Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

May 31, 2016

MHA Newsline: May 31, 2016

In this issue 

John Fossum honored with Stephen Rogness Distinguished Service Award

The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) on May 20 honored innovative programs and outstanding leaders in health care at its 32nd annual awards ceremony.   

Seventeen awards were given for extraordinary achievement in categories ranging from advocacy on behalf of hospitals and volunteerism to innovation and improvement in patient care and patient safety.   

John Fossum, chief executive officer of Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, received the Stephen Rogness Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an executive at an MHA hospital who has demonstrated a history of significant leadership beyond his or her hospital or system.   

Fossum has served in his current leadership role since 1998. Prior to becoming CEO at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, he was CEO of Madison Hospital and Madison Lutheran Home in Madison, Minnesota, from 1992 to 1998.   

Throughout his career as a hospital leader, Fossum has served as a strong and committed advocate with a passion for protecting access to rural health care. Fossum has a long history of involvement with MHA, both at the regional level and statewide. While CEO in Madison, he served as MHA Region 5 chair. During his time as CEO at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, he has served two terms as MHA Region 2 chair and participated on several MHA subcommittees. Fossum is currently a member of MHA’s Board of Directors and participates in the Strengthening Healthy Communities Campaign Steering Committee, MHA Annual Meeting task force, Small Rural Hospital Committee and the MHA Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota CEO Council.   

In addition, Fossum is an involved member of his community, serving on the Ely Area Joint Powers Economic Development Committee and the City of Ely Charter Committee. He also was appointed by the Minnesota Department of Health to serve as Level 4 Hospital Representative to the State Trauma Advisory Committee, where he provides the sole voice for rural communities.   

Fossum has demonstrated consistent passion for strengthening the health of rural communities across the state through the delivery of high-quality health care.   

Additional award winners will be profiled in upcoming issues of Newsline. To learn more about the award winners, visit the MHA websitereturn to top    

MHA legislative update

As reported last week, the legislature completed work on the supplemental budget bill HF 2749. MHA is pleased that several of our spending priorities for mental health were included in the bill, including MHA’s highest legislative priority, the Excellence in Mental Health Act. Governor Dayton has 14 days after the legislative session ended to either sign or veto the bill. At this time, MHA is still awaiting the governor’s action.    

For additional information, contact Mary Krinkie, vice president of government relations, or Kristin Loncorich, director of state government relations, MHA. return to top   

MNCASA to offer sexual assault examination training webinars

With support from MHA, the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA) will offer five webinars this summer on providing medical forensic exams for sexual assault patients.   

Two webinars will provide overview information for chief nursing officers and finance staff. Sessions include: 

  • June 29, 10-11 a.m.: Medical Forensic Exams for Sexual Assault Patients: An Overview 
    • This webinar will provide an overview of medical forensic exams for sexual assault patients, including information that chief nursing officers should know regarding sexual assault patient response. The webinar will review the aspects of an exam, the role of the health care provider conducting the exam, the laws around sexual assault patient care, the minimum requirements and tools needed to conduct a quality exam, best practices for patient response and The Joint Commission standards for sexual assault patients. 
  • June 30, 11 a.m. – noon: Billing, Insurance and Other Laws Regarding Sexual Assault Patient Care 
    • This webinar will describe state and federal laws related to medical forensic exam billing and payment, as well as additional laws regarding sexual assault patient care. Best practices for exam billing and payment processes will be provided. Participants will be able to determine whether their hospital policies meet federal and state statutes. 

A three-part webinar series will provide sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) training using medical forensic exam curriculum that was developed for emergency department nurses. Participants who complete this series will be better equipped to perform medical forensic exams. Sessions include: 

  • July 21, 2-3 p.m.: SANE Training 101: Part 1 – What is Sexual Assault? 
    • Part one of this series will teach context around sexual assault, best practices around hospital responses to sexual assault patients and how to document the patient’s account of the assault. Participants will have a deeper understanding of what the crime of sexual assault encompasses, the impact on victims, the importance of engaging with community partners, health care providers’ best reactions to patients who have been assaulted and how to facilitate and document the patient’s account of incident. 
  • July 28, 2-3 p.m.: SANE Training 101: Part 2 – The Exam 
    • Part two of this series will describe the aspects of a medical forensic exam and explain how to complete each component. Participants will have a better understanding of evidence collection, injury identification and the physical exam. 
  • Aug. 10, 2-3 p.m.: SANE Training 101: Part 3 – Discharge and Follow-Up 
    • Part three of this series will cover sexual assault patient discharge, follow-up and reporting to law enforcement. Topics such as sexually transmitted infection (including HIV) prophylaxis and pregnancy prevention will be discussed. 

Webinars will be facilitated by Linda Walther, a SANE practicing in the Twin Cities and the clinical coordinator for the Statewide Medical Forensic Policy Program, and Kari Ogrodowski, the policy coordinator of the Statewide Medical Forensic Policy Program.   

MHA encourages members to participate in these training opportunities to improve practices related to medical forensic exams for sexual assault victims. Read more about how SANE training can help hospitals better serve patients in an article featuring Stevens County Medical Center’s coordinated team approach to sexual assault response.   

With questions about webinar content, please contact Kari Ogrodowski. To RSVP for a webinar, email Sarah Bohnet, visual communications specialist, MHA. return to top   

Rep. Paulsen supports Ways and Means hospital bill

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation last week with several provisions affecting hospitals. Rep. Erik Paulsen, representing Minnesota’s Third Congressional District, is a member of the committee and supported the legislation.   

The bill contains two provisions that have been key federal priorities for MHA. The first would adjust the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program to account for socioeconomic status, reducing the penalties for hospitals that serve large populations of low-income patients.   

The second provision extends, for an additional five years, the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program, which allows PPS hospitals with fewer than 51 acute care beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. The extension would allow additional hospitals to participate in the program.   

The bill also contains an American Hospital Association-supported provision to reverse a cut in reimbursement for off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) that was adopted by Congress last year. Under current law, HOPDs that were not billing for services as of Nov. 2, 2015, would be paid at the lower Physician Fee Schedule rate instead of the hospital outpatient rate. The legislation passed by the committee would allow those facilities that begin operation before Dec. 31, 2016, to eventually bill at the higher hospital outpatient rate. In order to pay for the increased payments to HOPD, the bill would reduce the MACRA hospital update from 0.5 percent to 0.4590 percent for 2018, or approximately $750 million for across the hospital industry. Thereafter, hospitals would get the full 0.5 percent update as provided under current law.   

The bill, known as the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care (HIP-C) Act (HR 5273) also contains minor provisions affecting stand-alone cancer hospitals, long-term care hospitals and certain physicians at ambulatory surgery centers. It is likely to be considered by the full House of Representatives in June. return to top   

Michael Rock receives AHA Board of Trustees Award

The American Hospital Association (AHA) at its Annual Membership Meeting in May presented its 2016 Board of Trustees Award to Michael G. Rock, M.D., professor of orthopedic surgery and former chief medical officer, Mayo Clinic Hospitals/Mayo Foundation. The award honors individuals or groups who have made substantial and noteworthy contributions to the work of the AHA.   

A former member of the AHA Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, Rock currently chairs the Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET) and serves on the AHA Committee on Research. He has been active in AHA’s physician outreach, serving as a member and chair of the AHA Physician Leadership Forum Advisory Committee and member of the Committee on Clinical Leadership. Other AHA leadership roles have included chairing the AHA Section for Health Care Systems Governing Council and serving on the Committee on Performance Improvement and other committees and task forces. return to top

-->