HEALTH CARE ISSUES OVERVIEW PRESENTED BY

HEALTH CARE ISSUES OVERVIEW
2009
PRESENTED BY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Message from the President and CEO of GBMC HealthCare……………………………2
GBMC HealthCare Overview…………………………………………………………..4-5
GBMC “Greater Facts”…………………………………………………………………6-9
The Maryland Hospital Association
2009 Legislative and Regulatory Priorities and
GBMC’s response …...….……………………………………………………10-16
GBMC Contacts…………………………………………………………………………17
Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
Commonly used in Healthcare……………………………………………….18-21
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
It is my privilege to present this GBMC resource booklet for the 2009
Legislative Session. It is vital that you, as representatives of the
constituents you serve, understand the major issues and challenges
today affecting healthcare and their potential impact on Maryland
hospitals and healthcare organizations, such as GBMC.
The
information provided in this booklet is intended to provide a broad
understanding of these key issues.
Please use this resource booklet as a reference guide. I encourage you
to use the information as a primer to further develop your understanding and knowledge,
as well as in some cases, to evaluate legislation and your position on the many issues
facing our elected officials.
It is my hope that you will be supportive of a strong healthcare agenda for Maryland. To
that end, I invite you to contact Greg Shaffer, GBMC’s Manager of Sales and
Government Relations (443-849-3248), for further information and to be a resource to
accomplish your legislative objectives.
We look forward to working with you to address the needs and improve the health of
Maryland residents.
Sincerely,
Laurence Merlis
President and CEO
GBMC HealthCare
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GBMC HEALTHCARE OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), central Maryland’s leading
community hospital; Gilchrist Hospice Care, which provides comfort and care to patients
and their families as they meet life-limiting illnesses; and the GBMC Foundation, which
supports the GBMC mission by promoting fundraising efforts.
GREATER BALTIMORE MEDICAL CENTER
GBMC HealthCare is a private, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates The
Greater Baltimore Medical Center, a regional hospital in Towson, Maryland, two miles
north of Baltimore City. GBMC was incorporated in 1960, through the consolidation of
two specialty hospitals: The Hospital for Women of Maryland in Baltimore City
(“Women’s Hospital”), and The Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital
(“Presbyterian Hospital”). The Hospital for the Women of Maryland in Baltimore City
(established in 1882 in Bolton Hill) was the second women’s hospital in the country. The
Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital (established in 1887) had nearly 100
years of excellence in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, originating as a clinic in a
Civil War surgeon’s East Baltimore carriage house.
The Greater Baltimore Medical Center opened its door in 1965 as a regional medical
center providing general acute and specific specialized services to the northern portion of
Baltimore City, most of Baltimore County, and portions of Anne Arundel, Carroll,
Harford and Howard counties.
GILCHRIST HOSPICE CARE
Gilchrist Hospice Care, formerly known as Hospice of Baltimore, a Medicare/Medicaidcertified hospice program, is the largest not-for-profit hospice organization in the state of
Maryland. Since 1994, Gilchrist Hospice Care has provided care and services to over
17,000 terminally ill individuals who reside in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Carroll,
Harford and Howard counties (Hospice of Howard County). Care includes medical,
nursing, social work, home health aid, spiritual and bereavement counseling and support
and volunteer assistance. Hospice services are most often provided in the patient’s home
or place of residence. When more intensive medical care is required, patients may be
admitted to Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care, a 24-bed inpatient facility, located on the
GBMC campus.
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GBMC FOUNDATION
Founded in 1987, the GBMC Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization to centralize and coordinate fundraising efforts to benefit The Greater
Baltimore Medical Center. The Foundation's Board of Directors and professional staff
carry out fundraising events, annual appeals and capital campaigns and seek gifts from
grateful patients and other friends of the hospital, as well as grants from corporations and
private foundations.
The Foundation does not have any affiliation with federated funds or public agencies.
The GBMC Foundation is registered with the State of Maryland as an approved
charitable organization.
