Top Story: FHA Holds Annual Board Retreat
FHA just wrapped a very successful retreat with our Board of Trustees. This retreat included focused discussions on priority areas that the association will be focused on for the next year. These discussions included cybersecurity, future of our health care workforce, leveraging technology, the behavioral health continuum, hospital finances and payor account accountability. This meeting included an exciting presentation on hospital data discharge dashboard that will allow FHA to augment our advocacy efforts with a dat- driven approach to policy solutions and an update on the payor scorecard initiative. The board members also discussed 2024 legislative initiatives for the development of FHA’s advocacy agenda.
Pictured left to right: FHA Board Trustee and Baptist Health President and CEO Michael Mayo, FHA President and CEO Mary C. Mayhew, and FHA Board Vice Chair
and Mount Sinai Medical Center President and CEO Gino Santorio
FHA was also delighted to host a reception and dinner with FHA Board Members and special guests Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Senator Colleen Burton (Chair, Health Policy Committee), and Senator Debbie Mayfield (Chair, Rules Committee). Member hospital CEOs led robust discussions about the challenges and successes of hospitals as well as the strategic policy solutions that FHA is developing. President Passidomo, FHA Board Chair Bo Boulenger, and FHA President & CEO Mary C. Mayhew capped off the evening with thoughtful remarks reflecting on the recent legislative session and looking ahead to 2024. As leaders in the Senate with significant influence over health care policy in Florida, FHA was thrilled to be joined by Senators Passidomo, Burton, and Mayfield and thanks them for attending.
Pictured left to right: FHA Board Chair and Baptist Health South Florida President and CEO Bo Boulenger, FHA President and CEO Mary C. Mayhew, FHA Board Secretary and President and CEO of Baptist Health South Florida Larry Antonucci, MD, Senator Colleen Burton, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Senator Debbie Mayfield, FHA Board Vice Chair
and Mount Sinai Medical Center President and CEO Gino Santorio, FHA Board Treasurer and President and CEO of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Mark O'Bryant.
Governor DeSantis Signs Workplace Violence Legislation Into Law
We are pleased to announce that Governor DeSantis signed FHA-initiated legislation, House Bill 825, into law on Wednesday. HB 825 enhances criminal penalties for violence against hospital staff beyond the emergency department. We would like to thank Governor DeSantis for prioritizing the safety of our health care workforce and signing this vital legislation. We are also thankful for the hard work and dedication of our bill sponsors, Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez and Representative Kim Berfield, for advancing policy that will prevent danger and harm to individuals working in hospitals. Additionally, this legislative success would not have been possible without the testimonies of hospital security and patient-care personnel at each committee stop.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Supports Series of Legislative Proposals That Will Impact Hospitals
On Wednesday, May 17th the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health heard several health care bills many of which would affect hospitals and health systems. The bills heard by the committee included changes to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital reductions, price transparency, Medicare site-neutral payment, the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and pharmacy benefit management arrangements, among other issues.
Early last week, FHA sent members of the Florida House delegation a Dear Colleague letter regarding legislation that would delay cuts to Medicaid DSH for two years. The subcommittee advanced a combined bill that included all of the legislative proposals listed above by a vote of 27-0. The full Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to consider the legislation as soon as next week.
CMS Report Notes Overwhelming Use of the IDR Process to Resolve Payment Disputes
A total of 334,828 billing disputes have been filed through the CMS independent dispute resolution (IDR) process, created to address payment issues resulting from the No Surprises Act according to a recently released report.
This is nearly 14 times more than initially expected. Between April 15, 2022, and March 31, 2023, certified IDR entities rendered payment determinations in 42,158 disputes. Certified IDR entities closed 106,615 disputes as of the end of March, over four times the volume initially estimated for a calendar year. Initiating parties were the prevailing party in approximately 71% of the disputes. Non-initiating parties were the prevailing party in approximately 29% of the disputes. The primary cause of delays in the processing of disputes is the complexity of determining whether disputes are eligible for the federal IDR process. Non-initiating parties challenged the eligibility of 122,781 disputes. Even if the non-initiating party does not challenge the eligibility of the dispute, the certified IDR entity must review the dispute and confirm that it is eligible before the dispute can proceed in the federal IDR process.
