Meet Doug Weeks, AHA's New Chairman Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace News

48 Pages·2013·9.03 MB·English

FALL 2013 www.arkhospitals.org
Meet Doug Weeks,
AHA’s New Chairman
Arkansas Health Insurance
Marketplace News
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Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals 1
2 Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals
PAGE 10 PAGE 16 PAGE 24 PAGE 28
Arkansas Hospitals
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CEO Profile
is published by
Arkansas Hospital Association
Health Insurance Marketplace
419 Natural Resources Drive • Little Rock, AR 72205
501-224-7878 / FAX [phone]
www.arkhospitals.org
Beth H. Ingram, Editor CEO Profile 30 Career Center Clients Have Competitive Advantage
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 8 AHA’s New Chairman – Doug Weeks 30 Why Join ACHE and AHEF?
Doug Weeks, Little Rock / Chairman
32 Don’t Overlook Revised CAH Operations Manual
Walter Johnson, Pine Bluff / Chairman-Elect
Darren Caldwell, DeWitt / Treasurer Health Insurance Marketplace
33 Preparedness is a Process
Larry Morse, Clarksville / Past-Chairman
Ron Peterson, Mountain Home / At-Large
12 Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace News 33 Joplin Tornado Offers Response Lessons
Peggy Abbott, Camden
Chris Barber, Jonesboro 14 Questions about Health Insurance Marketplace
David Berry, Little Rock
Medicare/Medicaid
Tim Bowen, Mena 16 Clinton Touts Positives, Calls on Bipartisan Fixes
Kristy Estrem, Berryville
36 59 Hospitals Receive EHR Incentive Payments
John Heard, McGehee
Ed Lacy, Heber Springs NewsSTAT
36 GAO Says CMS Should Streamline Audits
Jim Lambert, Conway
James Magee, Piggott
19 SE AR Hospital Alliance Improves Health 37 Payment Reform at One Year
Ray Montgomery, Searcy
Robert Rupp, Newport
22 Rural Hospitals Receive Funding for Connectivity 38 CMS Release FY 2014 IPPS Final Rule
Sharon Sly, Siloam Springs
Barbara Williams, Conway
24 Sparks Fitness Supports Air National Guard
Quality/Patient Safety
EXECUTIVE TEAM 24 5 Hospitals Honored for Years without Injury
Robert “Bo” Ryall / President and CEO
W. Paul Cunningham / Executive Vice President 25 Two Arkansas Hospitals “Most Wired” 42 Congratulations to Century Club Achievers!
Beth H. Ingram / Senior Vice President 25 AHA Trust Returns $6.2 Million to Members 42 Healthcare Quality Week October 20-26
Tina Creel / Vice President, AHA Services, Inc.
Don Adams / Vice President, 26 King Faisal Hospital & Centre Tours St. Vincent 43 Guide From AHRQ Focuses on Patient/Family
Rural and Mental Health Services
Elisa M. White / Vice President and General Counsel 27 AHA Holds First CMO Workshop 44 Free HPOE Guide Offers Compendium
Jodiane Tritt / Vice President, Government Relations
Pam Brown / Vice President, 27 AHA 2013 Diamond Award Winners
Quality and Patient Safety
Miscellaneous
28 What’s New in Pre-Hospital Stroke Care?
DISTRIBUTION 34 3 Reasons You Should Act Like Owner not Renter
Arkansas Hospitals is distributed quarterly
to hospital executives, managers, and trustees 40 Ways to Respond Respectfully to Entitled Patient
throughout the United States; to physicians,
state legislators, the congressional delegation, 44 10 Tips for Creating Healthy Work Environment
and other friends of the hospitals of Arkansas.
