“People are often unaware of the contributions that hospitals make to their local economies, including the number of people they employ, the significance of hospital purchases with local businesses and the impact of their employees’ spending for the entire region,” said Kirk Norris, IHA president/CEO.  “Just as no one provides the services and community benefits found at our hospitals, there is also no substitute for the jobs and business hospitals provide and create.”

The IHA study examined the jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s health care sector.  The study was compiled from hospital-submitted data on the American Hospital Association’s Annual Survey of Hospitals and with software that other industries have used to determine their economic impact.

The study found that Iowa hospitals directly employ 70,363 people and create another 65,783 jobs outside the hospital sector.  As an income source, hospitals provide $3.9 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $2.3 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals.

In all, Iowa’s health care sector, which includes employed clinicians, long-term care services and assisted living centers, pharmacies and other medical and health services, directly and indirectly provides 333,554 Iowa jobs, or more than one-fifth of the state’s total employment.

Complete information from the study, including economic impact data for each of Iowa’s hospitals, is available on the IHA website.

In November, 58 communities were invited to submit applications based on previously submitted statements of interest indicating their desire to become a Blue Zones Project demonstration site. These communities were chosen based on a mixture of criteria, including civic structure and engagement and how many residents live and work within the community.  Collectively, the 54 communities that provided applications represent the geographic and demographic diversity of Iowa.

Hospitals continue to be key players and motivators in the Blue Zones process.

“Promoting healthier lives has always been the mission of Spencer Hospital and it’s really exciting to see such a great grassroots effort in our community working to achieve Blue Zones status,” commented Bill Bumgarner, CEO at Spencer Hospital. “Community members are already embracing health improvement initiatives and striving to live healthier.  We anticipate this movement continuing to grow with the potential support of the Blue Zones initiative.”

“Assuming an even greater accountability for the wellness of our community is an exciting and daunting challenge,” said Susan Thompson, CEO of Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge.  “I am pleased the Fort Dodge community has embraced this opportunity and stepped forward in partnership. As the community hospital and leader in health promotion, we are very engaged in this process remaining hopeful while looking forward to be named a Blue Zone community.”

Teresa Newman

Teresa Newman, Trinity Regional’s healthy living manager, has been one of the leaders in Fort Dodge’s Blue Zones effort.  She said the application process was beneficial.

“Many of us on the committee were unaware of programs currently offered by various businesses in our community,” Newman said.   “This new-found awareness will allow us to work together to enhance and collaborate our current program offerings as well as develop new programs.  That was definitely an unexpected benefit of the Blue Zones application process.”

Upon assessment of the applications, up to 10 finalist communities will be announced on February 10.  These selected communities will host site visits from February 27-March 16.  This process will culminate with the selection of the demonstration sites in May.

Communities not chosen as demonstration sites will also benefit.  An Iowa “Blue Zones Institute” is being established this year to provide leadership training and tools to help leaders transform their communities, work places and home environments, using a self-directed approach to becoming a Blue Zones Community.  An online learning collaborative to showcase how communities have implemented Blue Zones principles as well as a suite of online tools is also being developed.

For more information in the Iowa Blue Zones Project, click here.

An Iowa Health-Des Moines nurse checks on a newborn.

Miracles happen at hospitals every day.  Nowhere is that more evident than on the obstetrics unit – where the babies are.  This is not just where infants are born, it’s where families are made and enhanced.  It’s where lives are changed in a way that is joyous and forever.

But there was no miracle for the twin girls born late last week and then found dead in the trunk of their mother’s car in Story County.  Now their mother, Jackie Burkle, is facing murder charges.  Few details have emerged about the case, but there is only real question:  Why?  What would lead a young woman to give birth and then allow – if not purposely bring about – the deaths of her infant daughters?

This is particularly frustrating for hospitals and the people who work in them, not only because they are mission-bound to protect lives, particularly the lives of children and other vulnerable people, but because there are laws – laws that hospitals advocated for – to help these mothers in distress and their babies.

Iowa’s “safe haven” law was put on the books in 2001.  Under the law, which was strongly supported by IHA, unwanted babies age 14 days or younger can be surrendered at a hospital or even a nursing home.  The law provides that the child’s parents will be immune from prosecution (assuming the child is unharmed), their identities will be kept private and the child will be cared for and eventually adopted.

Fourteen Iowa infants have been adopted under the law.  But, sadly, at least a half dozen have died since then in circumstances similar to those playing out in Story County.

