February 7, 2005

MHA NewsWeekly Electronic Edition
February 7, 2005
Vol. 23, No. 5

Quote of the Week
“When it comes to getting things done, we need fewer architects and more bricklayers.”
~ Colleen C. Barrett

In this week's edition...
1. Hospitals Making Strides in Medication Safety Practices
2. Medicare Carriers Now Must Have Carrier CSR Programs
3. CMS to Sponsor Free Teleconferences on HIPAA Security Rule
4. House moves to fund Medicaid through March
5. Fewer flu cases in state so far this year
6. JCAHO seeks input on proposed medical abbreviation strategies
7. HRET, partners launch Cultural Competence Leadership Fellowship
8. Caring for obese patients a growing challenge for hospitals, study finds
9. Healthcare leaders see IT, disease management as keys to improving quality and containing costs
10. Radiologists adapt iPods for clinical use -- for free
11. DEA seeks comments on pain med question
12. Better teamwork key to maintaining patient safety
13. Preventing lawsuits: Coalition pushes apologies and cash up-front
14. Nurses Step to the Front
15. JCAHO releases draft 2006 patient safety goals for review
16. Positions Available
17. People in the News
18. News Around the State
19. MHA Education Calendar
20. Calendar of Events

1. Hospitals Making Strides in Medication Safety Practices  
   America’s hospitals are making important improvements in the crucial area of medication safety practices according to recently released data from a survey developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). Results from the ISMP’s 2004 Medication Safety Self Assessment show significant advances in many safety practices, when compared to the initial assessment, which was completed in 2000.
   The self assessments, conducted by ISMP in partnership with the Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) through a grant by the Commonwealth Fund, allow U.S. hospitals to gauge their use of nearly 200 practices that most significantly influence safe medication use and compare their current systems and practices to similar hospitals nationwide. More than 1,600 hospitals participated in the 2004 assessment, many of which were able to chart their progress over the last four years by comparing results with their responses to the 2000 survey.
   The largest changes in medication safety have occurred in the areas of quality processes and risk management, drug order communication, staff education, and patient education.
Quality Processes and Risk Management
   Comparison of 2000 and 2004 data reveals a 43 percent increase in non-punitive, system-based approaches to error reduction, including providing positive incentives for error reporting and incorporating specific medication safety objectives in strategic plans. Preliminary data in this area also shows a 29 percent increase from 2000 scores in practitioners’ ability to detect, report, and analyze errors, and in the use of redundancies and independent double-checks to detect and correct serious errors before they reach patients.
Methods of Communicating Drug Orders
    Methods of communicating drug orders is another area of significant improvement when compared to the 2000 self assessment. The 2004 self assessment results show a 30 percent increase in implementation of standardized automated methods of communication, including linking computer systems with pharmacies, establishing lists of error-prone drug abbreviations, and following specific policies for verbal or telephone medication orders.
Patient Education
   There was a 23 percent increase over the last five years in the category of patient education—patients being involved as active partners in their hospital care by being provided with information about their medications and ways to prevent errors. Hospitals indicated that more patients are being encouraged to ask questions about their medications and are being provided with written, up-to-date information about critical drugs prescribed at discharge.
Other Data Highlights
   In addition, the self assessment revealed a 29 percent improvement from 2000 in efforts to minimize problems with look/sound-alike drugs. Survey items queried to what extent hospitals were regularly reviewing current medical literature to identify potential problems, implementing computer alerts for problematic drug names and using auxiliary warnings or other label enhancements.
 Preliminary comparative national data for the 2004 self assessment is now available to participating hospitals. Organizations that submitted data can access preliminary reports online through www.ismp.org with the same secure password they used during the submission process. An article with complete survey findings will be submitted for publication in 2005.
   To receive daily updates on patient safety issues, join the Patient Safety & Quality Community at MyMHA.

