News Stories
Mar/05 - HCMC literacy program celebrates 100,000th book give-away : Mar 05, 2010
Green-eggs-and-ham breakfast, other events coincide with Read Across America Day, Dr. Seuss' birthday
Coinciding with Dr. Seuss' birthday, the pediatric literacy program at Hennepin County Medical Center on Tuesday gave away its 100,000th book.
The milestone -- and Read Across America Day -- were marked with a green-eggs-and-ham breakfast and other activities tailored to young patients and visitors to the Minneapolis hospital.
Literacy experiences are critical to a child's healthy development because stories stimulate brain growth, translating into school success and, ultimately, better health. The literacy program began in 2002 with literacy liaison Lynne Burke and a dream to connect children with books when they come to the hospital -- even when they first enter the world as newborns.
"The effect has been amazing," Burke said in an HCMC news release. "There's nothing more gratifying than to see a child's face light up after receiving a book, and we can't think of a better day to celebrate."
Other activities included:
- a roundtable discussion about pediatric literacy with food writer and columnist "Suess" Zellickson (Sue Zellickson); and
- Hospital Chief Executive Officer Art Gonzalez reading to patients, with dramatic interpretations courtesy of Timberwolves mascot Crunch.
Burke and 11 volunteers run the program. The initiative is funded by donations and grants, and it also helps community organizations in their efforts to bring kids and books together. For more information, visit www.hcmc.org/read.
Mar/05 - Brochure works to help hospitals communicate with patients about safety : Mar 05, 2010
Editor's Note: This occasional news feature will describe a Minnesota Hospital Association product or service.
"Communicating Outcomes to Patients" covers policies, procedures
The Minnesota Hospital Association produces a brochure designed to help hospitals communicate with patients about their philosophy on patient safety. The document is also meant as a resource for hospitals that are developing the policies and procedures that will help the organization bear out those ideals.
"Communicating Outcomes to Patients" provides suggested language that hospital staff members can use, for example, after a medical procedure results in an unanticipated outcome. The $2 document also defines that term.
Wording in the brochure may be modified to meet hospitals' specific needs.
Following is the sample patient safety philosophical statement contained in the pamphlet:
Philosophy
"Open and ongoing communication with patients about their care and the outcomes of such care is critical so that patients can be full partners in their health care. Patients have the right to receive accurate, timely, and easily understood information so that they can make informed decisions about their care. Health care institutions and providers have an obligation to inform patients and, when appropriate, their families about the outcomes of care, treatment and services that have been provided, including unanticipated outcomes (JCAHO - RR 2.90). Institutions and providers have a legal and ethical duty to disclose medical accidents when there are clinical consequences resulting from the medical accidents or when a reasonable person would want to know, regardless of whether any negative clinical consequences resulted from the medical accident."
To order "Communicating Outcomes to Patients," contact Sarah Bohnet, MHA communications and work force assistant, at (651) 603-3494 or go here.
Mar/05 - MHA begins "tweeting" : Mar 05, 2010
Twitter used to help tell legislative, other news
The Minnesota Hospital Association on Tuesday began using Twitter.
So far, the association has invited MHA staff members, Minnesota legislators, Minnesota hospital communicators and Minnesota hospital government relations officers to follow MHA's updates on the social networking site. Readers can view MHA's current "tweets" at the association's Twitter page, http://twitter.com/mnhospitals.
Mar/05 - Minnesota hospitals' applications now being accepted for summer internship program : Mar 05, 2010
Deadline is April 19
Minnesota hospitals' applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Summer Health Care Intern Program (SHCIP). The deadline to apply online is April 19.
Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) member CEOs and human resource directors are encouraged to participate on behalf of qualified students in their communities. Every year, more than 100 health care organizations across the state participate.
The initiative provides an opportunity for health care employers to become more involved in their communities at the same time that the interns gain health care work experience.
Up to half of an intern's wages are reimbursed through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. The hospital association administers the grant on behalf of an advisory group composed of hospitals, nursing facilities and home health representatives.
Apply here. Updated program information will continue to be available on the SHCIP Web page of this site.
For more information contact Sarah Bohnet, MHA's coordinator of the program, at (800) 462-5393 or (651) 603-3494.
Mar/05 - MHA, MPCA reach improved agreement over evaluation method of pharmaceutical waste : Mar 05, 2010
On Feb. 26, MHA received approval from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Paul Eger on an improved agreement known as the "alternative method for evaluating pharmaceutical waste."
The improved agreement removes controlled substances from the list of risk criteria groups that hospitals must consider when determining if a pharmaceutical waste should be handled as hazardous. The new agreement also includes an updated list of MHA hospitals [DOC], thus expanding the number of facilities that may operate using this approach.
To view the complete "alternative method for evaluating pharmaceutical waste" document, visit our page here.
In 2005, the MHA and MPCA reached the original agreement on the "alternative method for evaluating pharmaceutical waste" after hospitals found it very difficult to gather the specific data required to determine if pharmaceutical waste was lethal under Minnesota hazardous waste rules. This agreed-upon method has minimized an otherwise significant diversion of time and resources away from patient care, while retaining the protection of human health and the environment.
MHA will host training programs featuring MPCA regulators May 26 in Baxter, May 27 in Plymouth and June 3 in Morton. Further details are also available on the MHA events Web site.
Hospital leaders are encouraged to share information about the improved agreement and MHA training programs with safety, pharmacy and laboratory directors. The training programs will also feature a breakout session for clinic and long-term care staff.
For more information contact Ann Gibson, MHA federal relations director at (651) 603-3527.
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