Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

October 08, 2018

MHA Newsline: Oct. 8, 2018

In this issue 

Jon Pryor receives Most Admired CEOs of 2018 award

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal on Sept. 21 named Dr. Jon Pryor, chief executive officer, Hennepin Healthcare, and MHA’s incoming board chair, as one of its 10 Most Admired CEOs for 2018. The award honors an elite group of top executives who take servant leadership to heart.  

“I feel it is a privilege to be a leader for my organization,” Pryor said in an interview announcing the award. “It means I am last in line and that my organization’s needs take precedence over my needs. It also means I have a big role (but not the only role) in setting the vision, goals and culture of the organization.”   

Learn more about Pryor’s award in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journalreturn to top   

MHA leader Peggy Westby to retire in December

Peggy Westby, vice president of education and membership services, MHA, has announced her upcoming retirement from MHA at the end of 2018 after 30 years of service to the association and its members statewide.   

“Peggy is renowned in her field, with many national awards and recognitions, and is regarded as one of the best in the country for designing top-quality educational events,” said Lorry Massa, president and CEO, MHA. “She has also nurtured MHA’s trustee development program, providing strong leadership to the Trustee Council and developing a nation-leading trustee certification program that continues to grow.”  

MHA congratulates Westby on her outstanding career and wishes her the best in retirement. return to top

Senate approves opioid bill

The Senate on Oct. 3 passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. The House previously approved the legislation and President Trump is expected to sign the bill. The bill would allow states to receive federal Medicaid matching funds for up to 30 days per year for services provided to adults for substance use disorders in Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMDs).   

The bill included MHA-supported provisions that would improve access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by allowing physicians to treat up to 275 patients and making permanent the authority for physician assistants and nurse practitioners to prescribe MAT. The bill would authorize clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and certified registered nurse anesthetists to provide MAT for five years. The bill would provide graduate medical education funding to support MAT physician training and would create a loan repayment program for treatment professionals in designated “mental health professional shortage areas” and in counties hit especially hard by drug abuse.   

The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act includes provisions to improve access to treatment services provided through telemedicine, establish a demonstration program to promote alternatives to opioids in emergency departments and revise the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems questions relating to pain management, as well as improvements to coordination of prescription drug monitoring programs.   

With questions, contact Briana Nord Parish, policy analyst, MHA, 651-603-3498. return to top   

DHS seeks applicants for mental health innovations grant project advisory panel

The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Behavioral Health Division is forming a mental health innovation grant project advisory panel. The advisory panel will collaborate with the project lead and key personnel from DHS’ Behavioral Health Division to influence the design and strategic direction of the mental health innovations project.   

Advisory panel functions include: 

  • Act as an advisor to DHS’ Behavioral Health Division and grantees  
  • Complete evaluations of each grantee based upon periodic oral reports 
  • Identify and make recommendations on: 
    • Current state of the mental health care system in Minnesota and the patient flow issue this project seeks to address 
    • Expanding Minnesota’s Medicaid benefit set based on findings and in the context of the project 
    • Improving the design, staging and structure of the project for future iterations 
  • Review and provide feedback on a draft legislative report 

The deadline to submit an application and be considered for the panel is Oct. 31. For more information, view the announcement from DHS. return to top