Senate Committee Holds Hearing Concerning Medicare Advantage Denials and Delays
On Wednesday, May 17th the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations held a hearing concerning examining health care denials and delays in Medicare Advantage. This week’s hearing examined whether seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans face barriers accessing necessary care. The hearing occurred due to Medicaid Advantage insurer's reliance on algorithms as a basis for denying care. Such reliance on algorithms for denials puts seniors at risk. Testifying at the hearing were the widow of an MA enrollee and witnesses from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, Kaiser Family Foundation, Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, and Marquette University College of Nursing. These testimonies show that such regulation is destructive to the lives of seniors.
House Subcommittee on Health and Oversight and Investigations Joint Oversight Hearing
On Wednesday, May 17th the Health and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittees held a joint oversight hearing titled: “VHA Recruitment and Retention: Is Bureaucracy Holding Back a Quality Workforce?” Testifying at the hearing was an executive of the AFGPE National VA Council, Chairman of the Legislative Committee Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs, Senior Vice President of Workforce American Hospital Association, Director of Health Care Team Government Accountability Office, Chief Human Capital Officer and Chief of Human Capital Management at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health
On Wednesday, May 17th, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health held a hearing to identify how anti-competitive practices and consolidation negatively affect patient cost and access to health care. Testifying at the hearing were a Duke Law School professor, Oklahoma’s insurance commissioner, a pharmacy owner, Families USA executive, and Harvard Medical School instructor.
CISA and Partners Update the #StopRansomware Guide
CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) published an updated version of the #StopRansomware Guide, as ransomware actors have accelerated their tactics and techniques since its initial release in 2020. The update incorporates lessons learned from the past two years and includes additional recommended actions, resources, and tools to maximize its relevancy and effectiveness and to further help reduce the prevalence and impacts of ransomware.
The #StopRansomware Guide serves as a one-stop resource to help organizations reduce the risk of ransomware incidents through best practices to detect, prevent, respond, and recover, including step-by-step approaches to address potential attacks. The authoring organizations recommend that entities review this joint guide to prepare and protect their facilities, personnel, and customers from the impacts of ransomware and data exfiltration. For more information and to access the latest resources about how to stop ransomware, please visit stopransomware.gov.
DHS Issues National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin regarding the continued heightened threat environment across the United States. This NTAS Bulletin provides the public with information about the threat landscape facing the United States, how to stay safe, and resources and tools to help prevent an individual’s radicalization to violence.
Lone offenders and small groups motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and personal grievances continue to pose a persistent threat to the United States. Both domestic violent extremists (DVEs) and those associated with foreign terrorist organizations continue to attempt to motivate supporters to conduct attacks, including through violent extremist messaging and online calls for violence. In the coming months, DHS expects the threat environment to remain heightened and that individuals may be motivated to violence by perceptions of the 2024 general election cycle and legislative or judicial decisions pertaining to sociopolitical issues. U.S. critical infrastructure, faith-based institutions, individuals or events associated with the LGBTQIA+-community, schools, racial and ethnic minorities, and government facilities and personnel are likely targets of potential violence.
FHA Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month 2023
Watch President and CEO Mary C. Mayhew discuss how Florida hospitals strive to increase awareness and understanding of mental health
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) strives to increase awareness and understanding about mental health. Mental health is a serious concern in the United States, and unfortunately, many individuals struggle to access essential community-based behavioral health services in a timely manner. The statistics are alarming, with one in five adults and one in six youths experiencing mental illness every year. The purpose of this month is to promote the importance of mental health to overall well-being year-round. The Florida Hospital Association is a strong advocate for expanding and investing in the continuum of mental health services, integrating behavioral health into primary care settings, and fighting against the stigma of mental illness.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, please join FHA on Monday, May 22, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (ET) for an enlightening discussion from some of the leading voices in mental health. We will hear from Assistant Secretary for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Erica Floyd-Thomas, Department of Children and Families (DCF) & Deputy Assistant Secretary Shila Salem, Department of Children and Families (DCF), to learn about the department’s new and continued investments in mental health.