Gifts to the GBMC Foundation support new facilities, equipment for GBMC physicians
and staff, specialty programs and technologies that combine to make GBMC the
community hospital of choice to residents of central Maryland. Charitable contributions
have helped make GBMC the outstanding institution it is today, and they will continue to
ensure the hospital’s place at the top of the healthcare field in the future.
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GBMC GREATER FACTS
ABOUT GBMC
♦ The Greater Baltimore Medical Center was established in 1965 through the
merger of The Hospital for the Women of Maryland in Baltimore City and The
Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital.
♦ The 335-bed Medical Center (310 acute care and 25 sub acute), located on a
beautiful suburban campus in Towson, Maryland, handles more than 26,700
inpatient cases annually and provides approximately 61,155 emergency room
visits.
♦ The GBMC campus also includes three medical office buildings – Physicians
Pavilion East, Physicians Pavilion West and Physicians Pavilion North I.
Additionally, GBMC’s physician group, The Greater Baltimore Medical
Associates, operates satellite patient care facilities in Hunt Manor
(Phoenix/Jacksonville area), Hunt Valley and Owings Mills.
♦ Gilchrist Hospice Care, the largest not-for-profit hospice in Maryland, has
provided care to more than 17,000 terminally ill individuals in Baltimore, Carroll,
Harford and Howard counties, and Baltimore City since 1994.
♦ The Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care is a 24-bed inpatient facility located on the
GBMC campus.
♦ Founded in 1987, the GBMC Foundation coordinates fundraising efforts to
benefit patient care and services at GBMC including new facilities, equipment
and technology.
♦ GBMC is among the largest private-sector employers in Baltimore County, with
approximately 2,630 FTEs.
♦ More than 550 members of the community are GBMC volunteers.
WHAT’S NEW?
♦ GBMC, which delivers more babies than any other hospital in central Maryland,
renovated the labor and delivery birthing rooms in spring 2008. Upgrades include
family workstations with Internet connections near patient beds, reconfigured
room layouts for improved convenience and flat screen high-definition televisions
in each room.
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♦ In spring 2008, Hospice of Baltimore and Howard County rebranded to Gilchrist
Hospice Care.
♦ In spring 2008, GBMC’s oncology program was renamed the Sandra & Malcolm
Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC in recognition of a significant donation from
this generous family.
♦ In 2007, GBMC and Johns Hopkins medicine began a strategic clinical affiliation
for several programs including cardiology and pediatric services.
GBMC “FIRSTS”
♦ GBMC surgeons performed the first da Vinci® robot-assisted bladder cancer
surgery (2007) and gynecologic surgery (2006) at a community (non-academic)
hospital in the Mid-Atlantic (MD, DC, DE and VA) region.
♦ GBMC was the first community hospital to join the National Surgical Quality
Improvement Program. (2006)
♦ GBMC was the first hospital in metropolitan Baltimore to implement a smokefree campus. (2005)
♦ A GBMC surgeon performed Maryland’s first FDA-approved X-Stop surgery to
treat lumbar spinal stenosis. (2005)
♦ A GBMC surgeon performed the first procedure in the United States to treat
lower back and leg pain using the Dynesys Spinal System. (2003)
GBMC IS A LEADER
Surgery
♦ GBMC performed 36,352 inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures in fiscal
year 2007 and is consistently ranked as one of the busiest hospitals for surgeries
in Maryland.
♦ GBMC’s Comprehensive Obesity Management Program is certified by the
American Society for Bariatric Surgery as a Center of Excellence.
♦ GBMC’s Wound Care Center is the largest in the national Wound Care Centers,
Inc. network and its ‘days to heal’ average of 28 days far outperforms the industry
standard of 45 days.
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Oncology
♦ GBMC was ranked among the top 50 cancer programs in the United States
according to the U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Hospitals” listing in
2006, 2005, 2001 and 1999.
♦ GBMC’s oncology program received a Three-Year Approval With
Commendation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
♦ The Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC is Maryland’s
largest community-hospital based cancer program and provides nationally
recognized teaching hospital care in a community hospital setting.
♦ The Cancer Institute’s clinical research program is affiliated with several national
cancer research organizations, participating in 50-plus clinical trials. The 150+
patients annually enrolled in GBMC clinical trials significantly exceeds the
National Cancer Institute goal of three percent of all newly diagnosed cancer
patients.
