In
this issue
Park
Nicollet Methodist Hospital, Regions Hospital earn CHAIN Awards
Park
Nicollet Methodist Hospital in Minneapolis and Regions Hospital in St.
Paul on Sept. 27 received CHAIN Awards for Excellence, which commend the infection
prevention and antibiotic stewardship efforts of health care teams working to
build safer health care environments. The awards are presented annually by the Collaborative Healthcare-Associated Infection Network (CHAIN).
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital received the CHAIN Award for its Park Nicollet
Infection Prevention and Control Service.
Appropriate specimen testing is a key component of preventing
healthcare-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and supporting
antibiotic stewardship, which includes promoting the appropriate use of
antibiotics. Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital had a nurse-driven CDI testing
protocol prompted by an electronic health record (EHR) software system alert,
but this protocol sometimes resulted in avoidable testing, overdiagnosis of CDI
and unnecessary antibiotic administration.
To enhance appropriate CDI testing and antibiotic prescribing, the hospital
collaborated with nurses, providers, infection preventionists and lab staff
members to replace the nurse-driven CDI testing protocol and instead require a
provider order and completion of a brief clinical checklist before CDI testing
occurred. Infection preventionists and lab staff members assessed all inpatient
specimens submitted for CDI testing to ensure appropriate criteria were met and
followed up with providers if tests were unnecessarily ordered. Additional
alerts were developed in the EHR system to automatically prompt when CDI
testing was not recommended or when a patient should be reassessed because a
test order was over 48 hours old. The EHR was also enhanced so recent patient
data populated when a provider entered an order for CDI testing.
As a result of these interventions, CDI test orders decreased from 152 per
month to an average of 87 per month. The hospital also improved its accuracy of
CDI diagnosis, realizing a 57 percent reduction in lab-identified
healthcare-facility onset CDI events. The hospital’s efforts led to enhanced
care delivery, patient safety and patient experiences.
Regions Hospital’s award-winning program will be profiled in next week’s
edition of Newsline. return to top
Draft
recommendations on e-health response to opioid crisis sent to Gov. Dayton
The multi-stakeholder Minnesota E-health Advisory Committee
submitted its draft recommendations to Gov. Dayton for using
e-health to prevent and respond to opioid misuse and overdose, responding to
his request earlier this summer. These recommendations cover the areas of:
- Overdose and misuse alerts to
providers for improved treatment and outcomes
- Telehealth for access to
tapering off of opioids and other treatment options
- Clinical decision support for
improved provider and patient joint decision-making
- Prior authorization to decrease
administrative burden
- E-health tools, such as patient
portals and personal health records, to provide additional patient
resources
MHA is a member of the E-health Advisory Committee, which is
staffed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and its Office of Health
Information Technology. The committee will be reviewing and prioritizing the
draft recommendations over the next two months, with final recommendations due
in December. If you have comments, questions or suggestions, please contact Mark Sonneborn, vice president, health information and analytics, MHA,
651-659-1423.
Related to this, two new e-prescribing resources are now available on MDH’s e-prescribing webpage. The FAQ for e-Prescribing of Controlled Substances
(EPCS) provides general information on EPCS and the Minnesota e-Prescribing Mandate Fact Sheet summarizes the Minnesota Statutes 62J.42 that require the e-prescribing of all
prescriptions including controlled substances. EPCS helps to reduce fraud and
abuse of controlled substance and is one way to use e-health to prevent and
respond to the opioid misuse and overdose. return to top
Health
information, reimbursement, documentation programs scheduled Oct. 25 and 26
Two upcoming health information, reimbursement and documentation
programs will feature health care consultant Jean Ann Hartzell Minzey, who has
worked with physicians, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies
and ambulatory surgery centers as an educator, lecturer and manager for the
past 29 years.
On Oct. 25, “CPT Updates 2018” will prepare attendees for changes to the
hospital revenue cycle effective Jan. 1, 2018. For more information or to
register, download the brochure or visit the MHA website.
On Oct. 26, “Critical Access Hospitals: Reimbursement, Documentation, Swing
Beds and More” will explore ways critical access hospitals (CAHs) can partner
with larger facilities to provide transitions of care for patients returning to
their homes and share strategies many CAHs are implementing to provide
additional services not otherwise accessible to rural residents. For more
information or to register, download the brochure or visit the MHA website.
Both programs will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Roseville. return to top
PFE
workshop coming to southwest Minnesota
A workshop designed to help hospitals meet the goals for patient
and family engagement (PFE) set forth under the Partnership for Patients
initiative will be held at the Redwood Area Community Center in Redwood Falls
on Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Patient- and family-centered care is a key strategy for delivering better care
and achieving improved patient experience at a lower cost. This workshop will
provide strategies, resources, networking and tools for hospitals to create and
maintain a culture of patient- and family-centered care. Leaders and staff
interested in exploring or strengthening PFE efforts are welcome. Patient
partners from patient and family advisory councils (PFAC) are invited. The
workshop content is suitable for hospitals at any stage of the PFE journey.
The workshop is free and open to participants from across Minnesota. For more
information or to register, download the brochure or visit the MHA website. return to top
Apply
for 2018 Rural Hospital Planning and Transition Grant Program
Applications are now being accepted for the Minnesota Department
of Health’s (MDH) Rural Hospital Planning and Transition Grant Program.
Grant funds provide support to small hospitals in developing strategic plans
for improving access to health services or implementing transition projects to
modify the type and extent of services provided, based on an existing plan.
Approximately $250,000 is available for grant contracts. A grant to a hospital,
including hospitals that submit applications as a consortium member, may not
exceed $45,000. In recent years the average grant amount has been between
$25,000 and $35,000.
Applicants must certify that at least one-half of the total cost of the project
will be matched from non-state sources. For example, if the total cost of the
proposed project is $60,000, no more than $30,000 can be awarded in grant funds
from this program. The match may include in-kind services.
Applications are due Nov. 3. Visit the MDH website to access the application guidance
and forms. For more information, contact Craig Baarson, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, MDH,
651-201-3840. return to top
Essentia
Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center COO earns MAHV award
Mike Larson, chief operating officer of Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical
Center in Brainerd, on Sept. 21 received the 2017 Heart of Minnesota Senior
Leadership of the Year Award from the Minnesota Association of Healthcare
Volunteers (MAHV). The award is presented annually to a deserving health care
administrator nominated by his or her facility.
“Mike supports all of the auxiliary’s functions and makes an example to the
rest of the leadership staff by encouraging and supporting what we do,” said
Joan Spaeth, MAHV awards chair. “All volunteers are invited to a special event
to thank and recognize them for their service. He treats the volunteers like
employees and allows them to feel free to stop in any time to just say hello or
discuss topics they feel passionate about. He makes the volunteers feel
appreciated and valued.” return to top