The Leapfrog Group has issued its newest Hospital Safety Scores, which assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals based on their ability to prevent errors, injuries, accidents and infections. For the first time, the Hospital Safety Score website offers an enhanced feature, allowing users to view a hospital’s current score alongside its previous scores over the past three years, so that consumers can evaluate whether the hospital has maintained consistently strong performance or shown a pattern of improvement.

Visit http://www.hospitalsafetyscore.org/ to review your facility's scores. If you would like talking points for discussing your score with the media, please contact Pam Kirchem at KHA (502-426-6220 or 800-945-4542 or via email at pkirchem@kyha.com).

KHA has published its final report on the 2015 Kentucky General Assembly Session. The report was sent to hospital chief executive officers this week. With the close of the 2015 Session, few issues that are important to Kentucky’s health community received passage. However, many important priorities were protected and maintained – certificate of need and the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program were maintained and there was no increase in the hospital provider tax.

Comprehensive legislation to deal with the heroin problem in Kentucky passed this session. It includes more treatment options for addicts seeking help, including more services to be delivered by hospitals. SB 192 passed the General Assembly just hours before adjournment of the 2015 Session, was signed into law by Governor Steve Beshear later that morning and became effective immediately as it included an emergency clause.

All legislation passed during the 2015 Session becomes effective on June 25, 2015, except...

This KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, offers hospital executives a great opportunity to network with their peers and have access to a wide variety of educational sessions.

This year's General Sessions will address such topics as Section 501(r) requirements for charitable hospitals, operational assessments for community hospitals and the resurgence of narrow networks.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Make your plans to attend and register today! You can also visit the registration site directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

KHA is investigating, as part of its strategic plan, developing an all-payer, all-Kentucky-hospital readmission tracking system. Current reporting is limited, through quality improvement (QI) programs, to readmissions within your hospital. While Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data does cover all hospitals, it is limited to Medicare patients. The value of creating a state-based system for collection will be to provide a true picture of readmissions and barriers as well as to replace manual, resource-intensive reporting in the future. KHA needs your input on the feasibility of developing a successful program.

KHA would offer aggregated reports to member facilities containing metrics for inpatient readmission. The reports would include all payer classifications within the database (Medicare, Medicaid Fee for Service, Medicaid Managed Care, Commercial, Self-Pay and Charity and Other Payers). The reports would be produced on a quarterly basis, and updated as new quarters of data are submitted.

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Today, April 24, is the last day to register for the KHA Annual Convention at the discounted early bird rate. The registration fee includes ALL Education Sessions, the Opening Session/Breakfast and Awards Luncheon, reception and refreshment breaks for the May 7-8 event. Visit http://convention.kyha.com/HowtoRegister.aspx for registration details or visit the online registration page directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

The KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, will provide an array of programs to appeal to all members of hospitals' senior staffs. In addition to the informative General Sessions, there will be tracks for finance, medical officers, nursing leaders and hospital attorneys.

In addition to the Kentucky Association of Hospital Attorneys Annual Meeting, the Legal Track will feature a number of presentations specifically for hospital and health care system legal professionals. Speakers will discuss lawyers' professional responsibility when representing corporate health care clients, Section 501(r) requirements for charitable organizations, a legislative update and a case law update.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Visit the "Affiliate Tracks" page for different program opportunities....

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued major revisions to the Conditions of Participation (CoP) manual for both prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) this month. For CAHs, more than one-third of the manual has been revised. To help hospitals understand how the latest changes will affect them, KHREF will host two seminars in July:

Seminar on CMS Conditions of Participation for PPS Hospitals
July 8-9

Seminar on CMS Conditions of Participation for CAHs
July 9-10

The seminars will be conducted by Sue Dill Calloway, a well-known speaker on CoP. Program brochures will be available in May.

The KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, will provide an array of programs to appeal to all members of hospitals' senior staffs. In addition to the informative General Sessions, there will be tracks for finance, medical officers, nursing leaders and hospital attorneys.

