Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

June 02, 2014

MHA Newsline: June 2, 2014

In this issue

Hospital spotlight: Riverwood Healthcare Center wellness programs focus on prevention in its community

Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin was awarded the MHA Community Benefit Award for a small hospital this spring. Over the past year, Riverwood Healthcare Center implemented several new innovative wellness strategies and partnerships to support prevention and behavioral health. Riverwood introduced a coaching program and community outreach platform to Aitkin County and the Garrison area. All programs were free and easily accessible to the community. The coaching program, designed to support patients with weight loss, reached more than 300 individuals with an average weight loss of 10 pounds per person. Community outreach included a Healthy Living newsletter, health seminars, farmer's market, 5Ks, and resource guides to encourage patients to access existing community wellness resources as a way to improve health. These efforts reached several thousand people and engaged them in better health. Read more about Riverwood Healthcare Center and the other 2014 MHA award winners here. return to top  

Hospital presumptive eligibility to be implemented July 1

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) continues to plan for a July 1 implementation of a hospital presumptive eligibility (HPE) program.  

The department expects that hospital staff training will be available online beginning June 16. Some aspects of the plans for the program have changed, however.  

Most significant, MHA is pleased that DHS is abandoning earlier plans to have hospital staff submit a partially completed HPE enrollment form to preserve the date of enrollment while the full HPE form is completed. Instead, the department is establishing a five-business-day window in which a hospital must submit a completed HPE enrollment form. This will allow hospitals to treat patients over weekends and submit the HPE enrollment form during business hours without losing or delaying the patient’s eligibility from the initial point of contact.  

Another change aimed at simplifying the process for hospitals is the decision by DHS to eliminate the need for hospitals to submit a statement of interest form. Instead, the department will post the HPE provider contract as an addendum to the Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) Provider Agreement on a new hospital presumptive eligibility website.  

When completed mid-June, the DHS HPE website will be the primary source of information for hospitals and will include the following:

  • The HPE Addendum to the MHCP Provider Agreement (HPE provider contract)
  • Instructions on how to register hospital staff for HPE online training courses
  • HPE policy manual
  • HPE procedures manual
  • Training support materials on how to complete the HPE application
  • All HPE forms
  • FAQs

For more information about the HPE program, contact Matt Anderson, MHA vice president of regulatory and strategic affairs, 651-659-1421 or Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst, 651-659-1405. return to top  

Safety issue identified with multi-use injection pens

Last month, the Connecticut Hospital Association issued a safety alert to its members regarding the use of insulin pens containing a cartridge and needles — devices intended to make insulin injections more efficient and accurate. In the Connecticut situation, staff used the cartridges for more than one patient, although needles were never reused. Despite changing the needles, there is still a slight risk of blood contamination of the pen reservoir or cartridge, which could result in the transmission of blood-borne pathogens from the previous patient. The hospital involved identified approximately 3,000 patients at potential risk for exposure and has stopped using the insulin pens; other hospitals in the state are expected to do the same.  

Last week in Minnesota, the University of Minnesota ended blood sugar screenings as part of its SHARE outreach program after learning that the monitoring equipment was being used on multiple patients. The devices were intended for repeated use by the same patient. As in Connecticut, the needles that prick the patient were not reused but the reuse of the cartridges still puts patients at low risk for exposure to infectious diseases. The University is contacting residents of the apartment complex where the screenings took place and has suspended blood sugar testing while volunteers are retrained in proper infection control procedures.  

Here are some resources about safe usage of multi-dose and single-dose vials:

Additionally, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices issued an alert in its May 22 newsletter on this topic. Hospitals are encouraged to review their policies and procedures to ensure continued safe and proper use of these devices.

For questions, contact Tania Daniels, MHA vice president for patient safety, 651-603-3517. return to top  

Mental health workforce shortage summit will form plan

The ideas and recommendations generated by the Mental Health Workforce Shortage Summit held May 28 will become the basis of a plan to address the shortage of mental health services. The summit, created by the 2013 legislature, was hosted by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) and HealthForce Minnesota and planned by a steering committee that included hospitals and other mental health providers, NAMI Minnesota, and the Departments of Health, Human Services, and Education. The summit included providers from across the spectrum of mental health services, people living with a mental illness, education, state and local government, housing and others.  

