Top Story: State and Federal Vaccine Regulations Update

Significant changes to the employment requirements around COVID-19 vaccines at the state and federal levels have taken place this week. On Tuesday, May 30, CMS released a final rule that among other things withdrew the federal COVID-19 mandate for health care staff. The revised condition of participation will go into effect 60 days after the rule's publication in the Federal Register. The final rule also reinforces the importance of quality reporting to encourage staff participation in vaccination.

At the same time, SB 252 regarding state prohibitions on COVID-19 vaccinations became effective June 1 and makes changes to the state’s previous prohibitions around vaccination requirements and masking mandates. Those changes specifically prohibit businesses from using vaccination status as a condition of employment or contracting. The law additionally prohibits masking requirements in businesses but allows exceptions for healthcare facilities that follow yet-to-be-established state rules. For more information see the FHA Member Alert about those changes here.

FHA will continue to monitor updates at both the state and federal levels and will keep you informed of any changes. If you would like to learn more about the implementation of this law, and other state regulations going into effect, please register to join us June 12th for the FHA Legislative Session Legal and Compliance Roundup Webinar here.

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Don’t miss the FHA Quality Conference – June 22-23

Registration is still open for the 2023 FHA Quality Conference, Improving Care through Collaboration and Commitment - the best opportunity to hear directly from CMS on their priority focus areas for quality and the latest update from The Leapfrog Group. Hospital teams from across the state will be presenting their work around improving care transitions to prevent readmissions, addressing safety culture to create a caring environment, reducing sepsis mortality, improving maternity care, using data to tell a story and the journey to Leapfrog “A” scores. Register now.

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Preventing Maternal Mortality: Upcoming Events

Please join FHA, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, and the Florida College of Emergency Physicians on Wednesday, June 7, 12:00 p.m. ET to learn about the tools and resources for hospital emergency departments to adopt to reduce maternal mortality in Florida. Register here.

June 14, 2023, 12:00-2:00 p.m. AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Center Program Grand Rounds on Maternal Health

Registration is open for an AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Center Program Grand Rounds on maternal health. The webinar on June 14 from noon to 2 p.m. ET will highlight two EPC reports:

• Postpartum Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Postpartum Treatment of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy, and Peripartum Magnesium Sulfate Regimens for Preeclampsia With Severe Features

• Postpartum Care for Women Up to One Year After Pregnancy

The webinar, the second in a series of EPC Grand Rounds, is intended to expand awareness while addressing evidence gaps and implications for clinical practice. Despite technological advances and a growing awareness of the importance of maternal health, pregnancy-related deaths have increased in the United States, from 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 20.1 per 100,000 live births in 2019. Black women are still three times as likely to die as non-Hispanic White women while pregnant and up to one year postpartum.

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AIM Obstetric Emergency Readiness Resource Kit

The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health released an Obstetric Emergency Readiness Resource Kit that contains best practices, resources, and planning materials to prepare for obstetric emergencies in healthcare settings that may not typically provide obstetric care or those not frequently caring for people experiencing obstetric emergencies. Please share this resource kit with your family medicine physicians, Emergency Medicine providers, nursing administrators, and other leaders in clinical settings that may not routinely encounter an obstetric emergency.

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Health Plan Accountability Update

Data Collection begins next week for FHA Payer Accountability Initiative

The OHA-FHA health plan payer scorecard portal will open next Tuesday, June 6 for Florida hospitals to submit data on health plan outstanding accounts receivables, denials, and other challenges. FHA has partnered with the Ohio Hospital Association to use its platform for collecting data from Florida hospitals about Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care, and commercial health plans. Data will be due June 30. Results will be published by mid-August. Those identified as “data submitters” on the FHA Commitment form will receive emails from OHA with submission information. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Streit ([email protected])

United pulls back on prior authorization requirement for end

United Healthcare has modified its gastroenterology policy, which goes into effect June 1, and will focus on additional provider education rather than prior authorization to address their concerns about possible overutilization. The original policy would have required all surveillance and diagnostic endoscopies and colonoscopies to have prior authorization. The American Hospital Association met with United to share their concerns about the policy and following those discussions, the refocused gastroenterology policy was released. UHC will implement a 7-month, or potentially longer, pilot program to collect data that substitutes notification and submission of standard clinical data when services are delivered for prior authorization, removing the risk of potential care delays and claim denials. This data will be applied to UHC’s gold-carding program, beginning sometime in 2024, to exempt physicians that are routinely aligned with the insurer’s guidelines. The insurer has yet to determine any additional controls that will be placed on non-gold-carded clinicians at the end of the pilot.

