| Publication Information Contact Lori Henshey at 304-353-9747 |
September 5, 2008 Volume 13 Number 3
Legislative Interim Meetings Scheduled September 7-9 in Bridgeport; CON; Health Reform to be Discussed
The West Virginia Legislature will meet in Bridgeport, West Virginia for legislative interim meetings beginning Sunday, September 7 and continuing through Tuesday, September 9. For the full meetings schedule, click here.
Along with various tours of local businesses and facilities, the Legislature will hold meetings at the Wingate Inn located at the Intersection of I-79 and Route 279, and connected to The Charles Pointe Development Conference Center - 350 Conference Center Way.
Committees of interest that will be meeting include the Select Committee D Subcommittee on CON, scheduled for Sunday, September 7 from 4:00 -5:00 p.m. Health Care Authority (HCA) Chair Sonia Chambers will continue her in-depth overview of the list of reviewable services under West Virginia’s CON law, and how it compares to other states.
A few weeks ago, she appeared before the committee, and the focus of her presentation was on the criteria and required findings in the West Virginia Code that the agency utilizes to process and to approve CON applications. She noted that projects are considered and approved based on need and consistency with the state health plan, but acknowledged that approval is also a balancing act of access, quality and costs. Chambers later noted that West Virginia is on-par with other states (that have CON) in terms of the overarching criteria used to process applications. Chambers’ presentation once again led to extensive questions/comments from Senator Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell.
This round of interims also will feature a public forum on health reform sponsored by the Legislative Interim Select Committee D on Health on Monday, September 8, in the Falcon Center Conference Room at Fairmont State. For additional details, click here. For more information on this month’s legislative interim activity, please contact Tony Gregory. 2008 HOSPAC Campaign at 62 Percent of Goal The 2008 HOSPAC campaign has met 62 percent of its $85,000 goal, with 13 hospitals having met or exceeded their individual goals. Thanks to everyone who’s contributed to this year’s campaign so far, and, as a reminder, HOSPAC does accept contributions till the end of the year. We’ve hit the benchmark in the campaign where staff will begin tallying up contributions to date in order to recognize the leadership of a number of hospitals during this year’s WVHA Annual Meeting – just four weeks away. Awards will be given to over the top hospitals; largest number of contributing individuals from one hospital; and largest overall total from one hospital. If you would like to be recognized at the Annual Meeting, in either materials we publish or as an exemplary hospital receiving an award, we’d like to have your contributions by the campaign deadline of September 12. If we are to make any meaningful impact in the 2008 general election, it is imperative that all member hospitals and their eligible employees participate. Contributions will help HOSPAC provide adequate resources to effectively lend support to candidates who will help protect key healthcare and business-friendly issues. Participation also sends the message that hospitals are united and are actively engaged in the political process by helping to elect candidates who will support healthcare issues. It will also help HOSPAC retain its position as a top PAC in West Virginia. In preparation for the November 4, 2008 general election, the HOSPAC Board of Trustees will meet September 11, 2008, to consider endorsements. In order to further assist the HOSPAC Board in making endorsements for Senate and House of Delegates seats, please contact Tony Gregory with any additional recommendations or comments concerning individuals running for the legislature from your area. For additional information regarding the HOSPAC endorsement process or for more information on how to contribute to the HOSPAC campaign, please contact Tony Gregory or Tina Rymer. |
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Legislative Questionnaire for 2009 In order to assist the Association in forming a comprehensive legislative agenda for the 2009 session, it is critical that hospitals return the attached Legislative Questionnaire distributed earlier this month in a CEO Bulletin to all WVHA members. The purpose of the Questionnaire is to receive early feedback and recommendations on issues the WVHA may consider as part of its 2009 legislative and advocacy agenda. Responses will be reviewed and considered by the WVHA Legislative Committee at its meeting on October 16, followed by final consideration and approval by the WVHA Board of Trustees. Please return the Legislative Questionnaire to the Association by Monday, September 15. For more information, please contact Tony Gregory. Association Financial Database Updated for 2007 The Association’s hospital financial database, which contains hospitals’ publically reported financial data for each of the last four years, has been updated to include data for FY 2007. This information is now available in the password-protected DATACENTER section of the Association’s website, and includes data from hospital audited financial statements and the Annual Uniform Report filing. For more on how members may use this database, please contact Mike Robbins. WVHA 83rd Annual Meeting to be Held October 1-3, 2008 Mark your calendars for the West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA) 83rd Annual Meeting, October 1-3, 2008 at The Greenbrier Resort. Advancing Patient Safety & Quality: Turning Ideas Into Actions will be the theme for this year’s meeting. Speakers and educational sessions will highlight the roles and responsibilities of leaders and how effective leadership, teamwork and communication are vital to the delivery of safe and quality healthcare. Governor Joe Manchin has been invited as the opening keynote speaker. Following this presentation, Dr. Albert Schumacher will provide an overview of the Canadian healthcare system and will feature a contrast and comparison of the Canadian and United States healthcare systems. Thursday morning begins as Dr. Brian Wong discusses the importance of trust in providing quality care. Dr. Michael Leonard, the national physician leader for patient safety for Kaiser Permanente, will add to these remarks during his session on developing a culture of patient safety. Joint Commission president, Mark Chassin, MD, starts off Friday morning with an overview of