In addition, Jarrod Strickland, Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Florida will share an overview of upcoming initiatives and the current impact of their programs and service they provide across the state.
We are committed to raising awareness about mental health issues and keeping you informed with the latest information.
Mental Health Awareness Month Webinar
May 22, 2023, 10:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m ET
REGISTER
FHA Hosts DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris on HOPE Florida Presentation
On May 24th FHA hosted Secretary Harris and members of her leadership team to provide an outline of the HOPE Florida: A Pathway to Prosperity initiative. The program has shown a great success with 50% of participants on public assistance having a reduction or elimination in their reliance for assistance. And more than 4,000 participants on public assistance are no longer relying on assistance. This initiative was spearheaded by First Lady DeSantis and utilizes Hope Navigators to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity and economic self-sufficiency. This program is a great resource for case managers and discharge planners to help patients as they leave the hospital.
FHA Participates in State of Reform Health Policy Conference
FHA Government Affairs Manager Clay Meenan participated in a panel discussion at the State of Reform Health Policy Conference in Tampa this week. During the discussion, Multi-Sector Solutions to Workforce Challenges, Clay shared FHA’s data collection on nurse vacancy and turnover rates, gave insights into hospital strategies to increase retention of their staff, and provided an overview of state and federal advocacy efforts to address workforce challenges. The conference featured a keynote from former AHCA Secretary Simone Marstiller and many other engaging sessions on Medicaid, Behavioral Health, and more.
Pictured right: FHA's Government Affairs Manager, Clay Meenan
Reducing Readmissions for Patients Discharged Home Sprint
FHA is working with Alliant Health Solutions, the QIO for Florida, to support Partnerships for Community Health (PCH and formerly known as Community Care Coalitions) across the state. A major focus of that work is to improve care transitions, engaging all the partners in adopting practices that support patients after a hospital stay. Analyzing Medicare fee-for-service claims data, a large percentage of the readmissions are for patients who were discharged home without home care. As part of this work, hospitals are encouraged to reach out to 3-5 readmitted patients or their caregivers discharged to home to explore why the patient was readmitted by using the Readmissions from Home Review tool.
FHA and Alliant Health will be hosting 30-minute calls every two weeks starting June 13, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. to explore strategies and opportunities to prevent rehospitalizations for this population. Register here for the Reducing Readmissions from Home Sprint. For more information or questions, contact Sean MacNeill or Kim Streit.
FHA Call to Action: Reducing Maternal Mortality
FHA hosted the kick-off call on Monday, May 22, to discuss the crisis facing Florida as it relates to maternal mortality. FHA launched a Call to Action on Reducing Maternal Mortality on May 1 . Kelly Rogers, DOH’s Maternal and Child Health Section Administrator shared the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) goals around Maternal mortality and neonatal abstinence syndrome. Dr. Cole Greves, FACOG, Chair of the ACOG-Florida Chapter and Co-Chair of the Florida Maternal Mortality Review Committee shared the latest data on Maternal Mortality and Dr. William Sappenfield, MPH, CPH, Executive Director, Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative provided an overview the resources to reduce maternal mortality in Florida. You can listen to the webinar here and find additional materials at Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Deaths in Florida .
The next call will be focused on increasing awareness and training hospital emergency departments on preventing maternal mortality. We are asking all hospitals with emergency departments to encourage their staff to register for the call. A recording will be shared to those registering and posted on the FHA website after the call.