Women’s Services
♦ GBMC is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in Central Maryland for
births, averaging approximately 4,700 babies born each year.
♦ GBMC’s Maternal Newborn Health patient care areas include labor/delivery and
postpartum areas, the 11-bed Mangione High Risk OB Unit designed for
expectant mothers facing life-threatening complications with pregnancy and a
Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
♦ GBMC’s Parent Education Department offers a broad range of classes as well as
doula services.
♦ GBMC offers a dedicated surgical suite for women and annually ranks among the
top Maryland hospitals for inpatient and same-day surgeries.
♦ GBMC has been named “Best Maternity Hospital” by the readers of Maryland
Family Magazine for six consecutive years. (2002–2007)
Other
♦ Baltimore Magazine’s November 2008 issue features “Top Doctors,” and GBMC
had more physicians named to this year’s list than any other hospital!
Recognition as a “Top doctor” comes directly from the more than 2,000
physicians in the region who were asked which doctors in 69 specialties they
would recommend to their own loved ones.
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♦ GBMC has been ranked in U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best
Hospitals” in 2005 (Digestive Disorders), 2001 (Gynecology and Digestive
Disorders), 1998 (Otolaryngology) and 1997 (Gynecology).
♦ GBMC was one of the first hospitals in Maryland to offer a combined Adult and
Pediatric Emergency Department (ED), which employs separate dedicated
nursing and physician staff to care for children and adults.
♦ The ED also offers an Urgent Care Center non life-threatening injuries, and the
pediatric ED area features eight private inpatient rooms and a board-certified
pediatrician around-the-clock.
♦ GBMC houses Baltimore County’s only S.A.F.E. program for adult victims of
sexual assault (ages 13 and older). SAFE exams collect forensic evidence for
Crime Lab analysis to assist law enforcement in investigation and prosecution of
these crimes. SAFE nurses provide these services in a separate and private suite of
offices located in the GBMC Emergency Department.
♦ GBMC provides free community education including a recent forum on
information and prevention of infection from Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus (MRSA), a virulent strain of bacteria commonly found on the
skin that has been making headlines in Maryland and throughout the nation.
♦ GBMC’s Emergency Management Department has successfully implemented and
tested many preparedness procedures and systems. The GBMC Emergency
Management Department and the Critical Incident Committee collaborate with
the Baltimore County Emergency Management Task Force as well as the
Baltimore County Health Department and MEMA to develop disaster response
plans, common interagency policies and procedures, as well as local county and
state drills.
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2009 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY
ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
MHA Priority: Ensure an Adequate Supply of Physicians
It will take a combination of reimbursement, recruitment and retention strategies to
ensure that Maryland has a sufficient number of physicians now and in the future:
Reimbursement:
♦ Require insurers to reimburse out-of-network physicians billed charges without
penalizing HMO enrollees.
♦ Advocate creation and funding of “patient-centered medical homes.”
♦ Prohibit insurers from forcing hospital-based physicians to participate in their
plans because of the insurer’s contract with a hospital.
♦ Require insurers to reimburse primary care providers for diagnosing and treating
mental health disorders.
♦ Require better coordination of mental health and medical benefits.
Recruitment:
♦ Provide greater flexibility and funding for the Loan Assistance Repayment
Program.
♦ Encourage Maryland’s medical schools to offer greater exposure to family
practice settings and to specialties in short supply, as well as clinical rotations in
shortage areas.
Retention:
♦ Enhance the data collected by the Board of Physicians from physician licensing
renewals so the state can more accurately project workforce needs.
♦ Direct the state health department to work with regulators, payors and providers
to streamline and standardize physician credentialing.
♦ Direct the Maryland Insurance Administration to aggressively monitor
compliance with an insurer’s network adequacy standards.
♦ Improve Maryland’s medical liability protections.
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GBMC POSITION
GBMC recognizes and supports the initiatives identified by the Maryland Hospital
Association in regards to ensuring an adequate supply of physicians.
