Northeast Ohio Chapter HFMA
Visions

President’s Message

Dear Fellow HFMA members,

As I have spent time contemplating what I may want to include in my message for this edition of the newsletter, many thoughts cross my mind. There are many topics to discuss most centering on reform, movements in our industry and change.  However, I am really led instead to speak to the topic of the Northeast Ohio Chapter. Having now attended several national HFMA meetings both for leadership training as well as ANI, I can tell you that we have as fine of a chapter as any that can be found in the country. This is probably to be expected for such a talent rich area as can be found in Northeast Ohio. I thought I'd briefly "pull back the curtain" in this article to share some of what goes on behind the scenes in the chapter.

As many organizations have done in recent years, our chapter uses a balanced scorecard to track performance. The measures are set by HFMA National for all chapters. As with most scorecards, there are measures that are easier than others to obtain. For instance, the timely releases of this newsletter as well as a timely filing of key data elements to HFMA National are measures for which we always receive full value. The Newsletter Committee as well as our Chapter Coordinator, Kathy Much do a great job of completing these tasks.

These measures are examples of those that can be controlled directly by the leadership of the chapter. Additionally, maintaining a determined amount of days cash on hand is another measure where our chapter excels. The chapter has a strong legacy of fiscal responsibility. There is much discussion at chapter board meetings regarding the protection of the assets that have been accumulated over the years and what is the best use of those funds. 

However, of the seven measures found on our scorecard, just these three are in the direct control of the chapter leadership. The other four include, education hours of attendance, membership, certification and member satisfaction.  Much of our discussion and effort is spent on these. I am impressed and very proud of the effort that the Program Committee and Marketing Committee as well as their chairs and co-chairs put into accomplishing our goals. They put much effort as well as volunteer hours into being certain that membership stays strong and that we provide the highest quality educational programs. Our chapter is a large one comparatively at membership of over 500. Equally striking are the number of educational hours provided by the chapter. Most may not realize it, but just the Northeast Ohio chapter alone will provide over 6,700 hours of contemporary, quality education hours this year.

This all leads me to the last measure which is Member Satisfaction Survey scoring. In healthcare we constantly asked to participate in surveys of all sorts. I understand that the number of survey requests can be a bit much and you must make your choices concerning your time wisely. I would ask that you consider this survey as important as any that you may complete. This is the best tool that we have as leadership to know the direction that you, the membership, would want the chapter taken. You should be receiving a request to complete the survey soon if you have not gotten it already. Please know it is a key piece of information for the leadership of the chapter today and for the leaders of the future. Who knows, it may be you one day.

Mike Manfull
President
Northeast Ohio Chapter, HFMA

New Members Spotlight - Welcome to NEOHFMA!

A closer look at some of the newest members to the Northeast Ohio Chapter of HFMA

Dee Mandley
D. Mandley & Associates, LLC

Getting to Know You Questions:
What do you like most about working in healthcare? 
Being able to affect the quality of healthcare data.

Why did you decide to get involved in HFMA?
To gain a more global understanding of healthcare management and the financial impact of medical coding and to build a larger network.

What activities do you enjoy outside of work?
Weight Training, Jogging, Bicycling, Hiking, & CrossFit

What is your favorite restaurant in Northeast Ohio?
The Bistro in Kent

Team Edward or Team Jacob? 
Definitely Jacob.

Favorite Sport or Sports Team?
Football, Ohio State Buckeyes.

Tell us the most intriguing thing about yourself?
I run two successful businesses and have two wonderful children.

Where did you grow up?
North Canton, Ohio

New Members - Welcome to NEOHFMA!

Please welcome our newest members to the Northeast Ohio Chapter of HFMA. Look for them at our next meeting and welcome them to our organization.

Welcome Back!

HFMA Members that have reinstated their Membership

HFMA's Online Membership Directory

Have you visited HFMA's Online Membership Directory lately?

Log in at http://www.hfma.org/login/index.cfm.

When you select "HFMA Directory," not only can you search for members of your chapter, you can also search for all your HFMA colleagues by name, company, and location—regardless of chapter! Using an online directory instead of a printed directory ensures that you always have the most up-to-date contact information.

While accessing HFMA's Online Membership Directory, you can view your current contact information and make edits to your profile. You can also see products you have ordered, events you have registered for, your CPE credits, your Founders points, and more! It's vital that HFMA has your correct information, so please take a moment to review your record now. By doing so, you'll ensure that HFMA continues to provide you with valuable information and insights that further your success.