In response, IHA worked with the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and former Iowa First Lady Mari Culver to produce television (see video below) and radio ads in 2007 that explained the law and promoted hospitals as safe havens.  The ads ran that summer on television and radio programs that were popular with young people.

Up to that time, nothing formal had been done to publicize the law.  With information and assistance from IHA, hospitals put up signs and promoted the law with their local media when it was first passed.  But, except for that summer nearly five years ago, no money has ever been allocated by the Legislature to keep the public aware of safe havens.

Maybe it’s time that a coalition of Iowa human and health services organizations (including hospitals) – as well as state agencies – figured out how to ensure that a minimal year-to-year effort is made to raise safe havens awareness.  It may never be enough to keep these tragedies from happening, but safeguarding the lives of newborns deserves more than nothing.

Beginning this month, Lakes Regional Healthcare at Spirit Lake will join the network of hospitals participating in URMED, which also includes BVRMC, Humboldt Community Hospital, Loring Hospital in Sac City and Pocahontas Community Hospital. The increase in hospital participation also created an additional internship position in the program.

BVRMC provides experiential learning opportunities throughout the academic year for BVU students pursuing careers in medicine and other health care professions, says Dr. Richard Lampe, professor of biology who helped develop the URMED partnership. Lampe is also current chair of the BVRMC Board of Trustees.

The capstone of the URMED program is an intensive January internship for selected BVU pre-med students who have an interest in practicing rural medicine. Students compete for the January internship slots, which include $3,000 stipends to help defray the costs of applying to medical school.

The URMED program was designed as one possible solution to the impending national shortage of physicians and other health care practitioners in rural communities. URMED has attracted interest from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine as well as a national program that seeks to interest young people in health care careers, notes Lampe.

URMED program interns (in white coats, left to right) Sabrina Martinez, Cammy Matters, Whitney Nelson and Alex Davis are joined by Rob Colerick, CEO of Buena Vista Regional Medical Center.

While the URMED alumni have no obligation to return to the communities where they interned, BVU science faculty, and officials at BVRMC and the other participating hospitals stay in regular contact and build ongoing relationships with them. “We have already seen interest in several medical students in coming back to Storm Lake to practice,” notes Lampe. The URMED program is also attracting new students interested in health care careers to BVU, he notes.

Students selected for the 2012 URMED January internships are:

• Cammy Matters, a junior biology major from Humboldt
• Whitney Nelson, a junior biology and history double major from Audubon
• Alex Davis, a junior biology major from Webster City
• Sabrina Martinez, a non-traditional student from Storm Lake, who is completing her pre-med course requirements at BVU. A 2008 Columbia University graduate in political science, she is a former admissions representative and assistant director of admissions at BVU.

Matters, Nelson and Davis will each intern at BVRMC for two weeks and then one week at the hospitals in Humboldt, Sac City, or Pocahontas. Martinez will spend all three weeks of her internship at Lakes Regional Healthcare at Spirit Lake.

During their internships, the students will work alongside physicians and other health care practitioners to learn what it is like to interact with patients in hospital, surgery, emergency room and clinical settings. They can also attend lectures and continuing education programs for medical staff.

The participating hospitals and BVU, through donor support, provide the financial resources for the stipends. “This year we had nine very fine URMED applicants but could only fund the four internships,” notes Lampe. “If we had additional financial support and participation from other area hospitals we could grow the program to accommodate the interest that our BVU students are showing in rural medical careers.”

So far, six BVU graduates and two current students have completed URMED January internships. Two are now enrolled in medical schools and others are working in related fields and plan to reapply to med schools, or are in graduate programs.

Two 2009 BVU graduates, Kyle Glienke of Aurelia and James Alstott of Laurens, also completed internships at BVRMC that became the model for the URMED program, says Lampe. They are third-year medical students at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and were on campus in September to talk with URMED students about their experiences in medical school.

At that time, about three-fourths of the communities were home to at least one hospital. Now, all but a few of the invited applicants are hospital communities and hospital leaders are excited to be part of the process.

“From the start of this project, Pella’s effort has been a true community effort,” said Bob Kroese, CEO of Pella Regional Health Center. “We’ve had numerous meetings with representation from our industries, schools, small businesses as well as the health care organizations. It’s rewarding to see the community take hold of the Blue Zones concept and support it.”

“People expect, and should, that the hospital in their community will take a strong leadership role in improving the health of the community and we were excited to step up.” said Jason Harrington, CEO of Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. “Although it’s always been the responsibility of the community hospital, there is a renewed commitment due the changes we’re seeing under health care reform and with managing population health. Strategically speaking, Blue Zones is a great fit for us.”

