The Center for Health Affairs News

News Releases

April 26, 2012 (Cleveland)
April Policy Snapshot Analyzes Dental Care Access Challenges and Solutions
Does the thought of an upcoming trip to the dentist strike fear in your heart? While many people fear dental work, the consequences of not visiting the dentist are scarier. Almost half of Ohio adults have had o ... read more


April 24, 2012 (Cleveland)
Ashtabula and Geauga Counties Release Results of Community Needs Assessments
Ashtabula and Geauga county hospitals and community service organizations now have access to a wealth of current information about their counties’ health needs. On Wednesday, April 18, both counties ... read more


April 18, 2012 (Cleveland)
Emergency Preparedness Grant Application Submitted for Next Funding Year
Under The Center for Health Affairs’ most recent request, the region would receive $1.43 million in federal emergency preparedness funding during the upcoming year. The grant application, which was submit ... read more


April 16, 2012 (Cleveland)
Volume Trends Still Point to a Lagging Economy Says Latest Key Indicators Report
The trend of declining volume continued in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the latest Key Indicators Report, which suggests that a still-lagging economy is likely to blame. Total patient discharge ... read more


April 09, 2012 (Cleveland)
Northeast Ohio Hospitals See Positive Results Through HQN
The Hospital Quality Network (HQN), a nationwide project that falls under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality initiative aimed at reducing re-hospitalizations for heart f ... read more


March 29, 2012 (Cleveland)
Latest Issue Brief Evaluates Evolving Hospital Market in Northeast Ohio
There are many factors that play a role in how hospitals deliver care.  Just as in other industries, hospital leaders must understand the marketplace and adjust to its changes in order to carry out their m ... read more


March 28, 2012 (Cleveland)
Preliminary Results Announced: Wage Index on the Rise, $10 Million Regional Gain
Northeast Ohio hospitals can expect just over $10 million in additional reimbursement thanks to The Center’s Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 wage index project. For months, The Center for Health Affai ... read more


March 26, 2012 (Cleveland)
The Center Launches Regional Patient Navigation Collaborative
In the eyes of a patient, especially one with a chronic or complex illness, the healthcare system can feel overwhelming. Compound the inherent complexities of the system with a variety of barriers patients can ... read more


March 20, 2012 (Cleveland)
Exit Interviews Offer Invaluable Insight for Improving Employee Engagement, Retention
Exit interviews with departing employees are often conducted in a perfunctory, haphazard manner. But, an employee’s last words can provide valuable insights into hospital culture, dysfunction and opportun ... read more


March 16, 2012 (Cleveland)
Learn How to Manage Multiple Accreditations for Your Cancer Program
The focus on patient-centered care and value-based purchasing has had an impact on cancer programs as well as the hospitals they reside in. Cancer programs across the country are increasingly realizing an oppor ... read more


March 07, 2012 (Cleveland)
ODMH Director Requests Special Meeting with the Behavioral Health RoundTable
On February 13, Ohio Department of Mental Health Director Tracy Plouck and her staff met with the Behavioral Health RoundTable of Cuyahoga County at The Center for Health Affairs to discuss the framework for a ... read more


March 05, 2012 (Cleveland)
The Center for Health Affairs Board Supports Issue 15: Cuyahoga County Health & Human Services Levy
The Board of Trustees for The Center for Health Affairs, the leading advocate for Northeast Ohio hospitals, has formally endorsed Issue 15, the Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services levy. The levy, which a ... read more


February 27, 2012 (Cleveland)
Reimbursement Forum Apprised of Continued Wage Index Debate
Changes may be on the horizon for Medicare wage index. After years of rumblings about the numerous inconsistencies and exceptions that occur with wage index each year, the Secretary of Health and Human Ser ... read more


February 23, 2012 (Cleveland)
Northeast Ohio Hosts Visit by Federal Preparedness Official
In late January, Northeast Ohio hosted a visit from Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) for the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. As the principal adviso ... read more


February 20, 2012 (Cleveland)
StudentMAX™ Reports Provide Users with Clinical Placement Activity Data
In early March, StudentMAX™ annual reports, generated by The Center for Health Affairs and its workforce initiative NEONI, will be distributed to hospitals and nursing education programs, summarizing for ... read more


February 16, 2012 (Cleveland)
Save the Date for Health Literacy Event
The Center for Health Affairs and CHAMPS Healthcare are proud to be presenting sponsors for the 2012 Ohio Health Literacy Conference Series. These events are designed as a forum for relevant discussio ... read more


