In this issue
Hospital
spotlight: Minnesota hospitals reduce early elective deliveries by 92 percent
Minnesota hospitals have been hard at work to end elective
deliveries prior to 39 weeks gestation. From 2010 through third quarter 2013,
hospitals have reduced early elective deliveries by 92 percent! Nearly all
Minnesota hospitals have a hard stop policy in place restricting inductions before
39 weeks, and MHA has partnered with the March of Dimes to spread awareness
about the difference every week of pregnancy makes to the health of the baby.
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, decreasing the
rate of early elective deliveries means:
- More mothers get safe,
evidence-based care.
- Infants improve their chances
for good physical and developmental health.
- Lower costs for public and
private payers because there are fewer Caesarean sections performed, they
have less neonatal intensive care unit admissions, and less associated
complications for the newborns.
Learn more on the MHA website. return to top
DHS
releases revised Integrated Health Partnerships RFP
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has released an
addendum to its Feb. 18 request for proposals for the Integrated Health
Partnerships (IHP) demonstration projects. The IHP demonstrations, formerly
known as Health Care Delivery System (HCDS) demonstration projects, provide an
opportunity for hospitals and other providers to deliver services to Medical
Assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollees under alternative payment arrangements.
Minnesota currently has nine such demonstration projects.
MHA has been a strong supporter of these demonstration projects and the
flexibility that they offer to providers and the state. MHA members are
encouraged to consider submitting proposals for the latest round of contracts.
Proposals are due June
2, 2014. The RFP is available online. return to top
National
Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16
The goal of National Healthcare Decisions Day is simple – to
have every hospital, community center, nursing home, newspaper, church and
others help the public better understand end-of-life planning and advance
directives.
With a focus on education, this annual day helps increase the number of people
who understand the importance of end-of-life planning, talk with their loved
ones and complete an advance directive. Hospitals across the country are
participating. From hosting education sessions for the community and hospital
staff to making advance directives available, there are many ways to be
involved.
The effort is supported by the American Hospital Association, the American Bar
Association, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Aging with
Dignity, the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, and
many others.
For more information about April 16 and free materials about end-of-life
planning, visit the National Health Care Decisions Day website and AHA’s Put it in Writing campaign.
return to top
Conference
to explore ways to manage aggressive behaviors in health care
CentraCare Health and St. Cloud Hospital are hosting a one-day
conference to help hospitals and health care workers better manage aggressive
behaviors. The conference will define a strategic approach for mitigating the
risk of behaviorally challenging situations in a health care environment and
provide professionals with information and tools to address increasing health
care incidents of aggressive behavior toward caregivers. Following the program,
participants will be able to:
- Explore ways to prepare for and
respond to an active shooter in the hospital setting.
- Identify methods for
maintaining operations during an active shooter incident.
- Describe risk management,
legal, law enforcement, community and other challenges associated with an
Aggressive Patient Management Program.
- Address strategies regarding
post-incident debriefing and other post-incident approaches.
- Implement skills and tools that
will decrease or de-escalate violent behavioral incidents in the work
environment.
The conference will take place Wednesday, June 11 at the Gorecki
Center – College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. Learn more or register online. return to top
University
of Minnesota Center for Bioethics hosting Mini Bioethics Academy
The Mini Bioethics Academy, hosted by the
University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics, is open to anyone interested in
learning more about and discussing bioethical issues. Specific topics to be
covered include: health care directives, the Affordable Care Act, and ethics
and controversies about brain death. Sessions will be held April 22, 29 and May
6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mill City Innovation and Collaboration Center in
Minneapolis. To learn more or to register, visit the Center for Bioethics online. return to top