May 4, 2018
Celebrating Hospitals
"For the sick it is important to have the best." - Florence Nightingale
 
Next week, hospitals throughout the country will celebrate the women and men who support the health and well-being of their communities. The celebration is part of the American Hospital Association's National Hospital Week, May 6-12, a time for hospital leaders to show their appreciation both for hospital associates and for the communities that rely on and support their organizations.
 
This year's theme, "Caring Is Our Calling," is apt for this tumultuous time in health care: longstanding federal and state policies on payment and delivery are being debated, and hospital leaders are consistently being asked to do more with less. The theme calls to mind the idea that health care is more than just a profession, and recognizes that those who work in health care do so with a deep sense of purpose.
 
MHA will be using our social media vehicles to highlight the "Caring is Our Calling" theme, and to amplify the messages that Maryland's hospitals share via their own social media during National Hospital Week.
 
National Hospital Week always falls on the week of Florence Nightingale's birthday, May 12. By engaging in the activities AHA has planned for this week (click here for resources including a digital toolkit, a social media campaign template and a planning guide) we remind ourselves of her singular drive to serve patients with compassion and professionalism.
 
That spirit is alive and well in each of Maryland's hospitals. MHA's staff work closely with so many of your staff on important efforts. We know how your people are sharing that dedication with all of our state's people and communities.

Bob Atlas
President and CEO

Register Now for MHA's Annual Membership Meeting
Registration is open for the MHA Annual Membership Meeting, which begins with a welcome reception June 11 and concludes with the general session June 12. There is only one week left to book a hotel room at the group rate at the Four Seasons Hotel, as accommodations must be made by May 11. If you need a hotel room you can make reservations online (in the "corporate/Promo code" box enter the code CI0618MH to receive the group rate) or call the hotel directly at 410-576-5800.
 
One of our featured speakers will be Dr. Omar Manejwala, Addiction psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Catasys, a national health services management company; Author of  Craving: Why We Can't Seem to Get Enough; and former Hazelden Foundation Medical Director. Dr. Manejwala, a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, knows firsthand the behavioral health challenges facing our state. He believes addiction treatment is about to undergo a dramatic shift over the next five to 10 years, as payers are increasingly pressured to capture, report, and improve outcomes, as well as control costs.
 
Also appearing:  
  • Ben Nemtin, Creator and star of the TV show The Buried Life, #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do you Want to Do Before You Die, and an internationally renowned keynote speaker.
  • Atul Gawande, M.D., One of Time's 100 Most Influential Thinkers, a renowned surgeon, and researcher, and author of Being Mortal: Medicine and what Matters in the End. Gawande will share his bold vision for improving performance by focusing on the needs of real people, the values that make for a healthy society, the science and technologies waiting over the horizon, and how to reform systems to make it all work.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Gotwalt.
Baltimore Announces Push for Expanded Opioid Treatment
Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen this week joined with leaders from all 11 city hospitals to announce an initiative designed to augment current hospital services in the treatment and prevention of opioid misuse. The initiative, "Levels of Care," will classify hospitals based on their clinical capabilities for treatment and prevention. It is based on a similar initiative in Rhode Island . Over the coming months, hospitals will work with the city's health department to finalize the levels and ensure that they are evidence-based and clinically sound.
 
Contact: Nicole Stallings
Hospitals Encouraged to Complete AHA Survey
The American Hospital Association has sent hospitals its 2018 Population Health, Equity and Diversity Survey; in order to ensure a strong response, the deadline has been extended to Friday, May 11. The information gathered from the survey will guide AHA's support for hospitals' work in population health, equity, and diversity. The field will have an accurate picture of the impressive strides hospitals are making and the challenges that remain. In addition, state hospital associations will have the opportunity to see how their regions are making an impact in these areas. Even if you have not adopted any or all of the strategies addressed in the survey, your answers are extremely important. If you have questions about the survey, please contact AHA's survey support at 800-530-9092 or surveysupport@aha.org .
MCASA to Offer Trauma-informed Training
The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault is offering trauma-informed training by nationally-recognized expert Dr. Kimberly A. Lonsway on Tuesday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lonsway is a founding board member and current research director for End Violence Against Women International, a nonprofit dedicated to improving criminal justice responses to sexual assault, and is known for her research on sexual violence and the criminal justice and community response systems. The three training sessions will include:
  • Opening Doors: Increasing Access for Sexual Assault Victims to the Criminal Justice System and Community Services
  • Neurobiology of Trauma and Effective Victim Interviews
  • Start by Believing: Improving Responses, One Disclosure at a Time 
The training will be held at the University of Maryland Stamp Student Union Atrium Conference Room,  3972 Campus Drive, College Park. Click here to register. For more information call 301-328-7023 or email info@mcasa.org .
Health Care Leaders Host Legislative Update
The Maryland Association of Healthcare Executives on May 17 will host a Legislative Update with Anthony Rossi, Director of Performance Improvement for LifeBridge Health, who will moderate a panel discussion of highlights from the 2018 General Assembly. MHA's Directors of Government Relations, Neal Karkhanis and Brian Frazee, and Pegeen Townsend, Vice President of Government Affairs for MedStar Health, will provide an overview of the legislative discussions, bills and changes to regulatory statutes that will impact Maryland's health care environment. This program is approved for 1.5 Face-to-Face credits. Click here to learn more and register.
Maryland Rural Health Plan Offers Interactive Dashboard
The 2018 Maryland Rural Health Plan, a collaborative project of the Maryland Rural Health Association, Maryland State Office of Rural Health, Rural Maryland Council, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has launched an interactive dashboard on its website. Maryland's Healthcare Interactive Dashboard has more data on Maryland's trending health conditions, accessible treatment, and historic consumer spending.
Working Effectively with Patients - What We Think We Know CAN Hurt Us
 
MHEI has been working with a small group of clinical managers and care providers over the past three years to improve the manner in which they communicate with patients.

Reduce Lighting Energy Costs Up to 50 Percent
 
Lighting accounts for 30 to 60 percent of annual electric costs for many facilities, and many new advances in lighting technology can help your organization conserve energy and save money.

Hospitals Against Violence: Standing Up for Victims of Human Trafficking
 
In a LinkedIn piece this week, Providence St. Joseph Health President and CEO Rod Hochman, M.D., a member of the AHA Board of Trustees, explains why the Renton, WA-based health system has made it a priority to help end human trafficking, including forced prostitution.

THE WEEK AHEAD
Wednesday, May 9
Health Services Cost Review Commission meeting

Thursday, May 10
MHA Technical Work Group meeting
TOP NEWS FROM THE WEEK
WFMD , By Kevin McManus, April 27
 
The Washington Post , By Ovetta Wiggins, April 27
 
The Baltimore Sun , By Andrea K. McDaniels, April 30
 
The Daily Record , By Tim Curtis, April 30
 
The Daily Record , By Tim Curtis, May 1
 
Modern Healthcare , By Steven Ross Johnson, May 1
 
The Baltimore Sun , By Alison Knezevich, May 2
 
Baltimore Business Journal , By Morgan Eichensehr, May 3