In
this issue
Health
systems across Minnesota collaborate to understand, reduce burnout among health
care professionals
Led by a group of its physician leaders, the Minnesota Hospital
Association (MHA) has launched a comprehensive statewide collaborative to
address the rising tide of burnout among health care professionals. Burnout is
a response to excessive job stress and is defined by the three dimensions of
emotional exhaustion, cynicism and inefficacy.
In 2016, on behalf of its member hospitals and health systems, MHA began
conducting a statewide survey to assess the prevalence of burnout among
physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) such as nurse practitioners
and physician assistants. The journal Burnout Research recently published results of the 2016 survey, in which
56 health systems across Minnesota, representing 104 hospitals, participated.
Of the 13,693 clinicians invited to participate in the survey, 43 percent
responded, a high response rate likely reflecting the critical nature of the
issue. One-third of respondents (34 percent) reported being emotionally
exhausted – feeling a sense of burnout from their work. Almost three in five
respondents reported feeling a great deal of stress because of their job;
however, more than three-quarters reported being satisfied with their job and
engaged with their work.
In 2017, MHA again surveyed physicians and advanced practice providers. This
year, 63 health systems, representing 113 hospitals, participated and 19,350
clinicians were invited to respond to the survey.
“MHA will continue to publish ongoing results and the association between
actions that health systems take and changing levels of burnout, so that others
in the industry can understand what effectively reduces burden and stress on
health care professionals,” said Rahul Koranne, M.D., MHA’s chief medical
officer. “Ultimately, reducing burnout in physicians and APPs, as well as other
health care staff, will improve the quality of care in service to our patients,
families and communities across Minnesota.”
To learn more, view MHA’s press release. return to top
CHI
St. Gabriel’s Health, HCMC to launch e-learning opportunities for primary care
providers
CHI St. Gabriel’s Health in Little Falls on Jan. 3 will launch a
new e-learning opportunity for health care providers across Minnesota on the
topic of preventing and treating opioid addiction. Hennepin County Medical
Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis will be launching another e-learning opportunity
at a later date.
The e-learning is being provided through a Project ECHO grant from the
Minnesota Department of Human Services to use telecommunications technology to
link expert specialist teams at one location, called a hub, with primary care
clinicians in local communities, known as spokes. As hubs for Project ECHO, CHI
St. Gabriel’s and HCMC will provide specialized education and collaborative
case management for participating primary care clinicians at spokes across
Minnesota.
CHI St. Gabriel’s Health will lead the program launching Jan. 3, which focuses
on opioid addiction prevention and treatment, including the use of suboxone, in
a rural community. Potential e-learning session topics include DHS opioid
prescribing guidelines, how to develop a community opioid task force and
non-appropriate diagnoses for pain medications. Experts from HCMC will
participate in the e-learning sessions led by CHI St. Gabriel’s until the
launch of the HCMC program.
Project ECHO’s hub-and-spoke e-learning model includes weekly, hourlong
teleconference meetings. Each week, experts from the hubs present on designated
topic for 15 minutes. The remainder of the meeting is spent in collaborative
discussion around patient cases submitted by participants at the spokes. At the
end of each case discussion, experts from the hubs will summarize and give a
final recommendation for the case.
Through Project ECHO, primary care clinicians become part of a learning
community, where they receive mentoring and feedback from specialists.
Together, specialists and primary care clinicians manage patient cases so that
patients get the care they need.
The e-learning sessions delivered by CHI St. Gabriel’s Health and HCMC will
take place Wednesdays from 12:15-1:15 p.m. beginning Jan. 3. Hospitals and
health systems interested in participating should contact Katie Stangl, program coordinator, CHI St. Gabriel’s Health,
320-631-7239. return to top
Federal
tax bill expected for final vote this week
House and Senate Republican conferees on Dec. 15 released the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act conference report. House
and Senate Republican leaders aim to approve the bill this week, sending it to
President Trump for his signature before Congress adjourns for the holiday
recess.
As the tax bills have been considered by Congress, MHA has been actively
communicating with the Minnesota Congressional delegation to outline concerns
and offer alternative proposals on a variety of topics. MHA has expressed
concern about proposals that would eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA)
individual mandate to purchase health insurance, eliminate tax exemption for
Private Activity Bonds (PAB) and eliminate taxpayers’ ability to itemize deductions
for large medical expenses.
