KHA is now accepting applications for the Annual KHA Quality Awards. Please see the application for the full details. The application deadline has been extended until May 30. Awards will be presented at the KHA Annual Convention Awards Luncheon in Covington.

More details on the award and on past recipients are available on the KHA website at http://www.kyha.com/kha-quality-award.

If you have any questions, please contact Bud Warman at KHA (bwarman@kyha.com).

The initial deadline to participate in the 2020 KHA Physician Compensation and Production Survey was scheduled for April 10, 2020. In recognition of the unprecedented times and KHA's understanding that priorities and resources have been shifted to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for the survey is officially extended to June 3, 2020.

The goal of Kentucky Hospital Association, along with Gallagher’s Human Resource and Compensation Consulting division (formally known as “Integrated Healthcare Strategies”), is to make participation as easy as possible this year, and Gallagher is gladly willing to accept data in other formats, including physician compensation questionnaires from other vendors (e.g., MGMA, SullivanCotter, etc.). They have a team of analysts who will transfer the data to the Gallagher questionnaire.

The survey results will include a free copy of the National Gallagher Physician Compensation and Production Survey for participants, as well as...

Due to the persistent efforts of KHA and its members, the final CARES Act (developed under Senator Mitch McConnell's leadership) was passed by the Senate and contains over $100 Billion in relief to hospitals and answers requests for help for Kentucky's hospitals. A summary of the key provisions of interest to hospitals is available at https://kyha.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/COVID19/CARESActKHASummary.pdf.

Unfortunately, Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-4) has indicated he will NOT VOTE in favor of the bill when it goes to the U.S. House for a vote. The House leadership was hoping for unanimous consent, but Representative Massie is planning to stop the bill. This legislation is crucial for the survival of many of the state's hospitals and MUST PASS the House.

Call to Action

Every Kentucky hospital should contact Representative Massie IMMEDIATELY to encourage him to VOTE YES...

 

While the country is on heightened alert and waiting on what unfolds over the next weeks/months, what can health care organizations implement that may have a significant impact on public health? Media outlets continue to convey the seriousness around shortages in medical staff and supplies.

If your organization is looking to quickly and cost-effectively hire health care staff, KHA Affinity Partner HospitalCareers.com is a great recruitment solution for KHA member Hospitals/Systems. You will be able to leverage their discounted job posting plans that produce the lowest cost per job, cost per applicant (CPA) and cost per hire (CPH) of any recruitment solution across the health care industry.

For information on how HospitalCareers.com...

Collective Medical has developed a network and real-time event notification and care collaboration platform in use by approximately 1,000 hospitals, tens of thousands of providers as well as every national health plan in the country. Collective connects patient data from all 50 states.

The platform and expansive network is ideally positioned to support regions' and states' ability to identify, treat, trace and analyze infection diseases, such as COVID-19.

View Collective's information sheet on the platform to see how they can help your facility fight COVID-19.

KHA has completed distribution of the second quarter’s payments (from October 1 through December 31, 2019) from the new Hospital Rate Improvement Program (HRIP). In the midst of fighting a global pandemic, these payments come at a opportune time for Kentucky's hospitals.

If you have any questions, please contact Carl Herde at KHA (cherde@kyha.com).

KHA's upcoming spring District Meetings will be postponed in light of the current COVID-19 emergency. At this time, KHA is planning to host the meetings as webinars to avoid the need for members to travel. Dates and details will be announced soon.

If you have any questions, contact Ashley Peterson at KHA (apeterson@kyha.com).

Two companies have reached out to KHA to share housing information with hospitals for your staff members and patient families who may need additional housing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Historic Boone Tavern Hotel - Available Lodging for Those in Need (Central KY)

"Right now is a very difficult time for those who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 emergency. The sacrifices that are being made by those individuals, as well as their families, is not lost on us. This being said, the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel would like to offer a very special discount for overnight stays for any of those who are reading this message and may need it - whether you are a hospital/medical field member, first-responder, or simply a person in need of a room. Boone Tavern is located right off of I-75 in the heart of Central Kentucky, just south of Lexington and Richmond. As of now, we do also have options for in-house guests to order food and beverage for breakfast, lunch and dinner at discounted prices, as well...

Collective Medical is a real-time event notification and care coordination platform with a nationwide network including more than 1,000 hospitals. Collective has been asked by several federal and state-based agencies how we can support care teams and public health professionals identify, isolate, treat and trace COVID-19. Collective is exploring numerous options and is deploying, for existing client partners, the creation of a cohort for COVID-19 diagnosis, upon request and free of charge. This includes Collective's current client partners in Kentucky.

For hospitals, health systems, health plans and other health care organizations not currently using the Collective platform, Collective has developed a rapidly deployable solution with functionality...

The Department of Medicaid Services has issued an emergency regulation (to be replaced by an ordinary regulation making the same changes) on Medicaid copayments. The regulation exempts 1915(c) Medicaid members and those who are in a long-term care facility from Medicaid co-pays, and waives copayments for all Medicaid members under Governor Andy Beshear’s emergency declaration for COVID-19. It also will allow for an MCO to reduce or eliminate copays which would impact enrollees once the emergency is lifted.

