August/September 2012
Vol. 2 No. 6
In This Issue
HCWP Fall Conference
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Annual Medicare Update
Benchmark Salary Survey
Health Literacy Kickoff
Governance Briefing
Upcoming Meetings
Past Meetings
New Allied Members
Programs of Interest
Hospital Council's Fall Membership Conference and
ACHE Conference
Health policy, public health and politics are the main topics of Hospital Council's Fall Conference and
Annual Membership meeting on September 14, 2012. Members can learn about Evidence-Based
Community Benefit Programs from Everette James, JD, MBA, former Pennsylvania Secretary of Health
and director of the Health Policy Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. He will be joined by two
colleagues, Steven M. Albert, Ph.D., and Jessica G. Burke, Ph.D., MHS, from the University of
Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health.
G. Terry Madonna, Ph.D., director of the Center for Politics and Political Affairs at Franklin & Marshall
College, professor of Public Affairs and director of the Franklin & Marshall College Poll, will share his
latest presidential poll results as well as his insights into the potential impact of the November election on
health policy.
In addition, Hospital Council will recognize and honor Carolyn Scanlan, president of the Hospital and
Health System Association of Pennsylvania, on her distinguished career and her upcoming retirement.
The conference begins at 8 a.m. with registration and networking and concludes with a networking
luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Hospital Council members are invited to register free of charge. An invitation-only
breakfast for member Chief Executive Officers precedes the conference.
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Following the conference, the American College of Health Executives (ACHE) of Western Pennsylvania
will hold a program with two panel discussions. The first panel discussion will address Best Practices in
Adapting to Local Regulations, Markets and Trends. The second will focus on Taming Disruptive
Behavior in Physicians: A 360-Degree Model. The cost to attend the ACHE program is $50 for members
attending both panel discussions and $35 for members attending one panel discussion. Those registering
for the ACHE program can join Hospital Council conference participants for the networking luncheon. For
additional information and to register, please go to the ACHE of Western Pennsylvania website. The
programs take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
For more information about Hospital Council's Fall Conference contact Pat Raffaele.
Special Thanks
Hospital Council thanks the sponsors of this year's conference. With their continued support, Hospital
Council is able to provide the event free of charge to its members. Conference sponsors are Allied
Members of Hospital Council. Special thanks to Platinum Sponsors Alpha Financial Services; Amerinet;
Astorino; Cowden Associates, Inc.; and Cura Hospitality. Thanks also to Gold Sponsors Cohen &
Grigsby; Crothall; Fox Rothschild, LLP; K&L Gates; and Thorp Reed & Armstrong. The Platinum and Gold
sponsors are also the sponsors of the CEO Breakfast.
Sliver Sponsors include: American Healthcare Systems; Carbis Walker, LLP; Celtic Healthcare;
Highmark; MCPc, Inc.; ParenteBeard; and Strategy Solutions. Bronze Sponsors are: Buck Consultants;
Celerity; Cleverly & Associates; dck Worldwide; Honeywell; Jackson Lewis; Leech Tishman; Perkins
Eastman; Point Security; and Sanofi.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities at Hospital Council contact Pat Raffaele.
Annual Medicare Update
Join Hospital Council and members of the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Healthcare Financial
Management Association (HFMA) for the Annual Medicare Update on September 21, 2012 at Hospital
Council's Conference Center.
Keynoting this year's Conference is Larry Goldberg, the president of Larry Goldberg Consulting. Known
for his entertaining and engaging presentations, Goldberg has more than 40 years of health care
financing knowledge and has worked for Deloitte and Touche as the director of their Washington National
Affairs for Health Care Office. He has also worked for the American Hospital Association.
In addition, staff members of Novitas Medicare Services will provide an update from the Provider Audit
Team. The afternoon will include presentations on disproportionate share, SSI and charity
reimbursement/reporting strategies.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the program will be held from 8:30 a.m.until 4:30 p.m. A networking
lunch will be provided.
The cost to attend the program is $125 and CPE credits have been applied for through HFMA. To
register, please complete the registration form and return it via fax to 724-553-3520 no later than
September 14, 2012. For more information about the program contact Denis Lukes. For information
about registration contact Peggy Maxwell.
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Hospital Council's Benchmark Salary Survey
Hospital Council completed the July Benchmark Salary Survey and sent the results to participating
member facilities in August. Fifty-nine members participated in the survey which covers more than 50
positions. Participating members also received customized Compa-Ratio reports. The survey is provided
as a benefit to facilities which are members of Hospital Council. In addition, participating members can
request custom benchmark surveys for a moderate cost. For more information about the survey or to
request a custom survey contact Pat Raffaele or Carmela Breslin.
Health Literacy Kickoff
The official kickoff for the Regional Health Literacy Initiative for the Pittsburgh area will be held on
October 4, 2012 from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Pittsburgh Golf Club. Hosted by the University of
Pittsburgh's Institute of Politics and Hospital Council, the kickoff is designed to engage community
organizations and providers in the project.
