January 17, 2005

MHA NewsWeekly Electronic Edition
January 17, 2005
Vol. 23, No. 2

Quote of the Week
“The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. It’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.”
~ Arthur C. Clarke

In this week's edition...
1. MHA Hosting Medicare Workshops in Three Locations
2. Health Dept. Expands Flu Vaccinations to All Mississippians
3. MHA Hosting Radiology Coding Workshop in February
4. Survey of Health Care Agenda Attitudes
5. New Asthma Guidelines Issued for Pregnancies
6. Medicare demonstration to help pay for flu antiviral medicines
7. Positions Available
8. People in the News
9. News Around the State
10. MHA Education Calendar
11. Calendar of Events

1. MHA Hosting Medicare Workshops in Three Locations  
   On January 25, 26 & 28, the Mississippi Hospital  Association (MHA), in conjunction with TriSpan and the Mississippi Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), will present Medicare in Motion Part B Therapy workshops in locations around the state. The workshop will be in Biloxi at the Biloxi Beach Resort on the 25th, in Jackson at the Old Capitol Inn on the 26th and in Oxford at the Oxford Convention Center on the 28th.
   The workshop will focus on all aspects of providing outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) regulations and requirements for outpatient policies will be shared. The target audiences are clinical personnel (including therapists and nursing staff) and billing personnel. The cost to attend is $75 per person.
   The faculty for the workshop includes Dawn James, manager of Medicare Medical Review & Appeals; Trudy Johnson, RN supervisor for Medicare Medical Review & Appeals; and Parren Clark, an outreach partner in the Provider Outreach and Education Department at TriSpan Health Services. Participants will receive a certificate for 5.5 hours of attendance upon completion of the workshop.
 At each site, registration will begin at 8 a.m. and the session will start at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will adjourn at 4 p.m. (Lunch will be provided and is included in the registration cost.) To have registration forms sent to you or for more information, contact Diane Clift at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3217 or dclift@mhanet.org.
   To receive daily updates on Medicaid and/or coding issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community and/or the HIM/Medical Coding Community at MyMHA.

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2. Health Dept. Expands Flu Vaccinations to All Mississippians    
   On Jan. 14, the Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) and health care providers statewide expanded their flu vaccination coverage to include all Mississippians.
   According to State Epidemiologist Dr. Mills McNeill, “The window of opportunity is closing for people to receive the flu vaccine in time to be protected this flu season.”
   Dr. McNeill added that it takes two weeks for an individual to receive full protection from the vaccine. “Now is the time to make the remaining doses of influenza vaccine available to any Mississippian who may desire it because anyone can transmit influenza to a high risk individual. High risk individuals who have not been vaccinated should take advantage of this final opportunity as well. We want everyone to stay healthy this flu season.”
   Both pediatric and adult doses of flu vaccine (as well as the pneumonia vaccine) are available at all county health department clinics throughout the state.
   “We also want to encourage people to remember to get their young children vaccinated because this age group has a higher hospitalization rate due to the flu,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Mills McNeill. “There is plenty of the pediatric vaccine, and it is especially important for those children who have any contact with individuals in high-risk groups to get vaccinated.”
   For flu and pneumonia vaccination information, call toll-free 1-877-978-6453 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. or after work hours 1-866-HLTHY4U (1-866-458-4948).

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3. MHA Hosting Radiology Coding Workshop in February 
      On Feb. 1, the Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA) will host an Interventional Radiology 2005 Workshop at the MHA Atrium Conference Center in Jackson. The workshop is designed for HIM/medical records directors, outpatient coding supervisors, lead coders, outpatient coders, radiology/cath lab technicians and all others responsible for IR coding or guidelines.
   This course will teach basic CPT/HCPSC interventional radiology coding and acquaint participants with other factors contributing to reimbursement. The workshop will also familiarize participants with the relationship between CPT-4 and HCPCS codes and external influences on code assignments. Due to the complex nature of coding for IR, various documents will be provided during the workshop. Jean Ann Hartzell is the instructor.
   Registration for the workshop will begin at 8 a.m. Class will begin at 9 a.m. and adjourn at 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided. The registration fee is $115 per person. Five hours of MHA continuing education credit will be awarded.
   Rooms have been reserved at the Drury Inn & Suites in Ridgeland, with room rates of $69.99/$75.99. (Ask for the MHA rate.) To make reservations, call (601) 956-6100.
   To have registration information sent to you or for more information, contact Diane Clift at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3217 or dclift@mhanet.org.
   To receive daily updates on coding issues, join the HIM/Medical Coding Community at MyMHA.

