The Google maps satellite view of Joplin, Mo., tells two stories — destruction and determination. There’s a visible path through the heart of the city that remains just a bit less green than the city as a whole. Ten years after the tornado tore through the center of the city, the houses and businesses have returned. Joplin is again a thriving city. Yet, the lack of fully mature trees remains a visible scar when viewed from space.
The story of Joplin is a story of resilience. In the hours, days, weeks and months following the tornado, the community came together in new and powerful ways. The stories from clinicians at St. John’s Regional Medical Center and Freeman Health System — who responded to mass casualties in the immediate aftermath — remain poignant. And, in the hours and days after, hospitals from throughout the state took patients as casualties overwhelmed the system.
Mercy made a commitment to rebuild in Joplin. Today, where the hospital once stood, Mercy Park provides a reminder of the old hospital and urban green space. A new Mercy Hospital Joplin now stands south of the city.
Today, we are within reach of our post-COVID-19 rebuilding time. Hospitals’ efforts since early 2020 have saved lives, and the commitment to leadership in early vaccination efforts helped tamp down the virus throughout the state. Today, more than 50% of adult Missourians have initiated and 42.8% have completed, vaccination. The expansion of eligibility to younger Missourians should help further speed uptake — as demonstrated by data released earlier this week by MHA.
As we rebuild, we’re placing our infrastructure on a new, more robust foundation. Hospitals seldom have been required to work so closely in concert. These bonds will endure. At the same time, the demand for rapid action created a natural experiment — a modified regulatory framework, swift adaption of technology, better data sharing and systems, and new patient behaviors. Hospitals and the health care system will learn and adapt as a result.
COVID-19, like the Joplin tornado, was the unthinkable made real. These are the moments when our communities need hospitals most, and we fulfill our missions most profoundly.
The Joplin response also reminds us that we can emerge stronger. These lessons replayed on a smaller scale when Jefferson City was hit by a smaller, but still devastating, tornado on the anniversary of the Joplin event, just two years ago. A similar sense of unity — visible in “JC Strong” messages communitywide — remind us of the power of a shared sense of place and purpose. Challenges bind us together and reinforce the need for collective action.
In 2020 and 2021, hospitals’ work has been center-stage. Our communities now better understand the value of having strong hospitals and health care workers, locally.
We will all bear scars from 2020 and 2021. But, over time they will fade — just as the maturing trees will obscure the wound that bisected Joplin a decade ago. What will not fade is the memory that on May 22, 2011, and throughout 2020 and 2021, hospitals rushed toward the challenge. Hospitals truly were the force multiplier in Joplin, as they have been during the pandemic. They are a beacon of hope and safety during deeply uncertain times.
Miracles of healing happen in hospitals every day. Nonetheless, these were our finest hours.
Better Medicare Alliance Releases 2021 State Of Medicare Advantage Report
Board Of Healing Arts Rescinds Most Licensure Waivers
DHSS Expires Unlicensed Assistive Personnel Waiver
Masking, Screening Still Necessary In Health Care Settings
MLN Connects Provider eNews Available
GAO Recommends Additional Efforts To Assess Program Data For Maternal Mortality And Morbidity In Rural And Underserved Areas
AHA Releases Future Of Rural Health Care Task Force Recommendations
The Better Medicare Alliance released its 2021 State of Medicare Advantage report that includes enrollment trends, customer satisfaction, health outcomes and more. According to the report, Medicare Advantage enrollment has nearly doubled throughout the last decade. In 2021, approximately 26 million individuals are enrolled in an MA product, which accounts for nearly 42% of all Medicare beneficiaries. Customer satisfaction remains very high with 98% of MA beneficiaries stating they are satisfied with their coverage. The report also concludes that MA beneficiaries had 41% and 18% fewer avoidable acute and chronic hospitalizations, respectively, than Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. Medicare Advantage enrollment significantly has increased in Missouri with 40% of all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in an MA plan.
The Board of Healing Arts has rescinded most of its licensure waivers effective May 1. Those waivers still in effect are related to advanced practice registered nurses and physical therapists. Hospitals should take action to ensure they no longer are utilizing any of the rescinded waivers moving forward. MHA has updated the licensure document to reflect the changes.
The waiver allowing a 90-day grace period until after the end of the state of emergency for training to be completed and documented for unlicensed assistive personnel in hospitals has ended. Missouri hospitals need to ensure any UAP, as outlined in 19 CSR 30-20.125, employed with the hospital has documented training according to the regulation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s masking guidelines for unvaccinated and fully vaccinated individuals, in conjunction with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services infection control guidance, reinforces the requirement for continued screening and masking in hospitals. In addition, the American Hospital Association recently published an article highlighting the continued masking requirements. MHA will continue to monitor guidance and inform members of changes.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews. eNews includes information about national provider calls, meetings, events, announcements and other MLN educational product updates. The latest issue provides updates and summaries of the following.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released findings from a review of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity outcomes in rural and underserved areas. Nationwide data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System from 2011-2016 indicate that deaths during pregnancy, or up to 1 year postpartum due to pregnancy-related causes, are higher in rural areas compared to metropolitan areas.
The CDC and Health Resources and Services Administration fund several maternal health programs aiming to reduce maternal mortality and SMM, including some that target rural or underserved areas. CDC and HRSA collect program data; however, they do not systematically disaggregate and analyze program data by rural and underserved areas. Based upon these findings, GAO is making three recommendations, including that CDC and HRSA disaggregate and analyze program data by rural and underserved areas, and that HHS’s workgroups establish a formal coordinated approach for monitoring maternal health efforts. HHS concurred with GAO’s recommendations.
The American Hospital Association’s Future of Rural Health Care Task Force released a report that provides recommendations for long-range solutions for improving rural health care in America. The task force is comprised of 28 rural hospital CEOs and state hospital association executives. They are charged with exploring the challenges and strengths in rural hospitals, and identifying and developing bold solutions and promising practices to help ensure ongoing access to care for the 60 million U.S. residents living in rural areas.
On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced $3 billion in funding for states, tribes and territories to address mental health and substance use challenges relating to the pandemic.
The American Rescue Plan funding will go to block grant programs, with $1.5 billion each allocated to the Community Mental Health Services block grant program and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant program. The funding follows nearly $2.5 billion announced in March.