The goal of the Health Literacy Initiative is to improve health literacy of individuals in the region by
providing support, training and tools to community organizations that can directly impact the health
literacy of individuals.
Results of a recent survey on health literacy in the region will be shared at the kickoff, and community
organizations and providers will also learn more about intervention strategies and techniques. Members
of the Regional Health Literacy Council will engage participants in open discussion to solicit input and
feedback on the survey results, the tools and techniques, and moving the initiative forward.
Presenters include Scott Beach, associate director of the University Center for Social and Urban
Research at the University of Pittsburgh and Carmela Breslin, coordinator, data and special projects, at
Hospital Council. Advisory Council member Kristy Trautmann, executive director of the FISA Foundation,
will open the conference along with Terry Miller, director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics.
Advisory Council Co-Chairs, Candi Castleberry- Singleton, chief inclusion and diversity officer for the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and co-chair of the Institute of Politics Health and Human
Services Committee, and Yvonne Cook, president of the Highmark Foundation, will serve as the
facilitators for the program.
The event is free of charge, however registration is required. For more information about the literacy
project, contact Carmela Breslin. For more information about the October 4th kickoff event, contact
Brianna Mihock.
Governance Briefing
Hospital Council members are invited to participate in a special Governance Briefing, Emerging Issues in
Healthcare Governance, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh's Health Policy Institute in collaboration
with Hospital Council, and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). The
briefing features John R. Combes, MD, president of the American Hospital Association's Center for
Healthcare Governance.
The briefing will be held on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the University
Club, 123 University Place in Pittsburgh.
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During the briefing Dr. Combes will address new trends in quality oversight, community benefit and
performance benchmarking. Local perspectives will be provided by Nick Beckwith, chair, University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center Board of Directors; Russ Evans, chair, Allegheny Valley Hospital Board of
Directors and Gerry Hogan, chair, Heritage Valley Health System Board of Directors.
Although the event is free of charge, registration is required and space is limited.
Upcoming Meetings
CNO Committee - September 7, 2012
Manager orientation will be the focus of discussion at the Chief Nursing Officers meeting. In addition, Tier
1 Performance Solution will be discussing their accelerated learning program with a focus on Hospital
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers (HCAHPs). The meeting will conclude with a roundtable
discussion. For more information, contact Jane Montgomery.
HR Committee - September 13, 2012
Labor relations will be one topic area at the HR Committee meeting. Art Sponseller, the president and
chief executive officer of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, will join the meeting via
video conference to share information on the agreement reached last year between SEIU and the
California Hospital Association. Also, as part of the labor relations discussion, the group will share
information related to implementation of mandatory flu vaccine policies. The second presentation will be
provided by W. Scott Hardy, an attorney and managing shareholder of the firm Ogletree Deakins. He will
provide an overview on the risks and responsibilities of healthcare facilities hiring employees who are
independent contractors. The meeting will also include a discussion on Hospital Council surveys and a
roundtable discussion. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Compliance Committee - September 20, 2012
The Compliance Committee meeting will focus on several topics including audits, privacy, effective
compliance programs and other topics. A detailed agenda and more information will be available in the
near future. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Community Health Needs Assessment Briefings - October 17, 2012 and October 23, 2012
Hospital Council will host two briefings, one at Hospital Council's Conference Center on October 17th and
one at Altoona Regional Medical Center on October 23rd. Details and registration will be available in the
near future. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Past Meetings
Fund Development Committee - July 26, 2012
Meeting participants shared best practices and held discussions on several major topics related to
problems and issues Committee members are facing in their fund development programs. They also
shared several "best practices" and successes in fund development. Committee chairs Mary Lee Gannon,
president of the St. Margaret Foundation, and Richard Mahoney, executive director of The Washington
Hospital Foundation, facilitated the meeting. For more information contact Pat Raffaele.
Accounts Receivable Committee - July 31, 2012
A presentation on billing by a trainer representing Pennsylvania's Medical Assistance program and the
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) was the primary focus of the July 31st meeting. In
addition, representatives from Highmark provided information and responded to questions. For more
information contact Denis Lukes.
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CFO Committee - August 10, 2012
The CFO Committee continues to discuss reimbursement related issues including those related to
Medical Assistance Modernization and Medicare Wage Index. For more information contact Denis Lukes.
Quality/Risk Committee - August 22, 2012
One of the topics of the Quality/Risk Committee was Grove City Medical Center's collaborative with the
community to reduce readmissions and improve patient care. Brad VanSickles, vice president of
Operations and Patient Safety for Grove City Medical Center shared the model used by the hospital and
responded to questions. Georganna Horell, director of Risk Management for Altoona Regional Medical
Center, reviewed 2011 medical malpractice statistics. The Committee also discussed Act 52 surveys and
held a roundtable discussion. For more information contact Jane Montgomery.
