Using Data to Raise Healthier Children in Fort Worth
February 26, 2010
Posted by chcablogadmin in : Community Benefit, Leadership
I wanted to share excerpts from an article Rick Merrill authored for his local newspaper. Rick challenged the Fort Worth community and area businesses to partner with him to reach a goal of raising healthier kids by 2020. Guided by data, the 10-year initiative is bold and ambitious. I am certain we will all want to follow his progress! In Rick’s original submission, he signed his name “Keeper of Promises to Children”— isn’t that what each of you is as well?
— Don
Rick Merrill
For the first time in history, the life expectancy of children in North Texas will be less than that of their parents or grandparents. We know that one in four of them is suffering from asthma, but we aren’t sure why and haven’t done enough to reduce the incidence of this debilitating disease. With the unique information now made available through our Community-wide Children’s Health Assessment and Planning Survey (CCHAPS), we can look deep into the health issues facing our children and gain the powerful knowledge we need to change the critical course we are on.
We know that our “Decade of the Child: Healthy Children 2020” initiative is ambitious and will require community partners and resources beyond our walls.
Let’s imagine it’s the year 2020 and together we have significantly lowered the incidence of asthma, obesity, abuse, accidental injury, dental problems, and other pediatric illnesses. It’s 2020, and our region is known as one of the healthiest places in the nation to raise children. Think of what that could mean for our businesses and local economy. Think about the dollars we could save on health care. Most importantly, think of what that outlook would mean for the future of our own children!
add a commentCHCA Hospitals Chosen to Lead HIT System Requirements
February 25, 2010
Posted by chcablogadmin in : Quality, Technology
CHCA Owners Hospitals are making sure the needs of children are considered in health information technology (HIT) system certification requirements. Nine volunteer representatives from CHCA Owner Hospitals are serving on the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) 2009-2010 work groups. Four are co-chair positions. Please join us in congratulating:
- George Reynolds, MD (Omaha), Co-Chair of Advanced Clinical Decision Support
- Feliciano (Pele) Yu, MD (Birmingham), Co-Chair of Child Health
- Michele Fronckiewicz, MBA (Cincinnati), Child Health
- Sajjad Yacoob, MD (Los Angeles), Child Health
- Eric Tham, MD (Denver), Emergency Department
- Tim Johnson, DO (Kansas City), Co-Chair of Emergency Department
- Carl Weigle, MD (Milwaukee), Health Information Exchange
- Andy Spooner, MD (Cincinnati), Co-Chair of Inpatient
- George Nicholis, MD (Kansas City), Inpatient
On behalf of all CHCA Owner Hospitals, thank you for your commitment to representing peds at the CCHIT table! You have tremendous opportunities to ensure the needs of children are addressed in future HIT system certification requirements and help shape meaningful use of EHR systems.
add a commentImproving Relationships with Community Physicians
February 12, 2010
Posted by chcablogadmin in : Manpower & Workforce
Thanks, Jim, for sharing the power of relationship-building with community physicians. The Children’s Hospital Denver was one of our early adopters of Child Health Advantage, which extends preferred vaccine and supply pricing to community physicians. I just had to get a plug in there for the CHCA program! Anyone care to comment on strategies you’re using in your local market? — Don
Jim Shmerling
Community physicians are invaluable allies at the Children’s Hospital and we constantly look for ways to support them. One of our successful initiatives was implementing PedsConnect, an EHR and practice management system. In 2009, we launched PedsConnect in two, independently, private practices, Cherry Creek Pediatrics and Pediatrics 5280. At little cost to them, we streamlined care to our shared patients by using the same EHR system.
Since implementation, physicians and patients have responded positively. Staff at the practices applaud the functionality of the system. It interfaces with the immunization registry and pharmacies as well as their counterparts at Children’s. They know when their patient will see a specialist at Children’s and when the results will be available. They receive an email report shortly thereafter. Our EHR partnerships with community physicians have just begun; we look forward to improved efficiencies and relationships they will bring.
add a commentReform: Now What?
February 12, 2010
Posted by chcablogadmin in : Healthcare Reform
A recent article by David Wessel in the Wall Street Journal discussed how inaction on health reform will cost us individually.
Unless we experience a political miracle, kids in our communities will find out first-hand about the cost of doing nothing. As concerning as the previous bills might have been, inaction, too, may be ugly and costly. The Urban Institute ran the “do nothing” outcome through its computers and offered a scenario that the number of uninsured could raise to 57 million or 20% of the population in the next year or two. More employers might drop health coverage as it grows more costly and is not required. The fraction of Americans on Medicaid and children’s health insurance programs, currently at about 15.6%, could rise to as much as 18%.
This may be the opportunity to put together two or three key proposals to Congress to assure adequate health care for our kids while the country struggles with the remainder of the system.
What are you doing at your hospital, state or national level?
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