February 13, 2012 (Cleveland)
February Policy Snapshot Parses Out 2012 Presidential Candidates’ Health Policy Platforms
The election season is in full swing and unless you’ve joined the bears in hibernation you’ve probably caught some coverage of the Republican candidates vying for their party’s nomination. Tea ... read more


February 09, 2012 (Cleveland)
Neiding Presents to Transitions of Care Committee
On Thursday, Feb. 9, the Transitions of Care Committee (TOCC) met at MetroHealth Medical Center. The Center's Project Manager, Linda Neiding, gave a presentation on the nine month data report for Aligning Forc ... read more


February 08, 2012 (Cleveland)
Anderson Weighs in on Proposed Nursing Requirement
Vice President of Member Services for The Center for Health Affairs, Lisa Anderson, was recently quoted in an article published by The News-Herald on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. The article, “Area nurses war ... read more


January 26, 2012 (Cleveland)
January Policy Snapshot Explores Top 10 Issues Facing Hospitals
Looking for a story laced with mystery, intrigue and suspense? Look no further than this year’s highly anticipated U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the federal healthcare reform law. With the ... read more


January 19, 2012 (Cleveland)
New and Improved Reporting Functionality Implemented for Volume Statistics
Volume Statistics users will now have an easier time getting the information they need out of the database thanks to new functionality implemented in January.  The new reporting platform allows users to se ... read more


January 16, 2012 (Cleveland)
Academic Partners Work to Finalize Nursing Practice Gap Curriculum
Academic partners, Lorain County Community College and Ursuline College, are now finalizing the online curriculum to help address the nursing practice gap and ensure new nurses entering the workforce are prepar ... read more


January 12, 2012 (Cleveland)
Health Needs Assessments Nearly Complete for Several Counties
Three of the counties that have undertaken a health needs assessment project coordinated by The Center for Health Affairs are close to releasing their results publically.  In 2010 The Center initiated an e ... read more


January 05, 2012 (Cleveland)
Key Indicators Report Claims the Region’s Economy is to Blame for Declining Volume
Northeast Ohio’s hospitals have faced overall declining volume for several quarters in a row including the third quarter of 2011, according to The Center for Health Affairs' latest Key Indicators Report, ... read more


December 21, 2011 (Cleveland)
Wage Index Initiative Moves Forward
In an effort to maximize reimbursement for its member hospitals, The Center for Health Affairs once again contracted with the Reimbursement Alliance Group to conduct a wage index analysis of Northeast Ohio hosp ... read more


December 20, 2011 (Cleveland)
Latest Issue Brief Describes Health Insurance Industry Reforms
Health Insurance and our mindset surrounding it have been evolving from the moment the first policy was issued.  The Center’s latest issue brief entitled, Health Insurance and the Affordable Care Act ... read more


December 14, 2011 (Cleveland)
Dr. Naylor Presents Transitional Care Model Addressing High Rates of Readmissions
On Wednesday, Dec. 7, more than 150 individuals representing various healthcare settings attended A Community-Based Approach to Improving Care Transitions & Reducing Rehospitalizations, held at Cuyahoga Com ... read more


November 28, 2011 (Cleveland)
Procedures Clarified for Ambulance Schedule II Drug Restocking
Earlier this month, the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA), along with the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), issued guidance clarifying for hospitals the proper procedures for restocking ambulances with Sch ... read more


November 25, 2011
Bubonic Plague Exercise Tests Hospitals’ Mass Dispensing Plans
Operation Rat Pack, held in mid-September, was the latest emergency preparedness exercise for hospitals and others in the Northeast Ohio region. The scenario, an outbreak of bubonic plague affecting children an ... read more


November 23, 2011 (Cleveland)
Are You Using DATABANK? Don’t Miss Out!
DATABANK recruiting efforts are underway at The Center for Health Affairs. Though many hospitals in The Center’s membership have participated in DATABANK at no charge as a benefit of membership, restructu ... read more


November 22, 2011 (Cleveland)
Medicare Expert Speaks at Reimbursement Forum Meeting
Attendees of the November meeting of The Center for Health Affairs Reimbursement Forum heard from Medicare policy experts regarding recourse available to hospitals seeking to address errors made by the Centers ... read more


November 21, 2011 (Cleveland)
Annual Conference Speaker Stresses the Importance of Sharing Research Regionally
Mary E. Kerr, PhD, RN, FAAN, the new dean of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve and the inaugural holder of the May L. Wykle Endowed Professorship in Nursing, presented avenues f ... read more


November 09, 2011 (Cleveland)
Latest Policy Snapshot Examines Policy Alternatives to the Federal Health Reform Law’s Individual Mandate Provision
Of all the provisions in the recently enacted federal healthcare reform law, none has evoked as much controversy as the law’s minimum coverage requirement, which requires most individuals to maintain mini ... read more