This year's Nursing Track will feature a presentation from Catholic Charities Human Trafficking Program Manager Marissa Castellanos on Kentucky's Children's Justice Act in addition to a discussion on outstanding Kentucky nursing research.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Visit the "Affiliate Tracks" page for different program opportunities. Make your plans to attend and register today! You can also visit the registration site directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

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The KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, will provide an array of programs to appeal to all members of hospitals' senior staffs. In addition to the informative General Sessions, there will be tracks for finance, medical officers, nursing leaders and hospital attorneys.

This year's Finacial Track will feature a discussion on next generation risk management strategies for physician compensation compliance. The session will be presented by Randy A. Biernat, CPA, ABV, the director of BKD LLP in Indianapolis.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Visit the "Affiliate Tracks" page for different program opportunities. Make your plans to attend and register today! You can also visit the registration site directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

If you have additional questions, please contact Carol Walters at KHA (502-426-6220 or 800-945-4542 or via email at cwalters@kyha.com).

KHREF extends its thanks to TechSolve, the 2015 Gold Sponsor! For more than 30 years, TechSolve has helped organizations of all sizes, and across various industries, grow and thrive. With a focus on process improvement, machining and innovation, they help businesses find long-term solutions and cultivate problem-solving cultures. With best practices at the core of everything they do, they provide tailored solutions that eliminate wasteful spending, increase productivity and maximize profits.

Be sure to visit with TechSolve representatives at the KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, to learn how they can help your facility!

careLearning is now offering an educational online training course on organ donation: Saving and Healing Lives Through Organ and Tissue Donation – Continuing our Health Care Mission. Organizations and health care professionals that are working to improve the donor management and family care process across their donation service areas are encouraged to take the opportunity to view, learn from and share this educational training course.

CME and CEPTC credit is available. The cost is $7 per person.

For more information on this course, view the infosheet. If you need additional information about using careLearning in your facility, contact Pam Kirchem at KHA (502-426-6220 or 800-945-4542 or via email at pkirchem@kyha.com).

The cut-off date for hotel reservations for the KHA Annual Convention is tomorrow, April 16. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Lexington. Please make your reservations by tomorrow to assure that you will receive the convention rate.

Reservations requests after the cutoff date will be confirmed on an availability basis. Attendees are responsible for making their own reservations. When making your reservations, remember to mention the Kentucky Hospital Association Annual Meeting. You may also make reservations online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/kyhospital. Hyatt Regency Lexington 401 West High Street Lexington, Kentucky 40507

Phone: (859) 253-1234 Fax: (859) 254-7430 Reservations: (800) 233-1234

Rates: $151 single/double

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com...

Baptist Health Paducah and hospital Baptist Health Madisonville have both received federal approval to move forward with plans to develop long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) within each facility. Baptist Health is partnering with ContinueCARE Hospital, a not-for-profit Community Hospital Corporation subsidiary based in Plano, Texas, to operate the new hospitals within the current facilities at Paducah and Madisonville.

The first stage of the new “hospital within a hospital” program for long-term patients will both open at Baptist Health Madisonville and Baptist Health Paducah this summer, eventually saving 540 families a year in Madisonville and 800 families a year in the Paducah area from having to travel out of the area for care.

During the demonstration phase, the hospitals will meet the needs of their patients instead of transferring them out to a distant facility. Once licensed, the local facility will be able to accept more patients from neighboring hospitals.

Long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) specialize in treating critically-ill patients needing extended care for 25 days or more who:...

On May 18, KHREF will host Getting Survey Ready in 2015 for the Physical Environment at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport. This one-day program will provide valuable information for those individuals who are responsible for creating the best possible environment of care, emergency management and life safety programs and must understand the 2015 Joint Commission survey methodology.

View the program for detailed information, including the agenda and registration.

