FROM WHERE I'M SITTING...By jeff mero, executive director

You'll read elsewhere in this issue about King County Public Hospital District No. 1, which operates Valley Medical Center in Renton, being named the best "non-profit company" for which to work in Washington state. Kudos to its Board of Commissioners, Valley Medical Center CEO Rich Roodman (an AWPHD Board member!) and to the 2,200 public employees of the district for creating an environment worthy of such notice. I, for one, think it's great that one of the state's most business-oriented publications chose a local government as its model for non-profit excellence.

AWPHD's future was a major topic of discussion at the Board of Directors' retreat held recently in Leavenworth. Much of the conversation was aimed at how the organization should develop. One conceptual model was to imagine the organization growing horizontally--growing beyond representation and advocacy, moving into the support and development of shared services and joint purchasing. Another approach suggested that we grow vertically: that is increase our focus on supporting public hospital districts as local governments in the state by concentrating on opportunities and challenges presented by policy makers and state agencies. We'll develop a couple of alternative scenarios for the Board to review in October, and find ways to communicate with the entire membership before any formal action occurs.

One concrete direction we got from the discussion was to upgrade AWPHD's performance as a communicator across the membership, particularly as it relates to the activities of regional networks to which many members belong. Dick Goldsmith has contacted these groups in an effort to include information about their activities in In Focus.

Finally, as an endless parade of cloudless days in Seattle comes to an end, we face the start of another school year (a committed "life-long learner," September has always felt more like the beginning of the year than January to me). We'll be taking my daughter to college, and come home to an empty house for the first time in 22 years. First, though, my wife Mary and I will be taking a bit of an "empty-nester" tour. I'll be back, and ready to work as hard as I can for you, on September 13th. I hope summer has treated you well.

SNAPSHOTS

The new U.S. Department of Labor rule regarding overtime pay for white-collar workers went into effect on August 23rd. Hopefully, your Human Resources staff has already made any necessary changes to the non-exempt and exempt status of your employees. Helpful information about how the federal rule meshes with state regulations is available on the state Department of Labor and Industries website at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/Wages/Overtime/default.asp

A multi-disciplinary task force looking at the state's public mental health crisis response system recently released its report and recommendations. The task force's work reflects a growing recognition by state and local officials that hospital resources-such as the emergency room-are being over-utilized in the treatment of adults with emotional, behavioral, drug, and alcohol problems. In turn, this use has resulted in costly and often inappropriate responses to the needs of these populations.

Among the task force's recommendations are improved collaboration between "de facto first responders" (hospital emergency room personnel, law enforcement officers, and jail staff) and public mental health agencies through cross-system training and consultation; the development of cross-system, collaborative crisis intervention plans within local communities; and increased community diversion resources for populations most likely to benefit from hospital diversion. These recommendations and others, which will require new resources, are to be captured in bills scheduled for introduction in the 2005 legislative session.

The Department of Social and Health Services convened this task force, which had two hospital members: Milt Parham from Lake Chelan Community Hospital (Chelan County PHD No. 2) represented rural hospitals and Mike Kerlin from Providence St. Peter Hospital (Olympia) gave the urban hospital perspective.

AWPHD and the Washington State Hospital Association are determining how our members can best build on the work of the task force, regardless of what happens in the upcoming legislative session. We'll be drawing on Milt and Mike's expertise and task force experience to make you aware of collaborative activities that could enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the crisis response system in your community. For a copy of the task force report (about 141 pages) or its executive summary, send an e-mail to Dick Goldsmith (richardg@awphd.org).

Legislative proposals for AWPHD to introduce, support or oppose in the 2005 session have been trickling in. One proposal is for AWPHD to introduce a bill that would resolve a continuing conundrum for PHDs: how to maintain the statutory confidentiality protections given to hospital quality improvement/performance improvement activities while complying with the statutory mandate that hospital governing boards be given reports on these activities. Currently, the PHD statutes only allow commissioners to go into executive session to discuss "the granting, denial, revocation, restriction, or other consideration of the status of the clinical or staff privileges of a physician or other health care provider."

Members also have asked AWPHD to throw support behind their proposed bills. One bill would ease the guidelines for the investment of public funds, while still minimizing risk. Another bill would revise the conflict of interest statutes so that an employee of a company doing business with a public entity and receiving a bonus could continue to serve as a public official. This official, however, would have to recuse himself/herself from any involvement when company business was before the public body.

As proposals come in, AWPHD staff and lobbyists will evaluate each one. Much of this evaluation is based on meetings with Senate and House leadership, not only to gauge reaction to our proposals, but also to get a sense of the issues that are likely to be pushed in the upcoming session. This year, AWPHD's job becomes more difficult: control of the House and Senate can change from one party to the other with only a slight shift in seats and the race for the governor's mansion appears to be tighter than in recent elections. Consequently, a proposed legislative agenda won't be presented to the AWPHD Board for discussion and adoption until after the November elections.

If you have a legislative proposal that you'd like to bring to AWPHD's attention, please send it-along with a brief statement of the impacts that it would have on PHDs-to Dick Goldsmith (richardg@awphd.org) as quickly as possible.

PEOPLE AND PLACES

For those of you who don't receive WSHA's Weekly Report, Washington CEO Magazine just honored Valley Medical Center in Renton (King County PHD No.1) as the "Best Non-Profit Company to Work For." This is the third consecutive year that this magazine has named Valley as being among the top corporate employers.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Northwest Care Giving Town Hall Meeting (Rebroadcast)
September 9 - 9:00-10:30 p.m • KCTS TV
September 12 - 10:30.-1:00 p.m.

Rural Advocacy Day
September 14-15 • Washington, DC
Contact: Wendy Ray (206)216-2516

AWPHD Finance Committee
September 16 • Conference Call
Contact: Wendy Ray (206)216-2516

PHD Project Review Board
September 20 - 11 a.m. • Olympia
Contact: John Van Gorkom (360)753-6185

Child Profile Statewide Anniversary Conference
September 29 - 8:00 am. • Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane
Contact: Nicole Pender (360)236-3483

Child Profile Statewide Anniversary Conference
September 30 - 8:00 am. • Swedish Medical Center, Seattle
Contact: Nicole Pender (360)236-3483

AWPHD Board Meeting
October 6 - 6:00 p.m. • Seattle
Contact: Wendy Ray (206)216-2516

PHD & WAH Workers' Compensation Board Meeting
October 6 - 4:00-8:00 p.m. • Marriott Hotel, Seattle
Contact: Anita Badri (206)216-2553

AWPHD Membership Meeting
October 7 - 8:00-9:30 am. • Bell Harbor Conference Center, Seattle
Contact: Wendy Ray (206)216-2516

WSHA Board Meeting
October 7 - 9:30-10:30 a.m. • Bell Harbor Conference Center, Seattle
Contact: Lisa Rusk (206)577-1852

WSHA Annual Meeting
October 7-8 • Bell Harbor Conference Center, Seattle
Contact: Danie Wright (206)577-1845

WSHHRA Meeting
October 21-22 • Leavenworth
Contact: Claudia Hawley (360) 427-9575

Keeping colleagues informed about projects and activities in which you're involved can help everyone deliver health care services more efficiently and economically. And In Focus can be ideal for fostering these communications. For the September issue please send articles to
Dick Goldsmith at richardg@awphd.org by Friday, September 24th.