In this issue:
The MHA Trustee of the Year Award, awarded earlier
this year, recognizes a hospital leader who has contributed significantly to
the health of the community by providing leadership and guidance to the
hospital or health system board. Steve Laraway has been a champion for St.
Cloud Hospital since joining the board in 2005, serving as chair since 2011.
According to St. Cloud Hospital President Craig Broman, Steve understands the
importance of the board role in strategy development, policy making, monitoring
performance and protecting the reputation of the organization. He invites the
input of every board member and facilitates meetings to be respectful of
everyone’s time and commitment. During Steve’s tenure on the board, St. Cloud
Hospital has completed a $223 million, 360,000-square-foot addition that
includes a new endovascular suite and numerous operating rooms, family birthing
center, intensive care unit and cardiovascular thoracic unit. return to top
While its advertising campaign featuring Paul Bunyan captured
the most media attention, the new MNsure organization had a significant week as
its governing power was formally transitioned from the Minnesota Department of
Management and Budget to the MNsure board of directors. Perhaps most substantively
and receiving the least amount of attention, MNsure released new details
regarding the level of functionality Minnesotans, health systems, plans and
other stakeholders can expect when MNsure begins operations on Oct. 1. Click here for details.
Some of the new information that is important for Minnesota’s hospitals and
health systems includes the following:
- State public program enrollment
through MNsure will be a two-stage process initially. Residents will be
able to have eligibility determinations made and complete enrollment in
Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare through MNsure. However, enrollees
will be preliminary assigned to a managed care organization and then
receive subsequent communications from the Department of Human Services
with information about their options to select among available managed
care organizations and instructions about how to change the default plan.
- Quality information about
providers and available Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) sold through MNsure
will not be displayed on MNsure’s website until spring or summer of 2014.
- QHPs’ provider networks are not
expected to be included on MNsure’s website. MNsure hopes to use hypertext
links or other instructions about where consumers can find plan-specific
provider network directories.
Over the next two weeks, MNsure
will be sending information to all Minnesota employers alerting them to
notices they are required by federal law to provide to employees this
fall.
MNsure expects to appoint
members of two new advisory groups – one comprised of health industry
experts and the other comprised of consumers and small business
representatives – in late September.
Training and certification processes for the Consumer Assistance
Partners (CAP) program are expected to begin any day. MNsure is working on
communications to CAP applicants that will provide additional details and
instructions about these processes. For the most up-to-date information on
MNsure, MHA encourages you to sign up to receive MNsure email updates. return to top
MHA has a job opening
for a member service & communications specialist to join our communications
team. The member services & communications specialist is an integral part
of the communications and PR team in providing service and communications to
our members, including the CEOs of our member hospitals. The member services
& communications specialist will support the communications team by bringing
together the ability to manage our detailed membership database and the
communication skills to assist with member communications.
The successful candidate will be detailed oriented and able to bridge the IS/IT
functions, member communications and the end-user experience on our website. A
detailed job description is available on our website. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on
Friday, Sept. 6. return to top
The Center for Medicare Services (CMS) has approved the Center
for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ) as a national accrediting
organization for acute care hospitals. CIHQ becomes the nation’s fourth
hospital accreditation provider, joining the ranks of the Joint Commission, DNV
Healthcare and the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program.
CIHQ’s accreditation program is based on the Medicare Conditions of
Participation for Acute Care Hospitals (42CFR) and the interpretive guidance in
the CMS State Operations Manual. There are additional standards that address
key patient safety and quality concerns. CIHQ also offers disease specific
certification in the areas of hip/knee surgery, heart failure and primary
stroke center. For further information about CIHQ’s hospital accreditation
program, visit www.cihq.org. return to top
The 2013 Minnesota Hospital Financial Ratio Book, based on 2012
financial statements, is now available for MHA members. The book contains the
key 27 financial ratios that hospital administrators, board members and
financial officers need to understand their hospitals’ financial standing
compared to their peers groups in Minnesota. The in-depth report is produced
from hospitals’ audited financial statements, and it provides unique insight
into the current trends different hospital groups face in Minnesota.
The book also includes common-sized financial statements for the various
critical groups in the state, allowing each hospital to compare its own
statements against those of various groups. Further, a system-level section is
included showing the same 27 key financial ratios for hospital systems
operating in the state.
Following are some of the key summary points in this year’s ratio book:
- Between fiscal year (FY) 2011
and FY 2012, the statewide median operating margin decreased from 3.2
percent to 2.8 percent.
- The statewide median net margin
increased from 3.9 percent to 4.0 percent.
- The state median
return-on-equity ratio decreased from 6.5 percent in FY 2011 to 6.4
percent in FY 2012.
- Liquidity ratios showed a
slight improvement, and days in patient accounts receivable decreased from
51.1 days in 2011 to 51.09 days in 2012.
- The day’s cash-on-hand ratio
increased slightly, from 27.92 days in 2011 to 34.22 days in 2012.
The standard ratio book costs $100, and customized peer-group
reports are $50 for MHA members. For more information, contact Jonathan Peters, MHA director of data and financial policy, 651-659-1422. To
order the book or customized reports, contact Jennifer Sanislo, MHA division assistant, 651-659-1440. return to top
With less than a month to go before the MHA Annual Meeting, many
key sponsors have already committed to helping MHA deliver another quality
program. MHA would like to thank the following sponsors for their generosity
and continued commitment to Minnesota health care. For more information about
sponsorships, contact Cari Kronschnable.
Gold Sponsors
- BMO Harris Bank
- CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
- McGladrey LLP
- McGough Construction
Silver Sponsors
- Dougherty & Company LLC
- Eide Bailly LLP
- Experienced Resources
- HermanMiller Healthcare Nemschoff
- HGA Architects & Engineers
- JE Dunn Construction
- Knutson Construction
- Kraus-Anderson Construction Company
- Leonard, Street and Deinard, P.A.
