KHA's patient safety organization (PSO), the Kentucky Institute for Patient Safety and Quality (KIPSQ) will host a free Summer Forum for all Kentucky hospitals on July 24 in Lexington.

The KIPSQ Summer Forum will gather both PSO members and non-PSO members to discuss and understand the advantages of membership, data collection, common format reporting and mapping from a risk management system to the PSO. Presentations will encompass regulations, state peer review and case law followed by a panel discussion featuring hospitals who are actively reporting to the PSO.

CEOs, health care attorneys, risk management professionals, patient safety officers, quality leaders, nurse leaders, clinical leaders, senior executives and administrative leaders are all encouraged to attend.

View the brochure for more details. Online registration...

Hospitals and systems that work with KHA's partner, careLearning, can create their own subscription of ten (10) of the Compliance/HR courses listed below. These courses are written by experienced attorneys with a proven track record in interactive computer-based training. Each course incorporates technology to inhibit users from clicking through the material too quickly and without focusing sufficiently on the training content.

Americans with Disability Act Appropriate Internet Use Avoiding Retaliation Business Etiquette Careful Communication Code of Conduct (FAR) Conducting Effective Investigations Cost Accounting for Federal Grants Dealing with Difficult Situations Drug-Free Workplace Fair Labor Standards Act Family and Medical Leave Act Immigration Basics Questionable...

KHA had a victorious 2018 legislative session with KHA priorities becoming law. This success was made possible through the assistance of you and the entire KHA membership. KHA’s Legislative Platform priorities of an updated methodology for the distribution of DSH funding, peer review process confidentiality, a streamlined physician and provider credentialing process, telehealth legislation and a streamlined certificate of need process were all passed into law. New laws passed by the General Assembly that do not include an emergency clause or a different specified effective date go into effect on July 14.

We appreciate your help on legislative and regulatory issues affecting hospitals. Your work in this process is invaluable. When hospitals combine their strength and collectively express their concerns to elected officials, more can be accomplished.

A copy of the 2018 Kentucky General Assembly Report for Hospitals including the legislative voting record is available at https://www.kyha.com/assets/docs/AdvocacyDocs/2018/KHALegislativeFinalReport2018.pdf...

KHA members are invited to join staff on an Advocacy Trip to Washington on July 12-13. Thanks to those who have already indicated that they would participate in this trip.  With attacks on the 340B Drug program, Medicaid DSH Cuts and Opioid and Behavioral Health Treatment under Medicaid being dealt with by this Congress, it is imperative that Kentucky hospitals stay in constant contact with the Senators and Congressmen representing the state in Washington.

Participants will travel to Washington on the morning of July 12, arriving for a lunch briefing at AHA and have meetings on Capitol Hill with Senators and Congressmen that afternoon. On the morning of July 13, there will be more Capitol Hill delegation appointments and the day will conclude by hosting the health staff of Kentucky's congressional delegation for a lunch briefing at 11:30 a.m. Members can depart after 1:00 p.m. (ET).

Members are requested to make their own room reservations at the Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Avenue, NW,...

Eligible hospitals struggle to stretch their scarce resources to provide the crucial services their patients need while maintaining financial security. And while many patients they serve can’t afford to pay for high priced medications, it doesn’t have to be this way — a 340B program administered by SUNRx can help.

SUNRx’s 340B prescription discount card program provides a conduit for covered entities to pass along 340B savings to their patients. Because SUNRx is a wholly owned subsidiary of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), MedImpact Heathcare Systems, this 340B prescription discount card program is unique from others. SUNRx confirms 340B patient eligibility and applies its “lower of” cost calculation to find the lowest price available for the patient. This process is accomplished in real time when your patient presents the 340B prescription discount card along with their prescription to the contract pharmacy....

As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that payment adjustments be applied to Medicare-eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) that are not meaningful users of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology under the EHR Incentive Programs (now called the Promoting Interoperability (PI) Programs).

Eligible hospitals and CAHs may be exempt from Medicare penalties if they can show that demonstrating meaningful use would result in a significant hardship. To be considered for an exemption and avoid a payment adjustment, health care providers must complete a hardship exception application and provide proof of hardship. If approved, the hardship exception is valid for only one payment year.

Hardship Exception Application Details

The deadline for eligible hospitals to submit the 2019 Eligible Hospital Hardship Exception Application...

