NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE May-August 2006 February/March 2006 December 2005 September/October 2005 July 2005 June 2005 February 2005

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• Advocacy Day
• Upcoming Events
• MEMBER UPDATE
  • Covenant Health System COO To Retire
  • Seton Medical Center Receives Award
  • Covenant Health System's Counceling Center Recognized
  • THA Proposes Alternate Interim Solution to Medicaid Shortfall
  • Hunter elected to THA’s Board of Trustees
• NEWS TO USE
• THA Leadership Conference Oct 9-11
• 5th Annual Sr. Mary Rose McPhee, D.C. Lectureship
• Realizing a Just Health Care System
• Disaster Preparedness For Faith Communities

Advocacy Day

Our Advocacy Day event will be held on Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown located at 700 San Jacinto at 8th Street, Austin, Texas  78701.

CHA of Texas Upcoming Events

2007 Events

MEMBER UPDATE

COVENANT HEALTH SYSTEM’S chief operating officer, Chris Barnette, plans to retire from Covenant Oct. 1.

“I have been blessed for 35 years with a career that has been enjoyable and fulfilling,” Barnette said.  “It has been a personal ministry to the communities, patients and especially to the employees with whom I have had the pleasure of serving.”

Barnette has served as COO of Covenant Health System since August 1998.  He was credited with the success of the merger of St. Mary of the Plains Hospital and Methodist Hospital, which formed Covenant in 1998.

CHA of Texas would like to congratulate Chris Barnette on his retirement and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Source:  Covenant Connection, June 16, 2006, Volume One, Issue 12

SETON MEDICAL CENTER AUSTIN has been recognized for continuously improving the care and safety of its patients.  The medical center was named a recipient of the “2005 Solucient 100 Top Hospitals® Performance Improvement Leaders” award.  Seton Medical Center was recognized for setting national benchmarks for consistent improvement in clinical outcomes, safety, hospital efficiency, financial stability and growth over five years (2000-2004).  The award is based on the results of a national Performance Improvement Leaders study conducted by Solucient, a leading health information products company that maintains the nation’s largest health care database.

Source:  Heartbeat, Volume 13 Issue 6 – June 2006, published by Seton Family of Hospitals

COVENANT HEALTH SYSTEM’S Counseling Center staff was recognized by the Community Health Center of Lubbock for their support of their patients.  The staff was honored with a “Community of Champion Award” during a luncheon on August 10.  The Counseling Center, which has been open since 1997, was recognized for “outstanding community support in mental health services that has improved the health and lives of individuals and families in the Lubbock Community.”

“We are honored to serve our community through our ministry that focuses on strengthening the mental health of individuals and families,” said Jim Schneider, clinic manager of the Counseling Center.  “We have a staff of extremely dedicated, caring and compassionate professionals who have answered their calling to serve the Lord in this way.  We humbly accept this recognition and pray that our work continues to positively affect the lives of those brought to our center.”

THA Proposes Alternate InterimSolution to Medicaid Shortfall
 As directed by the THA Board of Trustees at its Aug. 12 meeting, the Texas Hospital Association’s staff has been working with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to modify the agency’s proposed approach to addressing the $109.5 million shortfall in Medicaid due to the delay in the implementation of the Integrated Care Management model for the aged, blind and disabled populations. Last month, THHSC proposed a rule, effective Sept. 1, that would reduce Medicaid Supplemental Security Income inpatient payments to non-children’s and non-psychiatric hospitals in the eight STAR+PLUS expansion markets by approximately 8 percent.

On Aug. 23, THA delivered a letter to THHSC Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins requesting the withdrawal of this rule, and replacement with a 1.75 to 1.8 percent reduction in Medicaid fee-for-service and Primary Care Case Management inpatient rates for all hospitals, excluding children’s and psychiatric hospitals, effective Sept. 1. Recognizing that the agency cannot ignore a legislative mandate, the THA Board wanted to work with THHSC in good faith to find an interim solution until the Legislature convenes and action can be taken to reverse this budgetary directive. Hospitals must work between now and January to garner legislative support for removing the $109.5 million savings from the budget. If successful, THHSC has made a commitment to restore any payment reductions to hospitals.

The rationale for the board’s decision was outlined in an Alert distributed on Aug. 23.  (Richard Bettis, CAE/Joe DaSilva, FACHE, CAE/John Hawkins/John Berta)

Source:  Health Care Advocate, August 25, 2006 edition, published by Texas Hospital Association

COVENANT HEALTH SYSTEM’S President/CEO, Steven L. Hunter, FACHE, has been elected to a three-year term on the Texas Hospital Association’s 2006-2007 Board of Trustees.  Hunter was installed at the board’s annual planning retreat on Aug. 11.

