March 21, 2005

MHA NewsWeekly Electronic Edition
March 21, 2005

Quote of the Week
“The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become.”
~ Ben Herbert

In this week's edition...
1. HospitalCompare Launch Set for April 1
2. MHA Hosting Case Management Workshop on March 30-31
3. Free One-Hour Webcast on HIPAA Security
4. CMS Teleconference on HIPAA Security Rule
5. Medicare Announces Coverage Decisions
6. Medicare to cover carotid stenting for certain patients
7. CMS announces EMTALA TAG
8. MedPAC testifies on recommendations for imaging services
9. Positions Available
10. People in the News
11. News Around the State
12. MHA Education Calendar
13. Calendar of Events

1. HospitalCompare Launch Set for April 1 
   On April 1, Medicare is launching HospitalCompare, which will provide hospital-specific quality data to consumers for 17 measures of heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia care. The site also features in layman’s terms a brief description of each measure and its importance in providing care. MHA is reminding our member hospitals to review the data and be prepared for press questions after the launch. Over 4,000 U.S. acute care hospitals reported on quality of care provided in the first quarter of 2004, using the 10 measure “starter set” of the Hospital Quality Alliance.
   The launch of this Web site, taking place in Chapel Hill, NC, during a national conference for health care reporters, is expected to attract the media. While the Mississippi Hospital Association can provide basic information about what the measures are, why they are important and what consumers can do with the information, we would expect that those reporters may turn to individual hospitals to more fully understand the implications of the information for care in your communities.
   To help prepare you for such questions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the other Hospital Quality Alliance partners, hosted a satellite/Web conference on March 10. This conference provided hospitals and others with an opportunity to preview the Hospital Compare Web site, describe the plan for the national rollout and allowed questions. The program also had a live Webcast and is available for viewing up to six months following March 10 at http://cms.internetstreaming.com.
   MHA is partnering with Information and Quality Healthcare (IQH), our state’s quality improvement organization (QIO), to launch MShospitalqualityalliance.com on April 1 in conjunction with the national roll-out. The Web site will lead consumers to the national HospitalCompare Web site, but will also serve as a learning resource for consumers who want to know more about quality measures and what they mean in health care. The Web site will serve as a permanent location for MHA to help our hospitals explain quality measures to consumers.
   If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Marcella McKay, Ph.D., at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3220 or mmckay@mhanet.org.
   To receive daily updates on quality issues, join the Patient Safety/Quality Community at MyMHA.

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2. MHA Hosting Case Management Workshop on March 30-31       
   The Mississippi Hospital Association will host Case Management: An Essential Component for Health Care Excellence, a two-day program, on March 30-31 at the MHA Conference Center in Jackson. This course is designed for case managers, utilization managers, social workers, nurse managers, quality/performance improvement professionals, chief nursing officers and front-line nursing staff responsible for case management.
   The course will detail the required case management functions: clinical care management, utilization management, clinical resource management, discharge planning and outcomes management. At the end of each session, participants will assess the effectiveness of their hospital’s case management practices and devise and establish a work plan to improve current processes. Linda Easterly, MS, BSN, is the speaker.
   The course will begin at 9 a.m. each morning and adjourn at 4 p.m. MHA will award 10.75 hours of continuing education credit. Nursing and social work hours have been applied for. For more information or to register, contact Stacy Bishop at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3221 or sbishop@mhanet.org.

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3. Free One-Hour Webcast on HIPAA Security
   Business Communications, Inc. (BCI), an MHA Solutions Endorsed Company, through their partnership with Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA), one of the largest management software companies, has made a free one hour webcast on HIPAA security available to all MHA member hospitals. The webcast is scheduled for March 31, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. CST.
   If you are working to understand contingency planning solutions for addressing HIPAA security gaps in your organization, this webcast may save you days of effort and identify ways to optimize your budget and resources. The issues covered in this program include:
• Identify all components of the required contingency plan and understand how they relate to each other.
• Examine how to conduct a Business Impact Analysis - the first step in developing your contingency plan.
• Examine the NIST classifications of threats, the classification of information categories and the types of backup sites and other solution options that your organization can consider for disaster recovery purposes.
   To register for this free webcast go to www3.ca.com/events/ and click on Webcast on the lefthand side and then choose Webcast: Contingency Planning: Meeting HIPAA Security Rule Requirements.The American Hospital Association has provided CA with an exclusive endorsement for technologies to enable compliance efforts with HIPAA Security requirements.
   To receive daily updates on HIPAA issues, join the Compliance Community at MyMHA.

