Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

May 05, 2014

MHA Newsline: May 5, 2014

In this issue

Recognize your nurses during National Nurses Week, May 6-12

This week is National Nurses Week, a time to reflect on the important contributions nurses make to provide safe, high quality care. National Nurses Week is celebrated each year from May 6 through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. For an example of a dedicated nurse who cares not only for her patients but her entire community, meet Helen Bagshaw, CCRN, Winona Health.    

For ideas to celebrate National Nurses Week, click here. return to top  

MHA members recognized for leadership

Minnesota hospitals and health systems were well represented this week when the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST recognized 35 outstanding women health care leaders. In celebration of its 35th anniversary, the TRUST presented the awards at its annual Forum event. Thirteen leaders from MHA member organizations were recognized:

  • Linda Chmielewski, vice president, Hospital Operations/Chief Nursing Officer, St. Cloud Hospital
  • Kathryn Correia, president and CEO, HealthEast Care System
  • Bobbi Daniels, MD, CEO, University of Minnesota Physicians
  • Roxanne Fernandes, chief nursing officer, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
  • Roxanna Gapstur, chief operating officer, chief nursing officer and senior vice president, Health Partners/Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
  • Sharonne Hayes, MD, professor of internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases, Mayo Clinic
  • Jo Ann Hoag, president and CEO, Lake View Memorial Hospital; vice president for regional development, St. Luke’s
  • Jan Malcolm, president, Courage Kenny Foundation, Allina Health
  • Gayle Mattson, president, North Memorial Medical Center
  • Andrea Walsh, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Health Partners
  • Penny Wheeler, MD, president and chief clinical officer, Allina Health
  • Kathy Wilde, RN, MA, chief nursing officer, Hennepin County Medical Center
  • Carolyn Wilson, RN, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Fairview Health Services, co-president, University of Minnesota Health

The Women’s Health Leadership TRUST works to advance women leaders in health care, influence public policy and improve health care in our communities. return to top  

CMS finalizes regulations that improve flexibility in penalties for laboratories that experience an unintentional violation in Proficiency Testing

On April 29, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final regulations implementing the Taking Essential Steps for Testing Act of 2012 that will give the agency more flexibility when determining penalties for laboratories that experience an unintentional violation with Proficiency Testing.

The bill was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Amy Klobuchar with Sen. Al Franken as a co-sponsor and the House bill was supported by Rep. Tim Walz. MHA and the American Hospital Association supported this legislation.

“MHA appreciates the work of Senators Klobuchar and Franken and Representative Walz. They were absolute champions in search of a safe solution to this problem,” said Ann Gibson, MHA vice president of federal relations and workforce. “They are deeply committed to protecting patient’s access to quality laboratory services by reserving revocation of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certificate for the most serious sanctions.”

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) requires laboratories to participate in routine Proficiency Testing (sample testing, not with patient specimens) to ensure the accuracy and reliability of test results, and prohibits laboratories from referring these samples to another laboratory for testing. Previously, laboratories that referred these test samples to other laboratories lost their certification and their owner was banned from owning or operating another certified lab for at least two years. One laboratory’s mistake could impact a whole system of laboratories significantly impeding access to care.

The new rule gives the agency more flexibility allowing for less severe sanctions for situations that are clearly unintentional and reserves the most serious sanctions for the most egregious and intentional violations to ensure continued safe access to care. Read the final rule. return to top  

MNsure releases outreach and enrollment grant RFP

MNsure is issuing $4 million in grants targeted to fund outreach and enrollment efforts from Sept. 1, 2014 until June 30, 2015. Goals for the grant program include assisting populations with barriers to coverage, building regional navigator resource and referral networks and educating uninsured Minnesotans about the importance of health insurance and how they can enroll through MNsure. Hospitals are encouraged to apply, as they often serve as community connections for health care and have contact with people most in need of insurance. Many hospitals have already enrolled as Consumer Assistance Counselors (CACs) in order to assist Minnesotans to become insured. However, applicants are not required to be navigators or CACs to participate.

The Outreach and Enrollment Grant RFP can be found here. Proposals are due by June 2, 2014. Grant awards will be announced publicly on Sept. 2, 2014, giving award recipients time to prepare for the 2015 open enrollment period that begins on Nov.15, 2014. return to top  

SIM seeking applications for emerging professions integration grants

Minnesota’s State Innovation Model (SIM) grant is seeking applications for emerging professions integration. The goal of the Minnesota Emerging Professions Integration Grant Program is to foster the integration of emerging professions – community health worker, community paramedic and dental therapist/advanced dental therapist – into the workforce in roles that support the broad goals of the Minnesota Affordable Health Model related to providing coordinated care across settings for complex patients, populations and models of accountable care. Up to $180,000 will be available for six grants of up to $30,000 each to support the integration of an emerging professional. Eligible applicants are any type of organization that has the capacity to employ an emerging professional. Applications are due June 5, 2014. For more information, contact Will Wilson, MDH Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. return to top  

Summer Trustee Conference focuses on transformation, reform, patient safety and the future of health care

Brochure available online and will be mailed the week of May 12

The 28th Annual MHA Summer Trustee Conference will focus on challenges facing trustees in the areas of transformation, reform, patient safety and the future of health care. The conference will also provide valuable opportunities for board members to network with their peers from other health care organizations across the state.  