45 Accent Modification Training for Non-Native
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Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals 3
F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T
Hospitals’ Role in Helping the Uninsured Get Coverage
Having Arkansas’ unin- 2. Arkansans may be able to get financial help to pay for a
sured population access newly health insurance plan.
available healthcare insurance
3. If you have a pre-existing condition, insurance plans can-
will be a big plus, not only for
not deny you coverage.
patients, but also for hospi-
tals throughout Arkansas. It 4. All insurance plans will have to show the costs and what
won’t be easy; change rarely is covered in simple language with no fine print.
is. And this change, brought We expect that 75% of the newly eligible will want
about by the Affordable Care in-person assistance to learn about and enroll in cover-
Act, marks the biggest health- age. Many hospitals are getting staff trained as Certified
care reform since Medicare Application Counselors, but it is also important to be able
Photo courtesy of Jason Burt was implemented in 1965. to identify Navigators and other assisters in the community
Covering the uninsured has been a focus of America’s hos- who can help, and perhaps even to partner with a local orga-
pitals for the past 20 years, long before the earliest discussions nization to develop referral relationships, or to offer space in
of the Affordable Care Act began. We’re now on the verge of the hospital for assisters to meet with patients.
seeing it happen, but success depends on everyone pitching in And we must help spread the word! Include information
to do their part. about www.healthcare.gov and www.getcoveredamerica.
Our hospitals can perform their role best by being able to org on voicemail messages, on-hold messages and websites;
answer questions, point the uninsured to those who can help hang posters in waiting rooms; provide a trained staff per-
them enroll, and keep lines of dialogue going. son to listen and to help.
Open enrollment began October 1, and runs through Perhaps the most important message is that cost and
March 31. Coverage by the new health plans will start affordability of healthcare coverage are now going to be
January 1, 2014. We know everything won’t move along within the financial reach of uninsured Arkansans, whether
smoothly in these early months. In fact, things may seem to they receive federal assistance to pay their premiums in full
be a bit bumpy and unorganized. But, we’ll adjust as we go. or qualify for partial subsidies based upon income.
While many may not recall, Medicare wasn’t perfect when it The Arkansas Insurance Department is publicizing the
was launched, either, but today’s senior citizens have grown state’s online Insurance Marketplace through its “Get In”
to rely on the program, which operates smoothly for them. campaign. The website, www.ARHealthConnector.org,
The success of the healthcare legislation will depend on the provides individuals, self-employed workers, small busi-
uptake, how quickly the people who need insurance enroll nesses and others detailed information about their options
through the insurance marketplaces in each state. For hospi- for the new coverage and the enrollment process. Yet, it is
tals, the quicker, the better. the face-to-face, up close and personal communications that
might turn the tide.
The Arkansas Hospital Association and its member hos-
pitals are working diligently to ensure that the state’s unique Because many of the uninsured already turn to our hos-
Private Option plan and the broader health insurance expan- pitals for needed healthcare, they are the most likely source
sion efforts translate seamlessly from a well thought out of those personal interactions. So, Arkansas hospital leaders,
theory to reality, and that as many uninsured Arkansans as employees, medical staff and workers are key players in the
possible receive the coverage they need. overall effort to help our uninsured understand their options.
Because dramatic Medicare reimbursement cuts are Like Medicare was almost 50 years ago, this will be a
already in effect, hospitals have good reason to help in the monumental change for healthcare and likely will encounter
enrollment of uninsured Arkansans. Caring for more patients some rough patches. But, if we are patient, it has the potential
with insurance coverage will help to offset those losses, lower to be good for the state and its families, individuals, patients
the rates of uncompensated care and improve hospitals’ abil- and hospitals for years to come.
ity to remain open to serve their communities.
So how can hospitals help? Make certain all staff from
the C-Suite down through the organization learn the four key
facts that reach the most uninsured:
1. All insurance plans will have to cover doctor visits, hos- Bo Ryall
pitalizations, maternity care, emergency room care and President and CEO
Arkansas Hospital Association
prescriptions.
4 Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals
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Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals 5
ARKANSAS
NEWSMAKERS
NEWCOMERS
and
Governor Mike Beebe has named Alicia Storey, ville. Casmer most recently served as assistant CEO
oncology programs manager, St. Bernards Healthcare, at Weatherford (Texas) Regional Medical Center and
Jonesboro, to the Breast Cancer Control Advisory previously served as assistant CEO of Medical Center
Board replacing Tammy Gavin, FACHE, COO, White of South Arkansas in El Dorado.
