2012 CMS IPPS Proposed Rule - CAH Ambulance

In the recently released IPPS Proposed Rule, CMS is proposing to modify its regulations that allow payment for ambulance services furnished by a CAH or by an entity owned and operated by the CAH based on 101 percent of reasonable costs rather than the ambulance fee schedule to conform with language in the Medicare law and also to make provision of reasonable cost payment to an entity owned and operated by a CAH that is further than 35 miles from the CAH, if it is the closest provider or supplier of ambulance services to the CAH. For more information and to access the IPPS Proposed Rule, click here. CMS is accepting comments until June 20, 2011.

Join IHI and JAMA for the May 18 Auther in the Room Call

Wednesday May 18, 2011, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Join the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) for “Author in the Room®,” an interactive conference call aimed at closing the gap between knowledge – what is published in an article – and action – how much of this knowledge is put into practice to improve care. This interactive call will help readers consider the implications of the study results for improving their practice. To read more and access this month's article, click here.
To help launch this unique collaboration between IHI and JAMA, former IHI President and CEO Don Berwick, MD, MPP, and JAMA Editor Catherine D. DeAngelis, MD, MPH, co-authored a JAMA editorial.

There is no fee for this innovative initiative but enrollment is required. Enrollment grants you one telephone connection and unlimited participation at your site. Please note there are limited lines available for this call so early enrollment is encouraged. A free audio recording of the call will be posted to the "Archive" tab of the program web pages after the call.

Enroll now for the May 18 "Author in the Room®" call.

CMS ICD-10 Conversion Activities National Provider Teleconference - Including a Lab Case Study

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011  1:00p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a national provider teleconference on "CMS ICD-10 Conversion Activities." Subject matter experts will discuss the ICD-10 conversion process currently taking place within CMS, including a case study from the CMS Coverage and Analysis Group on their transition to ICD-10 for the lab national coverage determinations (NCDs). A question and answer session will follow the presentations.

Target Audience: Medical coders, physician office staff, provider billing staff, health records staff, vendors, educators, system maintainers and all Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) providers

The following topics will be discussed:

• ICD-10 overview
• Lab NCDs conversion process from ICD-9-CM to 1CD-10-CM
• Home health conversion
• OASIS and procedure code reporting
• Update on claims spanning the implementation date
• National ICD-10 implementation issues

Registration information: To register for this informative session, please click here
Registration will close at 1:00 p.m ET on May 17, 2011. Please register early.

Save the date: The next ICD-10 national provider teleconference will be held on Wednesday, August 3. Registration information will be posted to the CMS ICD-10 Teleconferences web page at http://www.cms.gov/ICD10/Tel10/list.asp.

Is your organization preparing for a smooth transition to ICD-10 on October 1, 2013? The CMS ICD-10 website at www.cms.gov/icd10 is a valuable resource to help you prepare for the U.S. health care industry's change from ICD-9 to ICD-10 for medical diagnosis and inpatient procedure coding. Check back frequently for the latest news, resources, compliance timelines, and teleconference information. While you are visiting the site, sign up for the CMS ICD-10 Industry Email Updates to receive the latest information on the transition and new web site content.

Impact of Determining Health Literacy Level for CHF Patients

Asking congestive heart failure patients just three simple questions can determine their health literacy level and might just keep them alive longer, according to a study by Kaiser Permanente and other researchers in Colorado. To access the HealthLeaders Media article about the study click here.

Next WIHI May 5th - Leading Across the Continuum

Thursday, May 5, 2011, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time Guest:
Maureen Bisognano, President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
If you want to lead across the continuum, you have to care across the continuum. And not just at the moment when patients happen to be in your hospital beds, or are sitting in your office practice, or are on the phone. Clinical and administrative leaders now have to also care about what they either don’t see or have learned to ignore, or assume someone else is dealing with in some other health care setting. Patients and family members usually have the complete story, if anyone bothers to listen. The challenge now is to build the system that can engage with the patient/family narrative and put it to good use.

