Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

March 26, 2018

MHA Newsline: March 26, 2018

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 Reportreturn 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 websitereturn 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

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