IHA has launched a new Hospital Board Self-Assessment program, replacing the paper-based survey IHA has provided to members over the past several years.  The new system allows for both individual board member self-evaluations as well as an evaluation of the full board.  Hospitals that elect to utilize this tool will be able to use a survey with common questions for benchmarking opportunities as well as add custom questions unique to their hospital.

The survey tool will produce reports that provide hospitals with board data break-outs and comparative averages against other similarly sized hospitals statewide.

“It is a very easy to use program where the hospital designates a program coordinator who does initial survey set-up and any customization.  The survey is then initiated when the hospital is ready,” said Perry Meyer IHA senior vice president of information services.  “The survey program is available 365 days a year and can be administered as often as the hospital would like.  Obviously, the more hospitals that use the program the better for benchmarking.”

Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa has been using a similar online board assessment over the past few years, but is excited about moving toward a system that can benchmark against peers.

Kristin Kaiser, planning and marketing specialist with Mercy-North Iowa said the hospital uses the tool to ensure its board is functioning effectively.

“We use this to show the board what they’re doing well and what they need improvement on,” she said.  “This tool helps stimulate discussion at the board level and clarify performance expectations.”

Kaiser said that the response rate increased when the survey was put online as people are getting more and more reliant on technology and online communications.

The program is now live and hospital boards can begin using the system at any time.

Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and Web.

Iowa News:

Prompt medical attention equals excellent prognosis for stroke survivor
March 8, 2010 was the day Duane Ott could have died.  That is had Ott, clinical engineering director for Mercy Medical Center — Sioux City, not sought medical attention when he did. (Sioux City Journal)

Belmond Medical Center Groundbreaking
The Belmond Medical Center will soon have many changes.  The groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation and expansion project today is marking the start of construction. (KIMT)

Mercy begins work on ER expansion
Construction is under way on a $17 million expansion of the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa emergency department, hospital officials said. A new 25,493-square-foot  single-story structure is planned — double the size of the current emergency department.  (Mason City Globe Gazette)

U.S. News

Healthcare law backers plan counteroffensive
After months of being pummeled by Republican attacks on the new healthcare law, the Obama administration and its allies are striking back in an attempt to stem public disaffection with the health overhaul ahead of the November election. (Los Angeles Times)

85,000 lost health insurance in Sacramento area, UCLA study finds
Researchers issued yet another grim statistic Monday on the toll of the recession: 2 million additional Californians – 85,000 of them in the capital region – lost their health care coverage during the recent economic slide. (Sacremento Bee)

Sebelius could face health-reg fight
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius could find herself pitted between top Democrats on Capitol Hill and state insurance commissioners over a key section of the health care overhaul. Sebelius is waiting for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to suggest rules surrounding how much insurance companies must spend on medical costs versus administrative expenses or profits. The report, expected in weeks, isn’t likely to be as strict on insurers as top Democrats have hoped. (Politico.com)

Can Concierge Medicine for the Few Benefit the Many?
Earlier this summer a friend revealed that for the last nine years she has been a patient in a concierge, or boutique, primary care practice. For $350 each month, she is guaranteed around-the-clock access to her doctor, appointments within 24 hours of calling, longer office visits and the kind of personalized attention and care coordination she felt was missing with all her previous doctors.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced plans to call House members back from recess for a vote on legislation to extend enhanced Medicaid funding to states through June 2011. After the Senate achieved the long-awaited cloture vote this week, the House must now act to finalize the legislation, sending it to President Obama.

The Senate’s final action came once leaders were able to garner support from Maine Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe pushing the vote tally to 61, one vote over the required 60. Pelosi said, “I am calling members of the House back to Washington at the beginning of the week (August 9) to pass this bill and send it to President Obama without further delay.” Pelosi also “tweeted” the announcement.

IHA supports Congressional action on this measure, as the state’s budget relies on more than $120 million in federal Medicaid dollars. IHA will continue to monitor the progress through the House, though passage is expected. President Obama has also indicated his support of the measure.

The U.S. Senate voted for a six-month, $16 billion extension of enhanced federal Medicaid funding by a slim 61-38 vote (60 needed for passage).  The vote comes after many failed attempts over the past several months leaving the provision, and many state budgets, in limbo.

The amendment will provide much-needed funding to state Medicaid programs freeing up resources for other state priorities.  Iowa’s state budget relies on nearly $120 million  in federal Medicaid funding that will now be available.

The package is scaled back from the original proposal making the price tag easier to swallow and garnering few, but enough Republican votes.  Iowa Senator Tom Harkin co-sponsored the amendment and voted Yea and Senator Charles Grassley voted nay.

The bill now travels back to the House for its approval.

Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and Web.

Iowa News:

Spellman service award goes to Michalak
The Mercy Medical Center Foundation announced last week that Dr. John C. “Jack” Michalak is the recipient of the Dr. George S. Spellman Annual Service Award. The award will be presented during the foundation’s annual gala Nov. 6 at the Marina Inn and Conference Center in South Sioux City. (Sioux City Journal)

Sioux Center Hospital donates food to volunteers
Besides elbow grease, there are other ways people are pitching in. Folks from the Sioux Center Community Hospital bought lunch for all those volunteers today and even helped serve it up. (KTIV)

Cancer treatment at Trinity to expand
Trinity Regional Medical Center got the green light Wednesday to acquire the equipment necessary to provide radiation therapy for cancer patients. (Fort Dodge Messenger)

U.S. News

Administration sees $8B Medicare savings in 2011
The new health overhaul law is starting to produce savings for Medicare and will eventually add more than a decade of solvency to the program’s trust fund, the Obama administration said in an upbeat report released Monday. (KWWL via Associated Press)

Paramedics Will Employ New Therapy in Cardiac Arrest Cases
Paramedics in New York City are being trained in a relatively new cooling therapy that has been shown to increase the chances for cardiac arrest patients to survive and to avoid brain damage, city officials said on Monday. (New York Times)

Health Blog Q&A: Mayo Clinic’s New Center for Social Media
Mayo Clinic has been taking advantage of social media — including Facebook, Twitter and patient and employee blogs — for several years. (Wall Street Journal Health  Blog)

Mass. health care bill awaits gov’s signature
A Massachusetts health care bill that would force insurers to spend almost 90 percent of their premium revenues on medical care instead of administrative costs awaits Gov. Deval Patrick’s signature.

Insurers and ratings groups post information to help patients choose doctors
For most people, picking a doctor is hardly a scientific process. They ask friends or family members to pass along names of doctors they like and trust, or rely on another doctor’s referral.