IHI President and CEO Maureen Bisognano can’t think of anything more important than reforming health care in the US and elsewhere so it’s better integrated, better coordinated, and much, much more cost effective – across the continuum. However, what sometimes sets her apart from the rhetoric “du jour” is that she’s relentless about anchoring changes in the patient’s journey. That can sound easy, but it isn’t – even when the handwriting is on the wall with bundled or global payments, patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations (ACOs) and more – all of which, by definition, require much greater awareness of the patient experience. Leaders tend to get caught up in contractual and legal issues, certifications, revenue sharing, and what’s next with public reporting.

The good news is that Maureen views the current state as an opportunity, not a barrier, and she’s criss-crossing the country talking with frontline caregivers and leaders alike about the tremendous opportunity everyone now has to innovate and build new models of care with patients at the center. Over and over again, Maureen will say there is a connection between what patients know and what clinicians know – and when the information becomes part of a shared pool of knowledge, amazing things happen. And, she’s gathering the evidence to prove it.

WIHI host Madge Kaplan is pleased to welcome Maureen Bisognano to the program, fresh off her recognition by Modern Healthcare as one of the Top 25 Women in Healthcare for 2011. Please join us!

To enroll, please click here.

Collaboration and Federally Qualified Health Centers

Over the past two decades, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Federal agency that oversees and manages the CHC program, has emphasized the need for CHCs to improve their financial viability. HRSA provides extensive technical assistance to CHCs specifically to improve their financial viability, especially to those CHCs that experience chronic financial difficulties. HRSA understands that continuing to put scarce resources into financially fragile CHCs is not sustainable. As a result, with HRSA’s
encouragement, CHCs have been broadening their patient population base beyond the Medicare, Medicaid and self-pay patients, and increasingly compete for the commercial patient populations. In addition, CHCs are expanding their scope of service to include non-FQHC reimbursed services.

To read this full article please click here and click on the News tab. Look for the article on 'Collaboration and Federally Qualified Health Centers'

Colorado Mesa Initiative: April 29 WebWorkshop: 2011 CMS Update

Join the Mesa Initiative on Friday, April 29 from 12:00-12:45, for a WebWorkshop presented by geriatrician, Michael Wasserman, MD, and Medicare coding expert, Shelly Thomas, CPC. There is no cost for providers or practices to participate! Get up to speed and ask questions about the latest from CMS, including: New requirements for billing hospice patients effective 1/1/2011; New hospice encounter compliance requirements expected to be implemented in 2011 Q2; New home health visit conditions for payment requirements effective 1/1/2011; Billing home care certifications and recertifications; Counting 60-day episodes of certification & recertification of home health services
This workshop is open to all primary care providers who care for Colorado seniors and their office staff members. Space is limited.Reserve your WebWorkshop seat now at: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/589243446.

CMS Proposes New Rules to Improve Quality for PPS Hospitals – When Will the Rules Change for CAHs?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a proposed rule that includes several quality improvement proposals that support larger quality and safety efforts, including goals to decrease preventable complications during patient transitions and decrease readmission rates. The proposed rule would update payment policies for acute care hospitals paid under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), as well as hospitals paid under the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS). The provisions would also expand the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program with more focus on patient outcomes and experiences and establish the framework for a new quality reporting program that would apply to LTCH PPS hospitals. The proposed rule is available by clicking here. CMS is accepting comments about the proposed rule until June 20, 2011. For more information about how CRHC is focusing on these important trends through it’s own iCARE (Improving Communication and Readmission) Project, contact mm@coruralhealth.org.

HRSA Health IT and Quality Webinar:“Tips on Conducting Due Diligence for a Health IT System”

This technical assistance Webinar on April 29, 2:00-3:30 EST will provide tips and strategies for conducting Due Diligence before purchasing an electronic health record (EHR) or health information technology (IT) system/module, and explore why it pays to prioritize functionality and not price.
Presenters include:
• David Ginsberg, President, PrivaPlan Associates, Inc.
• Dan Eilliot, CIO, Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved
• Teneka Duke, Program Manager, CentrEast Regional Extension Center

The Webinar is sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Health Information Technology and Quality. Register for the Webinar at:
http://webcast.streamlogics.com/audience/index.asp?eventid=88712709

HRSA and CMS: Rural Hospitals and Partnership for Patients

Please join Dr. Mary Wakefield, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and Joe McCannon, Senior Advisor to the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other rural partners Thursday, April 28 at 3:00PM EST for a conference call to discuss how rural hospitals can become involved in Partnership for Patients, a new public-private partnership that brings together hospitals, employers, health plans, physicians, nurses, and patient advocates along with State and Federal governments in a shared effort to make hospital care safer, more reliable, and less costly. To participate, dial 877-352-5212 and enter passcode 3141862.