Preventing Maternal Mortality - Training for Hospital ED – June 7, 12:00 p.m. ET Register
HRSA Maternal Mental Health Hotline and Toolkit
Behavioral health issues contribute to maternal mortality and will be a focus area for the FHA Call to Action. The Health Resources and Services Administration announced a new toll-free number (1-833-TLC-MAMA) and promotional toolkit for its National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for pregnant and postpartum individuals with mental health concerns. Since its launch on Mother’s Day 2022, the hotline’s professional counselors have provided free and confidential emotional support, resources and referrals to nearly 12,000 individuals seeking help. The top three reasons for contacting the hotline were feeling overwhelmed, depression or anxiety. Please help promote this great resource.
Register now for the Pediatric Readiness QI Collaborative
The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program is launching its next Quality Improvement Collaborative: The Pediatric Readiness Quality Improvement Collaborative. The collaborative kicks off June 15 and will help ED-based teams address gaps identified by the National Pediatric Readiness Project, focusing on four high-priority areas: patient safety, assessment and reassessment, pain management and suicide. The collaborative is open to ED-based teams of at least one individual. While teams must be ED-based, they can include professionals from other areas of the hospital and prehospital practitioners. All QI Collaboratives are free to participants. Continuing education credits are available. Register Now!
Free Mental Health and Suicide Prevent Trainings and Workshops
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is sponsoring a series of free mental health and suicide prevention trainings and workshops. Launched initially as a pilot in only 27 counties, FL-DOH has recently expanded participation statewide. Recognizing the signs of mental illness and knowing what to do can save a person’s life. Suicide prevention and mental health resources are vital to our communities, and we are pleased to be partnering with the DOH on this critical initiative.
- These training opportunities are being offered at no cost to participants.
- Some programs offer continuing education credit (CEUs).
- Online training modules are available now, with in-person events continuing through the end of July.
- If you do not work or reside in any of the three regional training areas, please select “other” from the list of counties when prompted.
By clicking on the training registration link you will be redirected to a form to enter your contact information, name, location, and select the training option of your choice. You will receive a confirmation email with training time and location (where applicable) or login information for online courses.
Training Registration Links: https://forms.office.com/r/VDSWRYdUyA
Training on Practical Strategies to Address Social Risk Factors
June 21 and July 12
FHA has partnered with the Illinois Hospital Association to offer a webinar series on the critical issue of social determinants of health (SDoH). Understanding social risk factors—including transportation, discrimination, language barriers and income—can help you pinpoint disparities in patient outcomes and, importantly, how to close those gaps. “Practical Strategies to Address Social Risk Factors” will provide best practices for effective SDoH screening tools and processes, as well as resources to support your efforts.
Webinar 1: “Introduction to SDoH Screening and the Impact on Quality of Care and Health Outcomes”, June 21, from 1-2 pm
Focusing on care transitions, this session will highlight the value of an effective SDoH screening process. You’ll also learn about the new SDoH screening requirement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Webinar 2: “Practical Strategies for Implementing SDoH Screening and Addressing Social Risk Factors”, July 12, from 1-2 pm
Building Webinar 1, this session will showcase strategies for SDoH screening. You’ll hear from hospitals nationwide on their successful efforts to implement effective SDoH screening programs.
There is no cost to participate; REGISTER TODAY
Workforce Staffing Challenges Survey
As a reminder, the FHA has sent out its Vacancy Turnover Survey to all hospitals throughout the State of Florida. The FHA has completed this annual survey for many years and values the continued participation of the hospitals. This survey is meant to address health care staffing issues such as workforce burnout, nursing shortages, and the high costs of maintaining a stable workforce. The FHA asks that all completed surveys be sent to [email protected] before May 30, 2023. If you have any questions, or did not receive the survey, please email Stephanie Scanlon ([email protected]) or Ana Rivas ([email protected]).
FFY 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 (www.usnews.com). 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]).