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2. Medicare Carriers Now Must Have Carrier CSR Programs    
   As of Jan. 1, Medicare carriers must have in place a “provider customer service program” designed to give the best answers to the questions that come their way. Congress included the mandate in its 2003 Medicare reform measure after the medical community complained that program participants too often were having a tough time getting quick, accurate information from contractors.
   The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services states in a September 2004 instruction manual explaining the new requirements that carriers now must have an automated voice response system set up on their telephone lines that allows providers to check on the status of a claim, determine eligibility for a patient or obtain definitions for certain types of codes.
   For more difficult issues, carriers must establish a triage system that quickly routes inquiries to staffers who will be able to give an accurate answer. The more complex questions about Medicare coverage, coding and payment will be directed to specialists who have advanced training in program policy.
   CMS is also requiring carriers to provide special education and outreach to groups with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees. In addition, firms must hold quarterly “Ask the Contractor” teleconferences designed to share vital program information and to receive feedback from Medicare participants.
   But the new customer service programs should not be used in place of educated coding staff. The instructions also state: “Contractors shall educate providers that the [carrier staff members are] not an extension of or a replacement for billing staff. The straightforward pure coding questions should be answered with referrals to the correct organizations, such as the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Assn.’s Coding Clinic.”
   The Government Accountability Office reported last August that roughly 96% of telephone inquiries on Medicare billing policy to carrier call centers received incomplete or inaccurate responses.
   The Mississippi Hospital Association is offering a number of coding workshops for our members this year. To receive a complete calendar with all coding workshop dates listed, contact Judith Forshee, MHA director of education, at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3216 or jforshee@mhanet.org.
   To receive daily updates on Medicare issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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3. CMS to Sponsor Free Teleconferences on HIPAA Security Rule
   The Southern Healthcare Administrative Regional Process, a public-private partnership working to help health care providers in 12 southern states comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's administrative simplification provisions, will present free teleconferences  on the HIPAA security rule on Feb. 9 and 23.
   The Feb. 9 event will focus on contingency planning and what to include in a contingency plan. The Feb. 23 event will focus on documentation, and identify policies, procedures and plans outlined in the security rule. For more information, visit www.sharpworkgroup.com. (Slides from a Jan. 26 teleconference on the rule’s physical security procedures are also available on the Web site.)
   To receive daily updates on compliance issues, join the ComplianceCommunity at MyMHA.

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4. House moves to fund Medicaid through March
   The Mississippi House on Feb. 4 set aside $49.6 million to fund Medicaid through March and plans another $55 million through fee increases for the next fiscal year.
   Fees in various state departments could be increased or established to trim a $268 million Medicaid shortfall this year. The bills still need approval from the Senate and Gov. Haley Barbour.
   The federal-state health insurance program also requested more than $600,000 next year.
   To receive daily updates on Medicaid issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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5. Fewer flu cases in state so far this year
   With about six weeks of flu season left, the Mississippi State Department of Health confirmed 22 cases of flu in Mississippi as of Jan. 22. Numbers have held steady but are lower in 2005 than in the same period in 2003 and 2004.

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6. JCAHO seeks input on proposed medical abbreviation strategies
   The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is asking hospitals and other health care organizations to complete an online review of potential JCAHO strategies for reducing errors involving medical abbreviations. The review questionnaire seeks feedback on the usefulness of a “universal list” of prohibited abbreviations, acronyms and symbols; the types of settings and documents to which they should apply; any exemptions that should be provided; and possible implementation strategies. The proposals are based on recommendations from participants at a recent national summit on medical abbreviations convened by JCAHO and eight other organizations, including the AHA. JCAHO plans to use the feedback to refine the recommendations, and then seek endorsements from summit participants following review by JCAHO’s Board of Commissioners.
   To receive daily updates on JCAHO issues, join the Accreditation Community at MyMHA.

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7. HRET, partners launch Cultural Competence Leadership Fellowship
   The Health Research & Educational Trust on Feb. 1 announced a new Cultural Competence Leadership Fellowship to help health care leaders improve competencies and skills in this increasingly important area for health care organizations. The Institute for Diversity in Health Management, National Center for Healthcare Leadership, and AHA’s Health Forum are partners in the program. For more information and applications, visit www.hret.org. HRET is an AHA affiliate. AHA is a founder of the Institute for Diversity in Health Management.

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8. Caring for obese patients a growing challenge for hospitals, study finds
   More than six in 10 hospitals responding toa survey by supply services company Novation reported an increase in admissions of severely obese patients in 2004. Caring for patients who are more than 100 pounds overweight can cost individual hospitals up to $200,000 annually for special equipment, supplies, staff training and the like, according to the survey of hospital materials management and surgical services directors. Among the supplies and equipment most commonly purchased to accommodate larger patients were furniture, lift and transfer equipment, surgical supplies, wheelchairs and beds.

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9. Healthcare leaders see IT, disease management as keys to improving quality and containing costs
   Top executives in the healthcare industry believe greater use of information technology (IT), practice guidelines and patient safety measures, as well as implementation of disease management programs are key to improving quality and containing costs of healthcare in the U.S., according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive® among registrants for the 2nd annual World Health Care Congress.
   Read the news release from Harris Interactive here.
   To receive daily updates on IT issues, join the Information Technology Community at MyMHA.

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10. Radiologists adapt iPods for clinical use -- for free
   Two physicians developed open-source software enabling doctors to download and store medical images on portable music players. For the full story from AMA Medical News, click here. 