AHRQ's Health Care Innovations Exchange - Rural Emergency Department Care

The AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange has posted innovative approaches to address rural emergency department issues, such as innovative videoconferencing that enables specialists in academic medical centers and other settings to provide evaluations and consultations remotely to rural emergency departments. To read more about this and other innovations and how to submit your idea for innovations, visit AHRQ’s Health Care Innovations Exchange Web site by clicking here.

Important Message from Medicare

The latest versions of the "Important Message from Medicare", Form CMS-R-193, and the "Detailed Notice of Discharge", Form CMS-10066, - updated as of July 20, 2010 - are posted on the CMS website at https://www.cms.gov/BNI/12_HospitalDischargeAppealNotices.asp#TopOfPage along with the instructions. The latest version of the "Important Message from Medicare" requires hospitals to note the time of delivery. After April 1, 2011, the forms with approval dates of 05/07 will not be valid.

Health Resources and Services Administration’s Nursing Scholarship Program

HRSA's Nursing Scholarship Program application cycle is now open. The NSP awards scholarships to students enrolled or accepted for enrollment in accredited RN training programs. Scholarship recipients receive tuition, fees, other educational costs and a living stipend in exchange for at least 2 years of post graduation service at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. Visit http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/scholarships/Nursing to learn more about the program and begin the application process. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT June 1, 2011.

Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheets

New CMS Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheets are available for download or in printed form. The material includes new fact sheets on "Signature Requirements" and "Evaluation and Management Services Guide". For more information go to http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MLNCatalog.pdf.

Save the Date; Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and The Children’s Hospital Invite You to Join Us to Launch:
Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs

The Obama Administration has launched the Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs, a new public-private partnership that will help improve the quality, safety, and affordability of health care for all Americans. The Partnership for Patients brings together leaders of major hospitals, employers, physicians, nurses, and patient advocates along with state and federal governments in a shared effort to make hospitacare safer, more reliable, and less costly.
Please join HHS Regional Director Marguerite Salazar and The Children’s Hospital CEO Dr. Jim Shmerling to help launch this new initiative and learn how to become a partner in efforts to help keep patients safe, improve care, and reduce costs.

April 21st, 2011
9:30-10:30 a.m.
The Children’s Hospital (Main Lobby)
13123 East 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045

Officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
will be on hand to provide details and answer questions.
For more information please contact: Doyle Forrestal at doyle.forrestal@hhs.gov

CMS Region VIII Webinar/Teleconference

Wednesday April 27, 2011  12:00 – 1:00 PM (MDT), repeated at 4:00 – 5:00 PM (MDT)

 

Your Choice of Two Identical Sessions:

(YOU NEED ONLY TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE SESSION)

 

Target Audience: Eligible Professionals, Eligible Hospitals and CAHs in Region VIII states: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT & WY

 

Registration is not required for these events. Each session will accommodate 100 participants.

Session I

Start Time: 12:00 PM (MDT)

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar: https://webinar.cms.hhs.gov/r82436247/

Audio Conference Line: (800) 603 - 1774

Conference ID: 59666423

 

Session II

Start Time: 4:00 PM (MDT)

Duration: 1 hour

Webinar: https://webinar.cms.hhs.gov/r62618998/

Audio Conference Line: (800) 603 - 1774Conference ID: 59670312

 

 

• The presentation will cover:
• Eligibility for Incentives
• Pre-registration
• Registration
• Helpful Resources
• Q&A Session 

The presentation materials will be shared via this listserv prior to these events.

Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule - Update

Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule – Removal of Test Code G0431QW and Addition of Test Code G0434QW

CMS is updating the status of the following two codes on the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS), effective April 1, 2011:

• HCPCS code G0431QW is deleted from the CLFS. HCPCS code G0431 describes a high-complexity test and should not be reported with a QW modifier (QW modifier indicates a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1998 (CLIA)-waived test).
• HCPCS code G0434QW is added to the CLFS. HCPCS code G0434 can describe a CLIA waived test. The use of the QW modifier to indicate a CLIA-waived test is necessary for accurate claims processing.
• HCPCS codes G0431 and G0434 will remain on the CLFS.