Common themes from the summit include increasing or restructuring reimbursement to reflect the important work done by mental health providers, improving education so it better prepares providers for working with clients with challenging conditions, and “grow your own” strategies to keep providers in rural areas.  

The plan is due to the legislature Jan. 15, 2015.  

For more information contact Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst, 651-659-1405. return to top  

MHA named to core team for NGA Healthcare Workforce Policy Academy

The Office of Gov. Mark Dayton invited MHA to hold a seat on the core team that will implement the work of the National Governor’s Association (NGA) policy academy on Building a Transformed Healthcare Workforce: Moving from Planning to Implementation.   Minnesota is one of seven states that were selected by the NGA to receive guidance and expert technical assistance to develop and implement statewide plans for their health care workforce.  

Lauren Gilchrist, special advisor to the governor, will serve as the team leader along with the following core team members:  

  • Dr. John Andrews, board of directors, Metro Minnesota Council on Graduate Medical Education;
  • Dr. Barbara Brandt, associate vice president of education, University of Minnesota Academic Health Center;
  • Dr. Glenace Edwall, director of adult and children’s mental health, Minnesota Department of Human Services;
  • Ann Gibson, vice president, federal relations and workforce, Minnesota Hospital Association;
  • Connie Ireland, director, Governor’s Workforce Development Council;
  • Nitika Moibi, policy academy administrative coordinator, Minnesota Department of Health;
  • Diane O’Connor, deputy commissioner, Minnesota Office of Higher Education;
  • Mary Rothchild, senior system director for workforce development, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; and
  • Mark Schoenbaum, director, Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care.

The goals for the project are likely to include: improving coordination of data collection efforts and analysis; developing strategies to increase diversity; a focus on the telehealth workforce; and developing strategies to ensure that supply meets demand. The process will include gathering input from other key stakeholders interested in health care workforce development.  

Minnesota is joined by Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin in the policy academy. The academy runs from May 2014 until Oct. 2015.  

For more information contact, Ann Gibson, MHA vice president of federal relations and workforce, 651-603-3527. return to top  

Health care philanthropy trends featured at foundation education program

MHA is offering a full-day education program for health care foundation professionals on July 15. The program will feature education sessions on philanthropy trends, HIPAA changes, employee and physician giving and the Affordable Care Act, health care reform and community benefit.  

The program will be held at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West in Plymouth. Click here for the full program brochure or log-in to register. return to top  

March of Dimes seeks nominations for Nurse of the Year

The Minnesota March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Awards will honor the contributions of nurses working in our state who have demonstrated an extraordinary level of patient care, compassion and service. Nominees should consist of nurses who are perceived as leaders among their peers and are known for affecting positive change in their profession, workplace, and/or community. Registered nurses, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and licensed practical nurses who work in Minnesota are eligible.

The Nurse of the Year awards will recognize nurses in 16 categories. A new category for 2014 is Innovative and Non-Traditional Nursing, which honors nurses who work in holistic/integrative healing and global/humanitarian nursing.  

Nominations are due July 1. Learn more or complete a nomination form herereturn to top  

Douglas County Hospital seeks director of clinic operations

Douglas County Hospital in Alexandria has a vacancy for the director of clinic operations at its Alexandria Clinic, a service of Douglas County Hospital. This position is a member of the senior management team. The hospital seeks applicants with 10+ years of progressively responsible operations and management experience in a health care setting, preferably in a multi-entity clinic with a strong aptitude of physician compensation models. The ideal candidate will have a passionate commitment to patient care and a demonstrated ability to define and execute short- and long-term strategies which support the organizational mission and continue the history of profitable financial growth.  

Click here for a complete job listing or contact LindaRosso at CliftonLarsonAllen, 612-376-4539 for more information. return to top