FEDERAL HEALTH UPDATE
Apr 17, 2009Produced by Kate Connelly Theroux in collaboration with the Institute of Federal Health Care (IFHC) To subscribe, please visit http://fedhealthinst.org/subscriber.cfm. Sponsored by
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Executive
and Congressional News
Military Health Care News
The launch of the spring 2009 program took place this week at Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. Senior executives at each medical center shared insights into their institutions and led the Fellows on a tour of their facilities. The goal of the Fellowship program is to provide MHS senior leaders the ability to discuss and collaborate with their colleagues in the civilian sector. The overarching themes of the visits will include transformational leadership and culture, reengineered clinical and administrative processes and infrastructure. The nominees selected to participate in the spring 2009 program are:
Full biographies and photos may be found
via: www.health.mil/Content/docs/
Selected and confirmed by the White House in December 2006, Dr. Poland led the newly established board in providing the Secretary of Defense with independent advice while performing a broad health-related mission that has enhanced effectiveness and reduced administrative costs and requirements. Dr. Poland is the director of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, a state-of-the-art research group and laboratory that investigates issues surrounding vaccine response and novel vaccines important to public health. He is the Mary Lowell Leary professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the associate chair for Research for the Department of Medicine, the director of the Immunization Clinic and the director of the Program in Translational Immunovirology and Biodefense at Mayo Clinic. Full biography of Dr. Poland may
be found via: http://health.mil/dhb/members/
This medical center is the only VA facility with an active duty rehabilitation unit, the largest spinal cord injury unit and one of 10 facilities with a Blind Rehab Center. The new Fisher House in Augusta will offer twenty suites within walking distance of the medical center for families of Active Duty Service Members and veterans receiving inpatient medical care. The Fisher House program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The "comfort homes" are built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers and allows family members to be close to their loved ones while they are receiving treatment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 10,000 families, and has made nearly 2.5 million days of lodging available to family members since the program originated in 1990. Currently, the nearest Fisher House
is located at the Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort
Gordon, Ga. For more information, please visit www.fisherhouse.org.
The two members of the of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR), which is collocated with the Brooke Army Medical Center, developed the device to secure medical tubes and catheters intubated within a patient that will prevent damage to the incisors by locating separate bite blocks on the molars. The device also prevents pressure sores on patients’ lips. This is particularly important for burn patients who have problems breathing on their own due to scorched esophagi, damaged airways due to smoke inhalation, or organ failures and the current intubation method often leaves these patients with cuts or tears in their mouths. The device was tested at the Burn Center at the Brooke Army Medical Center, which receives approximately 300 burn patients each year. The prize for winning the DoD Hot Technologies contest is a marketing video. MRMC’s technology transfer office will utilize this video to attract potential licensing partners to commercialize this technology. If the patent is issued, each inventor will receive an additional $250. If their technology is licensed, the inventors split royalties under the license, and as much as an additional $2K/year each on top of the royalties. The same technology was also chosen for World's Best Technology showcase March 24-25 in Arlington, Texas. The WBT showcase is an event showcasing the largest collection of undiscovered technologies emanating from the world’s leading universities, labs and research institutions. For more information about the U.S.
Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, visit http://mrmc.amedd.army.mil.
Under terms of the transaction, St. Louis-based Express Scripts will provide services to Indianapolis-based WellPoint through a 10-year contract. The acquisition price also includes consideration for the value of a future tax benefit for Express Scripts. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2009 pending customary closing conditions. NextRx services will be provided through Express Scripts’ platform and products while WellPoint will retain control of medical policy, formulary and integrated disease management. The companies will work together to conduct pharmacy management and data analytics. WellPoint's NextRx manages more than
265 million prescriptions and provides services to 25 million people.