TrailBlazer Update - Part A

April 11, 2011
TrailBlazer Health Enterprises® is issuing this listserv to notify the Part A community of important updates concerning all Part A services.
 
New: Problem/Issue Description
Reason Codes 11701 or 11801 – Certain claims are editing with reason codes 11701 or 11801, which is causing affected claims to incorrectly Return to Provider (RTP). This is affecting Direct Data Entry (DDE) and hardcopy claims. CMS has instructed FISS to inactivate reason codes 11701 and 11801 until a system correction is installed into production May 9, 2011. This will allow claims entry and correction of RTP claims.


Updated: Problem/Issue Description
Reason Code 31742 – Claims editing with reason code 31742 and dates of service that span December 2010 and January 2011 are editing correctly and are being RTP for correction.

Update:
Claims editing with reason code 31742 when the “through” date of service is January 1, 2011, are editing incorrectly. A system correction was implemented in the April 2011 system release. The system release corrected part of the issue; however, SNF and swing bed claims billed with the default Health Insurance Prospective Payment System (HIPPS) code AAA00 (no-pay bills) are continuing to edit incorrectly. Affected claims are suspending in location SMFPL3. Providers will be advised when a resolution is implemented.

5 Days Left Until the 2011 Annual Forum!!!!

It's not too late to register for our annual event!!!
The Forum is a two-day conference that will bring together participants from all over Colorado and the surrounding states. It serves as an essential educational, training, and networking event for all safety net clinics, members of the clinic team, and other interested parties.

The Colorado Rural Health Center and ClinicNET have partnered to present this event. For more information and to register please click here.

The Power to Detect and Improve: Revisiting the IHI Global

Thursday, April 14, 2011 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time

• David C. Classen, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Utah; Active Consultant in Infectious Diseases, University of Utah School of Medicine; Senior Partner, CSC
• Roger K. Resar, MD, Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Andrea Kabcenell, RN, MPH, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Kathleen M. Haig, RN, Corporate Patient Safety Officer, OSF Health Care System

 It’s safe to say that reducing harm is a priority at virtually every health care delivery organization today in the US. Few health care leaders waste time anymore defending high rates of hospital-acquired infections or medication errors. Progress is also notable in this country and other nations similarly focused on improvement, when it comes to declines in infections associated with central lines, ventilators, and resistant bacteria, and reductions in events such as preventable patient falls.

That’s the good news. The mixed news is that when independent researchers dig deep into patient charts and look for signs (or triggers) of adverse events using the IHI Global Trigger Tool (GTT) or something approximate — conducting reviews over a month, several months, even several years — they’re finding higher rates of harm than even the most committed improvers realize exist, especially if they’ve been relying on other, common detection methodologies.  

The article’s two leading authors, David Classen and Roger Resar, would like to help everyone make better sense of the mounting evidence that points to the power of the IHI GTT as a measurement and detection tool. WIHI host Madge Kaplan welcomes the two to the next program, along with IHI Vice President Andrea Kabcenell and Kathleen Haig of OSF St. Francis Medical Center.

Drawing on our guests’ expertise, the goal of this timely WIHI is to explain why overall rates of adverse events haven’t been as affected by improvement strategies as many would have expected; how use of the IHI GTT can deepen understanding of where problems persist; what improvement strategies may best address areas in need of attention; and how it’s possible to work successfully with the GTT as part of an overall patient safety and harm reduction strategy — just ask OSF, which has seen marked improvement across their system and raised awareness with help from the regular, routine use of the GTT at seven hospitals.

We know everyone is working hard on multiple fronts to improve quality and safety. If efforts can become more targeted and effective, based on more robust detection methodologies, that’s a good thing. And, that’s why we look forward to all your questions and committed participation on this next WIHI!

To enroll, please click here.