- Link Executive Search
- Marsh
Memorial Blood Centers
- Meridian Leasing Corporation
- Mortenson Construction
- Nor-Son, Inc.
- NXC Imaging
- Wipfli LLP
- Witt/Kieffer
Bronze Sponsors
- B.E. Smith
- Boldt Construction
- Delta Medical Systems
- Ideal Protein
- Sanford Health
For more information on the MHA Annual Meeting, view the full brochure or visit MHA's website.
Continuing Education
The Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators has approved
the conference content for a total of 9.5 clock hours. return to top
MHA members and health care supporters hit the links Monday to
bolster the mission of Minnesota hospitals and help raise funds for the
Minnesota Hospital Political Action Committee (PAC) and American Hospital
Association (AHA) PAC.
Proceeds from the event help state and federal candidates from both political
parties who support the goals of hospitals.
The Minnesota Hospital PAC and AHA PAC would like to congratulate the following
2013 tournament winners:
Team competition
- First place, with a score of 56: Mary
Edwards, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis; Chuck Moody, Fairview
Health Services, Minneapolis; and Nate Mussell, Lockridge Grindal Nauen.
- Second place, with a score of 58: Brad
Beard, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis; Dr. Doug Olson, Minneapolis
Radiation Oncology; John Doherty, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis;
and Jack Dressen, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis.
- Third place — in a score card playoff —
with a score of 60: Ty Erickson, Regina Medical Center; Bob Verchota,
Regina Medical Center; Bob Fitzgerald, Kraus-Anderson Construction; and
Craig Boyer, Sanford Bemidji.
If you missed the golf event, it is not too late to participate
in the Minnesota Hospital PAC. The PAC will hold its annual silent auction
during the MHA Annual Meeting on Sept. 18 at Madden’s in Brainerd.
For more information about the PAC, contact Kristin Loncorich, MHA director of state government relations, 651-603-3526.
return to top
North Memorial Health Care has named Todd Ostendorf as its new
Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Ostendorf joined North Memorial on Aug. 19,
2013.
Prior to joining North Memorial, Ostendorf served as CFO of UnitedHealth
Group’s Evercare and Inspiris business units which specialize in providing care
to those living with chronic illness as well as end-of-life care. His
other financial leadership experience includes positions at SUPERVALU, US Bank
and Northwest Airlines. return to top
The Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) held the last meeting of its
First Contact Road Show last Thursday in Maplewood. The meeting detailed
changes made during the 2013 legislative session to hospital discharge
protocols for adults over 21 discharged to a nursing home. Hospitals
discharging patients to Medicaid-certified nursing homes will need to complete
an expanded pre-admission screening referral form and submit that form online
or via fax to the Senior LinkAge Line (SLL). This is required regardless of the
payer source. In addition, there is no longer a 30 exemption for the screening.
Swing beds are included, but facility to facility transfers are not. First
Contact begins Oct. 1, 2013.
Upon the referral being made to SLL, the hospital will receive a confirmation
number that SLL will also enter into the Medicaid Management Information System
(MMIS). This confirmation number will need to be shared with the admitting
nursing home so it is aware a referral has been made. There is no mandated
process for how this information sharing should occur. Hospitals are encouraged
to think of this confirmation number as another piece of information to include
in their discharge paperwork. Hospitals are also encouraged to continue their
partnerships with nursing homes by working directly with them to determine an
information-sharing process. The referral process can begin before discharge to
help ensure a confirmation number is secured and the patient can be discharged
more quickly to the nursing home.
In an effort to streamline the discharge process with this new form, the
Minnesota Board on Aging will make the form fields available to hospitals for
inclusion in their electronic medical records.
Finally, the meeting also reviewed changes to the nursing home level of care
eligibility beginning Jan. 1, 2014. These changes are reflected in the new
referral form hospitals will be completing.
More information and handouts can be found online here. For questions, please contact Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst, 651-659-1405. return to top
The fifth annual Childhood Injury Summit will offer fresh
perspectives and effective tools and strategies to help prevent unintentional
injuries among Minnesota’s children. Presented by Safe Kids Minnesota, the
Minnesota Safety Council and the Minnesota Department of Health, the event is
designed for those involved in childhood injury prevention through public
health and health care, public safety, not-for-profit organizations and any
program with a focus on children. Please share this opportunity with relevant
individuals within your organization.
The event takes place Sept. 19, 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., at the Como Park Visitor
Center in St. Paul. Registration is $40 through Sept. 6, and then increases to
$50. Detailed information about sessions and speakers is available here, or contact Erin Petersen, Safe Kids
Minnesota/Minnesota Safety Council at 651-228-7314 or 800-444-9150.
Support for the conference is provided by several MHA members, including
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Hennepin County Medical Center,
Mayo Clinic, North Memorial Medical Center, Regions Hospital, Gillette
Children’s Specialty Healthcare, and the University of Minnesota Amplatz
Children’s Hospital. return to top
In its latest Health Reform Updates email, the Minnesota
Department of Health announced the following education opportunities.
- Patient experience webinar for
providers and clinics: “Statewide Quality Reporting: Building the Bridge
to Better Care through Patient Experience Data,” Aug. 28, 7:30-9 a.m.
Hosted by the Minnesota Medical Association. Register here.
- Health Care Homes Learning
Collaborative webinar: “Making Connections: Introducing a Toolkit to
Assist in Working with Patients with Complex Needs,” Aug. 29, 12:30-1:30
p.m. Register here.
- Hypertension Management Workshop, Sept. 17 in
Willmar and Sept. 18 in Marshall. Presented by Health Care Homes, Community
Transformation Grant, and Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Unit. Register here.
return to top