The Summer Trustee Conference will be held July 11-13 at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Alexandria. To learn more and for registration information, view the full conference brochure. return to top  

CMS issues proposed FY 2015 inpatient psychiatric facility rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued its inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) proposed rule for fiscal year 2015. The rule would increase IPF rates by 2.1 percent in FY 2015 compared to FY 2014, after accounting for inflation and other adjustments. Specifically, the proposed rule includes an initial market-basket update of 2.7 percent for those hospitals that submit data on quality measures; hospitals not submitting data would receive a 0.7 percent update. The rule also would make a productivity cut of 0.4 percent and an additional market-basket cut of 0.3 percent, as mandated by the Affordable Care Act, and an increase of 0.1 percent resulting from an updated outlier threshold. In addition, the rule proposes new quality measures and reporting requirements under the IPF quality reporting program. The proposed rule will be published in the May 6 Federal Register and comments will be accepted through June 30. return to top  

Mercy Hospital names new CEO

Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake has named Michael Delfs as chief executive officer, effective June 30. Delfs was selected for his knowledge of rural health care, his history of good physician relations and his financial success and his communication skills, both with staff and the community. Delfs began his career in health care in 1991 with MeritCare (now Sanford Health) and has served Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin and Richland Hospital in Richland Center, Wisc. Delfs is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and has been active in both the Wisconsin and Minnesota Hospital Associations. return to top 

MHA’s annual mental health conference scheduled for Aug. 1

The 2014 MHA mental and behavioral health conference, Community Partnerships for Community Solutions, has been scheduled for Friday, Aug. 1, 2014. Attendees will hear from Laura Shrader, with ReDirect community mental health center in Missouri, who has created a successful partnership to better treat people with mental illnesses and complex co-occurring disorders. Sessions also include the Department of Human Services Direct Care and Treatment Division discussing the state’s role in providing treatment, panels on civil commitment and creating community partnerships, and a presentation on implementing Reducing Avoidable Readmissions Effectively (RARE) transitions of care for people with mental illnesses.  

The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West in Plymouth. More information is available on the MHA website. return to top  

MN Community Health Worker Alliance to host June 5 conference

The Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance, an organization focused on advancing community health worker (CHW) strategies, will be holding a stakeholder conference on June 5 in Minneapolis. The program, titled “Partnering for Health Equity:  Progress, Practice and Policy,” will include plenary sessions and breakout sessions of interest to CHWs, MNsure navigators, students and stakeholder organizations.  The conference will also provide an opportunity for those that are new to the CHW role to learn more about how CHWs can help hospitals and health systems reduce health disparities, achieve the Triple Aim and foster healthier communities.  

The conference will be held in conjunction with Minnesota Public Health Association’s (MPHA) Annual Conference. Early registration discounts are available until May 7. More information about the conference and registration materials are available from MPHA. return to top  

Transforming health care: creative thinking for serious people June 25-26

The Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nursing Leadership is hosting a two-day seminar by Paul Plsek for individuals and quality improvement teams. Plsek is internationally recognized as a pioneer in bringing creative thinking and innovative methods to health care providers. Learn how directed creativity can influence your thinking and accelerate your work, quality improvement and redesign efforts. Participants will gain knowledge, tools and techniques, as well as confidence and insights about leading redesign innovations and triple aim quality improvement projects in their health care organizations through the application of directed creativity and design thinking processes. The seminar will take place June 25-26 at The Commons Hotel in Minneapolis. Visit the Densford Center website for more information or to register. return to top  

Winona Health one of two Minnesota organizations to receive Performance Excellence Award

The Performance Excellence Network (PEN), formerly the Minnesota Council for Quality, presented Winona Health with the 2013 Performance Excellence Award. The Award is based on the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. Only two organizations in the state were recognized at this level: Winona Health and Cardinal of Minnesota.  

An organization achieving the Excellence Award has undergone rigorous evaluation by independent, trained examiners focused on: leadership, strategic planning, customer-focused processes, measurement systems, workforce engagement, and operations and recognizes organizations that are systematically improving results.  

The Performance Excellence Award has only been given out nine times since the Performance Excellence Network was founded in 1987. return to top