In this issue
Strengthening
the spine and core limits concussion effects
When it comes to brain injuries, there’s no predicting what the
outcome or prognosis will be, but this daily challenge is why Rachel Winthrop
loves her job.
As a community liaison with the HealthEast Concussion Clinic at Bethesda
Hospital in St. Paul, Winthrop educates community members, primary care doctors
and athletes to detect and treat concussions. “I’m out there trying to make
sure that people understand what a concussion is and where you should go for help,”
said Winthrop. “Let’s recognize it so that athletes know when to tell their
parents or coach.”
Studies have shown that
among young athletes, football, ice hockey and girls’ soccer are the sports in which
concussions occur most frequently. In Minnesota, the
Minnesota Department of Health found that for sports with both male and female
teams, females had higher rates of concussion. This
fact made HealthEast Care System staff like Winthrop look at the abundance of
concussion research and ask, “Why do girls playing soccer experience more
concussions than boys playing the same sport?”
HealthEast’s care teams found supporting evidence that concussed athletes tend
to have necks with smaller circumferences than
athletes who withstand contact sports without receiving concussions. Leading researchers think perhaps because
young women tend to have necks with smaller circumferences than those of young
men, they may have less strength to absorb the force that comes with a blow to
the head.
Visit the Minnesota’s Hospitals: Strengthening Healthy Communities website to learn more about how HealthEast
Care System is helping young women who participate in sports prevent
concussions.
Like the Minnesota’s
Hospitals Facebook page
to get regular updates on how Minnesota’s hospitals work beyond physical walls
to strengthen the health of Minnesotans and our communities. return to top
Rice
Memorial Hospital CMO selected to serve on CMS panel
Dr. Kenneth Flowe, chief medical officer (CMO) of Rice Memorial
Hospital in Willmar, was selected to serve on the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS) Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment.
The 15-member panel will advise the secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services and the administrator of CMS on two areas:
- The clinical integrity of the
Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) groups and their associated
weights, which are major elements of the Medicare Hospital Outpatient
Prospective Payment System (OPPS)
- The appropriate supervision
level for hospital outpatient services to ensure an appropriate level of
quality and safety for delivery of a given service, as described by a
Healthcare Common Procedure Code System (HCPCS) code.
Flowe will offer the advisory panel an essential perspective
thanks to his understanding of the complexities of providing care and access to
patients in a rural community. As a member of MHA’s Chief Medical Officer
Group, Flowe will gather input and feedback from MHA members through that group
to share with the advisory panel.
“We are pleased with Ken's selection to be on this important CMS
advisory panel,” said Dr. Tim Sielaff, chief medical officer of Allina
Health and chair of MHA's CMO Group. “Our CMO Group will continue
to actively pursue appointments like this to ensure that Minnesota’s
clinical leaders are represented on national decision-making bodies, both in
order to learn from experts across the nation and also to share the innovations
we are spearheading in Minnesota.”
In addition to serving as CMO at Rice Memorial Hospital, Flowe is also a
practicing emergency physician and medical director of the hospital’s Emergency
Department. return to top
AHA
Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnerable Communities to hold field hearings
The American Hospital Association (AHA) Task Force on Ensuring
Access in Vulnerable Communities is working to confirm the characteristics of
vulnerable rural and urban communities and identify strategies and federal
policies to help ensure access to care in these areas.
AHA will hold three field hearings across the country to gather member feedback
on the following topics:
- Characteristics and parameters
that define vulnerable rural and urban communities
- Emerging strategies, delivery
models, payment models and best practices for providing health care
services in rural and urban communities
- Federal policy issues that
impede, or could help create, an appropriate climate for transitioning to
a different payment model or model of care delivery
The dates and locations for the first two field hearings are:
- Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the
Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport from 2:30-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the Arizona
Grand Hotel in Phoenix from 1:30-4:15 p.m. (Note: this hearing will be held during the AHA
Health Forum’s Rural Leadership Conference.)
The third field hearing will be held in March in Atlanta. More
details related to that field hearing will be available in the near future.
MHA is monitoring the activities of the AHA task force and encourages members
to participate in field hearings to share their perspectives, concerns and
suggestions. Register online to attend a field hearing. With
questions, contact Joe Schindler, vice president of finance, MHA,
651-659-1415. return to top
New
open appointments for health care-related members of public entities
The following state open appointments may be of interest to MHA
members.
The Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council is seeking one person with
training or interest in drugs other than alcohol. The council advises the
commissioner of human services on matters of policy and funding for the
prevention and treatment of chemical dependency.
The Minnesota Board on Aging has a vacancy for one member. The board develops,
coordinates, evaluates and administers federal and state funds for programs for
the aging; makes grants to seven area agencies on aging and nonprofit agencies;
and serves as an advocate for older persons.
For more information and to apply, please visit the secretary of state’s website. return to top
DHS
adds telemedicine to provider manual
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
has updated its Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) provider manual to
include requirements to comply with the new Minnesota Telemedicine Act.
Effective Jan. 1, 2016, Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare cover expanded
telemedicine services in fee for service. According to the new law, Prepaid
Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) plans must cover telemedicine services
beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Until 2017, PMAP plans may choose whether to cover
these services. Payment is allowed for real-time interactive audio and video
telecommunications as well as “store and forward,” or the transmission of
medical information to be reviewed at a later time by a physician or
practitioner at a distant site.
Providers cannot be reimbursed without completing the Provider Assurance Payment Statement for Telemedicine.
MHA members are encouraged to complete this statement as soon as possible if
they have not already done so. The updated manual is available online.
The Minnesota Telemedicine Act was a top legislative priority for MHA in 2015
and will lead to increased access to care for Minnesotans across the state.
With questions, contact Jen McNertney, policy analyst, MHA,
651-659-1405. return to top