News

The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) has received a State Targeted Response (STR) to the Opioid Crisis Grant from the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The total grant award is for $11.79 million for the time period of May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. ... Read More >>

When a patient demonstrates signs of imminent clinical deterioration, a team of providers — a Rapid Response Team (RRT) — is summoned to the bedside to immediately assess and treat the patient with the goal of rapid clinical assessment and prevention of harm. WSHA will conduct a survey to learn more about how members have initiated these programs.... Read More >>

A new lookup tool is available that will allow you check if a clinician who bills to Medicare will need to submit quality data to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). You can do so by entering a provider’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) on the Quality Payment Program website. Clinicians who bill Medicare more than $30,000 in Part B allowed charges a year and provide care for more than 100 Medicare patients a year are included in the Quality Payment Program.... Read More >>

Americans between the ages of 45 and 64 accounted for about 44 percent of overdose deaths in 2013 and 2014, and the number of adults older than 50 seeking treatment for opioid addiction has increased dramatically, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One key strategy to counter this is to empower patients to manage pain with alternatives to opioids whenever possible, such as by controlling daytime pain after surgery with non-opioid medication, or only using opioids at night or not at all.... Read More >>

Nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke every year, leading to 133,000 deaths annually. Statistics show that someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of stroke every four minutes. Stroke is the leading cause of serious, preventable long-term disability.... Read More >>

A national trend on the rise also causing concern in Washington is the dramatic increase in maternal addiction and neonatal abstinence syndrome. To address the increased need for information and resources to treat addicted women and their babies, the Safe Deliveries Roadmap program has focused recent educational sessions for clinicians and staff on how to navigate the rise in maternal addiction.... Read More >>

After the first six months of data, Honoring Choices© Pacific Northwest is proud to report the growing impact this joint initiative is having on advance care planning, even such early stages.... Read More >>

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week released the first module in a new online training series to help clinicians apply its opioid prescribing guidelines for adults with chronic pain.... Read More >>

National Healthcare Decisions Day — this year celebrated April 16-22 — is an excellent time to reflect on the increasing importance of advance care planning to the community and organizations. This year’s theme is “It Always Seems Too Early, Until It’s Too Late,” which is applicable both to the public and health care providers.... Read More >>

The Washington State Hospital Association is collaborating with the Washington Patient Safety Coalition in planning the 15th Annual Northwest Patient Safety Conference. The event will convene May 11 near SeaTac Airport and will feature presentations by David Classen, CMIO of Pascal Metrics, and Dorothy Teeter, Director of the Washington State Health Care Authority. It will also feature and a two-hour workshop on CRP by Dr. Tom Gallagher from the University of Washington.... Read More >>