In this issue
Minnesota
leads the nation for health care access, quality and outcomes
Commonwealth Fund ranks Minnesota at top of all dimensions
measured
For the second year in a row, Minnesota ranks first in the nation for health
care access, quality and outcomes in a report issued Dec. 9 by the Commonwealth Fund,
a private foundation that promotes a high-performing health care system and
supports independent research on health care issues.
The report, “Aiming Higher: Results from a Scorecard on State Health System
Performance, 2015 Edition,” ranks the health systems of every state and the
District of Columbia based on 42 health care measures grouped into five
dimensions of performance: access and affordability, prevention and treatment,
avoidable hospital use and cost, healthy lives, and equity. Minnesota was the only state that was
rated in the top quartile for all five dimensions measured.
“MHA thanks our hospital and health system care team members for the
exceptional care they provide and their prevention efforts," said Lawrence
Massa, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA).
"These results tangibly demonstrate once again how Minnesota hospitals and
health systems are strengthening healthy communities.”
View the full report on the Commonwealth Fund’s website. return to top
MHA
publishes 2015 value highlights
The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) works to enhance the
ability of members to achieve their missions and goals. MHA annually publishes
highlights of the value the association provides members during the year. The 2015 highlights publication is now available.
View the publication to learn more about how MHA advocates for Minnesota
hospitals and health systems, continues to bend the cost curve, leads the
nation in patients safety and quality care, communicates Minnesota’s positive
hospital and health system story and provides hospital and health system
leaders with education and information. return to top
Rooms
sold out at MHA Winter Trustee Conference site
Alternate room block and registration still available
The MHA Winter Trustee Conference will be held Jan. 8-10, 2016, at the
Minneapolis Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park. For more information or to
register, download the conference brochure.
While registration for the conference is still available, the conference site
has completely sold out of rooms. If you plan to attend the conference and need
accommodations, an alternate room block has been set up at the nearby Courtyard
by Marriott Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove.
To book your accommodations, visit the Courtyard by Marriott Arbor Lakes reservation website or
contact the hotel at 763-370-4420. return to top
MN
Hospital PAC meets fundraising goal for 2015
Thank you to all of the 2015 MN Hospital PAC contributors.
Because of your support, the PAC has met its fundraising goal for 2015.
We are grateful to the MN Hospital PAC board members for all of their work in
2015. A special thank you to MN Hospital PAC Board Chair Brad Beard, Fairview
Southdale Hospital, for his leadership.
MN Hospital PAC board members include:
- Brad Beard, Fairview Southdale
Hospital, PAC Board Chair
- Deb Boardman, Fairview Range
Medical Center
- Craig Broman, St. Cloud
Hospital
- Mary Maertens, Avera Marshall
- Michael Mahoney, Essentia
Health
- Lawrence Massa, MHA
- Keith Okeson, LifeCare Medical
Center
- Dan Olson, Sanford Bemidji
Medical Center
- Randy Ulseth, FirstLight Health
System
- Steve Underdahl, Northfield
Hospital
- Carl Vaagenes, Douglas County
Hospital
return to top
Minnesota
cited as leader in telehealth legislation
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) on Dec. 10 issued a new report called “Telehealth: Policy
Trends and Consideration” that examines telehealth adoption and barriers in
three policy areas: reimbursement of telehealth encounters; licensure for
telehealth providers; and patient privacy, safety and security.
Speaking at the annual NCSL Capitol Forum, Mario Gutierrez, executive director
of the Center for Connected Health Policy, cited Minnesota as a leader in
telehealth legislation. MHA was instrumental in promoting the passage of the
Minnesota Telemedicine act during the 2015 legislative session. The act will
facilitate health care providers’ continued adoption and implementation of technology
to deliver high-quality patient care in the most accessible and cost-effective
ways possible.
The report also credits Minnesota for adopting the Interstate Medical Licensure
Compact, which creates an expedited process for eligible physicians to apply
for licensure in compact states. As leaders on national telehealth issues, both
MHA and the Minnesota Medical Association supported the passage of this
bill. return to top
Study
of MHA data shows importance of culture of safety
A study published Dec. 9 in the Journal of the
American College of Surgeons analyzed MHA survey and outcome data to find that
hospital safety culture significantly influences the quality of patient care.
Safety culture is the attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values of the
individuals on the care team and in the hospital, from leadership to front-line
staff.
