KHC seeks testimonials about your work with us
For more than a decade, KHC has worked with hospitals and clinics across the state on projects to improve health care quality and patient safety. We would like to showcase successful partnerships at the upcoming KHA Convention and Trade Show, set for Oct. 21-23 online. If you would like to have your work with us highlighted in KHC’s Trade Show forum at the event, please let us know what you have valued most in your time working in partnership with KHC. Your testimonials may be a brief or detailed as you would like—we would appreciate whatever thoughts you might have. To gather your testimonials, we have created this brief survey that we hope you will take a few minutes to complete. Thank you in advance!
National Steering Committee for Patient Safety issues major safety report
Although U.S. researchers have identified many evidence-based, effective best practices for harm reduction over the past 20 years, they are seldom shared nationally and implemented effectively across multiple organizations. A new report released by Institute for Healthcare Improvement includes 17 recommendations to advance patient safety that health care leaders, delivery organizations, and associations can use to make significant advances toward safer care and reduced harm across the continuum of care. The report is the product of the National Steering Committee for Patient Safety members, including influential federal agencies, leading health care organizations, patient and family advisors, and respected industry experts. The report is available at: www.ihi.org/SafetyActionPlan.
Call for nominations for the Health Quality Innovators Award
Participants in the Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN) are eligible for the 2020 Health Quality Innovators Award, including hospitals, clinics, long-term care providers, and other providers. HQIN recognizes organizations that are using evidence-based approaches to quality improvement that deliver better care, healthier communities, and lower health care costs. Awards this year will recognize health care providers and organizations—who despite barriers of COVID-19—developed innovative approaches in order to meet the health care needs of their patients and communities. To suggest a nominee, contact KHC Program Director Rosanne Rutkowski at
New CPT codes as COVID-19 advancements expand
The American Medical Association (AMA) announced updates to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set that includes two code additions for reporting medical services sparked by the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first addition, CPT code 99072, allows for the provision of evaluation, treatment or procedural services during a public health emergency in a setting where extra precautions are taken to ensure the safety of patients as well as health care professionals.
The second addition, CPT code 86413, was approved in response to the development of laboratory tests that provide quantitative measurements of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, as opposed to a qualitative assessment (positive/negative) of SAR-CoV-2 antibodies provided by laboratory tests reported by other CPT codes.
The new codes go into effect immediately. For more information on the codes visit the AMA website.
KDHE begins identifying COVID-19 clusters
Beginning Sept. 9, KDHE began releasing information regarding specific active outbreaks in Kansas. KDHE will release the names of the educational institutions, governmental agencies, and business entities with an active cluster of COVID-19 disease based on this Outbreak Identification Policy. The information will be updated every Wednesday on the KDHE COVID-19 website. No personally identifying information will be released. Once a cluster is considered no longer active (typically once there have been 28 days without the occurrence of new cases), the facility will no longer appear on the named list of active clusters.
New resources on coming Price Transparency requirements
New CMS Price Transparency requirements go into effect for hospitals on January 1, 2021. Many hospitals are seeking assistance in meeting these requirements. The Kansas Hospital Association’s subsidiary Kansas Health Service Corp has partnered with PARA Healthcare Analytics to provide this assistance to Kansas hospitals. An introductory video is available about this assistance here.
Answers to frequently asked questions on the Price Transparency solution are available here. A recording of a recent national webinar on Price Transparency is available here. More detail on the PARA Price Transparency Tool is available here.
Awareness months for social promotion
There are several opportunities currently and coming up to help spread awareness of important issues in health care.
September is Sepsis Awareness Month. The Sepsis Alliance avails a number of ready-to-post messages and images for social media.
September is also prostate cancer awareness month. The CDC provides this interactive website for information on screening and treatment.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This toolkit provides Kansas-specific prevention resources and other education.
K-TRACS launches revamped website
The state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (K-TRACS) has launched a revamped website aimed at providing additional training and educational opportunities for Kansas’s health care providers and pharmacists.
Found at https://ktracs.ks.gov, the site includes video tutorials to highlight K-TRACS features that increase convenience and help users assess patient risk. It also contains a number of prescribing and dispensing resources related to controlled substance prescriptions and substance use disorders. K-TRACS has also developed a “provider toolkit” that can be downloaded for free from the website with many print and digital materials that can be shared with patients to help reinforce in-person conversations about medication safety, opioid use, and other topics.
If you do not have a K-TRACS account, visit https://ktracs.ks.gov/how-to-register for step-by-step instructions to begin incorporating patients’ prescription drug history into clinical decision-making processes.
KHC Monthly Webinar: Advance Care Planning 101
Wednesday, 10-11 a.m., Sept. 23
Register here
Our September webinar—hosted in partnership with the Center for Practical Bioethics, the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, and the Health Quality Innovation Network—will focus on Advance Care Planning.
This session for physicians, mid-level practitioners, nurses, social workers, and other health care professionals will cover the purpose and process of advance care planning with an emphasis on normalizing the process for all adults and encouraging attendees to complete their own advance care planning documents.
Presenters from the Center for Practical Bioethics will provide an overview of the living will, the appointment of the agent, the duties of both the declarant and agent that appear in these documents, and the relevant laws in both Kansas and Missouri. The session will conclude with a question and answer period.
Objectives:
- Differentiate process and purpose, types of products
- Identify the duties of the declarant and the agent
- Describe how the ACP process is reflected in the law in Kansas and Missouri
HQIN webinar: Addressing Influenza Immunizations During COVID-19
Wednesday, 11 a.m. - noon, Sept. 30
Register here
It is time to prepare for conversations with your patients and/or parents about influenza vaccinations during COVID-19. Join the Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN) for a briefing on influenza-related details including 2020-21 flu season recommendations and changes announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Messaging about myths and truths related to the flu shot will equip you to speak with anti-vaccine or vaccine-hesitant patients and/or parents. HQIN will also share a strategic framework for improving vaccination rates and continuous quality improvement to support your long-term success.
QHi training session
The Kansas Foundation for Education and Research has announced its next QHi training session, scheduled for 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24. Registration available here. A recording of the August QHi Training session is available here.
KUMC webinar: Expanding the Community of Care for Addiction Treatment
The University of Kansas Medical Center is hosting a free online course on substance use treatment from noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 6. Registration available here, along with the course’s agenda, presenters, and objectives. Application for CME is pending.
CDC webinar for clinicians on telehealth, health disparities, and COVID-19
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) webinar on the intersection of telehealth and health equity and implications for health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters discussed long-standing systemic health and social inequities, while highlighting opportunities and limitations of telehealth implementation as an actionable solution. A recording of the webinar is available here: https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2020/callinfo_091520.asp.