The standard data required in advance of care are member information, requested procedure, and diagnosis, referring provider information, and rendering provider information and site of service. Other potentially relevant details of a patient’s condition or medical history, including the indication for the procedure and the results of prior testing, may also be requested when necessary.

The data submitted will be reviewed by a board-certified gastroenterologist for adherence to applicable clinical guidelines and used as an opportunity to engage in physician education where appropriate. The focus on provider education should diminish the risk of patient access issues by removing the need for preauthorization in advance of the service and the accompanying risk of coverage or payment denials. The AHA agrees this refocused policy is a better approach and encourages UHC to implement the program in the most efficient way possible to avoid any duplication in the clinical information requested.

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National Action Alliance to Address Workplace Violence

Registration is open now!

The National Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety will be offering a webinar on June 27 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET to address the need for preventing violence in healthcare settings. This webinar is part of an HHS series sponsored by the National Action Alliance To Advance Patient Safety, a public–private effort to support healthcare delivery systems’ move toward zero harm. The series launched in April and began with identifying the obstacles that must be overcome to improve patient safety, such as “workforce burnout, the increased complexity of patient care, and difficulty of sharing best practices.” Materials from April 25 webinar can be found below:

• Public Agenda

• Video: Overview of the National Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety

• Slide Presentation

• Request for Information Summary

• Safer Together: National Action Plan and Self-Assessment Tool.

Register now for additional National Action Alliance webinars:
July 25, 2–3 p.m. ET: Involving Patients and Families in Safety
Aug. 22, 2–3 p.m. ET: Engaging Boards and Executive Leadership in Safety

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Nominate Nurse Leaders for AONL’s Young Professional Voices Program - A Showcase of Rising Talent in Nursing Leadership

The Young Professional Voices program recognizes exemplary nurse leaders who are engaged and create an environment of trust, compassion, innovation, influence, and motivation in leadership areas of clinical, quality, education, safety, and academic and practice-based settings. If you know a professional that qualifies as a candidate for this recognition, we encourage you to nominate them today! The deadline for submitting your nomination is Tuesday, June 6.

Learn more about the eligibility qualifications and nominate a young professional today!

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FY 2022 AHA Annual Survey – Deadline Extended to July 14th

Reminder the AHA has issued its annual request for hospital data. The survey is meant to be a snapshot of the hospital market and to inform health care leaders, researchers, and consumers. Completing the survey will ensure accuracy in the AHA Guide®, Hospital Statistics™, and U.S. News & World Report’s Directory of America’s Hospitals. The FHA encourages all hospitals to participate before July 14, 2023. If a hospital needs its login credentials or has questions about the survey, please contact Stephanie Scanlon ([email protected]) or Ana Rivas ([email protected]).

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FHA Quality Conference June 22-23, 2023 – Registration Today!

Room Block Reservations are extended through Monday, June 5 – Register now!

FHA would like to thank everyone who has registered to attend the first annual FHA Quality Conference on June 22-23, 2023! The registration portal will be open through Friday, June 16 for all FHA hospital and health care system member employees, as well as non-member health care providers, to register and join their colleagues for this important event.

Location
The deadline to reserve a room in the FHA block has been extended to Monday, June 5, 2023! The conference will take place at the Westin Lake Mary, 2974 International Pkwy, Lake Mary, FL, 32746. Please click here to reserve your room in the FHA room block - now!

Registration
The registration website is open, please click here to register today!

• FHA Member Hospital Employees: $195
• Non-member Health Care Providers and Physician Group Practices: $295

Please note: Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a discount of $20 off per registrant. Please contact AK Consulting Group for information.

Attendees will hear from esteemed subject matter experts and distinguished colleagues, including two special national speakers for the conference opening and closing keynote sessions.

Jean D. Moody-Williams, RN, MPP, Deputy Director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide an overview of CMS’s Strategic Framework and discuss CMS’s vision and role within the National Healthcare System Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety to open the conference.

Leah Binder, MA, MGA, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, is a leader in evaluating and publicly reporting safety and quality in hospitals. Florida has one of the highest participation rates in the country in the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, strongly encouraged by the employer community and hospital boards. Florida also ranks high among states for its Hospital Safety Grades. Attendees will hear from Ms. Binder about the survey priorities, trends in patient safety including problems during the pandemic, and areas of opportunity for hospitals.