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4. CMS Teleconference on HIPAA Security Rule
   The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a National HIPAA Security Roundtable conference call on April 13 at 2 p.m. EST. The agenda is not yet available, but will be posted in the future at the CMS Web site. The dial-in number for the call will be (877) 203-0044 and the call ID number 4587639. For more information, click here.
   To receive daily updates on HIPAA issues, join the Compliance Community at MyMHA.

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5. Medicare Announces Coverage Decisions
   The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week announced a decision to expand Medicare coverage of a treatment for a rare blood disorder to include certain beneficiaries aged 64 and older. Autologous stem cell transplantation (AuSCT) is used to treat amyloid light chain (AL) Amyloidosis, a rare blood disorder that results in extensive organ system impairment. After analyzing the medical and scientific evidence and considering the recommendations of professional societies and other experts in the field, CMS said it determined that AuSCT can provide a health benefit for Medicare beneficiaries of any age with primary AL Amyloidosis. CMS also announced a decision to extend Medicare coverage of the drug abarelix for the treatment of prostate cancer.
   To receive daily updates on Medicare issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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6. Medicare to cover carotid stenting for certain patients
   The CMS expanded coverage of carotid artery stenting for patients at high risk of stroke and at high risk of complications during surgery. The decision is effective immediately but limited to hospitals and providers that the CMS has determined to be competent at performing the procedure. Previously, Medicare covered carotid artery stenting in clinical trials prior to Food and Drug Administration approval and later in FDA-required post-approval studies. Guidant Corp., which is in the midst of regulatory approvals to be acquired by Johnson & Johnson, is the only company with an FDA-approved carotid stent. During carotid-artery surgery, the surgeon removes fatty deposits from the two carotid arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. In a less invasive procedure, a catheter is used to place a stent to widen the diseased artery. CMS coverage decisions are available here.
   To receive daily updates on Medicare issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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7. CMS announces EMTALA TAG
   The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the appointment of a new technical advisory group (TAG) that will review regulations affecting hospital and physician responsibilities under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to individuals who come to the hospital seeking treatment for a medical condition. The TAG, which was required by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), is charged with helping CMS develop rules that will protect individual rights while minimizing unnecessary burdens on health care providers.
   EMTALA, which was enacted by Congress in 1986, requires hospitals with emergency rooms to provide an appropriate medical screening when a person comes to the hospital and requests treatment for a medical condition. If an emergency medical condition is detected, the hospital must either stabilize the individual or transfer him or her to another facility. The law specifically extends its protection to women who come to the hospital in labor.
   The advisory group, which will meet at least twice a year, consists of 19 members as specified in the MMA. Included among the 19 are the Administrator of CMS, the agency that has primary responsibility for investigating EMTALA complaints, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General (OIG), which is authorized to impose sanctions on violators. The other 17 members have been appointed by the HHS Secretary from nominations submitted by interested groups and individuals.
   The MMA requires that four members be representatives of hospitals, at least one of which must be a public hospital, and that seven members be practicing physicians drawn from the fields of emergency medicine, cardiology or cardio-thoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry. In addition, the TAG must have two patient representatives, two CMS regional office staff who have been involved with EMTALA investigations, one state survey agency representative, and one representative from a Quality Improvement Organization which is responsible for reviewing
EMTALA cases involving questions of medical judgment. The TAG will hold its first meeting on March 30-31, 2005.
   More details will be published in a notice in the March 15 Federal Register. For more information, click here. To view the press release in full (including the roster of TAG members), click here.
   To receive daily updates on EMTALA issues, join the Compliance Community at MyMHA.