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4. Survey of Health Care Agenda Attitudes 
   Americans favor reducing jury awards in malpractice lawsuits and drug importation from Canada, but rank them relatively low on a list of 12 health care priorities for President Bush and Congress to address this year, according to a new post-election survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. While supporting both, the public places greater emphasis on limiting the number of lawsuits than on capping awards.
    This survey of almost 1,400 adults was conducted following the November election, and found that just over a quarter (26%) of the public cites reducing malpractice jury awards as a top priority for the President and Congress, ranking 11th on the list, just ahead of increasing federal funding for stem cell research (21%). Just under a third (31%) cite allowing drugs to be imported from Canada as a top priority, ranking eighth on the priority list. 
   At the top of the list, almost two thirds (63%) of U.S. adults cite lowering the costs of health care and health insurance as a top priority for the President and Congress, followed by making Medicare more fiscally sound for the future (58%) and increasing the number of Americans with health insurance (57%).
   Overall, U.S. adults rank health care issues third when asked to name the single most important priority for the President and Congress to address, behind the war in Iraq and economic issues. Terrorism tied with health care as the third-most cited issue. The survey is based on a nationally representative sample of 1,396 adults and was conducted from Nov. 4 through Nov. 28, 2004.
   The complete survey results are available here.

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5. New Asthma Guidelines Issued for Pregnancies
   Inadequate control of asthma is a risk to a pregnant woman and her fetus, and most asthma medications are safe to use during pregnancy, say updated guidelines that emphasize asthma control in pregnant women. For the full story, click here.

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6. Medicare demonstration to help pay for flu antiviral medicines
   The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced a Medicare demonstration project that will help beneficiaries pay for flu antiviral medications. The demonstration, to last through May 31, is designed for Medicare Part B beneficiaries who do not have drug coverage. Medicare will pay 80% of the cost of the drug up to the Medicare allowed payment, which is 95% of the average wholesale price for brand drugs and 90% of the average wholesale price for generic drugs. Medicare beneficiaries who participate in the Medicare-approved drug discount card program will pay 20% of the card sponsor’s negotiated cost for the drug or 20% of the Medicare-allowed payment, whichever is lower. The medicines also will be covered for beneficiaries treated as part of a covered Part A hospital stay, CMS said.

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7. Positions Available
   Winston  Medical Center has an immediate opening for a Business Office Director. Previous experience and Degree in Business Administration preferred. Send resumes by mail to Winston Medical Center, Attn: Michelle Nowell, P. O. Box 967, Louisville MS 39339 or via e-mail to mnowell@winstonmedcial.org.
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   Mississippi State Hospital is seeking a Media/Publication Manager. Master’s degree and three years experience in public relations or related field or bachelor’s degree and four years experience is required. Resumes may be faxed to Kay Harrell, HR Division, at (601) 351-8222.
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   River Region Health System in Vicksburg has an opening for a Intensive Care Director to manage our brand-new, state-of-the-art Unit. The successful candidate must be a BSN with at least 3-5 years management experience. Clinical and CV experience also needed, as well as excellent customer service skills, physician relation skills and staff team building skills. You may apply in person at the Human Resources Department, fax your resume to (601) 883-5014 or e-mail to human.resources@riverregion.com. 
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   River Region Health System is seeking a Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Must have a minimum of three to five years experience in the field. A bachelor's degree is required, a master's degree preferred.  You may apply in person at the Human Resources Department, fax your resume to (601) 883-5014 or e-mail to human.resources@riverregion.com. 
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   River Region Health System has openings for fulltime Pharmacists. All candidates must be licensed in Mississippi (or eligible). You may apply in person at the Human Resources Department, fax your resume to (601) 883-5014 or e-mail to human.resources@riverregion.com.
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   River Region Health System is seeking a Controller and Central Business Office Director.  Must have at least three to five years management experience in the designated field, a master's degree is preferred. You may apply in person at the Human Resources Department, fax your resume to (601) 883-5014 or e-mail to human.resources@riverregion.com.
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   Natchez Regional Medical Center is looking for CCU/ICU RNs for a new Cath Lab. Send resumes by mail to Natchez Regional, ATT: Human Resources, P.O. Box 1488, Natchez, MS 39121; by fax to (601) 443-2891; or by e-mail to erichardson@natchezregional.com.
   For a listing of additional hospital jobs available in Mississippi and to post your confidential resume for health care recruiters to view, visit www.mshealthjobs.com.