About WIHI

WIHI is an exciting "talk show" program from IHI, connecting you to the cutting edge of health care improvement. It’s free, it’s timely, and it’s designed to help dedicated legions of health care improvers worldwide keep up with some of the freshest and most robust thinking and strategies for improving patient care. A 60-minute program is offered live every other week, or you can listen to recordings of the broadcast later at your convenience. WIHI is your opportunity to meet up with colleagues who want to improve patient care and shape a true health reform agenda.

Guests:

Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule

Removal of Test Code G0431QW and Addition of Test Code G0434QW

CMS is updating the status of the following two codes on the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS), effective April 1, 2011:

• HCPCS code G0431QW is deleted from the CLFS. HCPCS code G0431 describes a high-complexity test and should not be reported with a QW modifier (QW modifier indicates a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1998 (CLIA)-waived test).

•  HCPCS code G0434QW is added to the CLFS. HCPCS code G0434 can describe a CLIA waived test. The use of the QW modifier to indicate a CLIA-waived test is necessary for accurate claims processing.

• HCPCS codes G0431 and G0434 will remain on the CLFS.

(CMS Learn Resource 201104-18, dated April 7, 2011, and Joint Signature Memorandum (JSM) 11259, dated March 30, 2011)

ALERT!!!

All Colorado Physician Licenses are due for renewal on MAY 31, 2011. Renewal information can be found  hereDORA will be mailing reminder cards to the address currently listed in Physician’s Profile.

IHI Open School: New Patient Safety Course Added

The IHI Open School for Health Professions now offers 14 online courses for a total of 18.75 contact hours for nurses, physicians, and pharmacists - including a new patient safety course called PS 106: Introduction to the Culture of Safety. With courses in quality improvement, leadership, and patient safety, the IHI Open School offers you an easy and affordable way to expand your health care improvement skills. For more information, click here.

PEPPER Training for CAHs

April 28, 2011, 1:00PM CST
Preparation to Receive Free Comparative Data Reports
Beginning in April 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will make available free hospital-specific comparative data reports for CAHs. The Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) provides hospital-specific data statistics for Medicare discharges at risk for improper payments, which hospitals can use to support internal auditing and monitoring activities. PEPPER compares a CAH’s Medicare billing practices with other CAHs by state, MAC or FI jurisdiction, and the nation. PEPPER will be distributed electronically to CAH QualityNet Administrators and those who have basic user accounts with the PEPPER Recipient role on or about Apr 25, via a My QualityNet secure file exchange. Additional information about downloading PEPPER from My QualityNet if you click here. TMF will conduct a web-based training session for CAH staff providing information on PEPPER and how to use it on Thu Apr 28 at 1 pm CT. To register for the training, visit here. For more information, including the PEPPER distribution schedule, a sample PEPPER for CAHs and information about QualityNet accounts, visit the PEPPER website.

Final Reminder! Time Is Running Out – Have You Responded to the MCPSS?

Do you have any feedback, positive or constructive, to give CMS about your experiences with Medicare? Don’t miss your chance to provide feedback!

Your opportunity to participate in the 2011 Medicare Contractor Provider Satisfaction Survey (MCPSS) is quickly coming to an end and CMS still needs your feedback. If you have already responded to the 2011 MCPSS, thank you. If you have not, don’t pass up this opportunity to let your voice be heard.

If you, your office or facility received notification from CMS that you were randomly selected to participate in the 2011 MCPSS, this is your last chance to respond before the survey closes. Your feedback is very important. The MCPSS is the perfect opportunity to tell CMS about your satisfaction with the processing and payment of Medicare services.

Completion of the survey should only take a few minutes and can be done by yourself or your designee by following the instructions in the survey invitation. If you do not have your invitation letter, please contact the MCPSS Provider Helpline at (800) 654-1431 or via e-mail at mcpss@scimetrika.com for assistance.

CMS will not provide information that identifies you, your practice or facility to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

Note: Only providers and suppliers who were randomly selected and notified can participate in the 2011 MCPSS.

For more information about the MCPSS, please visit the CMS MCPSS Web page .

(CMS Learn Resource 201104-15)

CMS Medicare Learning Network: Mental Health Services Booklet

A new publication titled “Mental Health Services” is now available in downloadable format from the Medicare Learning Network^® please click here.  This booklet is designed to provide education on mental health services, including covered mental health services, mental health services that are not covered, mental health professionals, outpatient psychiatric hospital services, and inpatient psychiatric hospital services.