KHA will host a 340B Compliance Workshop on June 21 in Louisville. The program offers 1.5 ACHE Face-to-Face credits.

Safety net hospitals struggle to stretch scarce resources to provide crucial services to their pa tients. The 340B program is essential in ensuring that hospitals in Kentucky and nationwide are able to continue to provide pharmacy care to its most vulnerable patients.

The subject matter experts at this interactive workshop will present valuable insights on how safety net hospitals can effectively navigate the 340B program so they can improve patient outcomes and help low-income and rural patients access essential pharmacy services.

View the brochure for program details. Online registration...

The 2017 and 2018 KHA Patient Origin Reports are now available online in the Data Center section of the KHA website, www.kyha.com. Just click on the Utilization Data page of the Data Center to find them or visit www.kyha.com/online-patient-origin-report for a direct link.

To review the reports, you must obtain a special password from Chuck Warnick at KHA (cwarnick@kyha.com).

The CDC considers this the third wave of overdose deaths in the growing epidemic, characterized by a surge in synthetic opioid overdoses, following prescription opioid deaths (first wave) and heroin deaths (second wave). The death rate for synthetic opioids doubled to 6.2 per 100,000 people in 2016.

Because fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, is increasingly mixed with other opioid and benzodiazepine pills, heroin and cocaine, the CDC suspects fentanyl is also contributing to rising death rates among those substances.

 

The CAH Swing Bed Management Training with Supplemental Review of the UMRHRC PI/QI Measures from the Pilot Project will be held June 6-7 at KHA Headquarters in Louisville.The program is intended to assist small rural CAH hospitals with training for their staff to improve the quality of their swing bed program.

It will optimize the patient outcome, increase utilization and revenue while preventing denials for their swing bed services. Given the longer training program, more time than in the past will be spent on discussing day-to-day operations.

For details, visit the event page. You can register online to secure your place in this training event.

...

Russell County Hospital, located in South Central Kentucky, in the beautiful Lake Cumberland area is in search of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The facility is looking for someone to provide the leadership, strategic guidance and management direction to all aspects of the hospital operations, while ensuring compliance with the hospital’s mission, vision, values, goals, strategic direction and applicable laws and regulations.

The CEO is accountable for safe and quality patient care, developing and managing a financially sound annual operation budget and long-term capital expenditure plan. He or she must maintain effective relationships with the Board of Directors, medical staff, patients, employees and the community.

Minimum Education:

Master’s Degree in a health care related field such as MHA/MBA preferred, or a BS/BA in a health care related with a business related masters, or the equivalent in education and experience. Minimum Experience...

The University of Kentucky School of Law will host the 2018 Kentucky Health Law Institute September 13 and 14 in Lexington.

Tentative Topics Include:

Lessons Learned From Leasing: A Blueprint for Aligning Physician Practices with Health Systems Anatomy of a False Claim- Version 2.0 30 Years in the Trenches: A False Claims Act Litigator's Unique Perspectives Executive Compensation in Healthcare: Tips and Traps Moral Dilemmas and Legal Ethics for the Healthcare Attorney A Rock and a Hard Place: Payer Reimbursement for ED Visits Kentucky's Independent Licensure Boards: Antitrust, KRS 13B and Due Process Pings that Go Bump in the Night: A Discussion of Health Care Cybersecurity Threats, Prevention Tips, and Mitigation Tactics Aligning Patient and Provider: Can Kentucky Be an Innovator in Liability Reform? Medicaid...

The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) presented several awards during the Association’s Awards Luncheon on May 11 at the 89th Annual KHA Convention in Lexington.

The highlight of the luncheon was the installment of the 2018-2019 Chair of the KHA Board of Trustees Jane Wheatley, chief executive officer of Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville. Wheatley will begin her tenure as Chair on July 1.

KHA’s Award of Excellence was presented to Sally Davenport, president and chief executive offer of Ephraim McDowell Health in Danville. This is a prestigious KHA award bestowed upon individuals who have made significant contributions to health care in Kentucky.

Davenport has an extensive background in clinical nursing and served in nurse executive roles at Ephraim McDowell...

Don't forget, the KHA 89th Annual Convention starts tomorrow, May 10 and runs through Friday, May 11 at the Hyatt Regency and Lexington Convention Center. There will be no daily news email during Convention.

If you have not registered, on site registration is available with credit card payments. 

