Welcome to ASHRM’s weekly review of professional development opportunities and industry news highlights. Be sure to use your ASHRM membership number Member ID to take advantage of member discounts when available, or join or renew your membership today.
Nov. 11 audioconference: Better investigations
The methods for collecting data as well as the types of evidence and information that should be obtained will be explored in "Best Pratice Investigation Methods Following Serious Safety Events," ASHRM’s Nov. 11 audioconference. Faculty will relate common cause and root cause analysis tools to the quality of the information collected and discuss the safety and learning advantages of conducting high-quality investigations. Participants will learn new techniques for investigations and how to apply improved investigation practices to jump-start the quality of a redesign effort.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
ASHRM conference draws over 2,000 attendees
Peggy Nakamura honored for distinguished service
New Aon/ASHRM insurance benchmark analysis released
Applications now being accepted for 2009 presenters
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Call for Volunteer Participation launched
New Pearls booklets tackle OB, communication issues
Impact of the RAC: How audits may affect you
CPHRM exam prep course to be held in MD
News and notes from ASHRM’s chapters
RISK MANAGEMENT NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
CMS increases estimate of RAC appeals
FDA: Particulates found in injection product
Medicare stops payment for care resulting from 10 errors
Det Norske Veritas Healthcare gains accreditation approval
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
ASHRM conference draws over 2,000 attendees
ASHRM this week is convening its 2008 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Boston. More than 2,000 paid registrants are attending the profession’s largest educational and networking event. The exhibition hall features 300 booths with information on products and resources for healthcare risk management professionals.
Peggy Nakamura honored for distinguished service
Peggy Nakamura was honored Thursday with ASHRM’s Distinguished Service Award during the Annual Business Meeting & Recognition Event. Nakamura, a past-president of ASHRM, was recognized for her contributions to ASHRM at the national and chapter levels and her more-than 30 years of professional experience. Currently she serves as vice president, chief risk officer and associate counsel of Adventist Health. She is only the 14th DSA winner selected by ASHRM’s board of directors in the Society’s 28-year history.
New Aon/ASHRMinsurance benchmark analysis released
ASHRM and Aon Global this week in Boston released the 2008 Hospital Professional and Physician Liability Benchmark Analysis. The report is a hands-on tool to help healthcare risk managers better understand their cost of risk compared to that of the entire industry. Among the highlights in the ninth edition’s exclusive data are benchmarks of non-reimbursable never events (found to be responsible for one out of six med mal liability claims) and benchmarks for the frequency of indemnity claim payments, or the amount paid to patients to settle a claim. The report is available at the ASHRM Bookstore in Boston and online via www.ashrmstore.org or phone at (800) 242-2626 (catalog # 78704).
Applications now being accepted for 2009 presenters
Applications are now being accepted for those interested in serving as presenters at next year’s Annual Conference, scheduled for Oct. 22-25 in Denver. The 2009 theme is "Taking You Higher," and preference will be given for original ideas, new program models and practical solutions to current and emerging challenges. Session proposals will be accepted through Dec. 7.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Call for Volunteer Participation launched
ASHRM members are invited to answer the 2009 Call for Volunteer Participation, which is open through Oct. 24. “Whether you’re new to ASHRM and want to test the waters, or if you’ve been a member for a while but haven’t found the time to contribute until now, we want you to know of the various opportunities for you to help us fulfill our mission,” says ASHRM President-Elect Georgene Saliba. ASHRM organizes its volunteer opportunities around subject matters relevant to healthcare risk management issues, enabling members to contribute their expertise in a variety of professional development and advocacy areas for 2009.
New Pearls booklets tackleOB, communication issues
Breakdowns in communication and related processes have long been the leading root cause of sentinel events reported to the Joint Commission.Risk Management Pearls To Enhance Communication in Healthcare Settingsaddresses this critical situation with practical tips and strategies that relate to a variety of processes in acute care, psychiatric, outpatient surgical clinics, emergency departments, intensive care units, physician offices and long-term/continuing care facilities. Risk Management Pearls To Enhance Communication in Healthcare Settings is offered in specially priced five-packs to facilitate distribution with the entire staff.
