In this issue
Hospital
spotlight: Ridgeview-supported transportation service helps patients access
needed services
Ridgeview Medical Center understands that patients often face
challenges finding transportation to and from appointments. That’s why the
hospital funds WeCAB (Community Area Busing) transportation service, a
volunteer-based nonprofit organization that provides low-cost transport service
to area residents. The hospital stepped up to fund the WeCAB pilot program
after a survey showed that half of local residents polled had trouble making it
to their appointments at Ridgeview due to transportation issues. Since 2011,
WeCAB has provided more than 3,000 rides for patients. Learn more about how Ridgeview is ensuring
patients are able to access care. return to top
MHA to launch new, online Member Center
MHA expects to roll out a new Member Center on the MHA website
in the coming weeks. As a member of MHA, you will have exclusive access to a
number of member-only benefits. The Member Center is your connection to MHA,
allowing you to manage your contact information, register for upcoming events
and programs, search for MHA hospitals and employee members, and access
member-only resources and documents. Watch your inbox for a personalized email
alerting you to your username and providing a link to reset your password if
you are unsure what it is.
For questions, contact Ashley Gauster, MHA member services and
communications specialist, 651-603-3545. return to top
New
demonstration projects announced
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced new
contracts with three organizations to participate in its Integrated Health
Partnerships (IHPs), formerly referred to as Health Care Delivery System (HCDS)
demonstration projects. The new contracts with Hennepin Healthcare System, Mayo
Clinic Rochester, and Southern Prairie Community Care are designed to explore
total cost-of-care or shared risk/gain arrangements in state public programs.
Southern Prairie Community Care is a unique rural model developed through a
joint powers agreement among 12 counties in southwestern Minnesota.
Six other organizations began similar demonstrations in 2013. Combined, the
nine IHPs will serve approximately 150,000 Minnesotans enrolled in Medical
Assistance and MinnesotaCare.
MHA has been a strong champion of the IHP approach. Lawrence Massa, MHA
president and CEO said, “The IHP demonstrations are home-grown health care
reform initiatives that recognize the hazards of a one-size-fits-all approach,
and instead, offer DHS and health care providers the flexibility to tailor the
incentives and financing to the unique capacities and needs of individual
communities.”
For more information about the IHP demonstration projects, visit the DHS website. return to top
DHS
offers presumptive eligibility timeline
Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner
Lucinda Jesson along with leaders from her agency met with MHA to explain the
projected timeline for presumptive eligibility (PE) implementation. DHS intends
to submit a required State Plan Amendment to the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS) by mid-April; begin offering online training for
interested hospitals in June; and be prepared to certify hospitals to conduct
PE determinations for patients believed to be eligible for, but not yet
enrolled in, Medical Assistance (Medicaid).
Lawrence Massa, MHA president and CEO said, “Hospitals are eager to have PE
available as a way to provide coverage for low-income and medically vulnerable
patients. The majority of patients enrolled through PE will seek emergency
department services. By getting them enrolled, we can make sure they have
access to the follow-up and preventative care they will need after leaving the
hospital.”
The Affordable Care Act required states to have a PE process in place by Jan.
1, 2014. Although Minnesota’s program will be late, MHA is pleased that DHS is
devoting resources and attention to the issue.
“Our residents and hospitals need this avenue available as soon as we can, and
MHA has made it clear to DHS that we will help make that happen any way we
can,” said Massa.
For more information about the PE process, contact Matt Anderson, MHA vice president of regulatory and strategic affairs,
651-359-1421. return to top
Reminder:
new reporting requirements for adverse health events
Effective Oct. 7, 2013, there are new adverse health event
reporting requirements for all hospitals and licensed surgery centers in
Minnesota. Legislation in 2013 created four new adverse health events
reportable to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), modified, deleted and
combined others. There are now 29 reportable events in Minnesota.
The following new reportable events are reportable if they occur anytime after
Oct. 7, 2013:
- Death or serious injury of a
patient associated with the introduction of a metallic object into the MRI
area;
- Death or serious injury of a
neonate associated with labor or delivery in a low-risk pregnancy (this
includes still births that occur after a patient is admitted to the
hospital; excludes stillbirths that occur prior to arrival at the
hospital, and excludes clavicle fracture due to shoulder dystocia);
- The irretrievable loss of an
irreplaceable biological specimen; and
- Patient death or serious injury
resulting from the failure to follow up or communicate laboratory,
pathology, or radiology test results.
Additional definitional guidance can be found in the “Recommendations and Guidance Document” on the
MDH website. If you have questions about whether or not an event is reportable,
please contact Rachel Jokela, MDH adverse health event
program director, or Julie Apold, MHA senior director of patient
safety. return to top
CMS
releases Medicare Care Choices Model request for applications
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for
Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has published a request for applications for
its Medicare Care Choices Model. The model leverages established relationships
between hospices and their referring networks to allow Medicare to test and
evaluate this care coordination concept. The Care Choices Model seeks to test
whether traditional Medicare beneficiaries with certain types of advanced
cancers, congestive heart failure (CHF), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who meet Medicare hospice
eligibility requirements under either the Medicare or Medicaid Hospice Benefit
would elect to receive hospice supportive services earlier in their disease
trajectories if they could continue to seek curative services. The model will
evaluate whether there are associated improvements in patient care, patient and
family or caregiver satisfaction with care, and quality of life at the
end-of-life.
Applications are due June
19, 2014. The notice is available here. return to top
Conference
connects the pieces for primary care providers to identify and manage substance
use disorders
Hazelden Professionals in Residence (PIR) program presents a
multi-day conference that will help improve identification and management of
substance use disorders in the primary care setting. Primary care physicians,
nurse practitioners, physician assistants, residents, fellows, and
psychiatrists will find this educational event thought-provoking and directly
applicable to their everyday work. The conference will help primary care
providers recognize whether they have the tools to help patients with substance
use issues. Participants will learn:
- How to safely prescribe opiates
and monitor for misuse and addiction
- How the Affordable Care Act
affects primary care and addiction management
- How to screen, diagnose and
manage substance use disorders in your primary care practice
Speakers include Hazelden Chief Medical Officer Marvin Seppala,
MD, and Las Vegas Recovery Center VP of Medical Affairs and Medical Director
Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM, as well as many other national experts in addiction
medicine.
The preconference takes place June 19 and the conference is June 20-21 at the
Radisson Blu of Mall of American in Bloomington. Learn more or register here. CMEs available. return to top
Register
for the 2014 ICSI Colloquium by April 8 and save
The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) will hold
its Annual Colloquium May 5-7 at Saint Paul RiverCentre. Four tracks will
support the conference theme of Building a Sustainable Health System:
-
Care delivery/quality improvement
- Affordability/financial alignment
- Patient engagement/community partnerships
-
Leadership/innovation
Keynote speakers include Craig Brammer, CEO of Greater
Cincinnati Health Council, and Kerri Sparling, author of the widely read
diabetes blog Six Until Me. There are also three preconference workshops
available. Participants can attend the workshops without attending the
Colloquium:
- Unlocking Your Organization’s Internal Capacities Through
Relationally Coordinated Teams
-
Orchestrating Care for Better Patient Experience
- Quality Improvement Basics Plus!
Learn more and register on ICSI’s website. return to top