Remember to download the Kentucky Hospital Association app to your mobile device for schedules, maps and presentations. The presentations are also available for download on the Convention web page, https://www.kyha.com/kha-annual-convention.

KHA's mobile app is great resource for Convention and beyond! The app not only provides all the details, maps, schedules and presentations for Convention, but also includes information members can use year round!

The app includes:

Hospital Directory; KHA Staff Directory; Events Calendar; Advocacy Information; Sponsors; and More As The App Evolves. If you downloaded the Convention app last year, you can simply update the app on your mobile device. Sometimes after an app update, rebooting your device can be helpful.

For new app users, visit the App Store...

There is only one week left until KHA's 89th Annual Convention at the Lexington Convention Center. The event will include two days of educational programs and excellent opportunities to network with your colleagues from around the state.

KHA's Convention registration is available on KHA's brand new website, www.kyha.com. If you have not visited and set up your account, now is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you've registered on the old site in the past, you should already have an account in the new system. Your user name will be your email address, and you just need to reset your account with a new password.

View the Convention website or Convention program...

The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) invites your facility to take advantage of HospitalCareers.com, a statewide ​recruitment ​platform called .

This online resource ​offer​s​ a cost-effective recruitment solution to help combat workforce shortages, reduce third-party agencies, replace ineffective forms of advertising​ and provide a direct link to quality health care professionals. By utilizing HospitalCareers, ​hospitals can make the most of limited budgets while saving valuable time attracting candidates directly into their applicant tracking systems.

Benefits for Kentucky Hospitals: ​

Exposure through National Network ...

During KHA's 89th Annual Convention, May 10-11 in Lexington, the keynote speaker Ben Nemtin will challenge attendees to dream bigger and achieve more. He energizes people to unbury the life they want in a high-energy message that will motivate you to shake off mediocrity and live up to your greatness. Nemtin’s poignant, inspirational and often hilarious presentation weaves the compelling story of how “The Buried Life” started with 100 impossible dreams scribbled down on a piece of paper in a dorm room and grew into a global movement of millions, connecting his story to the fabric of our daily lives. Nemtin also will share six signature steps to crossing anything off your list. He will leave you inspired and equipped to tackle any goal, knowing it’s never too late to start your list!

KHA's Convention registration is available on KHA's brand new website, www.kyha.com....

The 2018 Kentucky Hospitals' Circle of Friends political action committee campaign (PAC) is in full swing! Now, it's even easier to join the Circle with an online contribution form.

The form is available in the Advocacy section of www.kyha.com.

For more information, contact Pam Kirchem at KHA (pkirchem@kyha.com).

KHA Solutions Group Affinity Partner SUNRx provides comprehensive, auditable technology solutions and high-touch customer service with a hands-on approach to program implementation, contract pharmacy setup and ongoing program management. They offer:

User-Friendly Covered Entity & Contract Pharmacy Interface

Dashboard reporting, claim trends, utilization by pharmacy Cloud-based virtual inventory management solution Extensive Network of More Than 22,000 Contracted 340B Pharmacies

National and regional chains Independent pharmacies In-house hospital pharmacies Customer Service

Seamless implementation High-touch program management Dedicated account executive to each covered entity Dedicated account manager to each contract pharmacy For more information on how SUNRx can help your facility, contact Pam Kirchem...

There are now Kentucky Medicaid Waiver resources for hospitals available on the KHA website, www.kyha.com. You must be signed in to view the page, which you can reach directly at https://www.kyha.com/1115-waiver-resources or via the Advocacy page of the website.

If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Galvagni at KHA.

KHA is excited to bring two new tracks to this year's Convention, May 10-11 in Lexington. In addition to the Nurse Leaders, Health Care Attorneys and Physician Tracks, this year's event will feature Tracks for Hospital Trustees and Foundation Directors.

Trustees can participate in a two-part session on Governing in Today's Health Care World.

Foundation Directors will learn Lessons for Charities from the 2017 Tax Reform, explore how to Create, Enhance and Elevate a Culture of Philanthropy in Health Care.

KHA's Convention registration is available on KHA's brand new website, www.kyha.com. If you have not visited and set up your account, now is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you've registered on the old site in the past, you should already have an account in the new system. Your user name will be your email address, and you just need to reset...

While hospitals prefer to avoid temporary staffing, the use of travelers remains a viable solution when more traditional approaches are not successful.