“We have heard nothing but positive comments from our community and its leaders,” said Kyle Richards, CEO of Waverly Health Center.  “Our community has many of the components already in place and Waverly wants to take the next step with bringing it altogether in our evolution of being a Blue Zones community.”

Members of Waverly's Blue Zones Advisory Board met on December 6.

If the statement of interest was the communities simply raising their hands, the actual application requires each community to stand up and make the case of for inclusion in the demonstration project. Among other factors, the application must show the community has a relatively streamlined local government structure with only one city council and school district and that most of the population lives and works within the community.

Project resources, like meeting places and office space for the Blue Zones team, must be available and local leaders and media must indicate their willingness to participate. Each community is expected to maintain a Facebook page. And along with showing community support for Blue Zones participation (which is tracked through an online scoreboard), the community should be able to illustrate strong volunteer support for past projects.

Following assessment of the formal applications, a group of finalist communities will be selected to host site visits between February 27, 2012 and March 16, 2012. This process will culminate with the selection of the first group of lead communities in May of next year.

The Blue Zones Project is based upon findings from an eight-year worldwide longevity study to identify common elements of the world’s longest-lived cultures. Blue Zones uses third-party research and direct studies to identify the world’s best practices in longevity and well-being. Working in collaboration with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, it uses this research to develop lifestyle management tools.

In 2009, Blue Zones led a 10-month pilot project in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where residents increased their projected life expectancy by 2.9 years. In addition, employers in that city reported a decline in health care claims cost and a drop in absenteeism.

That is IHA’s mission statement, and it’s a good one. Basically, IHA helps hospitals do what they need to do to meet the expectations of their communities by educating hospital staff, collecting data that helps hospitals plan and representing Iowa hospitals in Des Moines and Washington, D.C. 

That last part means IHA is a lobbying organization, not unlike other lobbying organizations that work on behalf of farmers, builders, school teachers, school boards, restaurants, grocers, insurance companies, lawyers, newspapers and dozens of other industries and organizations, including many non-profits, from Boys and Girls Clubs to Ducks Unlimited to Easter Seals. 

Some people don’t like lobbyists; one of those people may well be Dean Lerner. Which would be more than a little ironic, since the Department of Inspections and Appeals, the state agency Lerner used to run, has its own lobbyist. 

Certainly Lerner dislikes IHA, leaving one to wonder if he doesn’t feel the same way about the hospitals that make up IHA’s membership and drive the Association’s lobbying priorities. For the record, that would be every hospital in the state. 

It’s a little hard to tell just what Lerner’s mission is, even after several reads of his 650-word opinion in Sunday’s Des Moines Register.  Well, maybe it’s not that hard, as Lerner concludes early on that “hospitals…have come to reflect the values of Wall Street,” though he doesn’t bother to explain what that means or how it has affected one of the highest quality, most efficient health care systems in the country. 

But it is obvious Lerner doesn’t like that there are hospitals in West Des Moines (a city of nearly 60,000 people located in the fastest-growing region in the state that Lerner, nonetheless, describes as “nowhere”) even though these hospitals see nearly 2,000 patients each month – in just their emergency rooms. 

He doesn’t like Iowa’s smallest hospitals, either, because the federal government has the temerity to pay these hospitals 1 percent more than their cost of care. Lerner doesn’t seem to mind at all that these hospitals are almost completely dependent on Medicare and Medicaid dollars for their survival and that, without the Critical Access Hospital Program, their buildings would remain best suited for medicine as it was practiced 50 years ago. 

Maybe Lerner doesn’t realize that Iowa hospitals, particularly in smaller counties, are often the largest employer and always an economic cornerstone for a state desperate to attract and keep young, well-educated workers and their growing families. His position seems to be that these hospitals, and the communities they serve, should just get it over with and die. 

He also apparently believes hospitals should not be tax-exempt, though, once again, does not say why. He doesn’t think Medicaid losses by hospitals should count as a community benefit, though it’s difficult to imagine a greater benefit to taxpayers than the $196 million hit Iowa hospitals take each year to keep the program afloat (not to mention $63 million lost to Medicare).  

He doesn’t think a half billion dollars in charity care and another $67 million in additional health care services are enough. He doesn’t think $344 million lost to people who simply decide not to pay their hospital bills is enough. And he apparently has ready replacements for hospitals and the millions they expend supporting and improving the health of their communities through education, counseling, sponsorships and research that extend above and beyond day-to-day patient care. 