the Joint Commission’s patient safety and quality initiatives. Rounding out the meeting, Larry Walker joins us once again with a hands-on, interactive session in governance benchmarking practices. An electronic version of the program and related registration materials can be found on our Web page. For additional information, please contact Kathy Watts, 304-353-9723. Donate Life West Virginia! Conference to be Held The Donate Life West Virginia! Conference will again be held this fall on October 14-15, 2008, at Stonewall Jackson Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia. This is the first time the conference will be held over a two-day period rather than a one. A Hold the Date notice has been sent to all CEOs of our member hospitals last month, as well as other departments within the hospitals, such as PR/Marketing, education, clinicians and nurses. Soon to come is a formal invitation letter, which will be sent first to CEOs, and later to some of the above mentioned departments. Please encourage your hospital personnel to attend this informational conference, which includes breakout sessions, video presentations, keynote speakers, donor recipients, overview of the West Virginia organ waiting list, pastoral care, how to increase donor rates, family supports scenarios, and much more. One of the targeted groups is PR/marketing personnel groups of our member hospitals. Several of the breakout sessions will educate these groups on educating their communities on the importance of organ donation. For more information, please contact Lori Henshey. American Lung Association offers Freedom From Smoking® Facilitator Training The American Lung Association of West Virginia is looking for a few great facilitators to help adults quit smoking. If you meet the following qualifications, you can have a positive impact on the lives of many West Virginians who are trying to quit.
Members of the community who would like to be trained to help tobacco users find their freedom from smoking may register for the free training which will be held at the Country Inn in Beckley on September 18 and 19, 2008. The Freedom From Smoking® facilitator training is a day and a half long. Those who attend will be certified to facilitate the eight session Freedom From Smoking® clinic program. This behavior modification approach to quitting smoking offers committed quitters a step-by-step method for changing behavior and quitting smoking. The program uses positive thinking, alternative behaviors, and rewards to motivate the smoker to quit. In addition, the program offers suggestions for stress management, weight control, assertive communication and exercise. The American Lung Association of West Virginia is a continuing education unit provider for registered nurses and respiratory therapists. To register for the training, please call Freedom From Smoking® Program Specialist, Kelli Caseman at the American Lung Association of West Virginia at 304-342-6600 or 1-800-LUNG-USA in West Virginia. For more information, please click here, or contact Cinny Kittle.
AHRQ: Telehealth Can Improve Safety and Quality
Telehealth can improve patient safety and quality of care, but implementation is not easy, concludes a new report by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ). The findings are based on grant recipients serving primarily low-income rural areas with high rates of chronic illness in Arkansas, California, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. Several participating providers claimed that integrating telehealth with their electronic health record systems offered many critical benefits and helps facilitate the provision of team-based care. However, certain providers experienced technical challenges with telehealth equipment. For example, one provider said several patients became frustrated and stopped using a home monitoring device because it failed to work on a regular basis. In addition, AHRQ called for reimbursement guidelines to help spur widespread acceptance of telehealth as a cost category for reimbursement. AHA News Now, September 3, 2008
ASHE Announces New Educational Program
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) today announced a new educational program to help members comply with upcoming Joint Commission standards on life safety and emergency management. The first program will be held October 13-14, 2008, in Chicago. For more information, click here. ASHE is an AHA affiliate. AHA News Now, September 2, 2008 AHA Comments on National Coverage Analysis for Surgical Errors
The AHA today urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider several questions as it deliberates a national coverage determination concerning when to withhold payment for certain serious surgical errors. In a letter commenting on CMS’ national coverage analyses of errors involving the wrong surgery or surgery on the wrong patient or body part, AHA said the analysis should consider how the events are defined, how accountability will be assigned, and what costs or services should not be covered. Because of the many nuances surrounding the issue, the association recommended that CMS include an appeals process for hospitals to petition any decisions that they believe were made inappropriately. AHA recently adopted a set of principles articulating when hospitals would not expect payment from patients or their insurers or employers for care related to preventable serious, adverse events. AHA News Now, August 29, 2008
Judge Calls on CA to Comply with Medicaid Order
The California Department of Health Care Services needs to move faster to comply with an August 18 preliminary injunction against a 10 percent cut in Medi-Cal (Medicaid) rates, U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder said Thursday. She gave DHS two weeks to comply before holding it in contempt of court. California began implementing the Medicaid cuts on July 1 and the injunction applies only to Medi-Cal services provided after the court’s August 18 order. The state is appealing the injunction. The case is Independent Living Center of Southern California v. Shewry, C.D. Cal. AHA News Now, September 2, 2008
HOSPAC Board of Trustees Meeting September 11, 2008 WVHA Board Room 10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
October 1-3, 2008 To download the Annual Meeting brochure, please click here. For more information, please contact Kathy Watts. WVHA Small Rural Hospital Hospital Leadership and Management Seminar Series September 18-19, 2008
Small/Rural Nurse Executives Meeting November 7, 2008 WVHA Board Room 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Jim Kranz. |
