In
this issue
Suicide
touches families, friends and the entire community
Suicide does more than end one life. It creates a ripple effect
throughout a community, as surviving family members and friends experience a
range of emotions, including grief, guilt, anger, abandonment, helplessness,
denial and shock. It’s estimated that between six and 32 survivors exist for
every one suicide.
Although she never tried to kill herself, Alissa, 16, a sophomore at Brainerd
High School, is a suicide survivor. Two years ago, her best friend, who had
been battling depression and mental health issues, locked them both in a
classroom during the lunch period and attempted suicide in front of her. Alissa
was able to call 911 on her cell phone to alert authorities.
“No one wants to talk about it,” Alissa said, of suicide. “When you are going
through what I went through, you feel alone. You are not alone. One in five
people in Minnesota have a mental illness. We need to talk about
it.”
Mental illness is just one of many focus areas supported by a grassroots health
and wellness movement through community partnerships with Essentia Health and
Crow Wing County Community Services called Crow Wing Energized.
Visit the MHA website to learn more and read the full Community Benefit Report. return to top
QPS
committee members, staff conduct site visits
Members of the MHA Quality and Patient Safety (QPS) team regularly visit
hospitals and health systems throughout the state to learn from them and share
best practice work developed by MHA members. New in 2018, hospital leaders and
care team members who comprise MHA’s topic-specific QPS committees are joining
MHA staff on these visits.
The QPS team and members of the MHA Sepsis Committee visited Winona Health
Services and met with the hospital’s quality leaders and Dr. Brett Whyte, the
chief medical officer. MHA experts reviewed the sepsis road map and other newer
best practices and engaged in a deep dive with Winona leaders.
MHA is tracking and learning from each of these visits to continuously improve
road maps, best practices and processes. To schedule a site visit with the MHA
QPS team, please contact Lali Silva, senior director of quality and
process improvement, MHA, 651-603-3538. return to top
Legislation
affecting hospitals, including price transparency, advances
MHA continues to work to modernize the Minnesota Health Records
Act to more closely align with the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA). After a successful hearing in the House Health and
Human Services Reform Committee, HF 3312 (Zerwas-R-Elk River) was re-referred
to the House Civil Law Committee. Unfortunately, the Civil Law Committee has
yet to schedule a hearing on the bill. With the second policy committee
deadline scheduled for March 29, MHA is advocating to get a hearing in the
Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee on SF 2975
(Pratt-R-Prior Lake).
Several health care price transparency bills are advancing in the Senate. SF
2746 (Draheim-R-Madison Lake) would require a provider-based clinic to provide
a notice at the clinic and on its website that a facility fee may be charged.
SF 3480 (Draheim-R-Madison Lake) adds a time frame to the current good faith
estimate statute to require the estimate be provided to a specific inquiry
within 10 days. In committee, an amendment was added to this bill that would
require primary care providers to maintain a list of the 25 most frequently
billed CPT codes above $25, the 10 most commonly billed E&M codes and the
10 most frequently billed CPT codes for preventive services. For each of these
services, providers would be required to post information at the clinic setting
and on a website of the provider’s charge and the average commercial payment,
Medicare and Medicaid fee-for-service rates. MHA testified with concerns about
the amendment that health plans are in the best position to provide exact
information to the consumer about what they will pay and that the charges and
payments posted will not reflect what a consumer will actually pay. MHA worked
with the Chamber of Commerce and Sen. Draheim to include language in the
amendment allowing health care systems to maintain this information on behalf
of all the clinics within that system.
MHA is working with the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing (MOLN) to
pass the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact. SF 3305 (Mathews-R-Milaca) advanced
in the Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee last week
and is expected to be considered this week in the House Health and Human
Services Reform Committee. This legislation would allow Minnesota to join
almost 30 other states in the compact, which lets Minnesota nurses practice in
other compact states.
With questions, contact Mary Krinkie, vice president of government
relations, MHA, 651-659-1465, or Kristin Loncorich, director of state government relations, MHA,
651-603-3526.
Invite legislators to visit
hospitals during spring recess
Legislators appreciate hearing from constituents about health care issues and
issues affecting their community’s hospital. Please plan to invite local
legislators to hospitals in their home districts for meetings during the
legislative spring recess, March 30 – April 8. Use the grassroots matching list
found on our Member Center to contact your legislators’
offices as soon as possible to schedule a visit.
MHA’s legislative priorities are available online. Additional resources and information
will be shared with chief executive officers and government relations officers
by email.
Session bill tracker
For a complete list of 2018 legislative bills MHA is tracking, visit the MHA Member Center. For assistance accessing the
Member Center, contact Ashley Beno, member services and
communications specialist, MHA, 651-603-3545. return to top
AHA
launches 2018 Innovation Challenge
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has launched the 2018
Innovation Challenge to source and spread new ideas and novel approaches for
integrated care delivery and financing models designed for specific high-need,
high-cost populations.
Teams from AHA member hospitals and health systems are invited to submit
proposals for novel approaches to drive better health outcomes, improve the
care experience and reduce the total cost of care by May 24 through a special
Challenge website. The received proposals will then be evaluated by a panel of
AHA-member judges and sponsors.
Three awards, funded by First American Healthcare Finance, The Roger G. Larson
Memorial Endowment and HRET – including a top prize of $100,000 – will be
presented at the AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego on July 27.
To learn more, visit the Challenge website. return to top
Deadline
for CEO, CFO, CNE salary surveys extended to April 6
The deadline for submitting this year’s chief executive officer,
chief financial officer and chief nurse executive online compensation surveys
has been extended to April 6.
The survey results will highlight salary averages by budget size, years in health
care, geographical region and years in current positions. The broader the
survey participation base, the more representative the results. Summary reports
will be sent to participants in mid-May.
With questions, contact Joe Schindler, vice president, finance, MHA,
651-659-1415. return to top
PAC
golf tournament scheduled for July 30
Registration is now open for the Minnesota
Hospital Political Action Committee (PAC) golf tournament. The tournament will
be held on July 30 at Territory Golf Club in St. Cloud. Lunch will be
served at 11:30 a.m., shotgun start at 12:30 p.m., with a dinner buffet and
awards to follow at 5 p.m.
Access the registration form online. Please contact Andrea Wombacher, division assistant, MHA, 651-603-3539, for information
and to register. return to top