If you have any questions, please contact Carol Walters at KHA (502-426-6220 or 800-945-4542 or via email at cwalters@kyha.com).

The KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, will provide an array of programs to appeal to all members of hospitals' senior staffs. In addition to the informative General Sessions, there will be tracks for finance, medical officers, nursing leaders and hospital attorneys.

This year's Medical Track will feature discussions and presentations on employed physician networks and choosing the right hospitalist model to meet your performance objectives.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Visit the "Affiliate Tracks" page for different program opportunities. Make your plans to attend and register today! You can also visit the registration site directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

If you have additional questions,...

KHA is grateful for the support of all its sponsors including several new additions:

Acute Care, Inc. is a full-service emergency medicine physician group that provides all of the necessary resources to develop and maintain a competitive, quality and compassionate emergency physician group.

Hospital MD provides emergency hospitalist and hybrid medicine physician services integrating the business of medicine with clinical expertise to create a real financial success story at your community hospital.

Lancaster Pollard helps health care, senior living and housing providers expand and improve their services by providing financial advice and financing solutions.

Logan's Healthcare Linen provides high quality, high service health care linen exclusively to the health care industry.

PT Solutions Physical Therapy...

On April 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) held its regular Open Door Forum (ODF) devoted to hospital and hospital quality issues. The Agency reminded providers that it has extended its "Probe and Educate" program related to Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) review of hospital inpatient claims through April 30. As of now, relevant claims with dates of service from October 1, 2013, through April 30, 2015 are not subject to formal review by RACs. Though that would lapse as of May 1, 2015, CMS noted that legislation before Congress would extend the period through fiscal year (FY) 2015.

Other topics included wage index appeals, open payments review and coverage of CT scans for lung cancer.

A summary of the Forum from Health Policy Source is available at http://www.new-kyha.com/Portals/5/NewsDocs/ODFSummary040715.pdf.

Health care’s transition to a new business model will occur fast and furiously as disruptors emerge during the next decade. At the KHA Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, Kenneth Kaufman will address the key forces behind the current transformation, the reorganization of health and health care services under a population-health management construct and the new competitors that are emerging as health care transitions from an inpatient-centric model to an ambulatory/ virtual model. The session will explore implications for hospitals and health systems and the critical questions executives should be discussing.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Make your plans to attend and register today! You can also visit the registration site directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp....

Vicki A. Darnell, president and chief executive officer of Ephraim McDowell Health, was elected to serve on the American Hospital Association (AHA) Regional Policy Board 3 and has begun her three-year term.

Regional Policy Board 3 represents six states including District of Columbia, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The Board meets three times a year to foster communication between the AHA, its members and state hospital associations. They provide input on public policy issues considered by the Board of Trustees, serve as ad hoc policy development committees when appropriate, and identify needs unique to a region and assist in developing programs to meet those needs.

The opening speaker for the KHA Annual Convention (May 7-8 in Lexington) will be Dr. Ronan Tynan whose inspirational session will take you through the story of his amazing life; describing the obstacles he faced, and how he used those challenges to build some unbelievable successes. Tynan's triumphs include becoming an MD, a championship athlete and an accomplished recording artist who has delighted international audiences as a member of the Irish Tenors.

Visit the KHA Convention website at http://convention.kyha.com for program details, registration information and more. Make your plans to attend and register today! You can also visit the registration site directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

If you have additional questions, please contact Carol Walters at KHA (502-426-6220 or 800-945-4542 or via email at cwalters@kyha.com).

Programs for KHA's 86th Annual Convention, May 7-8 in Lexington, were mailed to members last week. The convention website, http://convention.kyha.com, provides online registration, program details, a hotel reservation link,  a personalized scheduler and a link to the printable program.

Online registration is also available directly at https://secure.kyha.com/meetingregistration.asp.

For further information, contact Carol Walters at KHA (502-426-6220 or 800-945-4542 or via e-mail at cwalters@kyha.com).