907 KAR 1 604E - filed March 13, 2020 907 KAR 1 604 - filed March 13, 2020

On March 10, Governor Beshear issued an executive order...

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid (Anthem) is closely monitoring COVID-19 developments and how the novel coronavirus will impact their customers and provider partners. The Anthem clinical team is actively monitoring external queries and reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help them determine what action is necessary on their part.

To help address providers’ questions, Anthem has developed an FAQ list (https://kyha.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/PreparednessDocs/AKYPECTalkingPointsCOVID19.PDF). Please review this information regarding questions you may have.

COVID-19 has opened the conversation on business continuity. What happens when your workforce doesn’t meet in the traditional office space? How can you continue productivity at home or other remote locations? KHA Diamond Sponsor Unified Technologies invites you to have a conversation about how you can keep your business thriving and connect to your patients and employees in meaningful ways. Whether your needs are increased bandwidth, communication platforms, video conferencing or more, they can help. Please complete the form at https://lnkd.in/ecngrWX to connect with Unified Technologies.

On Wednesday, March 18, the Kentucky Society for Healthcare Purchasing and Materials Management (KSHPMM) will host a webinar to discuss COVID-19 Pandemic Contingent Workforce Preparedness/Response.

Joseph A. Dunmire will provide an overview of the current state of the supplemental healthcare workforce, the clinical disciplines/specialties expected to be in most demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the various solutions available to healthcare delivery organizations.

Discussion topics will include:

How has your facility adapted to product shortages? What product protection strategies have you driven? How have you enforced vendor restriction policies? For details, view the flier.

To register, or if you are not a member of KSHPMM and would like to attend, please contact KSHPMM President Brent N. Pacanowski, MBA (Brent.pacanowski@nortonhealthcare.org).

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently shared information on several funding opportunities for health care providers with KHA. See below for more information and to apply for the grants.

Telehealth Network Grant Program Link: HRSA- 20-036 Application deadline: 4/13/2020

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP). The funding opportunity is aimed towards promoting rural tele-emergency services with an emphasis on tele-stroke, tele-behavioral health and tele-emergency medical services (Tele-EMS). This will be achieved by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour emergency department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Tele-emergency is defined as “an electronic, two-way, audio/visual communication service between a central emergency health care center (tele-emergency...

KHA is grateful for the support of its Annual Sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of services. Please join KHA in thanking Bronze Sponsor MCG Health!

MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network, provides evidence-based guidance and software solutions to nearly 2,000 U.S. hospitals to support the entire patient journey.

For more information, visit the MCG Health website at https://www.mcg.com/.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com).

KHA is grateful for the support of its Annual Sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of services. Please join KHA in thanking Bronze Sponsor Robins & Morton!

Founded in 1946, Robins & Morton is a privately held construction company that consistently ranks among the 100 largest builders in Engineering News-Record Magazine.

For more information, visit the Robins & Morton website at http://www.robinsmorton.com/.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com).

KHA has added Coronavirus toolkits to the KHA website at www.kyha.com/coronavirus. They can also be reached directly from the homepage, www.kyha.com.

There are three toolkits available targeted at hospital administrators, health care professionals and the general public. All three will be updated regularly, so check back often for the latest resources.

If you have any questions, please contact Ginger Dreyer at KHA (gdreyer@kyha.com).

As more states announcing restrictions and state of emergencies, KHA’s partner for supplemental staffing (and locums) — Qualivis — is ready if needed.

From an emergency preparedness planning/supplemental staffing workforce perspective, background efforts are already developed and underway.

Qualivis, through their parent company, Aya, is proactively prequalifying and credentialing RNs for a potential response scenario.

Their recruiting teams are actively:

Communicating with over 450,000 additional clinicians for resource allocation efforts. Allocating full teams of recruiting, compliance, contracting, account management – solely for and specific to COVID-19 response. Working closely with their Aya Partner Network regarding non-clinical resources such as EVP to ensure a full coverage response. Identifying and have created a modified “State of Emergency” compliance checklist and protocol....

KHA is grateful for the support of its Annual Sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of services. Please join KHA in thanking Bronze Sponsor Coherus Biosciences!

Coherus Biosciences is a leading biosimilar company that develops and commercializes high-quality therapeutics.

For more information, visit the Coherus Biosciences website at https://www.coherus.com.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com).

KHA has partnered with Remi to reduce costs on equipment maintenance contracts for its members by up to 22%.

If you currently purchase full-service contracts directly with the manufacturer, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn how your facility can start saving on your current service agreement pricing.

Join KHA's Director of Hospital Services, Pam Kirchem, and members of the Remi team on April 1 at 2:00 p.m. (ET) for a 15-minute educational webinar, "Avoiding the Common Pitfalls of Equipment Maintenance Management." The Remi team looks forward to showcasing what their Equipment Maintenance Management program can offer hospitals within KHA.