November 08, 2011 (Cleveland)
Healthcare Professionals Seek to Improve Transitions of Care, Reduce Avoidable Readmissions
More than 200 individuals representing various healthcare settings, including ambulatory care, acute care, home health, and long-term care, attended Transitions of Care: Improving Care Across Settings on Nov. 2 ... read more


October 26, 2011 (Cleveland)
Web Resource Tracks Health Reform Law Developments
The early 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act, though it followed months of high-profile legislative discourse and activity, really could be considered only the beginning of a lengthy debate about the futur ... read more


October 26, 2011 (Cleveland)
Latest Policy Snapshot Explores Legal and Legislative Challenges to the Individual Mandate
Escaping the media storm surrounding the federal healthcare reform law would be difficult even for those who rarely open a newspaper, surf the Web, or turn on the radio. Intense partisan battles that were waged ... read more


October 25, 2011 (Cleveland)
Data Collection for New Volume Statistics Indicators Underway
Northeast Ohio hospital data coordinators are busy gathering the necessary information to begin reporting on new indicators that are a part of The Center for Health Affairs Volume Statistics upgrade. After ... read more


October 24, 2011 (Cleveland)
New Healthcare Shadowing Site Provides New Tools, Features & Reports for Users
The Center for Health Affairs workforce initiative, NEONI, has recently launched its new Healthcare Career Shadowing users’ website, allowing students, schools and hospitals easier navigation and access to ... read more


October 21, 2011 (Cleveland)
NEONI Welcomes New Nursing Leaders at Fall Social
Although the weather outside was dreary, the atmosphere inside was celebratory at NEONI’s Fall Season Social, which was held Oct. 12 at the beautiful Lakewood home of Ellen and John Brzytwa. Hors d'oeuvres were ... read more


October 18, 2011 (Cleveland)
The Center Testifies Before State Workforce Development Study Committee
On behalf of the hospital membership, The Center for Health Affairs testified October 3 before the Ohio House of Representatives Workforce Development Study Committee. The committee, led by Rep. Tim Dericks ... read more


October 10, 2011 (Cleveland)
Northeast Ohio’s Workforce Initiative, NEONI, Launches Facebook Page
Last week The Center for Health Affairs, the leading advocate for Northeast Ohio hospitals, officially launched a Facebook presence for its workforce initiative, NEONI. The NEONI Facebook page aims to enhan ... read more


October 05, 2011 (Cleveland)
Ohio’s Action Coalition Recognized by The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action
The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a coordinated effort to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality healthcare, with nurses contributing to the full extent of their capabilitie ... read more


September 27, 2011 (Cleveland)
HealthCare Consumerism Focus of September Issue Brief
The Center’s latest issue brief, Healthcare Consumerism and the Growing Importance of Patient Decision Making examines the healthcare consumerism movement and the many forms it has taken. Healthcare consume ... read more


September 26, 2011 (Cleveland)
Key Indicators Report Points to Trend of Diminishing Outpatient Surgery Volume
The region has been mired in troubling economic times for well over two years now and The Center’s member hospitals are feeling its effects, according to the latest Key Indicators Report, which reflects dat ... read more


September 19, 2011 (Cleveland)
The Center to Collaborate with BioEnterprise, Team NEO on Buy NEO Initiative
The Center for Health Affairs, BioEnterprise and Team NEO have entered into a unique collaboration aimed at attracting new businesses and jobs to Northeast Ohio.  ... read more


September 15, 2011 (Cleveland)
Health Information Exchange Kicking Off Efforts in Northeast Ohio
The Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) is seeking to get the ball rolling on Northeast Ohio’s participation in the statewide health information exchange. Late last month, The Center for Heal ... read more


September 13, 2011 (Cleveland)
Annual Conference Focuses on Evidence-Based Practice & Research
The Center for Health Affairs and its workforce initia ... read more


September 07, 2011 (Cleveland)
Register Now for Transitions of Care Event
Registration is now open for Transitions of Care – Improving Care Across Settings, an event sponsored by The Center for Health Affairs and Better Health Greater Cleveland. The conference, which is intended ... read more


August 30, 2011 (Cleveland)
Crisis Communication Conference Provides Useful Resources & Tools
It has been said that it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and only seconds to destroy it. And an organization’s success – or failure – in managing a crisis can have a long-term effect on how that orga ... read more


August 30, 2011 (Cleveland)
Hospitals Test Decon Capabilities
“Poison Control reporting Daconil fungicide released on crowd during air show. Anticipate influx of public with exposure. Track patients with complaints of dermal, ocular or respiratory irritation to report ... read more


