Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

September 05, 2017

MHA Newsline: Sept. 5, 2017

In this issue 

Rachelle Schultz honored with MHA Stephen Rogness Distinguished Service Award

MHA on June 2 honored innovative programs and outstanding leaders in health care at its 33rd annual awards ceremony.   

Rachelle Schultz, president and CEO of Winona Health, 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.   

Schultz has more than 25 years of experience in health care management. Service excellence, continuous performance improvement and leadership development are key components of her success. As a visionary, she continues to be a leader in the revolutionary transformation of community health care.   

Schultz was a member of Minnesota's State Quality Improvement Institute in 2008, serves on the board of the Performance Excellence Network, is the 2017 chair of AHA's Governing Council for Small and Rural Hospitals, is a member of the Rural Health Issues Group and is the board chair for the Minnesota Rural Accountable Care Organization, formed in 2016. She currently serves on the 2017 MHA Annual Meeting Task Force and is a board member of MHA and a former board member of the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement.   

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

Drug diversion resources available from MHA

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Minnesota Board of Pharmacy on Aug. 24 presented to attendees of MHA’s Medication Safety Learning and Networking Day, reminding MHA members of their partnership in reducing the diversion of drugs, particularly narcotics from health systems.   

Resources and best practices that hospitals and health care facilities can use to enhance security for controlled substances, including narcotics and other powerful prescription medications, are available on the MHA website. The resources were developed as the result of work by the Controlled Substance Diversion Coalition, convened in May 2011 by MHA and the Minnesota Department of Health.   

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) requires hospitals and other health care facilities to report the theft or significant loss of controlled substances. When determining whether a loss is significant, DEA registrants should consider, among others, the following factors: 

  • The actual quantity of controlled substances lost in relation to the type of business 
  • The specific controlled substances lost 
  • Whether the loss of the controlled substances can be associated with access to those controlled substances by specific individuals, or whether the loss can be attributed to unique activities that may take place involving the controlled substances 
  • A pattern of losses over a specific time period, whether the losses appear to be random and the results of efforts taken to resolve the losses 
  • Whether the specific controlled substances are likely candidates for diversion 
  • Local trends and other indicators of the diversion potential of the missing controlled substance 

In addition to reporting to the DEA, the loss should also be reported to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy; submitting a copy of the DEA 106 form to the board meets this reporting requirement.   

Minnesota has a Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) used by prescribers and pharmacists to assist in managing patient care. The program was implemented to promote public health and welfare by detecting diversion, abuse and misuse of prescriptions for controlled substances. Effective July 1, 2017, all Minnesota-licensed pharmacists practicing in Minnesota and all Minnesota-licensed practitioners who have DEA registrations must maintain registered PMP accounts. To learn more, visit the PMP websitereturn to top   

THA creates fund for hospital employees affected by Hurricane Harvey

The Texas Hospital Association (THA) has created the THA Hospital Employee Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to employees of hospitals located in one of the 18 FEMA-designated disaster areas who experienced significant property loss during Hurricane Harvey or the ensuing floods. While thousands of care team members work around the clock to serve emergency response efforts, their families are being affected by this historic storm and flooding damage.   

To learn more about this effort and provide a donation, visit the THA Hospital Employee Assistance Fund website. return to top   

MN Hospital PAC Silent Auction donations needed

MHA Annual Meeting attendees are invited to the Chair’s Reception and Minnesota Hospital PAC Silent Auction on Sept. 20 from 8-10 p.m. at Madden’s in the Town Hall Conference Center, lower level. 

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. 

MHA is seeking donation items from members and associate members to be auctioned to raise money for the PAC, which supports MHA’s advocacy efforts. 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 Sept. 8.  

Please contact Kristin Loncorich, director of state government relations, MHA, 651-603-3526, with questions and to donate items. return to top   

MHA mourns loss of Allen Vogt

Longtime Cook Hospital & Care Center Chief Executive Officer Allen “Al” Vogt died Aug. 31 at the Solvay Hospice House in Duluth.   

Vogt began his 40-year career in health care as a lab technician at Cook Hospital & Care Center in 1976. He grew to become the CEO of the hospital and Convalescent and Nursing Care Unit in 1989, a position he held until his retirement in January 2015.   

Vogt was an active participant in MHA during his career. He served on MHA’s Board of Directors as well as on the MHA Trustee Council; the MHA Small, Rural Hospital Committee; the MHA Policy and Advocacy Committee; the MHA Healthcare Leadership Institute Task Force; and the MHA Annual Meeting Task Force.   

A celebration of life service will be held Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. Read the full obituaryreturn to top

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