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8. MedPAC testifies on recommendations for imaging services
   The House Ways and Means Committee March 17 held a hearing to review the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's recommendations for improving quality and reducing inappropriate use of imaging services in doctors' offices. Testifying before the panel, MedPAC Executive Director Mark Miller pointed to dramatic growth in use and costs of imaging services paid under Medicare's physician fee schedule, with no subsequent improvement in patient outcomes, as well as studies identifying quality deficiencies such as outdated equipment in physician offices, which, unlike hospitals, are not subject to national standards for imaging. Based on those findings, Miller told the congressional panel, MedPAC has called for national standards for all providers who bill Medicare for diagnostic imaging, and measures to track fee-for-service physicians' use of imaging services.
   The commission also has urged a tightening of self-referral law to include nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography procedures and to restrict physicians' investment in imaging centers, he said. Commenting on the hearing, Ellen Pryga, AHA director of public policy development, said MedPAC's recommendations are "consistent with the AHA's general position in support of comparable standards for comparable services across all delivery sites in the interest of ensuring patient safety." To view a transcript of the hearing, click here.
   To receive daily updates on Medicare issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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9. Positions Available
   Mississippi State Hospital is seeking a director of nursing for Jaquith Nursing Home. Must possess a valid RN license in Mississippi. Resumes may be faxed to Kay Harrell at (601) 351-8222.
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   Baptist Health Systems is seeking a media/librarian support coordinator. Bachelor’s degree required. For more information or to apply, contact Kristine Whitfield at (800) 844-1084, (601) 968-5138 or kwhitfield@mbhs.org.
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   South Mississippi State Hospital is seeking a director of pharmacy. Must have three years of experience as a registered pharmacist and be licensed to practice and dispense controlled substances in Mississippi. For more information, call (601) 794-0122 or fax resumes to (601) 794-0210.
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   Jaquith Nursing Home located in Whitfield is seeking a marketing coordinator. Master’s degree and four years of experience or bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in marketing, public relations or a related field is required. E-mail or fax resumes to Kay Harrell, Personnel Department, Mississippi State Hospital, harresk@msh.state.ms.us, fax (601) 351-8222.
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   Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg is seeking candidates for the following positions: respiratory therapist, physical therapist, reimbursement supervisor, pharmacist, MRI tech and ultrasound tech. Interested candidates can print an application from www.forrestgeneral.com and fax to (601) 288-1201. For more information, contact Erecka Magee at (601) 288-1205 or emagee@forrestgeneral.com.
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   Healthcare Administrator - must possess a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration or a related field along with five years administrative experience. For more information contact Jeffrey Erickson, Personnel Director, at (601) 824-1692 or fax resumes to (601) 824-1687.
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   Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle is currently accepting applications for: physician services coordinator (must have a BS degree and communication and public relations skills); pharmacist (BS in Pharmacy or PharmD and MS license required); physical therapist assistant (must have associate’s degree and MS license); medical physicist (must have master’s in Physics and MS registration, a minimum of 3-5 yrs clinical experience in a Radiation Oncology Department and certification by ABR or ACMP); and a medical technologist (must have completed an approved school). For more information or to apply, contact Bobbie Robinson at (662) 244-1133, Fax (662) 244-1564 or e-mail bobbie.robinson@bmhcc.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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10. People in the News
   John Krieg has joined the Oktibbeha County Hospital Rehab Services team. He is a physical therapist and a member of the American Physical Therapy Association Acute Care, Sports and Orthopedic Sections.
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   Keena Kaiser, RN, a nurse educator and trauma program manager at Oktibbeha County Hospital in Starkville, was recently elected president of the Mississippi Hospital Association Prairie Council for the MHA Society for Healthcare Educators and the Organization of Nurse Educators. She will also serve as the board representative for Prairie Council for the MHA Organization of Nurse Executives.
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   Renee Taylor, MS, RD, BC-ADM, recently passed the certified diabetes educators re-certification exam, which is administered by the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators.
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    Sally Larson, executive assistant at Rankin Medical Center in Brandon, was recently selected as Employee of the Year. She has been with RMC for 23 years.
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   Christy Lyle, RN, a charge nurse on 2 South Peds at Rankin Medical Center, was recently given the Nursing Excellence Award. She served the hospital from 1993 till 1998 and returned in 2002.
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   Diane Smith, RN, director or surgical services at Rankin Medical, was recently named the Department Manager of the Quarter. She has been with RMC since 1999 and has been the leading recruiter of physicians to the surgery department.
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   Todd Sing has been named director of donor resources for Mississippi Blood Services in Jackson. He comes to MBS with over 12 years of sales and marketing experience. He received his bachelor’s degree and MBA from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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   Dr. Aaron Shirley, chairman of the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation and director of Mall Services LLC, has been named to a 14-member Citizens’ Health Care Working Group created by U.S. Congress to assist in addressing health care coverage and cost issues nationwide. Candidates will work on a two-year process that culminates with a Health Report to the American People along with recommendations to Congress and the President.
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   Myrtle Lee Means was recently honored for 25 years of service to Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield. She is an accounting auditor technician in the Business Services Department. .
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   North Mississippi State Hospital in Tupelo recently announced that Margaret Loden has accepted the position of utilization review nurse and Mike Owens has been promoted to Chief of Campus Police/Security.
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   Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield recently named Michael Bowen, Regina Smith and Perry Harper as the hospital’s February Employees of the Month. Bowen, a multimedia specialist in the hospital’s Communications Department, has been named Employee of the Month for Support Services. He holds a B.S. in communications from Mississippi College and has been with MSH for one year. Smith, a program administrator in the hospital’s Clinical Services Division, has been named Employee of the Month for Clinical Services. She holds a master’s degree from Jackson State University in guidance and counseling and a B.S. in educational psychology from Alcorn State University and has been with MSH for six years. Harper, a certified nursing assistant supervisor, has been named Employee of the Month for Direct Care Services. He has been with MSH for 22 years.
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   Danny Ashley has joined Mississippi State Hospital as a psychologist associate/case manager in the hospital’s Community Services Department. Ashley attended Mississippi College and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently working on his master’s degree in psychology/counseling at Mississippi College.
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   Juliette Sutters has joined Mississippi State Hospital as a social worker in the hospital’s Community Services Department. She earned her bachelor and master degrees in social work from Jackson State University.
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   A retirement reception was held in February honoring Alene Lewis for 15 years of service as a PBX operator at Marion General Hospital in Columbia. Lewis received an appreciation plaque during the reception.
   For more People in the News (with color photos), click here.

