the
Senate version
America's Healthy Future Act of 2009. The ten-year $856 billion Senate plan
is a $44 billion savings from the number President Obama quoted last week in his
health reform speech. As expected it contains no 'public option' plan; instead
there are provisions for nonprofit co-ops.
The plan would require individuals to purchase coverage and would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-exiting conditions.
The bill is scheduled for markup by the Senate Finance Committee on September 22.
View financing summary.
LINCOLN—Newly appointed senator Robert Krist took the oath of office September 14 in the Wherry Hearing Room of the
State Capitol Building. He represents Legislative District 10 in Omaha.
Secretary of State John Gale administered the oath while Krist’s wife, Peggy, stood at his side.
Krist, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, is a contract manager and the chief pilot for the northwest division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Krist replaces former senator Mike Friend, who resigned from the Legislature August 16 to become the first director of the state’s Office of Violence Prevention. Krist will be up for election for a four-year term in 2010.
— Unicameral Update, September 14, 2009
WASHINGTON—In a speech to the nation's largest labor federation, Obama urged members to get behind his proposal to overhaul the health care system, which he vowed would pass in the next few months. Obama reiterated his support for including a government-run insurance plan, or public option, among the choices for consumers—a top priority for AFL-CIO leaders.
Read more.
— Washington Post, September 16, 2009
Hospital Pharmaceutical Waste 3-Part Webinar Series
September 16, October 7 & October 21, 2009 – Webinar
Alegent's Run, Walk & Roll Event
September 19, 2009 – Omaha
NeRHA Annual Conference
September 17-18, 2009 – Kearney
HITECH: The Economic Stimulus Package and Its Impact on HIPAA Webinar
September 22, 2009 – Webinar
Follow-Up RAC Webinars
September 24, 2009 - Webinar
October 8, 2009 – Webinar
NHA Noon Briefing: 2009 Compensation Survey Product Demonstration
September 28, 2009 – Webinar
NHA 2009 Annual Convention
October 14-16, 2009 – Lincoln
Federal Grant Management Class
Offered
November 19-20, 2009 – Lincoln
Click here
for a list
of upcoming NHA audioconferences and Webinars.
Visit thee
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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