August 30, 2011 (Cleveland)
Latest Policy Snapshot Examines Nurse Practitioners’ Role in Primary Care
Primary care doctors are a cornerstone of the healthcare system. They are the first line of defense when we get sick, and they’re who we rely on to manage and coordinate our care when we have more complex h ... read more


August 30, 2011 (Cleveland)
StudentMAX Program Enhancements Approach Implementation
The Center for Health Affairs, and its workforce initiative NEONI, have rolled out a new fee structure for StudentMAXTM, the online program used by area hospitals and schools of nursing to manage their stud ... read more


August 30, 2011 (Cleveland)
Fall Event Features Expert on Effective Transitions of Care
The Center for Health Affairs and Better Health Greater Cleveland will sponsor Transitions of Care - Improving Care Across Settings on Wednesday, November 2, 2011, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Cuyahoga Comm ... read more


July 28, 2011 (Cleveland)
Report to Members Available Online
The 2010 Report to the Membership  features an overview of the activities completed in 2010 by The Center on behalf of members, as well as a summary of the three-year strategic direction that is ste ... read more


July 28, 2011 (Cleveland)
$1.5M in Emergency Preparedness Funding Helps Ohio Hospitals
The Center for Health Affairs once again was awarded $1.5 million in emergency preparedness funding through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the division of the U.S. Department ... read more


July 28, 2011 (Cleveland)
Member Hospitals Come Together to Form NEONI’s Center for Nursing Practice, Education, Research & Quality
As part of The Center for Health Affairs’ three-year strategic direction, The Center and its workforce initiative, NEONI, have started the development process for NEONI’s Center for Nursing Practice ... read more


July 26, 2011 (Cleveland)
Latest Policy Snapshot Explores Primary Care and the Medical Home Model
Primary care is often described as the backbone of the U.S. healthcare system. With policymakers, business leaders and consumer groups all agreeing on the importance of improving healthcare quality while re ... read more


July 20, 2011 (Cleveland)
New Tool Forecasts Future Supply of, Demand for Nurses in Northeast Ohio Allows Health Care Providers, Nursing Schools to Work Proactively
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:  Michele Fancher, The Center for Health Affairs, 216.255.3610, mfancher@chanet.org The Center for Health Affairs and its workforce initiative, NEONI, along with The ... read more


July 06, 2011 (Cleveland)
$1.3 Million RWJF Grant to Support Northeast Ohio Work to Reduce Readmissions
On May 1, Better Health Greater Cleveland was selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for a third round of funding to support Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q), a national initiative that has engaged 17 ... read more


July 05, 2011 (Cleveland)
NEO MMRS Conference Offers Learning Opportunity for Emergency Preparedness Professionals
Earlier this month Andrea Bishop, project manager for The Center's Emergency Preparedness initiative, spoke at a regional conference regarding the Ohio Patient Tracking System. The 2011 Northeast Ohio MMRS ... read more


June 24, 2011 (Cleveland)
Behavioral Healthcare Highlighted in June Issue Brief
The Center’s most recent issue brief, Behavioral Healthcare Checkup: Are We Where We Need to Be?, focuses on the behavioral healthcare system in Northeast Ohio.  Today it is widely accepted that behavioral ... read more


June 13, 2011 (Cleveland)
Ryan's Op-Ed, Plan for family health center is better for East Cleveland, Published in Plain Dealer
President and CEO of The Center for Health Affairs, Bill Ryan, wrote an Op-Ed on the closure of Cleveland Clinic's Huron Hospital, which was published by The Plain Dealer in the Forum section on Sunday, Jun ... read more


June 09, 2011 (Cleveland)
550 High School Students Shadow Healthcare Professionals at Northeast Ohio Hospitals
The Center's workforce initiative, NEONI, has wrapped up its Healthcare Career Shadowing 2010-2011 academic year. During the school year, 550 high school students from 10 Northeast Ohio counties shadowed in ... read more


June 09, 2011 (Cleveland)
Latest Policy Snapshot Examines Regional Approach to Trauma Care
None of us likes to think about the scenarios that could cause us or a loved one to require trauma care, but if that care is needed for life-threatening injuries, we all want to be assured that the appropri ... read more


May 24, 2011 (Cleveland)
The Center for Health Affairs, the Leading Advocate for Northeast Ohio Hospitals, Launches a New Website and Identity
For more than 95 years, The Center has been synonymous with advocacy for Northeast Ohio hospitals. And to strengthen the visibility and position of the organization, The Center recently launched a new websi ... read more