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11. News Around the State
   Forrest General Hospital’s Health Management Connection Diabetes Care Center and Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative Inc. will sponsor a community-wide education program titled Diabetes Health: A Community Affair from 8 a.m. till 3:15 p.m., Thursday, March 24 at FGH’s Center for Healthy Living. The purpose of the event is to create awareness about the dangers of diabetes and provide information on how to manage the disease.
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   Rankin Medical Center’s Senior Care Program recently received a national nomination for Best Practice Award in Clinical Innovation from Horizon Health. The hospital’s was only one of four programs recognized nationally. The innovation recognized was Snap Shot, a functional assessment and performance appraisal. Dr. Marshall Belaga serves as the program’s medical director and Christopher Cothern, LPC, LMFT, is the director of the program.
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   Tri-Lakes Medical Center in Batesville will hold a continuing medical education seminar for physicians and nurses on April 8 at noon in the hospital's education room. The speaker will be Martin Alpert, MD. His topic will be a risk-based approach to managing patients with cardiovascular disease.
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    North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo will host An Interdisciplinary Approach to Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, a continuing education for rehabilitation professionals, April 22-24. This basic to intermediate course will focus on medical and psychological issues, functional skills, therapeutic inventions and specialized equipment and technology needs of the spinal cord patient. The registration cost for the full course is $225 and registration is due by March 25. For a brochure or more information, contact Janice Hughes at (662) 377-4054 or (800) THE-DESK.
   For more News Around the State (with color photos), click here.

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12. MHA Education Calendar

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13. Calendar of Events

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