New Allied Members
Hospital Council welcomes the following new Allied Members:
Bottom Line Services
Bottom Line Services is a financial firm that works with healthcare facilities to pursue reimbursement for
services performed. The company is headquartered in Crescent Springs, Kentucky but serves healthcare
clients in western Pennsylvania. For more information, contact chief executive officer Robert G. Stevens.
Cohen & Grigsby
Cohen & Grigsby is a law firm located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania representing healthcare clients
including hospitals and health systems, long-term care and assisted living facilities, home health care
providers and other healthcare practitioners. For more information contact chief operating officer Allan
Tedesco.
Tucker Arensberg, P.C.
Tucker Aresnberg P.C. is a law firm located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Health Law Practice Group
is experienced in major health law issues including employment, compliance, reimbursement, practice
organization, and mergers and acquisitions, among others. For more information contact Mike Cassidy,
director, chair of the Health Law Group.
Qualaris Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
Qualaris Healthcare Solutions, Inc. is a health information technology company based in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. The company offers an information technology platform to help healthcare providers
complete the right clinical practice at the right time to keep patients safe. For more information contact
James Wolfe.
For more information about Hospital Council's Allied Membership program contact Pat Raffaele.
Other Programs of Interest
HAP's 2012 Patient Safety & Quality Symposium
The Hospital & Healthsytem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) will host the 2012 Patient Safety &
Quality Symposium on September 12th and 13th in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The program features
several national speakers including Steve Berkowitz, MD and Albert Wu, MD. In addition, Pennsylvania
hospitals will share best practices on several topics including eliminating disruptive behavior by clinicians
and reducing readmissions, among others. For more information contact Mary Barth.
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Special Program on Adoption
Hospital Council will host The Children's Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center as their staff
presents the program Hospital Adoption Policy: Ethical Considerations and Best Practices. The
presentation will cover several topics including considerations hospitals should have in making adoption
referrals, the adoption process from the birth parent's perspective, updates in adoption law and other
topics. There is a nominal fee of $25 to participate in the program. The program will be held from 9:30
a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Hospital Council's Conference Center on September 18, 2012. For more information
contact Jane Montgomery.
SHHRPP Fall Conference
Hear one of Pittsburgh's political analysts share his thoughts and latest news on the upcoming elections
at the Fall Conference for the Society of Healthcare Human Resources Professionals (SHHRPP) on
October 4th and 5th. Jon Delano, the Money & Politics Editor for KDKA Television, will be one of the
speakers at the Conference. Other speakers include Lynn Outwater, a partner with the law firm Jackson
Lewis and a representative from the National Labor Relations Board. The conference will be held at
Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford, Pennsylvania. To register or for more information contact Peggy
Maxwell.
Physician Leadership for Accountable Care
The Allegheny County Medical Society is hosting a special conference, Physician Leadership for
Accountable Care: Controlling Healthcare Spending Through Improved Patient Care, on Saturday,
October 6, 2012 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The conference will be held at the Allegheny County
Medical Society in Pittsburgh. Harold Miller, president of Future Strategies, will present on How
Physicians, Patients and Payers Can All Benefit for Healthcare Payment and Delivery Reform. The
program includes two other speakers as well as a discussion session. To register or for more information
contact the Allegheny County Medical Society.
Health Care Compliance Association Regional Conference
The Health Care Compliance Association East Central Regional Conference will be held on October 12,
2012 at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. The program will cover
several topics including physicians and compliance, the Stark Law, fraud and abuse, and the New York
State OMIG effectiveness review, among others. To register or for more information, click here.
Health Literacy in Action Symposium
A University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics educational forum on health literacy in 2010 gave rise to the
formation of the Regional Health Literacy Coalition which ultimately served as a catalyst for West Penn
Allegheny Health System's (WPAHS) planning the Health Literacy in Action Symposium. WPAHS is
working in partnership with Highmark and the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council on the symposium
scheduled for October 19, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Allegheny General Hospital.
The Health Literacy in Action Symposium will showcase local health care providers, insurers, and
community organizations that are actively implementing practical and replicable solutions to address
health literacy. Beyond raising awareness of health literacy among a broad audience, the symposium
sessions aim to teach providers, professionals, and community members how to take action and effect
change for their patients, clients or for themselves in the realm of health literacy. The Symposium will also
offer health care providers the opportunity to earn continuing medical and/or continuing education credits.
Interactive Symposium workshop topics include: health literacy and communication; health literacy and
refugees; patient self-advocacy and care giver advocacy; health literacy in the community; health literacy
and insurance; and health literacy on the streets. For more information, click here.
Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania is a strategic partner with health care providers
and affiliated organizations, enabling them to realize their mission while maintaining their status as
economically viable entities.
Visit: http://www.hcwp.org
Call: 1-800-704-8434
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