Weekly Report


May 16, 2013

  • Hospitals Celebrate National Hospital Week
  • Special Session Begins in Olympia
  • State Unveils "Get Covered Washington" Campaign
  • SAVE THE DATE: New Medicaid Quality Incentive Under Consideration
  • Reserve Your Seat for the 2013 CEO & Trustee Patient Safety Summit Today!
  • June 4 Seattle CityClub Luncheon "Washington Business in Reform: Lessons from Massachusetts"
  • New Executive Director for UW Medicine/Northwest Hospital & Medical Center
  • United General's The Landing Wins Award
  • Mason General Two-Year Campus Renewal and Construction Project Completed

Hospitals Celebrate National Hospital Week


This week, Washington State's 98 community hospitals are being celebrated as part of National Hospital Week. Every year since 1921, National Hospital Week is celebrated by communities and health care professionals across the country. Sponsored by the American Hospital Association, National Hospital Week is a time to reflect on the important role hospitals play in their communities.

Check out the great video the AHA put together to celebrate hospitals. Washington's hospitals contribute to their communities in countless ways 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

In 2011, the most recent data available, hospitals in Washington State served patients during:

  • 552,000 inpatient admissions
  • 2.2 million emergency room visits
  • 11.2 million outpatient visits
  • 410,000 surgeries

To everyone who works to ensure hospitals are always prepared to care, thank you! (Beth Zborowski, bethz@wsha.org)

Special Session Begins in Olympia

The Legislature is back in session and the main struggle is over the operating budget, the capital budget, and a possible revenue and transportation package.

The House Democrats and the Senate Republican-led majority caucus have both introduced balanced budgets, and there is some good news for hospitals in what the budgets have in common. However, all budget issues are still very much in play, and we may still need your voices on the assessment, Medicaid expansion, inmate care, and mental health.

To read more about the special session and the progress of WSHA issues, read the latest Inside Olympia. (Mary Kay Clunies-Ross, marykaycr@wsha.org)

State Unveils "Get Covered Washington" Campaign

We are pleased to report the state of Washington has chosen a unified campaign theme for both Medicaid and Exchange outreach. The theme will be, "Get Covered Washington: Click, Compare, Covered." Hospitals have a unique opportunity to connect patients and their families with the Exchange, and WSHA will be working throughout the summer and fall to support their efforts.

Individuals and families making up to 400% of the federal poverty level (about $90,000 a year for a family of four) will be eligible for free or subsidized care. Enrollment begins October 1, 2013, and coverage starts on January 1, 2014. (Barbara Gorham, barbarag@wsha.org).

SAVE THE DATE: New Medicaid Quality Incentive Under Consideration

Hospitals in Washington State were among the first in the country to have the opportunity to earn a Medicaid bonus payment based on the achievement of several quality measures, and during the 2010 incentive program, 90 percent of eligible hospitals qualified for and received the incentive.

Legislators are in the process of considering a new incentive program, and WSHA is working with the Washington State Health Care Authority to ensure the measures are both achievable and demonstrate quality improvement. However, because of the timing of the special legislative session, hospitals will need to work quickly to earn the bonus payment.

With that in mind, we have scheduled a webcast for June 3.

WHAT: New Medicaid Quality Incentive webcast. Tune in to learn more about the program and what measures will likely be part of the incentive.

WHO: Featuring Dr. Daniel Lessler, the Chief Medical Officer for the state’s Medicaid program

WHEN: June 3 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Following this initial kick-off event, we will provide hospitals with additional educational opportunities related to each measure. For webcast connection information, please e-mail Megan Boucher. (Beth Zborowski, bethz@wsha.org)

Resources & Opportunities

Reserve Your Seat for the 2013 CEO & Trustee Patient Safety Summit Today!

A few spots remain open for the 2013 CEO & Trustee Patient Safety Summit on May 30 or 31. The summit provides hospital and health system leaders with tools and strategies to support and drive patient safety and quality improvement in their organizations. This year’s theme is Quality: Creating the Future in Health Care. Hospital leaders will uncover the keys to creating and maintaining a culture of excellence through interactive sessions. Identical sessions will be held May 30 and 31.