A recent study by Boucher and Associates, on behalf of the Maryland Hospital
Association and Med Chi, found that overall, Maryland is 16 percent below the national
average for the number of physicians available for clinical practice. Contributing to the
persistent challenges of recruitment and retention has been lower compensation of
physicians compared to that of other regions. GBMC recommends the legislature
address provider reimbursement as one option to address this shortage.
Advocate the creation and funding of “patient-centered medical homes.”
− GBMC supports a coordinated effort with government and private payers to
design a system of care that promotes quality healthcare through a common
information system that has at its core a wellness and chronic care management
program. These integrated programs should include intensive case management
of high-cost conditions, chronic care management and wellness and preventative
management that can be consistently applied across all payers. This care will be
coordinated and provided by a primary care physician who will lead a team of
healthcare professionals who collectively take responsibility for the ongoing care
of the patient. This initiative will require significant funding to build the
infrastructure of information systems and also care management plans, along
with significant time for training the primary care physicians in this system.
Provide greater flexibility and funding for the Loan Assistance Repayment Program
− GBMC would support any effort to bolster the Loan Assistance Repayment
Program. This is critical in helping Maryland recruit and retain the best doctors.
Direct the State Health Department to work with regulators, payers and providers to
streamline and standardize physician credentialing.
− GBMC would support and seek any opportunity to streamline and standardize the
credentialing process legislatively.
Direct the Maryland Insurance Administration to aggressively monitor compliance with
an insurer’s network adequacy standards.
− GBMC would support additional legislative efforts to mandate access and quality
for all of the citizens in Maryland.
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MHA Priority: Double the Number of Nursing Graduates
Maryland’s nursing shortage continues. The demand is great—an estimated 40 percent
increase between 2000 and 2020 is predicted as baby boomers retire—but the supply of
nurses is expected to grow only by 6 percent. Maryland’s schools of nursing turned away
1,850 qualified candidates in one year because their programs were full. All stakeholders
must:
♦ Continue to work with the Governor’s Work Force Investment Board on
additional funding and other mechanisms to increase nursing school faculty.
♦ Develop a funding initiative to enlarge clinical training facilities at nursing
schools.
GBMC POSITION
GBMC recognizes and supports the initiatives identified by the Maryland Hospital
Association. The growing shortage of qualified registered nurses and other nursing
personnel continues to be a concern now and into the coming decade. Initiatives that we
have in place to support these priorities include:
− Tuition reimbursement.
− Scholarships for an employee or the family member of an employee who desires a
BSN from an accredited program supported by the Women’s Hospital Board.
− Scholarships for clinical nursing students to receive up to $5,000 per year with a
commitment of six months of work for each $2,500 provided, supported by the
Women’s Hospital Board and the GBMC Volunteer Auxiliary.
− Professional Nurse Council outreach to potential students through educational
sessions on “Why Nursing” as a Career?”
− Partnerships with Stevenson University on RN to BSN Bridge programs.
− HSCRC NSP grant funding in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University to
advance nursing practice at GBMC.
− Nursing mentors to support new nurses graduates/new employees in transition to
workplace.
− Workforce planning initiatives to develop succession plan for nurses/nursing
managers to support future needs.
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− Nurses who also act as faculty for Towson University, Johns Hopkins University,
Stevenson University, CCBC and Frederick Community College.
− Established a new position, GBMC Nursing School Liaison, to assist with
transition from student to employee.
− Provide clinical sites for nursing students available days, evenings and weekends.
− Renovated and centralized educational facilities to support on site education.
− Committed funds to the MHA "Who Will Care Campaign" to support Nursing
Education.
MHA Priority: Coordinate Data Collection for Quality and Safety Initiatives
Maryland hospitals are unequivocally committed to achieving higher quality and safer
care. Yet we face a barrage of requests for data, compliance with safe practices and
participation in quality improvement initiatives. At the national level, there are quality
data reporting requirements for hospitals from CMS, CDC, AHRQ, JCAHO, NQF and
IHI. At the state level, there is a similar array of reporting and measurement mandates
such as MHCC hospital report cards, OHCQ adverse event reporting and patient safety
program regulations, HSCRC pay-for-performance initiatives, the MEDSAFE program
and community benefit reporting.