River Medical Center in Batesville. Storey’s appoint-
ment expires January 1, 2017. Julie Ginn Moretz has been named associate vice
chancellor for patient- and family-centered care, a new
Governor Mike Beebe has appointed infectious- position at UAMS in Little Rock. A nationally-known
disease specialist Nathaniel Smith, MD as director advocate for engaging patients and their families in
and state health officer of the Arkansas Department of healthcare decisions inspired by her late son’s battle
Health. Smith has served as interim director for the with congenital heart disease, Moretz came to Little
department following the departure of Dr. Paul Hal- Rock from Augusta, GA where she worked as direc-
verson in May. Smith has been with the department tor of the Family Services Department at the Medical
since 2004 and served previously as state epidemiolo- College of Georgia, which has one of the first model
gist and as deputy director for health programs. programs for the movement. She also recently served
as director of special projects at the Institute for Patient-
David R. Fox, CRA, FACHE, FAHRA, president and Family-Centered Care in Bethesda, MD.
of St. Vincent North, has been elected for a three-
year term as president of the American Healthcare Michael Perkins, vice president and administrator of
Radiology Administrators (AHRA), the professional Baptist Health Extended Care Hospital in Little Rock,
organization representing management at all lev- has been appointed by Governor Mike Beebe to the
els of hospital imaging departments, freestanding Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Advisory Committee
imaging centers and group practices. The mission replacing Ron Rooney of Paragould. His appointment
of AHRA is to be a resource and catalyst for the expires September 30, 2015.
development of professional leadership in medical
imaging management. Eddie Phillips, MD has been named chief medical
officer for Baptist Health in Little Rock. Dr. Phillips
Rex Jones has been named CEO of Bradley Coun- has been a member of the Baptist Health Medical
ty Medical Center in Warren. He succeeds Brandon Center-Little Rock professional staff since 1980 as an
Gorman, CFO who has been acting in an interim obstetrician and gynecologist. He also has served as
capacity during the search for a permanent CEO section chief for obstetrics and gynecology as well as
since the retirement of Harold Mitchell in January. chairman of the quality review committee. Dr. Phillips
Jones was with Quorum Health Resources from 1998 currently serves on the advisory board of Baptist Health
to 2011, and during that time was CEO at Howard Physician Partners. He succeeds Dr. Guy Gardner, who
Memorial in Nashville, and three hospitals in Kansas retired as the system’s chief medical officer.
and Oklahoma.
St. Vincent Health System has named two physicians
Dan McKay, CEO of Northwest Health System, has to new leadership positions within the System. David
announced that Ben Casmer has been named admin- Foster, MD has been named president of the St. Vincent
istrator/COO at Northwest Medical Center – Benton- Medical Group. His focus is engaging physicians to
6 Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals
strengthen and build relationships with employed and Scott Street, president and CEO of Mercy Hospital
aligned physician partners with St. Vincent. Dr. Foster Northwest Arkansas in Rogers since 2010 and At-Large
previously served as chief medical officer of the CHRIS- Director on the AHA board of directors, has accepted
TUS Health Provider Network in Texas. Tom Cum- a new role with the Mercy health ministry focusing on
mins, MD is the new vice president of medical affairs the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Eric
and chief medical officer for St. Vincent Health System. Pianalto will serve as interim president of the facility
He was previously CMO and director of hospital medi- while the search process for new leadership takes place.
cine for White River Medical Center in Batesville. Dr. Pianalto currently serves as chief operating officer of
Cummins has extensive clinical experience as a board Mercy Clinic in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
certified internist and group practice partner.
Marion “Tony” Thompson, FACHE, has resigned
Kim Skidmore has been named CEO of Community as CEO of Fulton County Hospital in Salem. The FCH
Medical Center of Izard County in Calico Rock. Skid- board of directors has named County Judge Charles Wil-
more was CFO of the facility since 1981. lett as the new administrator succeeding Thompson. •
all about
ARKANSAS HOSPITALS
St. Bernards Healthcare of Jonesboro has broken this tax, the hospital would not be able to operate in the
ground on a $14.5 million complex for patients with long term. It’s definitely vital to our success.” Lawrence
Alzheimer’s disease and those who need more care than County voters approved extending a half-cent sales tax
an assisted living facility can offer. The complex, called and adding another half-cent sales tax to operate Law-
St. Bernards Villa, will add 40 workers when it opens rence Health Services, which operates Lawrence Memo-
the first phase with 45 beds in the fall of 2014. “We rial Hospital and a nursing home in Walnut Ridge.