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11. DEA seeks comments on pain med question
   The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is preparing a document that will address its role as defined by the Controlled Substances Act. The DEA has invited comments on the document.

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12. Better teamwork key to maintaining patient safety
   Recognizing that the increasing complexity of medicine brings with it a host of new hazards for patients, representatives from 27 health care organizations met in Washington, D.C., to come up with a plan to do something about it. For the full story, click here. 
   To receive daily updates on patient safety issues, join the Patient Safety & Quality Community at MyMHA.

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13. Preventing lawsuits: Coalition pushes apologies and cash up-front
   A new coalition of patients, attorneys, doctors and hospital administrators across the nation has an idea to keep liability costs and medical errors down at the same time. For the full story, click here. 

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14. Nurses Step to the Front
   In hamlets and high-tech hospitals, nurses are taking on bigger roles. For the full story from U.S. News, click here.

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15. JCAHO releases draft 2006 patient safety goals for review
   The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations last week released for review a list of draft goals and “requirements” from which its 2006 national patient safety goals will be chosen. JCAHO introduced the goals and suggested steps for meeting them in 2003, and reviews and updates them annually based on recommendations from its Sentinel Event Advisory Group, which includes patient safety experts, nurses, physicians and other health care professionals. For hospitals, the group proposes some new goals for 2006 as well as adopting some goals from other accreditation programs. Comments are due by Feb. 25. For more, see the JCAHO press release.
   To receive daily updates on JCAHO issues, join the Accreditation Community at MyMHA.

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16. Positions Available
   North Mississippi State Hospital is currently accepting applications for registered nurses for the Tupelo campus and the Crisis Intervention Centers in Corinth and Batesville. Must be licensed in the state of MS. For an application or information, call (662) 690-4200.
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   Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital is seeking a purchasing director. Must have two years of college or purchasing experience. You may apply at the hospital in Winona or fax your resume to (662) 283-4640.
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   Mississippi State Hospital is seeking a qualified professional to lead the Public Relations Department. Must have experience in PR, fund-raising and event planning. A master’s degree and six years of experience or a bachelor’s degree and seven years of experience are required. E-mail or fax resumes to Kay Harrell, Personnel Dept., at harresk@msh.state.ms.us or (601) 351-8222.
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   South Mississippi State Hospital is accepting applications for a social worker (must have LMSW and 3-5 yrs experience) and an RN for inpatient care in a psychiatric setting (openings for night position in Purvis and evening position in Laurel). Fax resumes to (601) 794-0210.
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   St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital has an immediate opening for a B-Mechanic, full time at 32 hours per week with benefits. Two years of hospital experience or trade school certification required. Position may be upgraded to 40 hours in the future. For more information, contact Stephen Chamblee at (601) 200-6990 or schamblee@stdom.com.
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   Forrest General Hospital is seeking candidates for the following positions: respiratory therapist, physical therapist, reimbursement supervisor, pharmacist and medical transcriber. Interested candidates can print an application from www.forrestgeneral.com and mail to address on application or fax to (601) 288-1201. Candidates may also apply in person at the Human Resources Office. For more information, contact Erecka Magee at (601) 288-1205 or emagee@forrestgeneral.com.
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   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.
   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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17. People in the News
   Jerry Clark has been named director of student affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Clark earned his bachelor’s degree at McNeese State University and his master’s at LeTourneau University. He’s working on his doctorate at the University of Mississippi. His study focus is student affairs administration. He joined UMC in 1997 as student union director. He is also an adjunct instructor in the School of Business at Belhaven College in Jackson.
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   Dr. David J. Dzielak has assumed the new title of associate vice chancellor for strategic research alliances at UMC. Previously, he served as associate vice chancellor of research. Dzielak will work with congressional delegation to secure federal appropriations for research projects, renovations and expansions. He will also continue to work with industry in getting products developed here on the commercial market, on economic development initiatives in which UMC is involved and on collaborative areas with the Office of Research. Dzielak received his Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology at UMC in 1981. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in physiology and biophysics at UMC in 1983 and joined the faculty in 1987.
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   Dr. John E. Hall, Arthur C. Guyton Professor of Physiology and Biophysics and chair of the department, has succeeded Dr. Dzielak as associate vice chancellor for research. He’ll also continue to chair physiology and biophysics. Hall earned a Ph.D. in physiology at Michigan State. He came to UMC in 1974 as an NIH postdoctoral fellow in physiology and biophysics and joined the faculty in 1976 as an instructor in the department. He became department chairman in 1989.
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   Marilyn Bowman, an admissions clerk in the Health Information Management Department at Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula, was recently named Non-Nursing Caregiver of the Quarter. She has been with SRH since 1993.
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   Peggy Kresse, RN, in Maternal Child Health/Post Partum at Singing River Hospital, was recently named the Nursing Caregiver of the Quarter. She holds an associate’s degree in nursing from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 1997. She began working with the hospital while in nursing school as a nurse tech.
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   Imogene Turner has been selected Singing River Hospital’s Auxilian of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2005. She has been a member of the Auxiliary for almost 30 years. She has lived in Moss Point for almost 35 years.
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   Rosie Griffin, a PSI Tech in the Health Information Management Department at Ocean Springs Hospital in Ocean Springs, has been named the Employee of the Month for January. She was born at Singing River Hospital and grew up at Moss Point. She has been with the hospital since 2002. She began as a file clerk and was promoted to her current position shortly after.  
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   Rita Sykes, a psychologist at North Mississippi State Hospital, was recently elected Employee of th Quarter by her peers. She received a certificate and $25 for the honor. She will also have her own parking space for the quarter and her name will be added to the plaque in the NMSH lobby.
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   Wail Alnas, MD, has joined the medical staff of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus. Dr. Alnas, who is board certified in hematology and oncology, recently joined the Baptist Cancer Center as a staff physician. He completed his internal medicine residency in Buffalo, NY, and went on to complete requirements for his fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Chicago Medical School and Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago.
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   Marc Taylor, who supervises the marketing of employee recruitment and Corporate Health Services and Rehabilitation product lines at Mississipi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, was recently named to the Mississippi Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40. A native of Bruce, Taylor is a graduate of Delta State University, where he earned a sports management degree. In 2003, the American Lung Association named Taylor their Volunteer of the Year for his involvement in Camp Wheez-Away and his committee work for the "Blow the Whistle on Asthma" Walk. Taylor helped establish the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and serves as an advisory board member.
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   Rev. Dr. Ron Richardson, a chaplain at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, retired recently after more than 28 years of service. Richardson, a Delta native, came to Tupelo as a hospital chaplain in 1976 after seminary and specialized training. The hospital held a retirement ceremony in his honor.

