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Supporting Moms and Babies
Gov. Larry Hogan has proclaimed August to be Breastfeeding Month for the State of Maryland. In the proclamation, he noted that breastfeeding is a key to the healthy development of newborns, and encouraged all Marylanders to protect, promote and support breastfeeding families.
Hospitals are doing their part, and you are to be congratulated. By the most recent count earlier this month, 27 of 32 of Maryland's birthing hospitals had obtained Baby-Friendly designation, signed a letter of intent to become Baby-Friendly, or recommitted to follow the Maryland Hospital Breastfeeding Policy Recommendations, which support breastfeeding at an organizational level. The Department of Health & Mental Hygiene has sent out letters recognizing those hospitals that are supporting these efforts.
Thank you for helping put these important policies in place, and I hope that soon all of Maryland's birthing hospitals will be recognized.
This builds on last year's achievement, when all 32 of Maryland's birthing hospitals agreed to stop infant formula marketing via company-sponsored discharge bags. In doing so, Maryland became the fourth state in the nation to make this change. The elimination of formula discharge bag giveaways brought Maryland's birthing hospitals in compliance with DHMH's hospital breastfeeding policies and with the World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.
While all of this is great news for moms and for the long-term health of Maryland's newborns, it's really just one more example of how you are changing the culture at your organizations to adapt to meet the needs of your communities. That's what's really at the heart of Maryland's unique health care model - a willingness to be national leaders and take the risks that others can't or won't, so that your patients and their families have the opportunity to add years to their lives, and life to their years.
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Louisiana Needs Your Help
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To help hospital employees and their families who have been devastated by the massive flooding in Louisiana, the Louisiana Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation has established the Louisiana Hospital Employee Assistance Fund. The fund will help hospital employees who live in one of the FEMA-designated disaster parishes in Louisiana and who have suffered significant property loss to their home during the August 2016 flooding disaster. It is estimated that more than 5,000 hospital workers have suffered significant property loss to their homes, many of which were not insured against an unprecedented 500-year flood of this magnitude. Donations will help evacuated hospital employees, many of whom have been sleeping at hospitals to make sure those who need care get it, keep their families safe while they continue to tend to the thousands of other Louisiana residents in need. If you or your organization would like to contribute to this effort, to which MHA will be donating as well, please visit www.LaHospitalEmployeeFund.org.
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Two Md. Hospitals Receive Innovator of the Year Honor
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The Daily Record this week announced its 2016 Innovator of the Year honorees and two Maryland hospitals were on the list. Kennedy Krieger Hospital and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore are among 31 honorees that have created new products, services or programs that have had a positive effect on business, industry or the community. The Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute and its Associate Director Maureen Van Stone received the honor after launching an initiative with the University of Baltimore School of Law to provide young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who receive services at Kennedy Krieger Institute, with access to critically advocacy and legal services for their future and estate planning needs. Sinai Hospital and President Amy Perry received the award in recognition of a new BioIncubator, the state's first located inside a hospital. The Sinai Hospital BioIncubator is a state-of-the-art laboratory and research center where biotech and life sciences companies can leverage resources and research opportunities, including access to the hospital's own medical experts and researchers, to advance medical breakthroughs. The initial focus is on medical device and diagnostic start-up companies. The BioIncubator's first tenant, Accelivir, moved in this summer and other start-ups will come on board soon. The winners will be celebrated at a reception Oct. 13 at the American Visionary Art Museum.
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Still Time to Register for Hospital Cybersecurity Symposium
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The Maryland Health Care Commission, in collaboration with the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society Maryland Chapter, the Health Services Cost Review Commission, and the Maryland Hospital Association, will convene a Hospital Cybersecurity Symposium on September 7 at the Westin BWI. Health care leaders and security professionals are invited to attend at no charge. Click here to download the agenda; to reserve a spot, click here.
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Upper Chesapeake Health Participates in Breath of Fresh Care Campaign
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University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health is helping spread the word about Maryland's health care delivery transformation by featuring MHA's Breath of Fresh Care educational video on six screens in doctors' offices. The video is one way the Breath of Fresh Care campaign is working to help consumers understand Maryland's health care transformation. MHA encourages all hospitals to make use of the website, video and rack cards that were distributed to PR leads over the summer. If you have any questions, feedback, or need additional resources, contact David Simon.
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Creating A Culture of Change
Within the health care industry, MHEI continues to espouse the need and desire for change, along with the need and desire for an organizational culture that is part of that change, one that can adjust to change, and one that that is able to lead and sustain the change.
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Accelerate Collections by Capturing Missing Charges and Lost Revenue
Health care providers are facing common challenges - transitioning to ICD-10, managing the risk of new reimbursement models, improving net revenue, reducing days in accounts receivable, increasing efficiency, and managing complex contracts.
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Survey Looks at Characteristics of Remaining Uninsured Adults
The vast majority of remaining uninsured adults are poor, young, Latino or working in a small firm, according to a new report by the Commonwealth Fund.
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Thursday, August 25 - Prime Board meeting
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MPT - State Circle, August 12
The Baltimore Sun, By Meredith Cohn, August 13
Baltimore Business Journal, By Carley Milligan, August 15
The Baltimore Sun, By Pamela Wood, August 15
The Baltimore Sun, by Erin Cox, August 16
WBAL-TV, By Omar Jimenez, August 15
The Baltimore Sun, By Meredith Cohn, August 17
Healthcare IT News, By Jack McCarthy, August 17
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