In this issue
Hospital
spotlight: Riverwood Healthcare Center taps Bingo to improve community health
With unhealthy behaviors and lifestyle choices driving up
obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses, wellness
education is essential and not just a bonus. In January 2012, Riverwood
Healthcare Center in Aitkin launched a year-long wellness campaign in the three
primary communities it serves called “BINGO — Win with Wellness in Aitkin,
Garrison and McGregor.” Its efforts earned it the MHA Community Benefit Award for a small
hospital earlier this year. Tapping the fun and simplicity of the BINGO game,
Riverwood developed a series of four quarterly BINGO game cards offering 24
wellness tips each that individuals could do daily, weekly or monthly. Taking a
holistic approach, the wellness tips covered activities for mind, body and
spirit. Partnering with the local newspaper, schools, grocery stores and other
organizations, the BINGO cards were made widely available and used by community
residents of all ages. Feedback from participants indicated that the simple
steps to wellness motivated people to adopt healthy habits and behaviors that
will hopefully last a lifetime. return to top
MHA
members well represented among applicants for MNsure Consumer Assistance
Partners
Despite unknown details and many unanswered questions about
MNsure's Consumer Assistance Partners (CAP) program, Minnesota's hospitals and
health systems throughout the state stepped forward and applied to participate
in the program. The CAP program will train and certify organizations to serve
as in-person assisters, navigators or certified application counselors to help
individuals obtain health coverage through MNsure, the state's new Health
Insurance Exchange.
According to a list provided by MNsure, 61 MHA members operating more than 80
hospitals across Minnesota were among the 280 applicants for the CAP program.
Lawrence Massa, MHA president and CEO, was pleased to see the Association's
members taking steps to participate in the program even though many have
questions about the process. Massa said, "We know that hospitals, clinics
and especially emergency departments will be some of the most likely places
people will go for information about MNsure and the new coverage options. By
working with MNsure, we believe our members will help get more residents
enrolled in coverage, thereby significantly improving their access to care,
increasing the delivery of important preventive care, reducing health
disparities in our communities, and decreasing uncompensated care."
MHA continues to seek more information and details about the CAP program and
will pass new information along to members as it becomes available. In the
meantime, MHA has scheduled a conference for members to learn more about
MNsure, the CAP program and new coverage options for residents. See conference
details below.
For more information about MNsure, the CAP program, or public and private
health coverage offered through MNsure, contact Matt Anderson,
MHA vice president of strategic and regulatory affairs, 651-659-1421 or Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst, 651-659-1405. return to top
Register now: Enrolling patients through MNsure
Hospital financial
and patient services reps encouraged to attend Sept. 6 program
Beginning Oct. 1, Minnesota's hospitals and health systems will
play important roles in helping our patients enroll in state public programs
and new subsidized coverage options through Minnesota's new Health Insurance
Exchange. David Van Sant, navigator broker manager, MNsure, will provide the
most comprehensive and up-to-date information available about how hospitals and
health systems will fulfill these roles. This program offers a unique
opportunity for MHA members to learn about MNsure's CAP program, get questions
answered, and help prepare for the enrollment and coverage expansion activities
on the near horizon. Other trainings from MNsure are expected to be web-based
and not in-person, so MHA urges your attendance at this program.
The program is designed for CEOs, CFOs, financial counselors, business office
managers, social workers, patient services and government relations officers.
The program begins at 10 a.m. at the Ramada Plaza in Minneapolis. Please share
this information with the relevant people within your organization and
encourage them to attend. Click here to register. return to top
MHA
committed to helping Minnesota hospitals comply with PSO requirements
The American Hospital Association (AHA) recently issued a member
advisory (available online for AHA members)
about a little understood provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that
requires hospitals with 50 or more beds to participate in a Patient Safety
Organization (PSO). In 2005, Congress authorized the creation of patient safety
organizations (PSOs) to collect and analyze data from health care providers
about adverse events and close calls and issue recommendations on how to
improve patient safety.
Since the creation of PSOs, participation has been voluntary for health care
providers. The ACA, however, contained language which may be interpreted as
requiring hospitals with 50 or more beds to contract with a PSO that has been
certified by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
AHA has expressed concern about ambiguities in the requirement and potential
conflicts with other federal and state laws. For example many states, including
Minnesota, have state laws that mandate hospital reporting and aggregation of
data on the types of events typically submitted to PSOs. AHA has expressed
concern that if the ACA requirement remains in place, hospitals in states with
state-mandated reporting systems may be required to submit similar data to two
separate entities.
Based on these concerns, AHA has contacted the federal agency responsible for
implementing the PSO requirement. AHA is encouraging the agency to modify the
PSO requirement or provide exceptions for hospitals already participating in
programs with similar goals to the PSO, including state-mandated reporting
programs.
MHA is working with AHA and the Minnesota congressional delegation to ensure
that any PSO-related requirements do not impose a duplicative burden on
Minnesota hospitals. MHA is also committed to providing Minnesota hospitals
with the tools necessary to ensure compliance with the law, however it may
ultimately be interpreted. MHA will continue to move forward with planning for
the creation of an MHA-managed PSO or a broad-based license agreement that
could provide PSO services to Minnesota hospitals at group-discounted
rate.
