Announcement

President's Report
by: Rod Betit (April 27, 2007)

Summary: Certification & Licensing is comprised of the Assisted Living Home; Children's Residential Services; Health Facility Licensing, Survey & Certification and the Background Check Program. The Section resides under the Division of Public Health; Jay Butler

Full Story: el PRESIDENT’S REPORT April 27, 2007 ________________________________________  HB 4 Certificate of Need - HB4 had its first hearing on Tuesday and was then sent to interim study by House HES Chair Peggy Wilson. ASHNHA has been lobbying House HES Chair Representative Peggy Wilson and Senate HES Chair Senator Bettye Davis to push this bill to interim study so it can be debated in the larger context of health care reform. This outcome is the best we could have hoped for at this stage of the 2007 Session. ASHNHA will actively participate in this public meeting process over the next 6 months as this matter will be back before the Legislature in 2008. The Senate companion bill, SB 65, will be held in committee as well.  HB 228 Workers Compensation Rates - ASHNHA’s initiative to address medical rates for workers compensation claims passed out of House Finance this week and is now awaiting House floor action. With a little luck we should see this bill make it through the Senate before the end of the Session. Governor Palin has added this bill to her ‘must pass’ list which is a big help.  SB62, establishing the Advisory Committee on Public Reporting of Health Care Associated Infections, remains in Senate Finance. No hearing scheduled at this time.  SB 28 Mandatory Nurse Overtime - this bill was heard and held in Senate Labor & Commerce this week. There was heavy testimony from both sides of this issue. It is expected that this bill will be brought back up next week for additional testimony.  HB 71 Licensing of Rad Techs - Still in House Labor and Commerce with a hearing scheduled for today, April 27. ASHNHA is working on other issues too. Overall we are accomplishing your 2007 legislative priorities and are not expecting any major surprises in the final weeks of the Session. ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Certification & Licensing is comprised of the Assisted Living Home; Children's Residential Services; Health Facility Licensing, Survey & Certification and the Background Check Program. The Section resides under the Division of Public Health; Jay Butler is the Division's new Director, as well as Brenda Knapp and Tammy Green, Deputy Directors. Jane Urbanovsky is the Section Chief. Bernadean Anselm recently resigned from the program manager's position for Health Facility Licensing, Survey and Cert. Program. We will be filling the position; in the meantime, please continue to use 334-2489 to leave messages etc. and your call will be returned. The Background Check program has processed approximately 11000 applications since its inception. An information letter is being created to inform users on items of interest to include an introduction to the Department's new variance process. We have started receiving a backlog of fingerprint results from the Dept. of Public Safety, so for those facilities that have been waiting for final determinations, this should be happening soon. The Section looks forward to the continued partnership with our health community. I am also looking forward to meeting with ASHNHA members to share Section news or at least to stay in contact with Rod, so he can include Section updates etc., as needed in the President's Report ________________________________________ 2007 National Hospital week is May 6 - 12. The celebration of National Hospital Week began in 1921 when a magazine editor suggested that more information about hospitals might alleviate public fears about the "shrouded" institutions of the day. From that beginning, Hospital Week expanded to facilities across the nation. Today, through promotion and participation, National Hospital Week has grown into the nation's largest health care event. For National Hospital Week, May 6-12, 2007, we are paying tribute to the pride, professionalism and people of health care with the inspiring slogan “Care You Count On, People You Trust.” This theme spotlights the extraordinary relationship between hospitals and the communities we serve. You can find the AHA Planning Guide at National Hospital Week Ideas (Ctrl + left click). The Guide is an easy-to use reference filled with ideas, information and step-by-step guidance on building a successful event. ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Don’t wait too long to register for the 2007 ASHNHA Annual Meeting in Petersburg. This year's meeting will be held in Petersburg on August 6-9. August 6 and 7 will be training days with AHEN courses. August 7 will also be the ASHPIN board meeting. We are also hopeful to offer a scenic cruise in the late afternoon of August 7. The ASHNHA Annual Meeting will start on the morning of August 8 and end at noon on August 9 so everyone can catch the Fairweather (fast ferry) back to Juneau in time for the evening flights out of Juneau. The auction will be August 8, so be thinking about your auction items and the need to raise lots of money for our PAC. More information will be forthcoming in the near future. Also remember, that hotel reservations are limited as are flights into Petersburg, so plan early!!!! If you have any trouble with hotel reservations please contact Brenda MacKinnon at brenda@ashnha.com or at 586-1790. To make a reservation on the fast ferry from Petersburg to Juneau follow these steps: Step #1 – go to this website http://www.akmhs.com/reservations/ Step #2 – Enter Passenger 1 information (name, dob (mm/dd/yy), phone, address, email, gender & citizenship. Step #3 – Enter same info for Passenger 2 if spouse accompanying you otherwise skip to step #5. Step #4 – Enter info in space provided if more than 2 passengers; otherwise go to step #5. Step #5 – Enter opposite Trip 1 departure city of Petersburg and arrival city of Juneau Step #6 – Enter date of travel as of August 9, 2007. Step #7 – Leave cabin type as ‘none’ since there are no cabins on this ferry. Step #8 – Go to end of screen and click submit. The system will tell you your reservation is submitted and how to pay for your trip. The cost is $64 per person. ________________________________________ Upcoming Meetings of Interest: • AHA Annual Meeting (D.C.) - May 6 through 9, 2007 in Washington, D.C. • National Rural Health Association Meeting (Anchorage) - May 14 through 17, 2007 in Anchorage, Alaska. • ASHNHA 2007 Annual Meeting (Petersburg) – to be held in conjunction with education sessions August 6 through August 9, 2007 in Petersburg. The ASHNHA meeting will take place on August 8 & 9. • ASHPIN Board Meetings: - May 15, July 11 and August 7 in conjunction with the Annual Meeting in Petersburg.

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April 27 2007.pdf