Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

February 19, 2018

MHA Newsline: Feb. 19, 2018

In this issue

Lakeview Hospital staff member receives Minnesota Hospital Association’s Good Catch for Patient Safety award

A Lakeview Hospital registered nurse has received the award that recognizes hospital professionals who demonstrate their commitment to keeping patients safe by speaking up to prevent a potential patient safety issue.   

Registered nurse Melody Stoerzinger accepted the quarterly Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) Good Catch for Patient Safety award at a presentation on Feb. 9.   

When Stoerzinger was completing an intake process for a patient scheduled to have a colonoscopy, she discovered that the patient had recently been diagnosed with diverticulitis while traveling out of state and had been prescribed a course of antibiotics. Standard procedure is to perform a colonoscopy six to eight weeks after treatment for diverticulitis; the patient’s procedure was scheduled only two weeks after treatment.   

Stoerzinger brought this information to the attention of the procedure physician. The patient’s colonoscopy was rescheduled for seven weeks in the future, in line with patient safety recommendations.   

“It is because of actions taken every day by dedicated professionals like Melody that Minnesota hospitals continue to be front-runners in patient safety,” said MHA Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety Tania Daniels. “Melody’s efforts remind us what a difference each person can make to keep patients safe.”   

The Good Catch for Patient Safety program recognizes hospital professionals for actions that protect patients. All Good Catch for Patient Safety award winners are entered into the running to receive the quarterly Good Catch for Patient Safety award. Quarterly winners are eligible to be honored with the annual Good Catch for Patient Safety award presented at the MHA Annual Awards banquet in the spring.   

Individuals seeking to nominate an employee or team for the award can visit the MHA website to complete a nomination form.     

For more information, visit the MHA website or contact Tania Daniels, 651-603-3517, or Rahul Koranne, M.D., MHA’s chief medical officer, 651-659-1445. return to top   

Nutritional Assistance Program for seniors helps simplify food shelf access

In August 2016, Mayo Clinic Health System in Springfield (MCHS-Springfield) dietitian Linda Carruthers made a visit to the Springfield food shelf to provide education to the clients. At the end of the session she noticed some boxes stacked on a table. The food shelf manager explained that these unclaimed boxes of food were for Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS) participants. NAPS is a USDA Commodity Supplemental Food Program designed to provide nutritious food products each month at no cost to eligible individuals over the age of 60.      

The boxes had not been claimed by the participants for a variety of reasons. For some, the 30-pound boxes were too heavy to carry. Others were unable to access transportation to pick up the box or their proxy was unable to pick up the box at the designated times. As a result, these participants were unable to receive nutritious items such as cereal; canned fruits, vegetables and meat; shelf-stable milk; fruit juice; peanut butter; pasta; and cheese.     

Carruthers met with Scott Thoreson, administrator at MCHS-Springfield, to discuss the possibility of MCHS-Springfield staff delivering boxes to the people who were unable to pick them up. In October 2016, MCHS-Springfield collaborated with the food shelf and became proxies for some of the participants to begin the delivery program began.  

Visit the MHA website to learn more and read the full Community Benefit Reportreturn to top   

Don’t miss the chance to earn recognition for your hospital

MHA Awards nominations due Friday, March 9  
MHA wants to honor your hospital and caregivers for our 34th annual awards program celebrating the outstanding work you do to deliver patient care and serve your communities.   

MHA award categories recognize excellence involving community health, best workplace, and patient care, for example. Honors for individuals recognize trustees, volunteers, hospital executives, caregivers and public officials. Additional information on the categories and judging criteria can be found on MHA’s website.   

Entries are due Friday, March 9; find the entry form online.   

MHA will notify all entrants whether they have won in mid-April. A reception and dinner will take place Friday, June 1, at the Metropolitan Ballroom in suburban Minneapolis. All MHA members and associate members are invited and encouraged to attend the awards ceremony. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for this celebration of excellence in Minnesota health care.   

For more information, contact Sarah Bohnet, visual communications specialist, MHA, 651-603-3494. return to top   

Community collaborations to be highlighted at MHA Healthcare Leadership Institute

The MHA Healthcare Leadership Institute, themed “Health Care in Transition,” will be held March 7-9 at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West in Plymouth. For more information or to register, download the conference brochure or visit MHA’s website. Reserve accommodations online.   

“Improving the Health Status of Your Community – Collaborative Approach to Better Mental Health Care” will highlight three organizations that have developed partnerships on mental and behavioral health with other organizations in their communities to improve outcomes. Panelists include Ashley Conner, MPH, health integration manager, Central Minnesota Mental Health Center, St. Cloud; Jan Carr-Herseth, director of behavioral health services, LifeCare Medical Center, Roseau; and Diane Holliday-Welch, administrator-behavioral health and emergency medicine, Essentia Health, Duluth. This session is sponsored by the Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives.   

During the closing presentation, “Minnesota Law Enforcement and Health Care Coalition,” speakers will provide an update on the coalition’s activities and decisions moving into 2018. The coalition consists of representatives of health care, law enforcement and regulatory organizations who address issues such as access to standardized tools, methods of leadership to prevent and respond to violent situations, relationships between organizations and collaboration between stakeholders. Speakers include Jeffrey Ho, M.D., emergency medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis; Tracy Venne, director of safety, security and emergency management, Children’s Minnesota, Minneapolis; and Mark Koenig, sergeant, Minneapolis Police Department.

The Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators (MN BENHA) has approved the content of this Institute for 14.25 clock hours. return to top   

MHA to launch new data analytics platform Feb. 20

MHA on Feb. 20 will host an informational meeting and webinar to launch a new data analytics platform for members.  

The new software is an analytics module from the 3M Performance Matrix Platform, which incorporates 3M’s risk-adjustment methodologies. The Performance Matrix is a powerful analytic and workflow system that has been co-developed with Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences). The platform combines 3M’s clinical expertise and experience with Verily’s analytical and processing power.   

The kickoff meeting will take place on Feb. 20 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. via webinar or in-person at the 3M Innovation Center. To register for this meeting and receive webinar access information or in-person access instructions, contact Jenny Sanislo, division assistant, MHA, 651-603-3507. return to top

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