If he does have a different idea, rest assured that it will come at the expense of the communities that hospitals serve, the same communities filled with Iowans who each year donate millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to their hospitals. It is those communities and their representatives that drive each hospital’s mission – the mission that IHA represents and supports. 

Because there is one thing Lerner does manage to make clear – he is still the dedicated former bureaucrat who would gladly add more layers of legislation, regulation and expense to health care, ultimately making nurses and physicians more accountable to the government than to their patients and communities. 

That’s a mission Iowa’s hospitals will not support, and neither should the people of Iowa.

Grundy County Memorial Hospital

Eighty-four communities in Iowa have submitted a “statement of interest” to become one of 10 demonstration sites for the state’s Blue Zones Project.  Submission of the statement of interest is the first step of the application process for the Blue Zones Project.  About three-fourths of the 84 communities are home to at least one hospital – and hospitals have taken leadership roles to bring Blue Zones home. 

The Blue Zones Project is based upon findings from an eight-year worldwide longevity study to identify common elements of the world’s longest-lived cultures.  Blue Zones uses third-party research and direct studies to identify the world’s best practices in longevity and well-being. Working in collaboration with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, it uses this research to develop lifestyle management tools.  In 2009, Blue Zones led a 10-month pilot project in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where residents increased their projected life expectancy by 2.9 years.  In addition, employers in that city reported a decline in health care claims cost and a drop in absenteeism. 

“Iowans have sent a clear signal that they are eager to improve their well-being,” said Justin Smith, co-leader of the Blue Zones Project.  “During the road shows, we were impressed by the passion shown by communities throughout Iowa and we look forward to the next stage in this exciting journey together.” 

Blue Zones is tracking community interest in the project and one of the leaders from the start has been Grundy Center. There, Grundy County Memorial Hospital has been a highly active Blue Zones supporter and leader.  “For us, this is a very mission-driven project,” said hospital CEO Pam Delagardelle.  “The path to becoming a Blue Zones community aligns perfectly with our hospital’s mission of ‘improving the health of the communities we serve.’”  

“It’s a perfect time for our hospital to drive this initiative for our community – we have the local infrastructure in place with strategic partners like public health, the school district, and local businesses all actively involved in community health implementation.  The prospect of transforming our community’s well-being is exciting and energizing and our stakeholders are prepared to align efforts to accomplish the transformation.” 

Algona is another place that has received significant community support for its Blue Zones application and Kossuth Regional Health Center (KRHC) has led the way with several staff members joining in the community-wide effort.  “We know that lifestyle choices make a big impact on people’s overall health and see great value in investing in wellness opportunities for the community and on behalf of our own employees,” said KRHC CEO Scott Curtis.  

“We have encouraged staff from all areas of the hospital to get involved and have engaged physicians, public health nurses, business health staff and others in this effort so far.  In addition to working on plans and ideas for the overall community, at KRHC we have also started introducing Blue Zones concepts to our employees.” 

After the statements of interest are reviewed, select communities will be asked to submit a formal, detailed application to become one of 10 demonstration sites to receive assistance in developing and implementing a blueprint for making permanent environmental, policy and social network changes that transition people into healthier behaviors.  These communities will share their learnings with other communities in Iowa. 

The invitations to submit formal applications will be extended to communities by November 23, and the applications must be submitted by January 4, 2012.  Upon assessment of these applications, a group of finalist communities will then be selected to host a site visit between February 27, 2012 and March 16, 2012.  This process will culminate with the selection of the first group of lead communities in May of next year. 

Well-being improvement in the participating communities will be measured using the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the first-ever daily assessment of U.S. residents health and well-being.  Well-Being Index data reveals a significant opportunity in Iowa for improvement, particularly among healthy behaviors and work environments.  Iowa currently ranks 19^th on the index; the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, of which the Blue Zones Project is a centerpiece, aims to pull Iowa to the top of the index  by helping employers and communities achieve greater well-being, which should lead to lower health care costs, higher productivity and increased economic viability.

Employees from Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City show their support for the October 7 walk.

More than 291,000 Iowans voted with their feet in favor of the new Healthiest State Initiative by participating in Start Somewhere Walks held across Iowa last week, according to estimates by walk organizers.  The walks were a huge success in communities both large and small, from one side of the state to the other. 