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18. News Around the State
   Rush Foundation Hospital recently celebrated its 90th anniversary. The hospital was founded in 1915 by Dr. and Mrs. Jesse Hackley (J. H.) Rush. In 1947, the hospital became a non-profit institution. In celebration, Rush had a number of events planned including the unveiling of  a logo/marketing campaign, Catherine Hovious Achievement Award, Business After Hours at Rush Imaging Center, a Nurse Alumni meeting, a fundraiser for the Benevolent Fund and more. 
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   The King’s Daughters Medical Center Gift Shoppe in Brookhaven, operated by the Auxiliary, recently celebrated its first anniversary. In its first year of operation, the gift shop has given the hospital $15,500 from profits.
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   Singing River Hospital began renovations on the main entrance to the hospital on Jan. 31. Visitors and patients will use the Patient Admissions Entrance (next to the Emergency Department) until work is complete. The new entrance will be larger, more inviting and provide more natural light for patients and guests. It will also serve as the entrance way for Women’s and Children’s Services.
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   The Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, a new 20-bed inpatient unit at Singing River Hospital, prepares its patients to return to independence through an intense training, or re-training, period before going home from the hospital. Greg Shoemaker serves as program director. The unit provides rehabilitative nursing and occupational, physical and speech therapy in one convenient location for patients.
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   Johnson & Johnson awarded a $10,000 grant to Mississippi State Hospital’s Community Services Division and the Mississippi Arts Commission to create a hardback, coffee-table style book that will feature the writings and artwork of Mississippi’s homeless mentally ill. Proceeds from the book will benefit MSH’s Stubbs Homeless Program. The book will also be used as an educational tool for the general public on issues of homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse. The book is expected to be completed at the end of the year. For more information, call (601) 351-8018.
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   Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville, in conjunction with the Prentiss County Extension Services and Northeast Community College, recently began a free 12-week educational program for those in their community that would like to make lifestyle changes in eating and exercise habits. The program, It's My Health...One Step at a Time, kicked off on Jan. 31. It is based on the Weigh Down West Point program. Program objectives are to become aware of factors that influence eating habits and contribute to unhealthy lifestyles; practice eating well-balanced meals and form good eating habits; learn the value of regular exercise for improved health; avoid consequences of disease or conditions related to unhealthy lifestyles; support others in the process of learning healthy habits; and how to get back on track after straying from goals.

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19. MHA Education Calendar

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20. Calendar of Events

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