Its parent company has been a target in class-action lawsuits claiming
it has held out-of-network reimbursements to artificially low rates. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/
Led by Navy Rear Adm. Elizabeth Niemyer, director of TRICARE Regional Office -West, senior leaders from throughout the region focused on understanding and addressing a critical challenge facing military force readiness – the stigma of seeking behavioral health care. The council was comprised of flag officers and senior level representatives from Department of Defense military branches (medical and line), state adjutant general’s offices, the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, TRICARE regional offices (north, south and west), and TriWest Healthcare Alliance - the West Region TRICARE managed care support contractor. Based on the input from the Platinum Leadership Council, TRO-W identified regional strategic initiatives to carry forward and implement across the region in coordination with the military services and the DCoE, ensuring service members and families learn about the many resources available. The council meeting and health leadership
conference served as the starting point of a focused effort and TRO-W
will continue to make the mental well-being of service members and their
families a priority. http://www.tricare.mil/
ECHO assists eligible family members of active duty sponsors who are diagnosed with moderate or severe mental retardation, a serious physical disability, or an extraordinary physical or psychological condition. The total TRICARE cost share for training, rehabilitation, special education and assistive technology devices was increased to $36,000 per fiscal year. The cap also covers institutional care in private nonprofit, public and state institutions and facilities and, if appropriate, transportation to and from such institutions and facilities. The TRICARE Enhanced Access to Autism Services “Demonstration” is also included. Previously, all ECHO benefits were subject to a government cost-share limit of $2,500 per month. The ECHO increase was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, which was signed into law on Oct. 14, 2008. As a result, TRICARE urges eligible beneficiaries to submit any claims for their out-of-pocket payments for the identified ECHO services received on or after Oct. 14, 2008. Some ECHO benefits
are still subject to the $2,500 per month cap and ECHO Home Health Care
has its own unique reimbursement limits. For more information on ECHO
services, costs and limitations go to http://www.tricare.mil/ECHO or contact the appropriate regional
managed care support contractor found at http://www.tricare.mil/
Smoking prevention and cessation expert Dr. Prokhorov, professor in the department of Behavioral Science at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, will develop a videogame designed to help prevent and treat tobacco use in the United States military. The videogame and supporting program is part of a DoD study to promote health and stress management among the women and men serving in the armed forces. The $3.7 million dollar grant awarded to Dr. Anderson will solidify a partnership with the U.S. Army in Fort Hood, Texas to develop and launch the program. The prototype for the interactive and educational videogame is modeled after “Escape With Your Life,” another tobacco-cessation videogame developed through Prokhorov’s research, which was designed for troubled, economically disadvantaged youth using DoD funds, and it has shown considerable promise. The Army pilot program will feature animations, audio, video and interactive activities that provide facts about smoking and tobacco use, as well as a soldier-designed Avatar that guides troops through the educational track. Some of the modules will include educating participants on resisting peer pressure, coping with withdrawal symptoms and preventing relapses. This videogame model uses computer technology to incorporate multiple elements specifically designed for the Army’s program. The interactive multimedia approach to health education allows troops to learn at their own pace and will be accessible during the troops’ leisure time. The grant for the study was awarded
by the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) and the Department
of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). Dr. Prokhorov’s active research
and extensive work in the field of medicine, particularly involving
smoking and tobacco use, has contributed to his expertise in the field
and a recognized leader in the industry. He currently heads the M. D. Anderson Tobacco
Outreach Education Program and directs three NIH-funded projects, including
ASPIRE, a Web and evidence-based tobacco prevention and cessation program
developed for junior high and high school students.
The Web portal was developed by staff members working with AFIP’s Office of Transition and Integration. It was designed to provide one-stop shopping for the latest news on BRAC and how it is affecting the AFIP in real time. The portal will include updates on legislation and directives which impact our BRAC action; a “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” section, which should be the main source for answers to all BRAC questions; a calendar of upcoming events employees may want to or will need to attend; and links to other Web sites that staff members will find useful. In addition, the portal has a “submit questions line,” which is an interactive process similar to many online blogging sites that creates real time discussion to populate the FAQ. For more information, please visit www.afip.org. Veterans Health Care News
The group of five medical centers in VISN 3 has selected Picis Preop Manager, Anesthesia Manager and PACU Manager, integrated software solutions designed to streamline clinician workflow, anesthesia documentation and continuity of care before, during and after surgical cases. The New York and New Jersey VA medical centers join a growing list of progressive VA medical centers across the country that use Picis solutions to automate the clinical documentation, business and financial functions in the operating room (OR), intensive care unit (ICU), anesthesia and post anesthesia/recovery environments. The five VISN 3 medical centers that are implementing Picis' anesthesia and PACU automation system as part of the contract award are:
Among the key criteria
to selecting Picis was its solutions proven interoperability with the
Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA),
which helps eliminate silos of data, reduce redundant documentation
