MHA Today | June 10, 2022

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond

MHA asked the eight members of Missouri’s Congressional delegation to cosponsor the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act of 2022. Introduced by Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.), the law extends federal protections to health care workers subjected to threats, intimidation and assault in the workplace, including enhanced penalties against those who commit violent acts against hospital staff.

AHA issued an Action Alert to its members providing hospital leaders a tool to directly contact their representative and urge them to cosponsor the bill.

Staff Contact: Sarah Willson or Kara Amann-Kale

MHA, DHSS and the Missouri Board of Pharmacy identified options for hospitals facing continued contrast media shortages. The Board of Pharmacy issued guidance detailing new regulatory flexibilities available to hospitals. DHSS’ Bureau of Hospital Standards and Licensure supported the additional flexibilities, noting hospitals that contain cleanrooms meeting USP <797> sterile compounding standards may submit a plan to the department on repackaging contrast media into smaller quantities. MHA distributed additional guidance to hospitals.

Staff Contact: Brian Kinkade

MHD posted for public comment a Section 1115 Medicaid IMD exclusion waiver for SUD services. Comments may be submitted in writing or in person at hearings on Wednesday, June 15, or Tuesday, June 21. Written comments must be filed with MHD by Monday, July 11. The waiver will be filed with CMS for review and approval after the 30-day comment period. If approved, the waiver will allow MHD to reimburse IMDs for adults requiring a residential level of care for treatment of SUD beginning Saturday, Oct. 1.

A second Medicaid Section 1115 waiver of the IMD exclusion for treatment of adults with serious mental illness is expected to be posted for public comment at any time.

Staff Contact: Alison Williams

HRSA released a report and executive summary evaluating the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program, which completed its first year last August. Missouri RMOMS grantees included in this report are Saint Francis Health Care in Cape Girardeau, Mo., and the Bootheel Perinatal Network. Missouri Highlands — an FQHC that provides care to children and adults in Carter, Reynolds, Shannon, Iron, Ripley, Butler and Wayne counties — recently received funding, as well.

The program uses a network approach to coordinate and improve maternal health care from preconception to postpartum. The initial cohort includes networks in Missouri, New Mexico and Texas that provide prenatal, delivery and postpartum care to 3,101 rural mothers. The report outlines early success strategies, including hiring patient navigators and efforts to expand telehealth.

Staff Contact: Stephen Njenga

During Community Health Improvement Week, MHA is recognizing Freeman Health System for its efforts to promote individual, community and population health.

After conducting its CHNA in 2016, Freeman Health System identified access to care as a common health challenge in southwest Missouri. Its grassroots team, the Care Partners, realized that lack of communication around health and social care referrals was a main issue in which to address. The partnership endorsed a solution of a closed-loop referral network.

The COVID-19 pandemic sharpened their focus, as basic needs became predominant concerns to many in the community. In July 2021, the Care Partner Network was launched utilizing Unite Us technology. Freeman cultivated network champions, including the local United Way chapters, building a communitywide, robust referral network. Now, there are more than 50 local organizations joining the network and contributing rich referral data to Unite Us. These efforts will help them better understand referral patterns and challenges, clarify consumer needs, guide new collaboration opportunities and drive community investment to assure that individuals’ needs are equitably met.

Staff Contact: Sherry Buschjost

The following resources are available for hospitals participating in the IPFQR program.

• Specifications Manual for National Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Measures, version 1.1, effective Jan. 1, 2023
  • Key updates include the removal of information pertaining to the Timely Transmission of Transition Record and Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness measures. Changes are outlined in the associated release notes.
• Claims-Based Measures Specifications Manual for FY 2023

Staff Contact: Becky Boyce

David Argueta has been named president of Mercy Hospitals Springfield, effective May 29. He succeeds Brent Hubbard who recently started a new role in Oklahoma. Argueta has more than 17 years of health care experience, most recently serving as the chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City.