Expense-Paid Training Opportunity for Social Workers, Nurses and Pharmacists

Training Opportunity on Oral Chemotherapy Adherence

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) and the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) are pleased to host a Train-the-Trainer conference on cancer oral medication adherence at the NASW National Office in Washington, DC on Wednesday June 15, 2011. This one-day conference will provide attendees with the knowledge and skills necessary to train their colleagues in promoting adherence to cancer oral medication among patients and their family members. 30 people will be selected to participate in this one-day training, which will be led by social work, nursing and pharmacy professionals. Preference will be given to team applications. Expenses related to the conference (travel, lodging and meals) will be covered by NASW. In the 12 months following the conference, each attendee will be required to train at least 20 of his/her professional peers. Applications Due: Monday, April 25th .  Click here to download the application materials.

Kaiser IHI Travel Support Program

Through a generous grant from Kaiser Permanente, CRHC is pleased to offer funding to help clinic leaders attend Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) conferences and seminars. IHI, world-renowned for their work to improve healthcare and patient safety, helps accelerate improvement by cultivating concepts for improving patient care, and helping health care facilities put those ideas into action. For more information about the Kaiser IHI Travel Support Program, contact jd@coruralhealth.org.

The Version 5010 Transaction Standards Deadline Is Approaching. Are You Ready?

There are less than 10 months until all HIPAA-covered entities need to transition from Version 4010/4010A1 to Version 5010 electronic transaction standards. With the January 1, 2012, deadline quickly approaching, have you taken the necessary steps to get ready?

Unlike the current Version 4010/4010A1, Version 5010 accommodates the ICD-10 codes and must be in place first before the changeover to ICD-10 on October 1, 2013. Version 5010 has the ability to tell your practice management or other system that you are using an ICD-10 versus an ICD-9 code.

A key step in preparing your office for this upgrade is testing transactions in the new Version 5010 format. If you have not already done so, you should begin external Version 5010 testing now.

Testing transactions using Version 5010 standards will assure that you are able to send and receive compliant transactions effectively. Testing will also allow you to identify any potential issues and address them in advance of the January 1, 2012, compliance date.

Keep Up to Date on Version 5010 and ICD-10.

CMS has resources to help you prepare. Visit here and click on "Version 5010."

An Update from the Colorado Colorectal Screening Program

Dear Program Partners:

We hope you are all enjoying the beginning of spring as we approach the end of this year of the screening program. We are progressing well towards meeting our screening target, with over 12,500 colonoscopies provided by the Program since its inception in 2006. We are grateful for all of the strong partnerships and for all of the hard work.

We also want to briefly update you about our competing application for the Colorado Colorectal Screening Program (CCSP) for the upcoming fiscal year from the CCPD Grant Program.

• CCSP submitted a competitive application for funds for FY12. The RFA specified submitting an application based on flat funding (3.6M) which we did.
• CCPD funds are again at risk based on CDPHE's, the Governor’s and the Joint Budget Committee’s recommendations – proposing a reduction from $8.5M to $2.1M for the competitive grants portion of the CCPD fund for FY12. These proposed reductions are reviewed as part of the legislative budget process during April and May, so changes may still occur.
• CCSP Staff attended the CCPD Review Committee Meeting on March 11th – no clear information was gathered about what the review committee plans to do in relation to the budget reduction, the competitive review process or how programs will be affected

Further information will become available during the next CCPD Review Committee on April 8, which is open to the public (in-person and teleconference). We will try to update you after that meeting

Final decisions about funding priorities will likely be made at either the April or May CCPD review committee meeting for recommendation to the Board of Health in mid-May

CCPD Website: here if you would like to review the information they provide about funding, their review process and meeting schedules.

We are hopeful about CCSP’s future as it is a strong statewide program, but we must be realistic about the state's economy and the funding availability. We will be in touch as soon as we can. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions and please pass along to anyone else who may need to know at your site, we didn’t intend to miss anyone.

