In This Issue
Studer Group Conference
New Board Chair
HCWP's Fall Conference
First Quarter Flash
HR Survey Update
Insurance Enrollment Resources
Emergency Contact Directory
CORE Measures
Upcoming Meetings
March Committee Meetings
Past Committee Meetings
Corporate Sponsors and Allied Members
Amerinet is Now Intalere
Other Programs of Interest
Sponsors:
Studer Group Conference at HCWP
Members can participate in one of Studer Group's national-level conferences at Healthcare Council's Jack C. Robinette Conference Center on Thursday, April 7 and Friday, April 8, 2016. The Conference offers an intensive program with nationally recognized speakers, Dan Collard and Bob Murphy. Participants will learn tools and best practices on how to thrive and survive as the environment moves from episodic to continuous change.
Topics for the day-and-a-half long Conference include creating a high-performance organization by building a culture of accountability; reducing inconsistency and variance with Studer's Evidence-Based Leadership foundation; increasing physician loyalty, alignment and integration and creating strong leaders, among other topics.
Conference leaders are Dan Collard and Bob Murphy, RN, JD. Collard is a former chief operating officer for a hospital group in the southeast. Murphy held many positions within healthcare from paramedic to chief executive officer of a hospital. Both are Senior Leaders of the Studer Group.
Healthcare Council members are encouraged to bring teams from their C-Suite to the Conference. Registration fees are $200 per person for five or more people from the same hospital/facility; $225 per person for three or four people from the same hospital/facility and $250 for an individual to register.
For details on this special conference visit Studer Conference Information on Healthcare Council's website. For more information contact Jane Montgomery, Pat Raffaele or Monica Palmer.
Healthcare Council Names New Board Chair
David K. Miles, MEd, MPM, president and chief executive officer of The Children's Institute, was elected the new chair of Healthcare Council of Western Pennsylvania's (Healthcare Council's) Board of Directors. The chair is elected for one year and can serve for up to three one-year terms.
He succeeds past-chair Gary Weinstein, chief executive officer of Washington Health System, who had served as Healthcare Council's Board chair for three years.
Mr. Miles' leadership has been instrumental to the success of many organizational initiatives at The Children's Institute including a $30 million renovation and two major fundraising Campaigns, the growth and development of numerous service lines, the continued expansion of technology and research and other operational and financial improvements.
He joins healthcare Council's officers for 2016 including Kenneth P. DeFurio, vice chair, president and chief executive officer, Butler Health System; Philp Pandolph, vice chair, president and chief executive officer, Meadville Medical Center; John S. Sutika, treasurer, president Penn Highlands Dubois and A.J. Harper, secretary, president, Healthcare Council.
For more information contact A.J. Harper.
Save The Date:HCWP's Fall Conference
Healthcare Council's Fall Conference will be held on Friday, October 28, 2016 at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Returning to speak right before the November election is G.Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, professor of Public Affairs and director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll at Franklin and Marshall College. Members will receive updates as other speakers are confirmed. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
First Quarter Flash Survey Released
Healthcare Council's First Quarter Flash Survey, shows more than half (52 percent) of hospitals in the region experienced a loss from operations. The recently released report covers data from 62 hospitals for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2016 for the three months beginning July 1, 2015 and ending September 30, 2015.
The reasons for the loss from operations include the continuing impact payment reductions from Medicare and Medical Assistance, limited increases from commercial payors, increased shifts of patients from inpatient to observation status, increasing levels of high deductible health plans and retrospective audit recoveries.
Other indicators show more than half of the hospitals have had a decrease in full-time equivalents (FTEs). Smaller hospitals (those under 100 beds) continue to see declining operating margins.
New categories have been added to the FY 2016 Flash Survey including Home Health Visits and Medicare Reimbursement Categories.
For more information contact Denis Lukes.
HR Survey Update
Collective Bargaining Update
Healthcare Council released the Collective Bargaining Update covering January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. The annual Collective Bargaining Survey is a compilation of bargaining units within facilities and updates on each bargaining unit.
Benchmark and Management Compensation Surveys
Members are currently submitting data for Healthcare Council's Benchmark Hospital Salary and Management Compensation Surveys. The data request reflects several changes recommended by the HR Committee after a year-long review process. Changes include the addition of new positions; deleting some positions and changing some positions to reflect the current work environment. A new section has been added to the Benchmark Survey with positions that are related to Post Acute Care, Long Term Care and Hospice.
Benefits Survey Results
Healthcare Council's HR Committee received the overall results of the 2015 United Benefits Advisers Health Plan Survey done with Cowden Associates, Inc. The results were presented at the December 9, 2015 Committee meeting. LesaVotovitch, GB, vice president, Health and Benefits, Cowden Associates, Inc., provided an overview of Healthcare Council's aggregate member data. Each participating member also received their own data report. Cowden Associates provided the opportunity for Healthcare Council members to participate in the survey.