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8. People in the News
   Sandra Lott, RN, was named the Employee of the Month for December in Licensed Clinical Services at Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield. A native of Lena, Lott is a registered nurse and has been employed with the hospital for six years. She earned her BA in nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
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   Sarah Ann Newsome was named the Employee of the Month for December in Direct Care Services at Mississippi State Hospital. Newsome is a mental health technician shift leader and has been with the hospital for 12 years.
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   Andrew Willis, Jr., was named the Employee of the Month for December in Support Services at Mississippi State Hospital. Willis is an investigator in the Safety and Investigative Services Department and has been with the hospital for 18 years.
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   Arif Kamal, a technician supervisor at South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis, was recently selected as the Employee of the Quarter for the Third Quarter of 2004. Kamal holds a M.S. in Public Health from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in his home country, Bangladesh, which is comparable to a medical degree in the U.S.
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   Clint Ashley has been promoted to the role of director of the South Mississippi State Hospital Crisis Intervention Center in Laurel. Previously, he served as risk management director. Clint holds an associate’s degree from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, an A.S. in information systems technology from Jones County Junior College and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Mississippi. He has also recently begun work on a master’s program in workforce development at the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2003, he graduated from the State Certified Public Managers program. He is also a graduate of the State Executive Development Institute of Mississippi at the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University. 
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   Terri Bowie, unit coordinator in Observation at the Ocean Springs Hospital in Ocean Springs, has been named the Employee of the Month for December. Originally from Cunderdin, Australia, she moved to the U.S. six years ago, after marrying her husband. She began her career at OSH in 2002 as a certified nursing assistant in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. She later moved to Observation in her current position.
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   Cleo Glaude, a transport aide in Radiology, has been named the December Employee of the Month for Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula. She received her Certified Nursing Aide certificate from Riley College. She began her career with SRH in 1992 in Nursing Services as a CNA. She later transferred to Radiology and has been there since.
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   Maureen Gruich has been named director of pastoral care services at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital. In addition to her doctorate, Maureen holds both Master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing. Previously, she served as Dean of the School of Nursing at Delta State University. The former director, Geri Graves, is retiring from full-time service but will continue to assist Gruich and the department as needed as a member of the Ethics Committee and with special projects. 
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   Teresa Williams, MSW, LCSW, assistant director of coordinated care at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, has been named the 2004 Social Worker of the Year by the Mississippi Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care. She has over 18 years of experience in social work.
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   Colonel Leonard W. Jackson has been appointed to the Board of Trustees at Biloxi Regional Medical Center in Biloxi. Colonel Jackson is commander of the 81st Medical Support at Keesler Air Force Base. Jackson was named the Young Healthcare Administrator of the Year and has received the American College of Healthcare Executives Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Regent's Award for the state of North Dakota and the Air Force Western Region.
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   River Oaks Health System recently named its "In the Spotlight, Teamwork-Pass It On" Award recipients for November. Bridgette Knott, RN, Dialysis, at River Oaks Hospital, and Ollie Heidelberg, RN, NICU at Woman's Hospital were the winners of this award created by the Customer Satisfaction "Teamwork" Committee. Recipients receive a $50 savings bond, balloons, the official Teamwork-Pass It On trophy to keep for one month, a designated parking space for one month and have the privilege of selecting the award recipient for the following month.
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   The North Mississippi Medical Center All Stars were recently recognized at a luncheon, recognizing employees who exhibit extraordinary care and concern for their patients, customers and co-workers. They were: Naomi Crymble, a secretary in NMMC's Education Department; Dr. Bryan Darling, a neonatologist; Julie Fennell, a registered nurse in Short Stay Surgery; Arlisa Hadley, a galley hostess for the Food and Nutrition Department; Kay Lawler, a management information systems supervisor at NMMC-West Point; Mamie Massengill, an aide for the Home Health Agency in Ripley; Debra Reese, a phelebotomist at NMMC-West Point; Steve Smith, a systems technician in Facility Operations; and Maria Summers, a care manager in Clinical Quality.
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   Imogene Hudnall was chosen as Volunteer of the Year at Pioneer Community Hospital of Aberdeen. She has been a member of the auxiliary for seven years and has donated more than 100 hours of volunteer service. She serves as historian for the Auxiliary.
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   Neshoba County General Hospital & Nursing Home recently named its Employees of the Year for 2004. They were: Mary Nance, an insurance clerk in the Business Office, and Sara Burnside, a CNA in the Nursing Home.
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   Deborah Bilbrew, a quality management specialist in the Office of Quality Management at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson, was recently the first student granted a doctorate in nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her degree featured a nursing emphasis in nursing ethics. Bilbrew has a total of 24 years in the VA system, working full time while attending school full time.
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   River Oaks Hospital recently bid farewell to longtime employee Ida Thomas after 14 years of dedicated service. She began working at River Oaks in 1990 as a staff nurse on the 2 North Unit until she was promoted to a supervisory position in 1991. She then served as administrative supervisor until her retirement in November 2004.