Reports from the Frontlines of Effective Crisis Management

Thursday, April 7, 2011, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time

•  
• Anthony A. Armada, FACHE, President, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital
• Michael A. Fisher, President and CEO, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC)
• Uma R. Kotagal, MD, MBBS, MSc, Senior Vice President, Quality, Safety and Transformation, CCHMC; Executive Director, James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence
• Michelle Hoppes, RN, MS, President, American Society for Healthcare Risk Management; Senior Vice President and National Director for Healthcare Risk Management and Patient Safety, Sedgwick Claims Management Services

It’s every hospital executive’s worst nightmare – a phone call carrying the news that a patient at the facility has died or been seriously injured due to an adverse event. Action is now called for on multiple fronts. Do you have a plan for what to do?

 

Jim Conway and three co-authors developed the IHI white paper, Respectful Management of Serious Clinical Adverse Events, to guide senior leaders on a comprehensive set of “best practices” not just to handle and respond to unforeseen incidents, but to learn from each incident so that future medical tragedies are less likely. One key is that everyone in the organization has a role to play and no one in the organization is ignored. Transparency with and attention to the needs of patients and families are foundational.

 

Since the IHI white paper was published in the fall of 2010, thousands of senior and frontline staff have benefited from its clarity of purpose and advice. Not only that, some organizations have turned to its guidance when faced with serious situations. We’re going to hear from two of those organizations – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Advocate Lutheran – on the next WIHI. Their leaders – Michael Fisher, Uma Kotagal, and Tony Armada – are eager to share what they learned and continue to learn about crisis management. Jim Conway and Michelle Hoppes, a risk management expert, will offer the context in which all of health care delivery must consider its obligations to patients, staff, and the larger community when it comes to safety and principled actions if and when things go wrong.

 

WIHI host Madge Kaplan hopes you’ll join this important and timely discussion.

 

To enroll, please click here.

Jim Conway, MS, FACHE, Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Implementation of Provider Enrollment Provisions

Wondering how the provider enrollment provisions effective Fri Mar 25 will affect you? Learn more about:

• Submission of provider application fees,
• Establishment of provider enrollment screening categories, and
• Authority to impose a temporary moratorium on the enrollment of new Medicare providers and suppliers of a particular type in a geographic area.

MLN Matters® Article #MM7350 – titled “Implementation of Provider Enrollment Provisions in CMS-6028-FC” – explains how Medicare will implement the above provisions cited in the recent regulation (CMS-6028-FC).

Attn: HRSA Grant Program Directors:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will celebrate National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) May 8-14, 2011. In conjunction with NWHW, National Women’s Health Check-Up Day will be celebrated on May 9, 2011, to encourage women to use the many high-quality preventive care services available to them at the Nation’s health centers.

Many national, regional, state and local organizations are already on board to ensure as many women as possible are reached during NWHW. As front-line health care workers and communicators, you are uniquely positioned to play a critical role in this important national health awareness campaign. There are many ways to participate. You can host a health fair during the week of May 8-14, or partner with local providers to offer women in your community free health services, such as blood pressure checks, Pap tests, mammograms, diabetes screenings, or HIV testing.

NWHW offers yet another opportunity to increase direct health care services to those most in need. Free promotional and educational materials are available. To read more about this opportunity please  click here .  National Women’s Health Week was extremely successful in 2010, resulting in more than 2,200 events and health screenings nationwide. Please join us again this year to help thousands of women take steps toward leading healthier lives.

Patient Advocacy Webinar

April 12, 2011  12:00 to 1:30 pm ET Championing Patient Safety:   The Role of the Patient Advocate

The program is approved for 1.5 contact hours for nurses, social workers and case managers. $145 for PPAI Members and $329 for Nonmembers

Register Online »

The facts are clear: medical errors wreak havoc on our patients. Every year, hundreds of thousands of patients are harmed or die due to unsafe care, or they are injured inadvertently when seeking healthcare. But it doesn't have to be you – or your patient.

The first step in improving patient safety is to understand the magnitude of the problem in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation hospitals or other settings throughout the continuum of care. After which, you can devise smart intervention strategies.

As one of the roles of today's patient advocates, educating and empowering patients to ensure safe encounters with the healthcare system is of paramount importance.

This training session from the Professional Patient Advocate Institute brings together a leading faculty who will share their insight into improving patient safety from both the individual and organizational level.