Program Recaps

2010 Managed Care Seminar
by Brian Nestor & Deborah Lauricia

The 2010 Managed Care seminar was held at the Windows on the River in the Warehouse District of Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday July 29. This historic site has been the venue for this summer seminar for the last few years and has always been well received. Thanks to all the speakers and attendees who navigated thru the maze of detours to attend this year's event - based on the responses we received, it was well worth the inconvenience.

Our theme: "Change is coming, will you be ready?" was chosen to exemplify the current state of the healthcare industry with its rapidly changing environment. With Healthcare reform legislation, ICD-10 coding changes, and the impending BWC outpatient new reimbursement model, the healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving.

The first speaker was Julie Homan, Client Service Executive from 3M who spoke on the ICD-10 changes and opportunities and benefits of claim analysis. She spoke specifically to the changes as it related to charging and managed care contracting along with the backend collecting of payments. Finally she spoke on how preparing for the implementation was the key to a successful transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10.

The second speaker was Tammie Mihaly, Provider Relations Manager for BWC. Tammie introduced the upcoming outpatient reimbursement changes that take effect in 2011. BWC is moving to a modified version of Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (APC's, fee schedules, reasonable cost). The ruling calls for payment of 197% of Medicare rates with the following exceptions - 253% of Medicare rates for Children's hospitals and 101% of Medicare reasonable cost for Critical Access hospitals.

The final speaker was Christopher Kalkof, Director at Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group who spoke about Reform and Emerging business models and clinical integration. We learned about the importance of alignment and integration of interests between hospitals and physicians in optimizing managed care revenues as well as improving quality of care - this creates VALUE.

The event concluded with a nice reception outside on the deck overlooking Lake Erie on a beautiful sunny day.

A very special thanks to everyone who participated on the Managed Care Planning Committee for a job well done. The response to this year's seminar was very positive and we do plan on having it at the Windows on the River again next year!

August Program at Firestone Photos

Click here to view event photos

Northeast Ohio HFMA Speaker Series
Save the Date for these upcoming programs

Keep an eye out for more information on these upcoming programs:

Ethics, PSR Requirements for CPA in Industries
Program Date: November 18, 2010
Program Location: Corporate College East, Cleveland, OH

Holiday Party & Awards Dinner
Program Date: December 3, 2010
Program Location: Trivs, Strongsville, OH

Kudos!

Kudos to Deb Lauricia, Director of Payer Compliance / Admin | Market & Network Srvcs at the Cleveland Clinic on recently completing her MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Congratulations to Anna Sulewski of the Cleveland Clinic, on accepting the position of Finance Director at Hillcrest Hospital.

NEO HFMA Days Cash on Hand:
A Descending Trend

The Regional Executive Council of National HFMA has adopted the Days Cash on Hand (DCOH) statistic to provide a snapshot of the financial health and viability of each chapter. This metric serves to gauge whether the chapter is stockpiling funds or reinvesting them towards member benefits. The chapter's DCOH calculation is part of our Chapter Balanced Scorecard (CBSC) and the target set by National is for DCOH to be between 150 and 600 days. The DCOH is calculated by taking the ratio of cash on hand divided by average daily expenses.

The Days Cash on Hand number on the CBSC is taken from information the chapter submits on its balance sheet at the fiscal year end. As of May 31, 2010 our DCOH was 263 days. This amount is in the acceptable range from a National perspective; however we have noticed a downward trend.  The DCOH from the prior year was 309 days, and two years prior was 346 days.

Member Get A Member Program

Share the Value of HFMA

As a valued member, you can impact HFMA by sharing your experience with your staff, and others in your organization with an interest in healthcare finance.

How the program works:

Recruit One or Two Members (new* or former **) and receive your choice of: 

1. An HFMA apparel item (approximate retail value of $25)
2. $25 Fuel Visa Prepaid Card.***

Recruit Three or Four Members (new* or former **) and receive: 

1. A $100 Visa prepaid card good anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted worldwide.
2. An entry into a drawing (among those recruiting three or four members) to receive a $1,000 cash prize.

Recruit Five or More Members (new* or former **) and receive: 

1. A $150 Visa prepaid card.
2. An entry into a drawing (among those recruiting five or more members) to receive a $2,500 cash prize

For every new or former member you recruit, you will receive one entry into a drawing for a brand new iPad! There are three chances to win! Drawings will be held in October, January and March.**** You will be contacted if you win, and your name will be announced in the following month's Membership Marketing Brief!

Member Make a Difference Grand Prize

For every new or former member you recruit, you will receive one entry into the drawing for the Member-Get-A-Member Make a Difference Grand Prize worth $5,000. You will receive $3,000 in cash for yourself and a $2,000 donation in your name to the charity of your choice.