Antibiotic Stewardship and Antibiograms
On Wednesday, May 16, more than 140 infection preventionists registered and participated in an FHA-hosted educational webinar on antibiotic stewardship and what we can learn from antibiograms. The role of Infection Preventionists is critical in antibiotic stewardship and is fundamental in reducing the risk of antimicrobial-resistant infections in healthcare and the communities they serve. The webinar was led by nationally recognized infection prevention expert Linda Greene, RN, MPS, CIC, FAPIC and provided information about best practices and barriers to care delivery. If you want to know more about the implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program, check out the webinar slides and recording.
Additional Resources:
Nursing Workforce: The Florida Center for Nursing Announces Their Newest Program
In response to findings from the Florida Center for Nursing's 2022 Nursing Education Report, FCN announced their new program, “Shaping the Future: Becoming Nursing Faculty”. The report revealed that there is a significant shortage of qualified nursing faculty within our state, which has limited the number of qualified candidates that can enroll in nursing programs.
With the combined impact of increased populations and an extreme workforce shortage, Florida is facing some of the most pressing challenges we have seen in decades. If trends continue, Florida will face shortages of nearly 60,000 nurses and 36,000 physicians by 2035. Strengthening the nursing pipeline is critical to mitigating this crisis. The program is designed for experienced nurses with an interest in bringing their experience to academia where they can prepare Florida’s future nurses!
To learn more about the course or register for the program, access the course registration page. The program is an online self-paced course.
Please contact FCN if you have any questions or comments at [email protected].
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Updates
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
For your planning purposes, the four key behaviors being highlighted throughout October 2023 will be:
- Enable multi-factor authentication
- Use a strong password
- Recognize and report phishing
- Update your software
Please join in becoming a Cybersecurity Awareness Month partner to help amplify messages in your community about the steps all can take to make devices more secure to industry actions that make technology products secure by design and secure by default right out of the box—your participation matters!
To receive updates as more information becomes available, email us at [email protected]. CISA will also be sharing this year’s messaging and resources on the Cybersecurity Awareness Month page as we get closer to October.
CISA Incident Response Training
CISA offers no-cost cybersecurity Incident Response (IR) Training series with a range of offerings for beginner and intermediate cybersecurity analysts encompassing basic cybersecurity awareness, best practices for organizations, and facilitated lab activities. Course types include Awareness Webinars (100-level) and Cyber Range (200-level) Training. These courses provide valuable learning opportunities for everyone from cyber newbies to veteran cybersecurity engineers. Sign up for the training offerings via the Registration section or Upcoming Events sections below.
To learn more about how CISA may assist potentially impacted entities after a cyber incident, visit the Cyber Incident Response page.
Sign up to receive important CISA Alerts
Report a Cybersecurity Incident: Report anomalous cyber activity and/or cyber incidents 24/7 to [email protected] or (888) 282-0870.
Contact: https://www.cisa.gov/about/contact-us
FHA Quality Conference June 22-23, 2023 – Registration Today!
Thank you to our 2023 Premier Sponsors!
FHA invites you to attend the first annual FHA Quality Conference on June 22-23, 2023! Please join your colleagues for an exceptional event, focused on the most pertinent quality and patient safety topics for hospitals. The registration portal is open to all FHA hospital and health care system member employees, as well as non-member health care providers.
Location
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! The deadline is Tuesday, May 30, 2023.
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.
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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.
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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.
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Informative presentations from hospitals and other providers will include:
- Improving Care Transitions/Reducing Readmissions
- Reducing Sepsis Mortality
- Measuring and Implementing Programs to Create a Safety Culture and High Reliability
- Reducing Maternal Mortality, C-sections, and Improving Care for Mothers and Babies
- Approaches to Improve Medication Safety
For questions about the conference, please contact FHA Education at 850-222-9800 or [email protected].
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.
Special thanks to our title sponsor KPMG!
To preview all our exceptional 2023 sponsors, please click here.
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.
Other Education of Interest
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is offering a free education webinar for nurse employers which will provide a general overview of the NLC and how it works, explain common questions that employers have, address myths and misconceptions, and a legislative update. There will also be information and explanation of Nursys.com and Nursys e-Notify system used for verification and notification of nurse licensure status changes.