Impact of the RAC: How audits may affect you
Get the latest Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) news and legislative activity. Hear from RAC demonstration states and learn about their problems, responses and future strategies for RAC management. Learn about the appeals process for Medicare RAC denials. ASHRM will present a special audioconference titled “Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Program: Impact of the RAC Audits” from 1-2:30 p.m. CT Oct. 23. There is no fee for the program, but registration is required because capacity is limited.
CPHRM exam prep course to be held in MD
Risk management professionals who want to take the CPHRM examination or are eligible for renewal and need a refresher may benefit from ASHRM’s CPHRM Examination Preparation Course. This overview of material corresponds to the content areas of the exam (detailed in the CPHRM Candidate Handbook)and can help test-takers concentrate on areas for further study or help them review once-familiar subjects. The prep course will be offered by the Maryland Society for Healthcare Risk Management from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Maryland Hospital Association in Elkridge. To register, contact Robin.L.Wessels@medstar.net. To learn how your chapter or company can host a local CPHRM Exam Prep Course, visit the ASHRM Web site (Education page.)
News and notes fromASHRM’s chapters
The Michigan Society for Healthcare Risk Management will hold its fall education conference Oct. 21 at the Henry Center in East Lansing. Contact MSHRM President Ed Lynch at (248) 489-1100 or enl@yockeylaw.com.… The North Carolina chapter of ASHRM will hold its fall program Nov. 12-14 at the Asheville Renaissance Hotel. Reserve discounted rooms through Oct. 12 by calling (828) 252-8211. Contact Rina Borg at (919) 309-0909 or ncashrm@nc.rr.com.
RISK MANAGEMENT NEWS
CMS increases estimate of RAC appeals
CMS recently updated its July 2008 report on the three-year Recovery Audit Contractor demonstration program, which concluded in March 2008. In the update, CMS revises appeals data for claims denied by RACs through June 30, which show a higher appeals rate (19.6 percent versus 14 percent), and a higher overturn rate in favor of providers for appealed denials (35 percent versus 33 percent). However, CMS notes that it is not able to determine the number of pending appeals. State hospital associations from the RAC demonstration states report a large volume of appeals in the queue that are not yet accounted for in CMS’ RAC reports. RAC demonstration appeals were eligible to be filed through August 1.
(Source: AHA News Now, Oct. 1, 2008)
FDA: Particulates found in injection product
According to a recent FDA MedWatch Safety Summary, Ucyclyd Pharma informed healthcare professionals of the detection of particulate matter in the Ammonul Injection product. This particulate matter may impact the safe use of Ammonul. To ensure optimal patient care, healthcare providers are being instructed to use a MilIex Durapore GV 33 mm Sterile Syringe Filter (0.22 µm ) during the admixture process when injecting Ammonul into the 10 percent Dextrose IV bag. Since this particulate matter may not be readily seen on visual inspection, a filter must be employed in all cases regardless of whether particulate matter is seen in the vial. Testing has confirmed the removal of this specific particulate when using this filter to admix Ammonul.
Medicare stops payment for care resulting from 10 errors
Medicare, starting this past Wednesday, is no longer paying hospitals for additional care resulting from "reasonably preventable" errors, the New York Times reported.The new regulations, which apply to a list of 10 errors, affect hundreds of thousands of the 12.5 million hospital stays for which Medicare pays annually. Hospitals also are banned from charging patients directly for care related to medical errors. Under the rule, Medicare no longer will reimburse hospitals for the treatment of certain "conditions that could reasonably have been prevented." The conditions for which Medicare no longer will reimburse hospitals for treatment include: falls; mediastinitis, an infection that can develop after heart surgery; urinary tract infections that result from improper use of catheters; pressure ulcers; and vascular infections that result from improper use of catheters. In addition, the conditions include three "never events": objects left in the body during surgery, air embolisms and blood incompatibility. The rule was proposed by CMS in April 2007 and mandated by a 2005 law.
(Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, Oct. 1, 2008)
Det Norske Veritas Healthcare gains accreditation approval
CMS on Sept. 26 approved Det Norske Veritas Healthcare (DNV) as an accreditation program for hospitals. DNV has achieved recognition as a national accreditation program for hospitals seeking to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs.
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© 2008 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association. Reprints should credit the source as "ASHRM eNews"
