Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

July 27, 2015

MHA Newsline: July 27, 2015

In this issue 

Member spotlight: Winona Health Services receives MHA Community Benefit Award

Winona Health Services earned the 2015 Community Benefit Award in the large hospital category from the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA). Winona Health's Community Care Network helps the most vulnerable individuals manage their health and avoid unnecessary emergency department visits and hospital admission. The program trains college students as health coaches to provide emotional support, improve access to community resources and help clients identify actions they can take to improve their health overall. In an increasingly specialized health care system, a coach can be a familiar face who helps a patient navigate his or her total health journey.   

According to Community Care Coordinator Paula Phillips, the Community Care Network is one of the ways Winona Health is looking at community health care differently. The program helps people remain independent in their homes and avoid unnecessary hospitalization by providing the right kind of support. The approach is working: hospital admissions and emergency department visits among the Community Care Network's clients have declined by more than 85 percent since the program began. Learn more about the MHA awards on MHA’s websitereturn to top   

MHA honored for commitment to health care quality

The American Hospital Association (AHA) on July 23 presented MHA with the Dick Davidson Quality Milestone Award at the 2015 Health Forum-AHA Leadership Summit in San Francisco. The award is given to state, regional or metropolitan hospital associations that demonstrate leadership and innovation in quality improvement and contribute to national health care improvement efforts.     

“Providing quality care and keeping patients safe is paramount for all hospitals,” said Rich Umbdenstock, AHA president and CEO. “The leadership shown by the Minnesota Hospital Association and their members should be emulated by all hospitals and health systems as they strive to provide quality care and improve patient safety.”     

“Minnesota hospitals endeavor every day to provide the highest quality care we can for our patients. As a hospital community, we are working hard every day to make it better,” said Lawrence Massa, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association. “Our innovative, high-performing member hospitals have set the bar high for patient care.”   

Learn more about the award on the MHA websitereturn to top   

Training opportunity: Successfully reporting NHSN data

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Inpatient Value, Incentives and Quality Reporting (VIQR) Outreach and Education Program Support will be hosting a web-based training on Wednesday, July 29, at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Central) titled "Successfully Reporting National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Data to Satisfy Hospital Quality Reporting Program Requirements." Presenters from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CMS will provide an in-depth discussion of the Hospital Quality Reporting Program’s NHSN reporting, including successful data entry, troubleshooting tips and data submission validation.   

Learn more and register online. If you have questions directly related to this training, please contact inpatientsupport@viqrc1.hcqis.orgreturn to top   

CHAIN Fall Conference to be held Sept. 9

Mark your calendar for the CHAIN (Collaborative Healthcare-Associated Infection Network) Fall Conference, which will be held Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 1-4:30 p.m. at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center. The conference is designed to enhance HAI prevention efforts in Minnesota health care facilities.   

The intended audience is patient safety and quality staff, infection preventionists, nurse managers, nurses and physicians. There is no charge for this opportunity; however, registration is required. Register online.   

For more information contact Mary Montury, Stratis Health program coordinator, at mmontury@stratishealth.org or 952-853-8541. return to top