NEWS TO USE

THA Leadership Conference Oct 9-11

For more information log on to http://www.thaonline.org/Education/LeadershipConference/index.asp.

5th Annual Sr. Mary Rose McPhee, D.C. Lectureship

EVENING LECTURE: Thursday, October 26
The Art of Letting Go: Lessons for Discovering New Inner Freedom and Strength
Possessing inner freedom in today’s stressful and uncertain times—especially when you are in
a leadership position—is essential. Knowing this, author Dr. Robert Wicks addresses the four
questions and three steps all persons must encounter if they wish to truly be able to let go and
maintain perspective in life—no matter what they are being called to face.
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
$35/$20 students & seniors. (Pre-registration required.)
Location: St. Edward’s University, Jones Auditorium, Ragsdale Center

WORKSHOP: Friday, October 27
Reaching Out Without Being Pulled Down Remaining Passionate in Challenging Times One of the greatest gifts people can share with others is a sense of their own peace. However, they cannot share what they do not have. By discussing spiritual and psychological approaches to secondary stress (the pressures experienced in reaching out to others), Dr. Wicks offers insights into how persons can extend their warmth to others without losing their own
inner fire in the process. Some of the topics to be covered include:
• developing a self-care protocol, maintaining a sense of perspective
• appreciating the “spirit of unlearning,”
• fearless self-awareness, personal darkness
• the necessity of a little rule of reflection in one’s own life as a person of compassion
• why people avoid silence and solitude
• new views on the psychology of resistance to change
8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
$225/$180 Non-profit rate.
(Includes continental breakfast and lunch. Pre-registration required.)
Location: St. Edward’s University, Mabee Ballroom, Ragsdale Center
Call the Seton Cove at 451-0272 to register for this lecture series.
Early Bird Special $190 (includes Thursday lecture and Friday workshop)
Register for both events by Sept. 1, 2006
6 CEUs available for RN, LPC, and SW

Dr. Robert Wicks is a professor at Loyola College in Maryland. His two major areas of expertise are the prevention of secondary stress (the pressures encountered in reaching out to others) and the integration of psychology and spirituality from a world religion perspective. In 1994, he was responsible for the psychological debriefing of relief workers evacuated from Rwanda during their bloody civil war. Dr. Wicks has published over 40 books for both professionals and the general public. His most recent book for professionals, Overcoming Secondary Stress in Medical and Nursing Practice, has just been published by Oxford University Press.

The Sr. Mary Rose McPhee, D.C. Lectureship was established in honor of Sr. Mary Rose, founder of The Seton Cove. The lectureship is an opportunity for leaders in business, education, and the community to reflect on spirituality and work: promoting balance in body/mind/spirit. Past speakers have been Russ Moxely, Parker Palmer, Margaret Wheatley, and Wayne Muller.

Presented by: The Seton Cove • Leadership Austin • St. Edward’s University Campus Ministry

Realizing a Just Health Care System

May 30, 2007 – June 1, 2007; Jerabeck Center, University of St. Thomas, 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006. For more information contact Dr. John Francis Burke at 713-525-3814 or jfburke@stthom.edu.

Disaster Preparedness for Faith Communities: the Health Ministry Role

Brought to you by The Health Ministries Association Texas Chapter

Nov. 4, 2006
Bethany United Methodist Church
10010 Anderson Mill Rd.
Austin, TX

Presenters

• Debra Edwards. MS, RNC, ONC, State Educator & Training Learning Coordinator, Texas Dept. of State Health Services, Austin
• David Yarborough, BS Economics, Senior Vice President of Disaster Programs, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Austin
• Rebekah Seymour, RN, Congregational Health ministries Coordinator & Educator, Memorial Herman Baptist Hospitals, Beaumont
• Amy Thompson, M.P. Aff, Senior Planner Public health Response Team, Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services Department, Austin
• Michael T. Curd, D. Min., BCC, LMFT: Founder/Director, Institute of Pastoral Care, San Antonio

Objectives

1. Discuss expectations of the health ministry role as related to natural and manmade events.
2. Describe the national church bodies’ and a faith community’s role in responding to disasters.
3. Address pandemics, diseases that spread can potentially kill millions of people.
4. Discuss how faith communities successfully responded to a recent hurricane regarding people with special needs.
5. Discuss how to respond to the spiritual needs of people experiencing a disaster or hazard.

Download PDF brochure and Registration Form