For more information about the surveys contact Pat Raffaele and for information about data submission for the Benchmark and Management Compensation Surveys contact Betty Steup.
Insurance Enrollment Resources
Healthcare Council continues to offer members access to an insurance navigator through a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Healthcare Council is one of five partners which has received funding for three years to have a navigator on staff. The lead agency for the grant is the Consumer Health Coalition based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Other partners include Pennsylvania Health Access Network, Benefits Data Trust and the Multicultural Community Resource Center in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Even though the open enrollment period is over, Barbara McDowell, Healthcare Council's navigator and outreach and enrollment coordinator, is available to assist members with issues related to enrollment in Medical Assistance or special enrollment issues. During the Open Enrollment period, McDowell enrolled individuals at Healthcare Council and also at member events. She worked with individuals and families throughout western Pennsylvania including in Allegheny, Beaver, Blair, Buck, Butler, Cambria, Erie, Lawrence and Somerset Counties.
Healthcare Council also held a meeting and a conference call during the open enrollment period to assist members with resources. Several of Healthcare Council's partners provided information and resources to members including Enroll America, the Consumer Health Coalition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN).
There is a list of resources to assist members with questions related to enrollment on Healthcare Council's website. Besides funding from CMS, Healthcare Council's enrollment initiative is supported by local foundations.
For assistance with enrollment or questions contact Barbara McDowell.
Emergency Contact Directory Available
An updated Emergency Contact Directory of Health Care Facilities in Western Pennsylvania is now posted on Healthcare Council's website. The directory was created by Healthcare Council and Frederick V. Peterson Jr., MPH, regional manager-southwest Pennsylvania, Hospital Preparedness Program for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).
The Directory includes county emergency management agency contacts, public health department information, information on websites, and information on each facility in western Pennsylvania.
For more information contact Judy Harrison or Frederick Peterson.
CORE Measures
Healthcare Council has created a series of slide presentations and answer keys related to the latest core measures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The slide presentations are on the following topics: CMS Quality Program-Outcome Measures, and specific presentations on measures related to Emergency Departments, Global Immunizations, Hospital Based Inpatient Psychiatric Services, Perinatal, Sepsis Bundle, Stroke, Tobacco Treatment Inpatient Quality and Venous Thromboembolism.
Members of Healthcare Council received information on how to access these presentations and answer keys. For more information contact Jane Montgomery.
Upcoming Meetings
CFO Committee
Updates on Medicare and Medical Assistance will be key topics at Healthcare Council's Chief Financial Officers Committee meeting on February 5, 2016.
The topics of area wage index and Joint Replacement and Bundled Payment will be discussed, as well as revenue cycle and reimbursement, among other topics. The meeting will conclude with a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Denis Lukes.
Compliance Committee
Privacy and security topics will be some of the key issues discussed at Healthcare Council's February 11, 2016 Compliance Committee meeting. Guest speaker David Holtzman, J.D., CIPP, vice president of Compliance for CynergisTek, Inc., will join the meeting via web and audioconference. He will lead a discussion on Office of Civil Rights audits and enforcement as well as discuss cybersecurity. Prior to his current position, he served on the health information privacy team at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, where he was the senior advisor for health information technology and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Security Rule. In addition, Kimberly Wise, a compliance auditor for Allegheny Health Network along with Jill Bebout, will speak on the topic of Compliance Risk Areas for Non-Physician Practitioners (NPPs). The meeting will conclude with a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Practice Administrators Committee
The changing provider environment will be the primary focus of the Practice Administrators Committee meeting on February 18, 2016. Key topics include payment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for advanced care planning, how physician practices are managing patient risk stratification from a chronic care and cost prospective, the "incident to" rule and preparing for bundled payments. The meeting will conclude with a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Denis Lukes or Jane Montgomery.
Risk/Quality Committee
The Risk/Quality Committee will meet on February 25, 2016 at Healthcare Council's Jack C. Robinette Conference Center. Members will also meet at Penn Highlands Brookville and the two sites will be connected via audioconference. Meeting details and registration information was recently sent to members.
For more information contact Jane Montgomery.
Upcoming March Meetings
Below are dates for upcoming meetings for Healthcare Council members. All meetings will be held at Healthcare Council's Jack C. Robinette Conference Center unless otherwise noted.