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1492290048

Or iPhone one-tap : US: +1(469)4450100,,1492290048# (US South) +1(470)8692200,,1492290048# (US East)

Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality,...

KHA is grateful for the support of its Annual Sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of services. Please join KHA in thanking Silver Sponsor DBL Law!

Champlin Architecture is an innovative, design-driven firm invested in pushing creativity, collaboration and construction to deliver unique buildings that inspire through form and delight through function.

For more information, visit the DBL Law website at https://www.dbllaw.com/.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com).

KHA is sad to share the news of the passing of past KHA Board Chair Wade Mountz on Thursday at the age of 95. Mountz served as KHA Board chair from 1959 to 1960 and AHA Board Chair from 1975 to 1976. He attended both the KHA and AHA Annual Meetings every year until very recently.

Mountz was KHA's oldest living chairman and was a mentor to many of Kentucky's hospitals leaders for many years. KHA staff is grateful for his leadership.

For more details on his career and life, visit his memorial page and obituary at https://www.highlandsfuneralhome.com/memorials/Mountz-Wade/4126700/.

Visitation will be from 4:30...

KHA is now accepting applications for the Annual KHA Quality Awards. Please see the application for the full details. The application deadline has been extended until May 30. Awards will be presented at the KHA Annual Convention Awards Luncheon in Covington.

More details on the award and on past recipients are available on the KHA website at http://www.kyha.com/kha-quality-award.

If you have any questions, please contact Bud Warman at KHA (bwarman@kyha.com).

KHA is grateful for the support of its event sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of events like the KHA Annual Quality Conference. Please join KHA in thanking event sponsor Tier1 Healthcare.

Tier1 Healthcare activates the potential of healthcare organizations through your people.

For more information, visit the Tier1 Healthcare website at https://tier1performance.com/healthcare/.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com).

The first quarter’s payment ($37 million in gross distributions) from the new Hospital Rate Improvement Program (HRIP) is now history. KHA extends a heartfelt thanks to the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services and their consultants for their help in bringing this program to fruition.

The process for the second quarter’s claims paid/received (from October 1 through December 31, 2019) will begin March 9 with hospital payouts expected prior to the end of the month.

If you have any questions, please contact Carl Herde at KHA (cherde@kyha.com).

The annual Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality conference was held in Baltimore on February 25-27. KHA Director of Quality and Patient Safety/Workforce attended to learn more about the CMS plan for quality improvement initiatives.

The CMS Quality conference aimed to advance the Administration’s rapidly-evolving quality agenda and to gain a clear focus on how providers can better contribute to action and results that are aligned with new strategic directions from the CMS Office of Administration. CMS has three main objectives: improve quality and affordable health care, drive improvements in health care and lower costs.

CMS is currently revamping its quality improvement initiatives, and is encouraging quality improvement organizations (QIOs) to focus on providers/patients who need it the most such as the rural, vulnerable and underserved communities in conjunction with the QIO 12th scope of work:

Improve behavioral health outcomes- especially opioid misuse Improve patient safety and reduce harm...

The Kentucky Trustee is a quarterly newsletter KHA produces for the benefit of hospital boards. The goal is to provide your trustees with information they need to lead your hospital forward in today’s rapidly changing environment. The Winter 2020 edition of the Kentucky Trustee is available at https://www.kyha.com/assets/docs/Publications/KT/KTWinter20.pdf.

KHA now mails the Kentucky Trustee newsletter to all member system and hospital CEOs for distribution to your boards. You can also access archived editions at https://www.kyha.com/kentucky-hospital-trustee.

If you have suggestions for future issues of the Kentucky Trustee or need more copies for your board, please contact Ginger Dreyer at KHA (gdreyer@kyha.com).

...

KHA is grateful for the support of its event sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of events like the KHA Annual Quality Conference. Please join KHA in thanking event sponsor CipherHealth.

CipherHealth is a patient engagement technology leader committed to enhancing communication and care team coordination throughout the patient journey.

For more information, visit the CipherHealth website at https://cipherhealth.com/.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com).

On March 12, KHA will host a webinar to update member hospital and system executives on the current state of the Cornoavirus (COVID-19) and ways to ensure your hospital is prepared.

Learn steps you should take to get a plan in place at your facility, the state's activities to address the virus and the latest information available.

Thursday, March 12
11:00 a.m. (ET)

If you would like to participate, RSVP to Ginger Dreyer at KHA (gdreyer@kyha.com) for log in information.

KHA is grateful for the support of its event sponsors! Through their generous donations, KHA is better able to support its members and provide a wide array of events like the KHA Annual Quality Conference. Please join KHA in thanking event sponsor Trinity Guardion.

Trinity Guardion's Soteria Bed Barrier is a launderable, reusable, compliant, cost-sensible alternative for reprocessing beds. Cleaner beds and mattresses improve patient experiences and reduce infection risks.

For more information, visit the Trinity Guardion website at https://trinityguardion.com/.

To become a sponsor, contact Claire Arant at KHA (carant@kyha.com)....