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9. News Around the State
   Doctors at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson made history in December when they implanted an Enterra Therapy device, a stomach pacemaker, in a 13-year-old gastroparesis patient. The patient is believed to be the youngest patient to receive the implant.
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   South Mississippi State Hospital recently hosted a dedication and grand opening ceremonies for its Crisis Intervention Center in Laurel, a 16-bed unit providing short-term acute psychiatric care for adults. The center employs 32 people and was dedicated in honor of Robert Landrum, a long-time supporter of mental health services in Mississippi and currently serving as chairman of the Board of Mental Health.
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   Two Singing River Hospital System physicians recently performed a new procedure for treating patients with brain tumors. Dr. Ray Wynn, radiation oncologist, and Dr. Lee Kesterson, neurosurgeon, implanted the first GliaSite Radiation Therapy System on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The technology reduces the harm that radiation can cause to healthy tissue that surrounds a tumor.
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   Ocean Springs Hospital is once again partnering with the Blossman YMCA to offer a special program aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle for children. The YMCA is offering an eight-week Youth Health and Fitness Program to children ages 8-14. The program includes activities and classes for children covering exercise, flexibility, strength/endurance training, nutritional counseling and behavior modification.
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   River Oaks Health System, River Oaks Hospital and Woman's Hospital recently showed its community support by donating funds to the Central Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross Hurricane Fund. A check in the amount of $2,570 was donated to Hurricane Relief Efforts.
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   Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center Volunteer Services recently donated $1,171 worth of diabetes education videos to the Diabetes Education Center at the hospital.
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   Magnolia Regional Health Center is now offering PET imaging services to its patients. The scanner is used most often for early cancer detection, staging the progression of cancer and monitoring therapy being used to fight cancer.
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   The Rankin Health Foundation League has set their annual Affair for the Heart for Jan. 29 at the Jackson Country Club. Tickets for the event are $75 each. Money raised helps fund the League's projects such as providing medication for people who cannot afford their needed drugs. Entertainment will be the Andy Smith Band. Last year, the event raised over $20,000. To purchase tickets, call Jana Fuss, executive director, at (601) 824-8525.
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   The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), Mississippi's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the University of Southern Mississippi, has received a $200,000 one-year planning grant from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to promote the use of health information technology. IDS' Project CONNECT (Creating Online NICU Networks to Educate, Consult and Team) will develop, implement and evaluate a cooperative effort using HIT to facilitate a continuum of appropriate medical and developmental care from the time infants are admitted to the NICU through the transition process to community-based health care services for infants most at risk for long-term neurodevelopmental problems. The project works in collaboration with Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg and Memorial Hospital in Gulfport.
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   South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel and the Endovascular Center in Laurel have been approved for participation in a surveillance study utilizing the new Angiogard technology, which is used in the carotid angioplasty procedure. The study will include 1,500 people in 112 centers across the U.S. The Laurel study is the only one in the state of Mississippi, and Dr. Vinay Kumar and South Central Regional Medical Center were the first in the U.S. to perform this procedure utilizing the new technology.
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   The Arthritis Foundation of Mississippi recently announced the establishment of a rheumatology fellowship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in memory of Mary Bryan Barksdale of Jackson. Barksdale was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 27. She raised six children, including Dr. Bryan Barksdale, a local cardiologist who completed his medical training at UMC. For 24 years he has chaired the Mary Bryan Barksdale Memorial Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation.
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    Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle is now performing a new procedure, endovascular stent grafting, which can repair a life-threatening bulge in a major abdominal artery (abdominal aortic aneurysms). Atiq Rehman, MD, is performing the procedure at the hospital.
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   Winston Medical Center recently implemented a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) provided by GE Healthcare Information Technologies. The hospital also recently installed two new x-ray machines with digital technology. Robert Higginbotham serves as director of radiology.
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   The surgery team at Bolivar Medical Center recently unveiled a life-saving new treatment for heart failure, called Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy, which uses an implantable device, the Medtronic InSync III, to improve the pumping efficiency of the heart.

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10. MHA Education Calendar

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11. Calendar of Events

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