The compromise proposal includes mixed results on these topics. The final
Republican proposal would eliminate the individual mandate. The
Congressional Budget Office has estimated elimination of the mandate will
increase the number of people nationally without insurance by 13 million and
increase insurance costs by as much as 10 percent.
The compromise would not eliminate the PAB exemption. There had been some
discussion in news reports recently of carve-outs for specific industries,
including airports for example, but ultimately the final version does not
modify current law with respect to any PABs. Thank you to the hospitals that
contacted their representatives urging them to oppose the repeal of the
tax-exemption for PABs.
The final compromise reduces the deduction for large medical expenses from 10
percent to 7.5 percent, for the next two tax years. return to top
Rooms
sold out at MHA Winter Trustee Conference site
Alternate room block and registration still available
The MHA Winter Trustee Conference will be held Jan. 12-14, 2018, at the
Minneapolis Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park. While registration for the
conference is still available, the conference site has completely sold out of
rooms. If you plan to attend the conference and need accommodations, an
alternate room block has been set up at the nearby Courtyard by Marriott Arbor
Lakes in Maple Grove.
You can make accommodations at the Courtyard by calling 763-425-5355. Make sure
to mention you are with the Minnesota Hospital Association to get the $144 per
night group rate.
For more information or to register for the conference, download the conference brochure. return to top
Mental
Health Innovation Grant proposals due Jan. 8
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) on Nov. 27
issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a qualified grantee to improve
accessibility and quality of community-based outpatient mental health services
and reduce admissions to and stays beyond medical necessity in regional
treatment centers and Community Behavioral Health Hospitals. For more
information, see the Dec. 4 issue of Newsline.
Responses to the RFP are due no later than 4 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2018. Instructions
for submission are outlined in the RFP.
To learn more, visit the DHS website or
contact Amanda Calmbacher, Mental Health Division,
DHS, 651-503-4050. return to top
DHS
extends Next Generation IHP comment period to Dec. 20
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has extended
the deadline for submitting comments regarding its proposed Next Generation
Integrated Healthcare Partnership (IHP) to Dec. 20. As proposed, the Next
Generation IHP will not replace existing IHP models and will be voluntary in
the seven-county Twin Cities metro area beginning in 2019. The comment period
was announced in the Nov. 20 issue of Newsline.
DHS leaders overseeing IHP demonstration projects joined representatives of
IHPs from across the state at a meeting convened by MHA on Dec. 11. The meeting
provided existing IHPs with the opportunity to better understand the Next
Generation IHP model before submitting their comments and to provide feedback
to inform MHA’s comments. In addition to questions about the mechanics of the
proposed model, participants discussed whether expanding the Next Generation
IHP model to other parts of the state would be beneficial.
Further information about the Next Generation IHP proposal and comment
submission is available through DHS. To provide input for MHA’s comment
letter, please contact Matt Anderson, senior vice president of policy
and chief strategy officer, MHA, 651-659-1429, by Dec. 19. return to top
U
of M to offer Mini Bioethics Academy on opioid addiction
The University of Minnesota’s Center for Bioethics’ Mini
Bioethics Academy beginning Jan. 23 will offer a three-night series addressing
the opioid crisis.
According to the CDC, as many as 1 in 4 people who receive opioid
prescriptions for noncancer pain struggle with addiction. In 2015, almost half of the 33,000 opioid deaths
in America involved a prescription.
Sessions are as follows:
- Session 1: Jan. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.
Opioid Addiction in America: Where do we stand?
Dana Farley, MDH alcohol and drug prevention policy director
- Session 2: Jan. 30, 6:30-8 p.m.
Opioid Addiction in America: Reframing public perceptions and policy
solutions
Sarah Gollust, Ph.D., associate professor, University of Minnesota School of
Public Health
- Session 3: Feb. 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Opioid Addiction in America: Leveraging community expertise
Laura Palombi, Pharm.D., MPH, MAT, assistant professor, University of Minnesota
College of Pharmacy, Duluth
Participants can choose to attend one, two or all three sessions. Seating is
limited; register early to get a space.
Learn more and register online. return to top
Newsline
holiday schedule
Newsline will take a holiday break and will
return to its normal publishing schedule on Jan. 8. return to top