While these data collection efforts are important and well intended, they are not
coordinated and consume time and resources that might otherwise be devoted to bedside
patient care or quality improvement efforts. MHA should:
♦ Require the Governor’s Council on Health Care Quality and Cost to coordinate
quality, patient safety and performance measurement initiatives.
♦ Support Maryland’s unique, statewide approach to improving the quality and
safety of our health care system, by combining mandatory and voluntary efforts
through:
1. Mandatory hospital reporting of adverse events to the Office of Health Care
Quality;
2. Continued enhancement of the Maryland Health Care Commission’s hospital
report cards;
3. Active participation in the Maryland Patient Safety Center;
4. Implementation of the Health Services Cost Review Commission’s Pay for
Performance Initiative; and,
5. Increased efforts to make communities aware of community-acquired
infections.
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GBMC POSITION
GBMC recognizes and supports the initiatives identified by the Maryland Hospital
Association. The data and its overall coordination are essential in assisting us serve the
community. We will be in a superior position to ensure data accuracy by combining
mandatory and voluntary efforts in a centralized way. To do otherwise imposes a burden
on hospitals to comply with multiple reporting requirements.
We must comply with mandatory hospital reporting of adverse events to the Office of
Health Care Quality to identify risk issues that endanger patient safety. Continued
enhancement of hospital report cards, active participation in the Maryland Patient Safety
Center, implementation of HSCRC’s Pay and Performance Initiative and increased
efforts to make communities aware of community-acquired infections are seen by GBMC
as critical initiatives in the protection of patients. We endorse a coordinated effort for
reporting.
MHA Priority: Increase Hospitals’ Utilization of Minority Businesses
♦ Continue aggressive implementation of MHA’s Women- and Minority-Owned
Businesses (WMBs) Initiative to increase hospitals’ use of WMBs in procurement
and construction contracting.
GBMC POSITION
GBMC recognizes and supports the initiatives identified by the Maryland Hospital
Association. Increasing the utilization of minority owned businesses is a priority for all
hospitals. GBMC has supported this initiative as a:
− Member of the Hospital Minority Business Committee chaired by Erik Wexler,
Northwest Hospital.
− Participant in two minority vendor fairs, from which the hospital has retained two
new minority vendors.
MHA Priority: Improve the Medical Liability Environment
Medical liability insurance rates for physicians have leveled off, but the rates are 67
percent higher than nine years ago. Physicians increasingly are reluctant to take
emergency calls while both Maryland hospitals and physician practices struggle to recruit
doctors. Additional medical liability reforms should:
♦ Preserve the current cap on noneconomic damages and contributory negligence
policies.
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♦ Adopt “Good Samaritan” legislation that gives emergency department staff
appropriate liability protections to ensure that patients receive adequate and
timely access to care.
♦ Strengthen “apology protection” provisions so doctors can discuss unexpected
outcomes with their patients.
GBMC POSITION
GBMC recognizes and supports the initiatives identified by the Maryland Hospital
Association. GBMC supports the priority to improve the medical liability environment.
Specifically, it is our position that the cap on non-economic damages should be lowered.
Additionally, GBMC favors the doctrine of contributory negligence and asks that it be
preserved. We support the strengthening of “apology protection” provisions.
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Hospice Services in Maryland
GBMC POSITION
Maintain Maryland’s Certificate of Need (CON) Requirement for Hospice
While GBMC has supported the elimination of CON for a more equitable, fair, and
competitive licensure model, particularly for specialized cardiac services, we remain
supportive of CON for particular services, like hospice, that continue to be complex and
highly specialized.
Hospice is a specialized service and it is longitudinal, not episodic. Gilchrist Hospice
Care’s support continues even after the loss of a loved one; bereavement services are
provided for families and other caregivers for up to 13 months after the death of a
patient. Creating the infrastructure and expertise to provide hospice services is
important to providing quality services in the community. The commitment of Gilchrist
Hospice Care to these ideals has allowed us to become the largest provider of hospice
services in the state, covering all individuals in need of hospice care in Baltimore City,
Baltimore County, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties. Plans of care for each patient
are developed to meet identified needs. Gilchrist Hospice Care is never “closed” and
responds to all requests to care for patients and family.
