Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

February 18, 2013

MHA Newsline

In this issue:

Join us for MHA Advocacy Day, Wednesday, Feb. 20

Don't miss MHA Advocacy Day at the Capitol this Wednesday, Feb. 20

Advocacy Day is the perfect opportunity to talk face-to-face with your legislator(s) about hospital priorities, including MERC funding, a Minnesota-based health insurance exchange, developing payment models that pay for value over volume, and concerns with government-imposed staffing quotas. You can also thank them for passing the Medicaid expansion to provide health care for low-income Minnesotans. Advocacy Day coincides with the Minnesota Organization of Nurse Leaders’ day on the hill so we suggest you bring nurse leaders, staff nurses and others to help tell the hospital story.

We will meet at the MHA office at 10:30 a.m. for a briefing and then will travel to the Capitol for meetings with your legislators. For help setting up a meeting with your senator or representative, contact Carol Eshelman, 651-603-3539. ^top of page

RARE prevents 3,603 readmissions through third quarter 2012

Results from third quarter 2012 show that since 2011, Minnesota hospitals participating in the RARE Campaign have prevented 3,603 readmissions, resulting in 14,412 more nights of sleep at home for patients. The RARE Campaign will continue through 2013 to maintain the gains achieved and continue to engage partners across the continuum of care. As we know, preventing readmissions is truly a community-wide effort. To learn more about the RARE Campaign, visit www.rarereadmissions.org. ^top of page

Join the March for Babies for stronger, healthier babies

MHA President and CEO Lorry Massa is 2013 March for Babies chair

This spring in communities across Minnesota, the March of Dimes is hosting its annual March for Babies. For 75 years, the March of Dimes’ research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs have benefited babies. They are blazing the path on their latest breakthrough — preventing premature birth. The March for Babies raises money to provide information and comfort to parents with a baby in the NICU and helps more women and children in Minnesota get access to health care. The March is taking place in 16 communities throughout the state. If your hospital is located in or near one of the host cities, form your team today and make the commitment to March for Babies!

April 13: Austin/Albert Lea; Bemidji; Grand Rapids; St. Cloud

April 20: Winona

April 27: Duluth; Faribault; Rochester

April 28: Mankato; Red Wing; St. Paul

May 4: Brainerd; Marshall; Virginia

May 5: New Ulm

May 11: Monticello

Watch this brief video or go online to learn more about the March for Babies.

photo of Lorry Massa video on March for Babies campaign 

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IRS releases updated Schedule H for hospitals

Last month, the IRS released an updated 2012 Schedule H for hospitals and related instructions to be completed as part of the hospital’s federal 2012 tax year return. Most notably, the IRS changed Part V, Section B: hospital organizations with multiple facilities are now permitted to file a single Section B for their hospital facilities that have identical answers. This change, which MHA and the American Hospital Association advocated for, may reduce some of the burden of completing Schedule H for hospitals with multiple facilities. Unfortunately, despite this improvement, the newly released 2012 Schedule H continues to impose many of the same burdensome requirements as in previous versions.

AHA has posted on its website a tracked changes version of the Schedule H and related instructions that clearly identifies all of the 2012 changes. Read AHA’s Advocacy Alert on the subject here. ^top of page

Newborn noninvasive screening bill advances

House File 483 would require hospitals and birthing centers to place a pulse oximetry sensor across the newborn’s foot and hand to screen for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) when the baby is at least 24 hours old and prior to discharging the baby from the medical facility. Pulse oximetry analyses a person’s oxygen level. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Patti Fritz (DFL-Faribault). One in every 100 babies born in Minnesota is born with CCHD.

Gov. Dayton’s proposed budget would increase the newborn screening fee to $140 from the current $106 to help cover costs for the additional screening. The companion bill, S.F. 473, is sponsored by Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport) and is awaiting action by the Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee. ^top of page

CEO, CFO and CNE salary surveys online

Requests were emailed last week to chief executive officers, chief financial officers and chief nurse executives to participate in MHA’s annual CEO, CFO and CNE compensation surveys. The survey results will highlight salary averages by budget size, years in health care, geographical region, and years in current positions. The broader the survey participation, the more representative the results.

As always, the reported information will be kept confidential. Results will be reported in summary form only, with no individual responses identified. This year, the surveys are being conducted online, and a login and password are required to complete the survey. The Web address, login, and password have been sent in an email. This was done so hospitals could partially complete the survey and return to it at a later date without the need to completely fill out the survey again.

The deadline for completion is Friday, March 1. The reports will be sent to participants the beginning of May. Please make sure to specify the email addresses the reports should be sent to.

If you have questions regarding the survey please feel free to contact Jonathan Peters, MHA director of data and financial policy, 651-659-1422. ^top of page

HealthEast wins ‘Heroes of Infection Prevention’ award

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has selected HealthEast’s team of infection preventionists as a recipient of the APIC 2013 Heroes of Infection Prevention Award.

Representatives from the HealthEast team will be invited to the APIC 2013 Annual Conference and will be recognized for their contribution to improve patient outcomes and as a talented exemplar of the positive aspects of creating a safer world through prevention of infection.

APIC presents awards to members who are recognized for the development and application of innovative infection prevention programs. These individuals are at the front line of infection prevention — producing innovative programs that ultimately help save lives. APIC celebrates these individuals by bestowing the Heroes of Infection Prevention Award. Heroes have developed innovative programs to improve the health and well-being of patients, health care workers and the public. The criteria for selection are: education, advocacy and influence, patient safety, program development, cost savings and process and systems improvement. ^top of page

New CEO named at Hennepin County Medical Center

Jon Pryor, MD., MBA has been named as the chief executive officer of Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis. Dr. Pryor got his start in medicine through the surgery residency program at HCMC. “Dr. Pryor will be a transformational leader because of his passion for the mission of HCMC, his experience as an outstanding clinician, and his high level of business acumen from his time with a national business consulting firm and service as CEO of a large medical practice,” said Sharon Sayles Belton, chair of the Hennepin Healthcare System board.

Pryor is CEO of the Medical College of Wisconsin Medical College Physicians, a clinical practice group of physicians and Advanced Practice Providers who are the medical staff for Froedtert Health System, a large system in Wisconsin. Read more here. ^top of page

Timberwolves star Ricky Rubio teaches the public how to ‘save a life’

The Minnesota Resuscitation Consortium through their partnership with the Heart Rescue Project at The Medtronic Foundation is proud to announce the newest Save-A-Life Simulator. The Medtronic Foundation partnered with basketball star Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves to teach the public about how to quickly respond to a sudden cardiac arrest event.

In this U.S. public service campaign, Rubio will lend a “virtual” hand within an innovative, interactive online experience called the “Save-A-Life Simulator” where they learn how to quickly respond to a sudden cardiac arrest event. The simulator is available in both English and Spanish. Learn how to save a life with Ricky at www.HeartRescueNow.com. ^top of page