know there is a staggering need for Alzheimer’s care,”
says Chris B. Barber, president and CEO of St. Bernards Baxter Regional Medical Center has begun a $2
Healthcare. “And this development represents another million “Building for Babies” capital campaign for the
instance in which St. Bernards is stepping up to meet an renovation of the Women and Newborn Care Center in
overwhelming community need. That is what we have the hospital. Ron Peterson, President and CEO of Baxter
done for nearly 113 years at St. Bernards. The Olivetan Regional, says that since 2006, more than 5,000 babies
Benedictine sisters of Holy Angels Convent who estab- have been born at BRMC. The facility has been designat-
lished St. Bernards in 1900 in response to a malarial ed as a Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care with the statewide
fever epidemic continue today to focus on developing ANGELS program through the University of Arkansas
programs and services that meet needs in the communi- for Medical Sciences. The renovated facilities will provide
ties we serve for many years to come.” additional rooms to allow mothers and babies to stay
together throughout labor, delivery and recovery.
Voters in two Arkansas counties supported by wide
margins tax measures in special elections August 13 Capella Healthcare and Mercy Health have ended
to keep their hospitals open. In Hot Spring County, their discussions at this time to join together National
residents approved extending a 20-year, half-cent sales Park Medical Center and Mercy Hot Springs, officials
tax to continue maintenance of HSC Medical Center in announced June 27. This announcement comes after
Malvern. Sheila Williams, CEO of the Malvern facil- more than a year of due diligence and the investment of
ity, said, “There is always that fear inside that people significant resources to create a stronger, more efficient
won’t show up to vote, but we knew, in the end, that healthcare delivery system for the region. The proposed
people would end up doing the right thing. We have a partnership was subject to approvals by both the Fed-
very supportive community. They know that without eral Trade Commission (FTC) and the Vatican. •
Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals 7
CEO PROFILE
Meet AHA’s New Chairman – Doug Weeks
Doug Weeks, FACHE, Senior looked to Little Rock and Baptist
Vice President, Hospital Opera- Health in hopes of his first job in
tions at Baptist Health in Little healthcare – and he hasn’t looked
Rock, has been installed as the 72nd back since that time. “I was for-
chairman of the board of directors tunate that they were looking for
of the Arkansas Hospital Associa- young administrator candidates,
tion (AHA) during the association’s and have to this day felt that it
October 9-11 Annual Meeting in has been a perfect fit. Russ Har-
Little Rock. rington has been an outstanding
“Growing up as the son of a role model, leader and mentor for
Baptist minister, one of my earliest me,” says Weeks.
memories is spending many hours Weeks began his almost 25-year
in the waiting room of Baptist Hos- healthcare career as assistant
pital on 12th and Marshall Streets administrator at Baptist Health
near downtown Little Rock while Rehabilitation Institute (BHRI) in
my Dad visited sick church mem- 1990, becoming administrator of
bers,” recalls Weeks. Little did he the facility in 1994. Three short
know those many years ago that years later, he moved over to Bap-
he would spend a major part of his tist Health Medical Center-Little
career as a top executive in that Rock (BHMC-LR), an 827-bed
same hospital system. facility, as Senior Vice President/
Doug Weeks, FACHE
The “old Baptist Hospital,” as Administrator, where he served for
many folks in Little Rock call it, Arkansas and northern Louisiana. 14 years.
moved westward in 1974 and now Weeks became interested in health- During that period, he saw much
has grown to the largest health- care administration from a church change in the Baptist Health system
care system in Arkansas with seven member at his father’s church in El and in the two hospitals. He was
hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, Dorado. Phillip Gilmore, now CEO responsible for the development of
family clinics, specialty centers, at Ashley County Medical Center 20 outpatient satellite therapy clin-
therapy and wellness centers, long in Crossett, was then leading the ics and achieving specialty accredi-
term care, a retirement village, a former Warner Brown Hospital in tation from the Commission on
hotel focused on the comfort of El Dorado, and shared information Accreditation of Rehabilitation
patients and families, and a school about his vocation with the young Facilities in spinal surgery and brain
of nursing and allied health under college student. Weeks was living in injury at BHRI; led construction of
its banner. Russell D. Harrington, New Orleans at the time and found a 36-bed ICU at BHMC-LR; initi-
Jr., FACHE, is president and CEO that Tulane University had a master’s ated implementation of the 37-bed
of Baptist Health. program in healthcare administra- long-term acute-care hospital, Bap-
“I believe Doug Weeks is well tion, thus his future path was set. tist Health Extended Care Hospi-
positioned to lead the AHA board “Through high school, I spent tal; initiated implementation of the
as its chairman. His greatest evenings and summers sacking gro- high-risk maternal fetal medicine
strengths are hospital operations ceries and working produce aisles program; and assisted in acquir-
and his understanding of today’s in local groceries. I credit hard- ing the former Southwest Hospital
difficult healthcare environment. nosed bosses at Piggly Wiggly and campus for use by BHMC-LR.