By attending the webinar you will learn:

• The definition of patient safety.
• Overview of patient safety in today's healthcare system.
• How to ensure a safe encounter with a member of the healthcare team.
• What tools and resources are available for patient education to learn about the role of the patient and family in preventing a medical error.
• The role of the hospital patient advocate in preventing medical errors – and the follow up should errors occur.
• Ways to learn about how hospitals and other settings rank regarding patient safety.
• Strategies that hospitals, organizations and individuals are leading to improve patient safety.

More About the Webinar

Patient safety is a major concern for all involved in healthcare. Also, challenges in patient safety manifest in many ways. Here are some examples:

One in five Americans (22%) report that they or a family member have experienced a medical error of some kind, according to The Commonwealth Fund. Nationally, this translates into an estimated 22.8 million people with at least one family member who experienced a mistake in a doctor's office or hospital.

According to the CDC, in American hospitals alone, hospital-acquired infections account for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths each year.

At any given time, 1.4 million people worldwide suffer from infections acquired in hospitals, according to the World Health Organization. Hand hygiene is the most essential measure for reducing healthcare-associated infection and the development of antimicrobial resistance.

Surgery is one of the most complex health interventions to deliver. More than 100 million people require surgical treatment every year for different medical reasons. Problems associated with surgical safety in developed countries account for half of the avoidable adverse events that result in death or disability, according to the World Health Organization.

Join us April 12th to learn more about patient safety and the Patient Advocate’s role in handling this issue.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Update!!!

In the Monday, November 29, 2010, Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its proposed policy to require a physician’s or qualified non-physician practitioner’s (NPP) signature on requisitions for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests paid under the clinical laboratory fee schedule effective Saturday, January 1, 2011. (A requisition is the actual paperwork, such as a form, which is provided to a clinical diagnostic laboratory that identifies the test or tests to be performed for a patient.)

On Monday, December 20, 2010, CMS informed its contractors of concerns that some physicians, NPPs, and clinical diagnostic laboratories are not aware of or do not understand this policy. As such, CMS indicated that it will focus in the first quarter of 2011 on developing educational and outreach materials to educate those affected by this policy. CMS indicated that once the first quarter educational campaign is fully underway, it will expect requisitions to be signed.

After further input from community, CMS has decided to focus for the remainder of 2011 on changing the regulation that requires signatures on laboratory requisitions because of concerns that physicians, NPPs, and clinical diagnostic laboratories are having difficulty complying with this policy.

Using Aviation Safety Innovations to Save Lives in Hospitals

Some safety measures commonly used in aviation have been successfully adapted for health care settings. For instance, the World Health Organization's surgical safety checklist is quick and inexpensive to implement and, in some settings, its use has reduced deaths and complications for surgical patients by more than a third.

Other aviation innovations, however, aren't as commonplace in health care, even though they may help save lives and prevent injury. In a Commonwealth Fund–supported study in the new issue of Milbank Quarterly, researchers identified 15 safety practices in aviation that might be applied to health care, from the "sterile cockpit" rule to incentivized no-fault reporting. Read more to learn how these and other practices could help make patients safer.

Clinical Care of HIV-Infected Women Conference

May 6, 2011 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Holiday Inn Select Denver, Colorado

The Colorado Women’s HIV Consortium presents: Clinical Care of HIV-Infected Women Conference

Purpose and Audience: The dynamic nature of the HIV epidemic, and the rapidly growing body of information on how it affects women in particular, require providers to update their knowledge on a regular basis. The Colorado Women’s HIV Consortium is providing this forum to address the growing impact of HIV and AIDS among women and to promote proper and comprehensive care of HIV-infected women. The target audience includes physicians, nurses, and others caring for HIV-infected women.

Topics:

• Discuss how health care reform impacts people living with HIV/AIDS.
• Outline recent advances in HIV treatment.
• Define the concept of health literacy as it relates to HIV.
• State how biological and socioeconomic factors contribute to sex and race differences in clinical presentations and outcomes of HIV infection.
• Identify considerations in implementation of PrEP as part of a reproductive health program.
• Explain treatment options for osteoporosis in HIV-infected patients.

Continuing education credits are available - see attached brochure for registration form and more information.

For more information and to register please contact:
Lisa Lawrence
303.724.0646
lisa.lawrence@ucdenver.edu