The study, “Association of Safety Culture with Surgical Site Infection
Outcomes,” is one of the first to evaluate the impact of an organization's
teamwork and safety culture on patient outcomes. Researchers from Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine used a cross-sectional sample from MHA to combine
safety culture survey data with data on surgical site infections after colon
operations during 2013. The study found that overall safety culture and eight
other dimensions of better safety culture scores are associated with a lower
incidence of surgical site infection after colectomy, or removal of part or all
of the colon.
All Minnesota hospitals are working to enhance safety culture with an ongoing
focus on teamwork, communication and resiliency among the care team. MHA
encourages hospitals to access resources such as the Alliance for Patient
Safety Culture Road Map, which is divided into eight focus areas proven to
facilitate the implementation of culture change, and Team Strategies and Tools
to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS), an evidence-based set
of teamwork tools aimed at optimizing patient outcomes by improving
communication and teamwork skills among health care professionals. MHA’s Good Catch for Patient Safety award program
also recognizes staff for speaking up to prevent a potential patient safety
issue. return to top
Positive
$1.8 billion state budget forecast for FY2016-17
Minnesota Management and Budget released its latest projections
of state financial health on Dec. 3. The forecast reflects a very positive
economic environment with low unemployment and consistently growing tax
collections. One-third of the FY2016-17 balance will be placed into budget
reserves to address potential problems that could occur if the economy were to
reverse. This is positive news going into the 2016 legislative session. While
lower-than-expected health and human services costs produced some of the
benefits to the forecast, there is growing concern about the long-term risks of
a rapidly growing elderly and disabled
population.
Additional good news for the health care sector is that the Health Care Access
Fund (HCAF), a dedicated fund to support low income Minnesotans in the
MinnesotaCare program, has experienced lower-than-expected enrollments and
overall costs, resulting in a very positive long-term outlook for this fund
through 2019.
For more information, contact Joe Schindler, vice president, finance, MHA,
at 651-659-1415. return to top
Congress
passes another delay in enforcement of direct supervision policy
For the second year in a row, federal legislation (S. 1461) to delay enforcement of the Medicare
policy requiring direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services
delivered at a hospital passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and
Senate with broad, bipartisan support. President Obama is expected to sign the
bill into law.
The direct supervision policy was adopted by the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS) several years ago. It applies to outpatient therapeutic
services at all hospitals, but CMS delayed its enforcement for rural hospitals
with fewer than 100 beds, including Critical Access Hospitals, for several
years. Congress intervened to block its enforcement for those hospitals in
2014, and this year’s bill will delay the enforcement through 2015.
In addition to supporting the legislation to delay enforcement of the policy,
MHA and the American Hospital Association (AHA) have urged Congress to pass the
Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act (S. 257/H.R. 1611). The PARTS
Act would change the standard from direct supervision to general supervision so
other caregivers can continue to deliver outpatient services within their
scopes of practice without a physician or certain nonphysician providers
immediately available.
For more information about the direct supervision policy, the PARTS Act or the
enforcement delay, please contact Ben Peltier, vice president of legal services,
MHA, 651-603-3513. return to top
Information
sessions for 2015 Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative RFP
The Minnesota Department of Health Center for Health Equity will
be releasing a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Eliminating Health
Disparities Initiative (EHDI), a grant program focused on improving the health
and well-being of American Indians and people of color.
A series of EHDI RFP information sessions are being offered Dec. 15 and 18 to
allow potential applicants the opportunity to discuss the RFP and learn about
the elements of a successful application. Attendance is recommended but not
required for submitting an application.
For more information and to register, visit the MDH website. return to top
New
open appointments for health care-related members of state board
The following state open appointments may be of
interest to MHA members.
The State Advisory Council on Mental Health has two vacancies, including a
family physician member. The council advises the governor, Legislature and
state agency heads about policy, programs and services affecting people with
mental illness.
The Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice has one vacancy for a public
member. The board licenses nutritionists and dietitians, investigates
violations, conducts hearings and adopts rules.
The Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Intervention
has 17 vacancies, including one for a physician representative. The council
must address methods of implementing a statewide system of comprehensive,
coordinated, multidisciplinary interagency programs of early intervention
services for young children with disabilities and their families.
For more information about these open appointments and to apply, please visit
the secretary of state’s website. return to top