He has significant ability to drive Brookshires for instilling in me a In the spring of 2012, Baptist
decision making through consensus customer service mindset,” he said. Health made some significant
building. These attributes should “Occasional roofing jobs and one changes in its leadership team and
serve as a good fit for the AHA stint at an incineration plant in El Weeks was promoted to Senior
board during the next two years,” Dorado helped keep me focused on Vice President, Hospital Opera-
said Harrington. my studies in college….” tions for the system. His new role
Weeks’ father’s career necessi- After earning his master’s degree consolidates overall management
tated many moves to communities in in healthcare administration, he continued on page 10
8 Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals
Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals 9
CEO PROFILE
Healthcare Systems delegate to the Professionally, he is a Fellow in
American Hospital Association’s the American College of Health-
Regional Policy Board (RPB) 7. care Executives and has served
The RPBs provide input on pub- on that group’s Regent’s Advisory
lic policy issues considered by the Council. He served as president
national association, serve as ad of the Arkansas Health Execu-
hoc policy development commit- tives Forum (AHEF) and in 1999
tee when appropriate, and identify received the AHEF’s C. E. Mel-
needs unique to a region and assist ville Young Administrator of the
in developing programs to meet Year Award.
those needs. “One of my best memories as
Active in the Little Rock commu- administrator at Baptist Health was
nity, he is a board member for the when President George W. Bush vis-
Central Arkansas Division, Ameri- ited our campus during tort reform.
can Heart Association; former We had a one-week notice of his
board member and volunteer for the planned visit and it is amazing the
Big Brother Big Sisters program and preparation necessary to host a Pres-
CARTI; a member of the Mount St. ident. It was about as hard as I have
Mary Academy Marketing Com- ever worked in one week, but worth
Doug Weeks congratulates Mary
mittee, and 2007 Chairperson of it as it gave us the opportunity to
Murphy, Unit Supervisor of Day
the Diabetes Association’s “Walk really brag about the wonderful
Surgery/Eye Surgery, who retired after
28 years of service to Baptist Health. for Diabetes.” care provided by physicians, nurses
When his children were younger, and all other healthcare workers at
of the system’s seven hospitals into he coached their soccer and Life Baptist Health.”
a single organizational structure. CHAMPS football teams. Jok- In his January 24, 2004 radio
The leadership changes were moves ingly, Weeks says, “No, we didn’t address, President Bush said, “This
to prepare the hospital system for win any championships, but no one week, I will travel to Little Rock,
the future. was badly injured or kicked out of Arkansas, to visit Baptist Health
In addition to his hospital duties, any games!” Medical Center. For Baptist and
Weeks is an enthusiastic member
of the Arkansas Hospital Associa-
tion. He is a member of the AHA’s
Board of Directors having served
as the Metropolitan Hospital Dis-
trict representative from 2007 to
2011. In October 2011, he was
elected to serve a two-year term
as chairman-elect, thus beginning
a six-year term on the Executive
and Finance Committees. Weeks
also serves on the AHA’s Council
on Government Relations and the
Medicaid Committee.
“The AHA is a steady and
trusted source of information,
advice and advocacy as we all
navigate today’s changing and
unsteady waters. I call on our
leaders routinely for assistance,
and they always provide excellent
feedback. It is a pleasure serving
on the AHA board!” said Weeks.
In addition to his state asso-
ciation role, Weeks is completing
a three-year position as Section for Doug, Steven, Leighton and Connelly Weeks
10 Fall 2013 I Arkansas Hospitals