and facilitate clinicians’ access to clinical data. Picis has
contracts with more than 16 VA medical centers across eight VISNs using
its high acuity solutions, including a dozen anesthesia record keeping
clients. http://www.marketwatch.com/
The award will be used to renovate a second floor wing of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center and create a new surgical suite consisting of five sizable operating rooms and a sterile supply core area. The renovation also upgrades the surgical suite to a state of the art operating room with respect to surgical care, patient flow, infection control and support spaces. AH West Group, LLC
was awarded the contract to renovate the wing at the medical center
for the Milwaukee VA. The renovation is one of 17 projects at
seven VA facilities where the Detroit District will supervise construction
in Wisconsin, Michigan or Indiana. http://www.biztimes.com/daily/ Health Care News
Funded by the Recovery Act, the purpose of the Research and Research Infrastructure "Grand Opportunities" (GO) is to support high impact ideas that lend themselves to short-term funding and may lay the foundation for new fields of scientific inquiry. Grants will be awarded to applicants who propose to address either a specific research question or the creation of a unique infrastructure/resource designed to accelerate scientific progress in the future. The GO grants will support research projects that accelerate critical breakthroughs, early and applied research on cutting edge technologies, and new approaches to improve the synergy and interactions among multi and interdisciplinary research teams. For more information, see Recovery
Act Limited Competition for NIH Grants: Research and Research Infrastructure
"Grand Opportunities" (RC2): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/
Research shows that nearly one in five patients who leave the hospital today will be re-admitted within the next month and that more than three-quarters of these re-admissions are potentially preventable. The goal of the Care Transitions Project is to improve health care processes so that patients, their caregivers, and their entire team of providers have what they need to keep patients from returning to the hospital for ongoing care needs. By promoting seamless transitions from the hospital to home, skilled nursing care, or home health care, this community-wide approach seeks, not only to reduce hospital readmissions but to yield sustainable and replicable strategies that achieve high-value health care for Medicare beneficiaries Communities in the following regions have been selected to participate in the project: Providence, R.I.; Upper Capitol Region, N.Y.; Western Pennsylvania; Southwestern New Jersey; Metro Atlanta East, Ga.; Miami, Fla.; Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Evansville, Ind.; Greater Lansing Area, Mich.; Omaha, Neb.; Baton Rouge, La.; North West Denver, Colo.; Harlingen, Texas; and Whatcom County, Wash. Each of the Care Transitions communities is led by a state Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). QIOs work throughout the country as part of CMS’s quality program to help health care providers, consumers and stakeholder groups to refine care delivery systems to make sure all Medicare beneficiaries get the high-quality, high-value health care they deserve. CMS will monitor
the success of this project by watching the rates at which patients
in these communities return to the hospital. Re-admission rates for
hospitals have been tracked by CMS and will be available to consumers
later this year through the Hospital Compare Web site at http://www.hospitalcompare. The Care Transitions
Project will continue in all 14 communities through summer 2011. For
more information about the Care Transitions Project, visit http://www.cfmc.org/
Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new resources will be allocated to states across the country to distribute to community groups that help Americans through tough economic times. Under the Recovery Act, organizations receiving CSBG funding must use the resources to help get our economy back on track. Funds must be used to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and assist low-income families become self-sufficient. Eligible entities use funds to provide services and activities addressing employment, education, housing, nutrition, and emergency services to combat the central causes of poverty. Services currently provided by community organizations that receive CSBG funds include:
The $1 billion in new funds under
the Recovery Act is in addition to CSBG's regular annual operating budget
of approximately $700 million. To see a state-by-state description of
CSBG Recovery Act funding visit http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/
As director of the Office on Disability, Mr. Claypool will serve as the primary advisor to the HHS Secretary on disability policy and will oversee the implementation of all HHS programs and initiatives pertaining to Americans with disabilities. Mr. Claypool has 25 years of experience developing and implementing disability policy at the federal, state, and local levels. He also has personal experience with the nation’s health care system from the perspective of an individual with a disability. Mr. Claypool sustained a spinal injury more than 25 years ago. In the years following his injury, he relied on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income, which enabled him to complete his bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado. After completing his degree, he spent five years working for a Center for Independent Living, after which he became the director of the Disability Services Office at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Mr. Claypool currently serves as
the policy director at Independence Care System, a managed long-term
care provider in New York City. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/ Reserve/Guard
Reports/Policies
Legislation
Hill Hearings
Meetings / Conferences
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If you need further information on any of the items in the Federal Health Update, please contact Kate Connelly Theroux at (703) 447-3257 or by e-mail at katetheroux@fedhealthinst.org. To subscribe, please visit http://fedhealthinst.org/subscriber.cfm. To unsubscribe, please send an email to newsletter@fedhealthinst.org with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject. Back issues availiable at Federal Health Update Archives. |
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