Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

April 21, 2014

MHA Newsline: April 21, 2014

In this issue

Seeing Sepsis highlights need to detect and treat sepsis early

Severe sepsis and septic shock can be associated with a mortality rate of up to 50 percent in hospitals that do not utilize an early detection and treatment bundle. Yet the urgency with which it must be detected and treated has been underestimated. Hospitals need to start seeing sepsis as a time-critical emergency, just like trauma, stroke or acute myocardial infarction (MI). MHA, funded by the CMS’ Leading Edge Advanced Practice Topics (LEAPT), has coordinated the development of the Seeing Sepsis tool kit to facilitate the adoption of severe sepsis early detection tools and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign three- and six-hour care bundles by hospitals of all sizes.  

These bundles have helped St. Cloud Hospital decrease mortality due to severe sepsis and septic shock by 49 percent. Read more about St. Cloud Hospital’s efforts in this article from the St. Cloud Times. Additionally, making early identification of sepsis in the emergency department a priority helped Ridgeview Medical Center decrease mortality due to severe sepsis and septic shock by 60 percent. St. Cloud Hospital and Ridgeview Medical Center are two of the LEAPT mentor hospitals, contributing content and helping create the tool kit.  

Seeing Sepsis tool kits were mailed to patient safety contacts in every Minnesota hospital the last week of March, and MHA held the statewide kickoff calling on hospitals to participate in early April. Participating hospitals are asked to implement the Seeing Sepsis early detection and treatment protocols, and submit simple baseline and monthly outcome and process data measures. MHA will provide one-to-one guidance on implementation including webinars, optional site visits, mentorship from LEAPT pilot hospitals and data assistance. To join Seeing Sepsis and help save lives and reduce health care costs, click here or contact Karen Olson, MHA patient safety/quality coordinator, 651-603-3521. return to top  

Task force issues price transparency recommendations, consumer guide

A Healthcare Financial Management Association task force last week issued price transparency recommendations for health plans, health care providers and others, and a guide to help consumers estimate the cost of care. According to the task force, health plans should serve as the principal source of price information for insured patients, and providers for uninsured patients and those seeking out-of-network care. Among other information, price transparency tools for insured patients should include the estimated total price and out-of-pocket costs for the service being sought and whether particular providers are in the health plan’s network, while tools for uninsured and out-of-network patients should clearly communicate pre-service price estimates and which services are/are not included in the estimate, the panel said.

MHA reminds members that Minnesota law requires physicians, hospitals and health plans to provide consumers with a good faith estimate of the cost of their care. In addition, Minnesota law requires hospitals to bill the uninsured a discounted rate commensurate with what the largest commercial payer would pay the hospital. To review Minnesota specific laws governing price transparency, click here. return to top  

MDH announces new Accountable Health Model RFP

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) requests proposals to develop and disseminate Minnesota e-Health Roadmaps to Advance the Minnesota Accountable Health Model (e-Health Roadmaps) for the settings of long-term and post-acute care, local public health, behavioral health and social services. Each e-Health Roadmap will describe a framework and a path forward to enable providers in each setting to effectively use e-health to participate in the Minnesota Accountable Health Model.

There is up to $600,000 available to be distributed competitively through the e-Health Roadmap Request for Proposal (RFP). Proposals are due June 19, 2014. Visit the Minnesota Accountable Health Model RFPs webpage for more information or contact Kari Guida at MDH with questions. return to top  

DHS calls for contracts for Direct Care and Treatment Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced opportunities for health care providers to contract with Direct Care and Treatment Division (DCT), formerly known as State Operated Services (SOS).  

This contract is for medically necessary related services, routine and medical inpatient and outpatient treatment, and emergency room services to clients of Regional Treatment Centers, Community Behavioral Health Hospitals, Minnesota Specialty Health System, Community Addiction Recovery Enterprise Programs, Minnesota Sex Offender Programs and other Community-based programs and homes located throughout Minnesota. For services provided off-site of DCT, DCT will reimburse at the current MA rate.  

For additional information, contact Mary Sweep at DHS, 320-214-3666. return to top  

Nominations sought for 2014 Rural Health Hero and Rural Health Team Award

The Minnesota Department of Health Office of Rural Health and Primary Care is seeking nominations for the 2014 Rural Health Hero and Rural Health Team Award. The awards are given as part of the Minnesota Rural Health Conference, June 23-24 in Duluth. This is a great opportunity to honor an individual or team who have gone above and beyond for health care in rural Minnesota.  

Nominees may have contributed to rural health care in any capacity: through a volunteer or paid position, as a health care provider or non-provider, in policy or through practice. Areas of impact could include but are not limited to: health care and health programs, rural health policy, legislation, the advancement of the field, improved patterns of health care delivery, cooperative efforts to avoid duplication of services and achieve common goals, education, and the lasting impact of a program on populations and areas served. Nominations are due by Wednesday, May 7. Click here for more information and a nomination form.  

This year’s Minnesota Rural Health Conference includes sessions on the partnerships so important in health care today, operational effectiveness, patient engagement, and tools and resources across an array of rural health care topics. Learn more about the Minnesota Rural Health Conference. return to top