Qualivis is a national provider of health care workforce solutions, specializing in supplemental staffing, but able to fill a broad spectrum of clinical and non-clinical positions through its nationwide network of more than 100 staffing agencies.

Qualivis simplifies the staffing process by offering one contract and one point of contact at no cost to the health care employer.

Qualivis is a Managed Service Provider (MSP), wholly owned by the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA). For 15 years, they have been helping state hospital associations provide supplemental staffing for every clinical and non-clinical department.

Benefits include:...

The room block for KHA's 89th Annual Convention, May 10-11 in Lexington is only available until April 18. Please make your reservations by April 18 to assure that you will receive the convention rate ($159/night). Reservations requests after the cutoff date will be confirmed on an availability basis.

Hyatt Regency Lexington Reservations: (800) 233-1234 Online Reservations: https://book.passkey.com/event/49432265/owner/8515/home

KHA's Convention registration is available on KHA's brand new website, www.kyha.com. If you have not visited and set up your account, now is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you've registered on the old site in the past, you should already have an account in the new system. Your user name will be your email address,...

Safety Net Hospitals struggle to stretch scarce resources to provide crucial services to their patients while meeting their bottom line. It doesn’t have to be this way. When managed compliantly, the 340B program does what it was intended to do: secure the financial future of safety net organizations who serve the nation’s vulnerable population. The 340B program can have a significantly positive impact for hospitals, their patients, and their communities if hospitals know how to administer and manage the program effectively.

By utilizing KHA Solution Group's Affinity Partner SUNRx as their 340B Administrator, safety net hospitals have the ability to tap into the benefits the 340B program can provide:

Increasing financial support that enables hospitals to provide better care

Improving patient outcomes

Helping the indigent/uninsured gain access to the discounted medications they need.

SUNRx’s uninsured discount prescription card program provides a conduit for safety...

Registration is now open for KHA's 89th Annual Convention, May 10-11 in Lexington. Join your colleagues from across the state for two days of engaging presentations, continuing education credits, ACHE face-to-face credits and excellent opportunities for networking.

Online registration is available on KHA's brand new website, www.kyha.com. If you have not visited and set up your account, now is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you've registered on the old site in the past, you should already have an account in the new system. Your user name will be your email address, and you just need to reset your account with a new password.

View the Convention program for agenda and location details.

If you have any questions,...

The American Hospital Association (AHA) will hold its annual meeting in Washington D.C., May 6-9. The AHA Luncheon starts on Sunday, May 6 at noon.

KHA has booked a block of rooms at Kimpton Hotel Palomar for KHA members planning to attend. If you wish to stay at the KHA host hotel, at your expense, please complete the AHA Hotel Reservation Form and return to Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com) by Friday, March 30. The reservations will be submitted to the hotel by KHA.

The KHA Legislative Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 7, and participants will meet with their U.S. legislators during Capitol Hill appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 7 and 8.

Please, register online at www.aha.org to attend the conference.

If...

KHA is pleased to announce the 3rd Quarter 2017 Hospital CEO Dashboard Report. KHA has sent the reports via email to all hospital CEOs. The CEO Dashboard contains: 



Hospital Utilization Data  Hospital Physician Data (Attending and Surgical)  Hospital Product Line Distribution  Financial Data (Payer Information)  Quality Data  Workforce Data **KHA will collect Referring Physician data as of October 1, 2017, and future reports will contain Referring and Surgical Physician data.

The data sources for this report includes KHA InfoSuite, Kentucky Quality Counts (K-HIIN) data, Hospital Compare and KHA Annual Workforce Survey data.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the data, please contact Chuck Warnick (cwarnick@kyha.com) or Melanie Moch (mmoch@kyha.com).

...

The AHA Annual Survey for fiscal year 2017 is now open. KHA will again provide front-line support for Kentucky hospitals. KHA's goal is to reach 80% participation by the state's hospitals. Please, complete the survey by May 18, 2018.

It is vitally important to collect accurate and updated information about all institutions each year. Health care leaders, policy makers and researchers use the AHA Annual Survey to better describe and understand the operations of U.S. hospitals.

The 2017 survey is being offered ONLINE at www.ahasurvey.org. If you have not done so before, you are encouraged to take advantage of the online data collection. More than 4,000 of your colleagues completed their survey electronically last year. The web-based collection tool is easy, efficient and secure. Entering the data online allows you to:

Receive real-time reports, enabling you to confirm the accuracy of your entry before submission and provide...