Informative presentations from hospitals and other providers will include: 

• Improving Care Transitions and Reducing Readmission
  • Implementing Care Transitions Rounds (CTRs) for Progression of Care and Discharge Readiness - BayCare
  • Improving Re-admissions of the BPCIA Population through Enhanced Care Coordination – Tampa General Hospital
  • Understanding Patient Needs Post Discharge to Reduce Readmissions – University of Miami Health System
  • Using Telehealth to Improve Care Transition from NICU to Home – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
• Advancing Improved Care for Mothers and Babies
  • Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative Update – University of South Florida
  • Safely Reducing C-section Rates – Lee Health
  • Maternal Levels of Care Verification – AdventHealth
  • NICU Care: Improving Hand-offs Between Providers – University of South Florida
• Medication Safety
  • A Health System’s Journey to Achieve Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) Success – AdventHealth
  • Ready, Set, Game ON! Using Innovative Gaming Methodology to Decrease Medication Errors – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
• Best Practices for Reducing Sepsis Mortality
  • Reducing Pediatric Morbidity and Mortality Related to Sepsis – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
• Improving Safety Through Changing Culture
  • Creating a Culture of Safety: Step by Step – UF Health Shands Hospital
  • Roadmap to Quality Excellence – Kindred Hospital
  • Helping People Thrive by Creating Joy at Work – Hendry Regional Medical Center

For questions about the conference, please contact FHA Education at 850-222-9800 or [email protected].

Thank you to our 2023 Premier Sponsors!

Associate Sponsors

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Florida Hospital Association 2023 Annual Meeting

 

October 4 - 6, 2023 | Orlando, FL

Register Early! 

The Florida Hospital Association’s Annual Meeting registration portal is now open! The conference is October 4–6, 2023, at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grand Lakes.
This must-attend event is one of the largest gatherings of health care professionals in the State of Florida. We invite you to reconnect with colleagues and celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of Florida’s hospitals and health care systems!

The conference is open to all hospital and health care professionals, including trustees, hospital executives, managed care and compliance professionals, clinical staff, government relations professionals, and more. Students pursuing a degree in health care administration, or another related field, are welcome.

Attendees receive a special room rate and reduced parking and resort fees. Please click here to reserve your room. The deadline to book a room in this block is September 13, 2023.

Early member registration through August 1 is $495. After August 1, member registration will be $595.

Register Here!

Special thanks to our title sponsor KPMG!

To preview all our exceptional 2023 sponsors, please click here.

 

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FHA Medicare 101 Course

June 6 is right around the corner—Register now!

Updated for 2023, this FHA member training provides a high-level overview of the Medicare program, how it is organized, and how it impacts hospitals and health systems. It will focus on the sources of supplemental coverage, the funding of the program, a payment system overview, and discuss the basics of the Medicare Advantage plan. The goal of this training is to give attendees the fundamental framework to understand how Medicare reimburses for hospital-related services and will include a discussion of recent policy developments. Please join us for the two-hour training on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET.

Register Today

 

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Clips

Leadership Insights: Florida Hospital & Health Care Organization Presidents | Florida Trend

Florida's hospitals and health care top executives are exploring growth strategies, educational partnerships, and innovative solutions to quality care for the states fast growing population. For hospital executives and those in supporting sectors, success is about delivering innovative care one patient at a time. Hospitals and their partners are investing deeply to keep pace with the growth, said FHA President Mary Mayhew when speaking with the Florida Trend. The Florida Trend issue includes leadership insights from Randy Haffner, CEO of AdventHealth, Bo Boulenger, FHA Board Chair and CEO of Baptist Health South Florida, Stephanie Conners, President and CEO of Baycare Health System, K. Scott Wester, President and CEO of Memorial Healthcare System, Patrick Hwu, President and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center, and Martha McGill, President of Nemours Children’s Hospital Central Florida.

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Florida Legislature Prioritizes Health Care | South Florida Hospital News

Following three years of an upending pandemic, Florida hospitals received incredible support from the Florida Legislature in the just-concluded legislative session. After years of legislative proposals to cut Medicaid hospital reimbursement for care provided to vulnerable Floridians, not only did the budgets not include any proposed cuts, but the legislature also actually proposed and approved $270 million in additional funding for hospitals to care for Medicaid enrollees. The Legislature invested in an additional aspect of the workforce by appropriating funding to increase the number of nurses and physicians who practice in Florida. (Column by Mary Mayhew)

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