Managed Care Committee - March 2, 2016
Contacts: Denis Lukes or Jane Montgomery
Chief Nursing Officers Committee - March 4, 2016
Contact: Jane Montgomery
Human Resource Committee - March 10, 2016
Contact: Pat Raffaele
Fund Development Committee- March 17, 2016 Contact: Pat Raffaele
Past Committee Meetings
Fund Development Committee
The December 3rd, 2015 Fund Development Committee meeting focused on a facilitated discussion on trends in nonprofit and fund development leadership including skills, experience and expertise needed to be a development executive. Todd Owens and Michele Pagano Heck, principals and co-founders of the Pittsburgh firm Nonprofit Talent, were the keynote speakers and facilitators. The Committee also discussed plans for 2016 meetings and held a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Chief Nursing Officers Committee
Front-line manager curriculum development was one of the key topics at the December 4, 2015 Chief Nursing Officers meeting. The Committee also discussed QualityBlue 2016 target rates for readmissions, Joint Bundled payments and held a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Jane Montgomery.
Chief Operating Officers Committee
Safety, security and emergency preparedness were the key topics of discussion at the December 8, 2015 Chief Operating Officers Committee. The facilitated discussion was led by Dennis DiPerna, president and chief executive officer of Point Security and Frederick V. Peterson, Sr., MPH, regional manager, Southwest Pennsylvania Hospital Preparedness Program, for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). Healthcare Council President A.J. Harper provided an update for the Committee. The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion. For more information contact A.J. Harper or Pat Raffaele.
Human Resource Committee
The release of the results of the benefits survey conducted by Cowden Associates in partnership with United Benefits Advisers was the focus of the December 9, 2015 Human Resource Committee meeting. A number of members participated in the survey which allowed for a regional cut of the data. Participating members also received their own survey results in comparison to other data. LesaVotovitch, vice president of Health and Benefits at Cowden Associates, Inc., provided the overview of the survey results and responded to questions. The meeting also included a roundtable discussion. For more information contact contact Pat Raffaele.
Compliance Committee
Nelson Cohen, an assistant United States Attorney from the Pittsburgh U.S. Attorney's Office, was the guest speaker at the Compliance Committee meeting held on December 17, 2015. He covered many areas and held a question and answer session with the Committee. The Committee also held a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Managed Care Committee
The Managed Care Committee discussed topics related to Medicare, Medical Assistance and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Joint Bundled Payments. The Committee also discussed efficiency measures for the 2016 QualityBlue program. The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Denis Lukes or Jane Montgomery.
Health Information Management Committee
The Health Information Management Committee focused on member experiences with the implementation of ICD 10 and privacy monitoring and issues related to HIPAA. The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Denis Lukes or Jane Montgomery.
Corporate Sponsors andAllied Members
Healthcare Council thanks its 2016 Corporate Sponsors. Corporate sponsors help fund programs and services provided to members throughout the year. This year's Corporate Sponsors are: Cowden Associates, LLC, at the Gold level, Cura and Strategy Solutions at the Silver level and Bottom Line Systems at the Bronze level. Sponsors will be recognized by Healthcare Council throughout 2016 on Healthcare Council's website, in the C=Suite and HR Newsletters, on program announcements, such as the Studer Group Conference, and at Committee meetings. All Corporate Sponsors are Allied Members of Healthcare Council. Information about Corporate Sponsorship and Allied Membership is available on Healthcare Council's website.
Amerinet is Now Intalere
On January 20, 2016, Amerinet announced it has a new name and a new brand. The company is now Intalere. The name derives from the Latin word "alere" that means "to nourish." "Int" is the begininning of the word integrate. The mission of the company is to elevate the operational health of America's healthcare providers by designing tailored, smart solutions that deliver optimal cost, quality and clinical outcomes. Healthcare Council is a strategic marketing affiliate of Intalere.
Other Programs of Interest
Western PA Chapters of ACHE and HFMA Host Joint Event
The western Pennsylvania chapters of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) are hosting a joint winter education event on February 19, 2016 from noon until 4 p.m. at Latitude 360 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The event will be done in a "jeopardy" style format and will focus on two key topics. The first topic is Unthink Patient Payment Strategies and will be presented by Phil Solomon, vice president of Global Services for MiraMed. The second topic is What's Happening Today In Healthcare and will be presented by Lyman Sornberger, chief strategy officer for Capio Partners.
Networking and bowling will be available for participants after the event. For details including cost and registration visit or
Presbyterian SeniorCare Presents Woodside Workshop:
The Reality of Caring for Someone with Dementia
Presbyterian SeniorCare is offering its Woodside Workshop on The Reality of Caring for Someone with Dementia on four dates in 2016. The focus of the workshop is on day-to-day care and challenges of working with someone with dementia. The workshop will be offered on the following dates: February 3, April 20, August 21 and November 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All workshops will be held in the Ballroom at Longwood at Oakmont in Verona, Pennsylvania.
Advance registration fees are $85 for members of LeadingAge or the Faith-Based Network or the Area Agencies on Aging. The non-member fee is $150 and the student fee is $40. Continuing education credits are available in the areas of social work, nursing and recreation and activity. For more information visit or contact Carrie Chiusano.