May 02, 2011 (Cleveland)
Ohio Board of Regents Awards The Center Grant Funding to Facilitate Allied Health Clinical Placements
The Center for Health Affairs and its workforce initiative, NEONI,  have been awarded a Workforce Innovations Solutions grant in the amount of $20,374.62, from the Ohio Board of Regents. This grant, running ... read more


May 02, 2011 (Cleveland)
Helping Hospitals Identify Gaps, Prioritize $1.5 Million in Emergency Preparedness Funding
The Center for Health Affairs, the leading advocate for Northeast Ohio hospitals, is winding down a successful year of emergency preparedness work and gearing up for the next year of grant funding and ongoi ... read more


April 13, 2011 (Cleveland)
Bill Ryan's Article, More than rivalry at work in Cleveland healthcare, Published by MedCity News
President and CEO of The Center for Health Affairs, Bill Ryan, responded to an article published by MedCity News that highlighted the rivalry between the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. Ryan's ar ... read more


April 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Emergency Preparedness Grant Application Submitted for Next Funding Year
Under The Center for Health Affairs’ most recent request, the region would receive $1.5 million in federal emergency preparedness funding during the next funding year, beginning July 1, 2011.  The grant app ... read more


April 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Nursing Leaders and Supporting Partners Recognized in Northeast Ohio
On the evening of April 28, 2011, The Center for Health Affairs workforce initiative, NEONI , celebrated nursing excellence by recognizing nursing leaders and supporting partners throughout Northeast Ohio, ... read more


March 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
March Issue Brief Focuses on Ohio's Medicaid Environment
The Center's latest issue brief, Looking for a New Direction: Ohio Medicaid at a Crossroads, takes a look at Ohio's Medicaid program in the midst of the state budget process.  Though there's no denying the ... read more


March 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Transitions of Care Collaborative Meeting Focuses on Reducing Heart Failure Readmissions in Northeast Ohio
The Center for Health Affairs and Better Health Greater Cleveland hosted a Transitions of Care collaborative meeting at the Visiting Nurses Association on March 15 as an opportunity for a network of ... read more


March 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Members Expect $8.4 Million Benefit Thanks to Wage Index Project
Preliminary results from The Center's 2011 wage index project demonstrating an expected $8.4 million increase to the region's reimbursement were officially released at a Reimbursement Forum meeting on March ... read more


February 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Regional Health Needs Assessment Project Gaining Steam
Hospitals routinely consider the healthcare needs of their communities as they are making decisions about their facilities and their service offerings. Now, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ha ... read more


February 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Policy Snapshot Sheds Light on Uncompensated Care
As hospital nonprofit tax status and community benefit have been making their way into policy-oriented discussions with increased frequency, so has the related topic of uncompensated care. However, many of ... read more


January 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Meta-Leadership Summit Fosters Cross-Sector Emergency Preparedness
In March, Northeast Ohio business, government and nonprofit leaders had the opportunity to participate in a national initiative intended to promote cross-sector collaboration and community preparedness in t ... read more


January 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Health Reform Website Offers Convenient Source of Current Information
The hundreds of provisions included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed early last year have just begun to unfold. As work in the 112th Congress gets underway, many lawmakers are vowing ... read more


January 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
January Policy Snapshot Highlights Key Healthcare Issues for Lawmakers
The start of the new year and legislative session brought many new faces to Washington's Capitol Hill and Columbus' Capitol Square. Newly elected officials and their veteran colleagues face a considerable array ... read more


January 01, 2011 (Cleveland)
Statewide DATABANK Endeavor Finalized
The Center for Health Affairs has recently finalized a new collaboration with the Ohio Hospital Association and the other regional hospitals around the state aimed at expanding The Center’s DATABANK initiat ... read more


December 01, 2010 (Cleveland)
Issue Brief Examines Healthcare Costs after Health Reform
Though every nation struggles to balance cost with access and quality, the United States seems to face a particular challenge with the cost side of the equation, spending significantly more on healthcare th ... read more


December 01, 2010 (Cleveland)
2011 Begins a New Three-Year Strategic Plan for The Center
This year marks the beginning of a new strategic plan for The Center for Health Affairs that will provide the foundation for the organization’s work through 2013. Over the summer of 2010, a committee of The ... read more


December 01, 2010 (Cleveland)
StudentMAX™ Annual Reports Provide Users with a Clinical Placement Activity Summary
StudentMAX™ annual reports, generated by The Center for Health Affairs and its workforce initiative NEONI , are distributed to each hospital and nursing education program user at the beginning of each calen ... read more


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