“In more than 2,300 group walks and thousands of individual walks, Iowans said ‘yes’ to starting our journey to becoming the healthiest state in the nation,” said Governor Terry Branstad, who announced the Healthiest State Initiative in August. “It was a remarkable display of energy as Iowans came together to ‘start somewhere’ in reaching this ambitious goal.” 

Start Somewhere Walks, which were held in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, were hosted by several Iowa hospitals (see a slide show of photos) as providers continue to play in leading role in the initiative and its centerpiece, the Iowa Blue Zones Project. 

Blue Zones uses third party research and direct studies to identify the world’s best practices in longevity and well-being. Working in collaboration with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, it uses this research to develop lifestyle management tools. In 2009, Blue Zones led a 10-month pilot project in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where residents increased their projected life expectancy by 2.9 years. In addition, employers in that city reported a decline in healthcare claims cost and a drop in absenteeism. 

Now, communities across Iowa have been invited to apply to become one of 10 to receive direct assistance from national experts in their quest to join Blue Zones.  Communities will be selected in multiple phases over the next five years. These communities will become demonstration sites and share their learnings with other communities in Iowa who are employing Blue Zones principles. Businesses will also take the lead by transforming their worksites, followed by government, schools and non-profit organizations. 

Dozens of Iowa cities and towns have expressed interest in becoming Blue Zones communities.  Communities wanting to find out more can send representatives to Blue Zones “road shows” being held this week.  Information is also available from a webinar that was presented last month and recorded.  To officially join the Blue Zones competition, communities must submit a statement of interest by October 28.

Thursday, 8:45 a.m.
At last night’s House of Delegates meeting, Gary Riedmann, CEO at St. Anthony’s Regional Hospital in Carroll, was sworn in as the new IHA Board Chair.  Riedmann replaces last year’s Board Chair, Joe Smith, and will serve a one-year term as head of the board. Riedmann is slated to provide the opening remarks for today’s first session, the recognition of this year’s Iowa Hospital Heroes at 8:30 a.m. Following the awards, Riedmann will also introduce the final keynote speaker of this year’s Annual Meeting, Paul Auerbach.

Want to see more pictures from this year’s annual meeting? Click here to view the whole album on Flickr.

Thursday, 10:00 a.m.

Keynote speaker, Paul Auerbach, left the crowd stunned with the stories of his experience providing medical relief in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. His words and photos had a profound impact on attendees as they embarked on the final day of the 82nd Annual Meeting.

Thursday, 12:30 p.m.
Laurie Everhardt, Volunteer Services Manager at Waverly Health Center, provides her reaction to Cy Wakeman’s session, “Succeeding in Spite of the Facts,” and talks about challenging conventional wisdom in volunteerism.

Thursday, 3:00 p.m.

That’s all she wrote! The 82nd IHA Annual Meeting has officially adjourned. Thank you to all who attended, IHA hopes you had a great week. Safe travels – we’ll see you again next year!

Wednesday, 8:45 a.m.

The halls of the Des Moines Downtown Marriott are a’buzz this morning with hundreds of health care workers as well as over 50 trade show exhibitors. Attendees have filed into the ballroom once again to prepare for the morning’s opening session. Starting out day two of the Annual Meeting is an award ceremony, recognizing those who have completed the IHA Health Care Leadership Series.  Following the ceremony will be health care futurist, Jeff Goldsmith who will be delivering the Cordes/Ramsey keynote speech.

Pictures of the keynote and award ceremony will be posted soon.

Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.

Some pictures from this morning’s opening session:

Cordes/Ramsey keynote speaker, health care futurist, Jeff Goldsmith.

IHA Board Chair and CEO of Boone County Hospital, Joe Smith, handing out awards recognizing those who completed the IHA Health Care Leadership Series.

Wednesday, 12:45 p.m.

The afternoon sessions have begun. Today’s tracks include the following:

• Clinical Leadership: Finding Balance
• Reform: From Impact to Innovation
• Strategic Leadership
• Foundations: Giving for Good

After the final sessions of the day are finished, there are still a couple events happening at the conference. At 4:30 p.m. is the House of Delegates (for IHA Voting Delegates Only) in the Cedar Rapids/Council Bluffs rooms on the 3rd floor. Following this is the Chair’s Celebration at 5:30 p.m. in the Iowa Ballroom. All attendees are encouraged to attend this reception and enjoy an opportunity to relax and socialize amongst their peers at the conference.

Wednesday, 2:00 p.m.

Sherri Doggett, VP of Patient Care Services at Mercy Medical Center-Centerville talks about why its important for nurses to attend Annual Meeting and why it’s still a worthwhile conference to attend year after year.