Announcement

President's Report - SEARHC joins ASHPIN
by: Rod Betit (July 28, 2006)

Summary: As of July 1, 2006 Mt. Edgecumbe / SEARHC is now a member of the Alaska Small Hospital Performance Improvement Network, a subsidiary of ASHNHA. This brings the ASHPIN membership to 12 facilities

Full Story: SEARHC JOINS ASHPIN! As of July 1, 2006 Mt. Edgecumbe / SEARHC is now a member of the Alaska Small Hospital Performance Improvement Network, a subsidiary of ASHNHA. This brings the ASHPIN membership to 12 facilities, which is half of the acute care hospitals in Alaska. We welcome Frank Sutton, V.P. SEARHC, and his management team to the ASHPIN group. ________________________________________ DHSS RELEASES LONG TERM CARE STUDY The final report titled Alaska Long Term Care and Cost Study is now available. This report was prepared by the Public Consulting Group (PCG), and funded by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and the Department of Health and Social Services. This study provides an analysis of existing long term care services in Alaska in 2006, a comparison of those services to long term care systems in selected other states, and recommendations for improving Alaska's long term care delivery system. Accompanying the recommendations is a cost comparison of Alaska's system with and without the recommended changes, as well as a transition plan for implementing changes. The report can be accessed at: (Press ‘Ctrl’ & left click on link) http://hss.state.ak.us/commissioner/PDF/AlaskaLongTermCareCostStudy.pdf ________________________________________ SPECIAL WEBEX BEING OFFERED ON HOSPITAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TRENDS Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, Montana, Wyoming, Hawaii and Alaska’s quality improvement organization, along with the Montana Hospital Association, Wyoming Hospital Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii and Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association, cordially invite you to join an informational WebEx titled Emerging Trends in Hospital Quality improvement. The presenter will be Paul H. Keckley, PhD, Vanderbilt Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. WHEN? Thurs., Aug. 10, 2006 11 A.M.-Noon HOW TO PARTICIPATE? Call 1-866-279-1567, and use pass code *1092827* for audio. Log on to https://ifmcevents.WebEx.com , and use password, acm, to view the WebEx. Participation is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Learn the latest trends in hospital quality improvement and critical success factors! This WebEx is geared for quality improvement and medical staff, senior leadership and board members in Montana, Wyoming, Alaska and Hawaii hospitals. For more information, call Kirsten at 1-800-497-8232, ext. 5882 ________________________________________ ASHNHA FILES AMICUS BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF FAIRBANKS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL'S CHALLENGE OF STATE DECISION TO EXPEMPT AOIC PROJECT FROM CON REVIEW With the approval of the ASHNHA Executive Committee ASHNHA has filed an amicus brief in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska supporting Fairbanks Memorial Hospital’s challenge of a recent State administrative decision exempting Alaska Open Imaging Center’s project from Certificate of Need review. The State determined that AOIC was a physician practice and thus not subject to CON review. An administrative appeal by FMH was rejected. Subsequent to denial of FMH’s appeal, FMH filed an action challenging this decision in Superior Court. ASHNHA’s supporting amicus brief emphasizes that a full review of the legislative record on testimony on House Bill 511 during the 2004 Legislative Session makes it “clear the Alaska legislature intended to include in that definition diagnostic testing facilities such as the Alaska Open Imaging Center, LLC (“AOIC”). The ASHNHA brief seeks the Court’s approval of FMH’s request for a preliminary injunction. ________________________________________ Upcoming ASHNHA Meetings: • ASHNHA 2006 Annual Meeting – to be held in conjunction with education sessions August 28 through August 31, 2006 in Sitka. The ASHNHA meeting will take place on August 30 & 31. The Shee Atika Totem Square Inn has no hotel rooms left in ASHNHA’s hotel block. ASHNHA has reserved several backup rooms at another hotel so call ASHNHA in Juneau at 586-1790 and we will help connect you with housing in Sitka. If there are other meetings you would like posted please let Rod know at rbetit@ashnha.com

Downloads
July 28 2006.pdf