This event is open to hospital board members (including physician and community members) and CEOs from WSHA member hospitals and organizations participating in the WSHA Partnership for Patients. For more information and to register, click here. Act now before time runs out! (Beth Zborowski, bethz@wsha.org)

June 4 Seattle CityClub Luncheon “Washington Business in Reform: Lessons from Massachusetts”

WSHA joins CityClub in presenting the next in a series of Health Care Luncheon Forums on June 4. The “Washington Business in Reform: Lessons from Massachusetts” discussion will address how the Massachusetts’ health care reform efforts in 2006 can inform implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Puget Sound, and the impacts and opportunities for Washington businesses and their employees as we launch the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.

KING 5 TV’s Jean Enersen will moderate a panel featuring:

  • Bill Baldwin, Board Member, Washington Health Benefit Exchange, Partner, The Partners Group
  • Maud Daudon, President & CEO, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
  • Phil Edmundson, Chairman and CEO, William Gallagher Associates, Founding Chairman, Affordable Care Today Coalition (Massachusetts)
  • Jody Hall, Owner, Cupcake Royale, Leader, Main Street Alliance of Washington

WSHA members qualify for a reduced rate. To register and find more information, click here or call 206-682-7395. (Deborah Swets, deborahs@wsha.org)

Member News & Awards

New Executive Director for UW Medicine/Northwest Hospital & Medical Center

Cindy HeckerCynthia (Cindy) Hecker was appointed Executive Director for UW Medicine/Northwest Hospital and Medical Center effective May 6. In November, 2012, she began serving as the Interim Executive Director in preparation for the retirement of President, William (Bill) Schneider after 30 years of service. In her new role, Cindy will provide executive leadership for Northwest and serve as a member of the senior leadership team for UW Medicine.

Cindy has more than 30 years of experience in health care in progressive leadership responsibilities at UW Medicine. Cindy began her clinical career at Harborview as a registered nurse and was steadily promoted. Prior to her Interim Executive Director position at Northwest, she served as Senior Associate Administrator for Clinical Integration of UW Medicine where she was responsible for key strategic initiatives for the clinical entities including UW Medicine’s Northwest Hospital.

Board President Peter Evans said, “She is a dedicated and engaging leader with in-depth experience in clinical operations, business development, information technology, and complex academic health systems.” To read the full press release, please click here. Congratulations Cindy! (Danielle Kean, daniellek@wsha.org)

United General’s The Landing Wins Award

The children’s bereavement program, The Landing at United General Hospital, has won an award from the American Hospital Association for exceptional volunteer service. The association gives only four such awards per year to hospitals around the country.

The Landing supports children, teens, families, caregivers, and the community during the grieving process. Children can share their experiences and start to heal during bi-weekly meetings with trained volunteers.

The program, sponsored by the United General Hospital Auxiliary, is this year’s winner of the Hospital Award for Volunteer Excellence in the community service category. The award was presented during the American Hospital Association’s annual meeting on April 29 in Washington, D.C. Read more about the award here. (Jean Engler, jeane@wsha.org)

Mason General Two-Year Campus Renewal and Construction Project Completed

Mason General HospitalMason General Hospital has completed a two-year, 2-phase Campus Renewal Construction Project. This phase included the expansion of the Diagnostic Imaging Department, the addition of an Open MRI unit, and the upgrading of the Emergency Department. Patient rooms were also updated, the Auxiliary Gift Shop enlarged, new meeting rooms added, and the cafeteria was expanded.

“The ground breaking in April 2011 was an exciting time for our community. With an extremely favorable economic climate for construction, we had an extraordinary opportunity to make these high-priority improvements through the federal stimulus Build America Bonds program and therefore, we did not need a voter-approved bond. The Campus Renewal Project has been completed under budget and ahead of schedule and this because of our incredible team of staff members and physicians.” said Scott Hilburn, Hospital Board commissioner.

Read more about the project here. (Jean Engler, jeane@wsha.org)


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