For more information regarding proposed PSO data collection and improvement
activity, contact Tania Daniels, MHA vice president for patient
safety, 651-603-3517. For more information regarding PSO requirements, contact Ben Peltier,
MHA vice president of legal services, 651-603-3513. return to top
Minnesota
Court of Appeals overturns problematic guardianship decision
The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling
that would have limited the ability of Minnesota hospitals to rely on the
decision-making authority of court appointed guardians for patients facing
decisions about end-of-life care. The appeals court decision, issued July 29,
2013, was consistent with a joint request from MHA and the Minnesota Medical
Association (MMA) that asked the court to overturn the lower court decision.
The underlying case involved the care of a moderately-impaired patient. The
patient had no responsible family so a Minnesota court appointed a guardian to
manage the patient’s medical care and other affairs. While residing in a
group home, the patient suffered respiratory and cardiac arrest. Although he
survived, the patient suffered severe and irreversible brain injury and became
deeply comatose. The hospital ethics committee determined that no benefit could
be achieved with further intensive treatment and notified the guardian of the
determination.
The guardian argued that the general guardian appointment provided the
necessary authority to authorize the end of treatment but a Hennepin County
judge determined that under Minnesota law only a court could make such an
authorization for an incapacitated person in this situation.
Minnesota providers — including doctors and hospitals — and organizations
representing guardians disagreed with the judge’s decision and appealed it to
the Court of Appeals. MHA and MMA submitted an Amicus Brief — also known as a
“Friend of the Court” brief — explaining that health care providers are the
most appropriate sources to evaluate a patient’s health and providing advice to
guardians about end-of-life care.
Ultimately, the Court of Appeals agreed with the MHA/MMA position and
overturned the lower court decision. As a result, under Minnesota law, a
court-appointed guardian may make end-of-life care decisions for individuals
under their guardianship and hospitals may rely on the guardian’s direction in
most circumstances.
For additional information about the case, or guardianship issues in general,
contact Ben Peltier, MHA vice president of legal services, 651-603-3513. return to top
Sen.
Klobuchar pens her support for general supervision for outpatient therapy
services
MHA extends its thanks to Sen. Amy Klobuchar who joins Sen.
Franken in co-authoring the Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act
(S.1143; Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) introduced the companion bill, H.R 2801).
As MHA reported last week, this legislation would allow general supervision by
a physician or non-physician practitioner for many outpatient therapy services.
The bill would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to
allow a default setting of general supervision, rather than direct supervision,
for outpatient therapy services and would create an advisory panel to establish
an exceptions process for risky and complex outpatient services. It also would
create a special rule for critical access hospitals (CAH) that recognizes their
unique size and Medicare conditions of participation; and would hold hospitals
and CAHs harmless from civil or criminal action for failing to meet the “direct
supervision” requirements applied to services furnished since 2001. If you have
any questions, please contact Ann Gibson, MHA vice president of federal
relations and workforce, 651-603-3527. return to top
MN
Hospital PAC Silent Auction donations needed
The Minnesota Hospital PAC Silent Auction will take place on
Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 8 – 10 p.m. at the MHA Annual Meeting during the
Chair’s Reception at Madden’s in the Town Hall Conference Center, lower
level. Everyone attending the Annual Meeting is invited to this
reception.
MHA members and associate members are encouraged to personally donate items to
be auctioned to raise money for the PAC.
Suggested items to donate include: tickets to events, hotel stays, gift
certificates, spa visit certificates, art work, gift baskets, golf outings —
anything that you would like to bid on at a silent auction.
Deadline for donations is Friday, Sept. 6, 2013. The Minnesota Hospital PAC is
a voluntary, bipartisan political action committee PAC that raises campaign
funds for candidates running for state and federal office in Minnesota. It is
the voice for hospital advocates seeking to help candidates who support the
goals of hospitals.
Please contact Kristin Loncorich, MHA director of government
relations, 651-603-3526 with questions and to donate items. return to top
U.S.
senators seek feedback on improving mental health system
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the chair
and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, have sent a letter to mental health providers and
advocates seeking input on ways to improve the nation’s mental health system.
They are particularly interested in ways Medicaid and Medicare can provide
better services and ways in which models of primary and mental health care
integration have improved outcomes. Please send your thoughts and ideas to Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst, for inclusion in MHA’s submission.
Members are also encouraged to submit their own letters. return to top
CentraCare
Health names regional hospitals president
CentraCare Health has
named Craig Broman as president of Regional Hospitals, effective Jan. 1, 2014.
He will continue as St. Cloud Hospital president, a job he has held since
December 2002.
In his new position, Broman will work to coordinate and enhance the operations
of the CentraCare hospitals in Long Prairie, Melrose, Monticello and Sauk
Centre. Broman has extensive experience with regional systems in the western
U.S., where he led hospitals, clinics and nursing homes from 1980 until
2002.
Until January, responsibility for the regional hospitals will remain with Jim
Davis, CentraCare’s vice president corporate services, who will retire at year-end.
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In
memoriam
The Minnesota hospital community was saddened
with news of the passing of Ed Mehl, longtime CEO of Lake Region Healthcare in
Fergus Falls. Ed started his career at St. Francis Hospital in
Breckenridge before joining the administrative staff at Lake Region Hospital in
1967. He served as Lake Region’s CEO from 1981 until his retirement in
2007.
Ed passed away on Saturday, July 20. A memorial service was held in Fergus
Falls on Monday, July 29. Memorials can be made in Ed’s honor to the Lake Region Healthcare Cancer Care and Research Center
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