The more members you sponsor, the greater your chance to win!

* New members. Sponsors will receive credit for new members who join (or have joined) between June 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011. 
** Former members. Sponsors will receive credit for former members who reactivate their memberships between August 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011. 
*** Fuel cards can be used at the gas station of your choice or anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted worldwide. Cards are issued by Citibank, M.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and managed by Ecount, a City company. 
**** Sponsors will receive one entry per new and former members who join between June 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010 (October drawing), October 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 (January drawing) and January 1, 2011 through February 28, 2011 (March drawing). 

Gain CPE & Help NEO HFMA

Attend one or all of the free webinars below and not only gain CPE credits, but also help NEO HFMA reach its annual goal for educational hours.

HFMA's Webinars offer you an easy way to get the information you need on pressing healthcare finance topics. From the comfort of your office, you can participate in a Webinar and find the strategies and tools you need to help your organization achieve success.

Upcoming Webinars

November 

Five Steps to Using Probate to Appropriately Recover Estate Debt (November 3, 2010)

Driving Positive Revenue Impact Through Quality Improvement Initiatives (November 4, 2010)

Healthcare Reform: The Impact of Election Day (November 9, 2010)

Successful Hospital-Physician Alignment Tactics for ACO Readiness (November 10, 2010)

Effectively Implementing Payment Reforms to Drive Efficiencies and Revenue Improvement (November 16, 2010)

Anticipating 2014: Preparing Your Organization to Gain the Most from Coverage Expansion (November 23, 2010)

Integrating Healthcare Delivery and Financial Solutions to Maximize Reimbursement (November 30, 2010)

December 

New Charge Capture Processes to Help Achieve Revenue Integrity Excellence (December 8, 2010)

Putting a Dollar Value to Health Reform Implications (December 9, 2010) 

To sign-up visit: http://www.hfma.org/Education-and-Events/Online-Learning/Webinars/Webinars/

HFMA Certification

About HFMA's Certification Programs
HFMA's certification programs prepare you for increasingly responsible positions in the healthcare finance industry. Certification demonstrates your comprehensive understanding of healthcare financial management overall, as well as your proficiency in one or more specialty areas of healthcare finance.

HFMA offers two levels of certification:

• Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP): Requirements include successful completion of the HFMA Core Certification Exam and one of four specialty exams in accounting and finance, patient financial services, financial management of physician practices, or managed care. Learn more about earning the CHFP designation.
• Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (FHFMA): Available only to recipients of the CHFP designation, Fellowship in HFMA represents exemplary educational achievement, experience, and volunteer service to the healthcare finance industry. Learn more about earning the FHFMA designation. 

Maintaining Your HFMA Certification
Once you’ve received your CHFP or FHFMA designation, you must maintain your designation by:

• Remaining an active member in good standing of HFMA
• Completing 90 contact hours of eligible professional development activities every three years

For more information visit: http://www.hfma.org/Templates/InteriorMaster.aspx?id=18266B

Educational Articles

Frist: It's Up to Healthcare Finance to Help
Drive Out Waste in Health Care

As the cost of implementing healthcare reform increases pressure on state and federal government, providers, and consumers, the need to drive out waste in health care is critical, former senator and Senate majority leader Bill Frist, MD, told attendees of HFMA's 2010 ANI: The Healthcare Finance Conference—and it’s up to healthcare finance professionals to lead efforts to rid waste from their organizations.

"Somebody has to do something, and it’s going to be—and it has to be—you," Frist told ANI attendees.

Read More…

'Pursuit of Happyness' Author Shares Real-Life Story Behind Movie

There were two decisions Christopher Gardner made as a young boy that have shaped his life:

• Someday, when he would become a father, his children
  would know their father.
• He would one day achieve world class excellence in something,
  though he wasn’t sure what.

Read More…

Puzzle

At the local games evening, four boys were competing in the Scrabble and chess competitions. Liam beat Mark in chess, James came third and the 16 year old won. Liam came second in Scrabble, the 15 year old won, James beat the 18 year old and the 19 year old came third. Kevin is 3 years younger than Mark. The person who came last in chess, came third in Scrabble and only one of them got the same position in both games. Can you determine the ages of the boys and the positions in the two games?

E-mail your answer to Debora Guillermo at debora.guillermo@ey.com. All correct entries will be included in a drawing and one lucky entrant will receive a $25 gift certificate.

Previous puzzle

Answer: 

BERTH, BEGAN, KNEEL, SUITE, SQUAD, CHEWY, CELLO, PILOT, WIELD

The added letters spell TELESCOPE.

Winner:
Brian Nestor of University Hospitals won a $25 gift card.