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HOW TO CONTACT GBMC
FREQUENTLY USED PHONE NUMBERS
GBMC HealthCare, CEO and President, Laurence Merlis……...…………443-849-2121
Foundation, Jamie Lynch….……………………………………………….443-849-2773
Gilchrist Hospice Care, Catherine Boyne.….……………………………...443-849-8200
Government Relations, Greg Shaffer….…………………………………...443-849-3248
Human Resources…………………………………………………………..443-849-2204
Media Relations, Michael Schwartzberg….……………………………….443-849-2126
Patient Information…………………………………………………………443-849-3111
Physician Referral Line…………………………………….……443-849-GBMC (4262)
Volunteer Services………………………………………………………...443-849-2050
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Glossary of Terms & Acronyms
An acronym is a term formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the major parts of
a compound term. This list explains acronyms used in this document and other acronyms
that are commonly used in health care. This list is not a legal document.
AHA
American Hospital Association – the AHA is the national organization
that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and
their patients and communities.
CCO
Community Care Organization – a CCO is a program that provides
comprehensive healthcare services to frail elders in an adult daycare
setting.
CMS
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid – the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, previously known as the Health Care Financing
Administration (HCFA), is a federal agency within the United States
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that administers the
Medicare program, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP), and health insurance portability standards. Additional
responsibilities include the administrative simplification standards from
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),
quality standards in long-term care facilities (more commonly referred to
as nursing homes) through its survey and certification process, and clinical
laboratory quality standards under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement
Amendments.
CON
Certificate of Need – A regulatory mechanism in Maryland intended to
ensure that new health care facilities and services are developed in
Maryland only as needed.
DBFP
Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning – State of Maryland
Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning is an executive department of
the State government that is responsible for the preparation of budget and
fiscal planning.
DBM
Department of Budget and Management – the Department of Budget and
Management helps the Governor, State agencies, and their employees
provide effective, efficient, and fiscally sound government to the citizens
of Maryland.
DHMH
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – State of Maryland
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is an executive department
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responsible for all health related issues. Also known as the “State Health
Department.”
DLS
Department of Legislative Services – DLS is the central professional
staffing agency for the General Assembly who provide legal, fiscal,
committee, research, reference, auditing, administrative, and technological
support to the members of the legislature and its committees.
FMAP
Federal Medical Assistance Percentage – Federal Medical Assistance
Percentages are used in determining the amount of Federal matching funds
for State expenditures for assistance payments for certain social services,
and State medical and medical insurance expenditures. The Social
Security Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to
calculate and publish the FMAPs each year.
GBMC
Greater Baltimore Medical Center
GBMC
HealthCare
Includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Gilchrist Hospice Care and
GBMC Foundation.
HHS
Department of Health and Human Services – the Department of Health
and Human Services is the United States government’s principal agency
for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human
services. HHS represents almost a quarter of all federal outlays, and it
administers more grant dollars than all other federal agencies combined.
HHS’ Medicare program is the nation’s largest health insurer, handling
more than 1 billion claims per year. Medicare and Medicaid together
provide health care insurance for one in four Americans.
HMO
Health Maintenance Organization – an HMO is a form of health insurance
in which members prepay a premium for health services, and which
generally includes a defined set of services made available through a
defined panel of physicians for enrollees at a preset price.
HSCRC
Health Services Cost Review Commission – the HSCRC was created by
the Maryland legislature in 1971 as a result of concern over escalating
hospital costs. The HSCRC sets the rates that Maryland's hospitals may
charge and works with Maryland’s hospitals to monitor the rate of
increase in hospital costs that Maryland residents must pay.
IOM
Institute of Medicine – the Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies is a nonprofit organization that provides science-based advice
on matters of biomedical science, medicine, and health.
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JCAHO
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations –
Established in 1951, the Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly
15,000 health care organizations and programs nationally. An
independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the
predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
MCO
Managed Care Organization – a MCO is a health organization that
finances and delivers health care using a specific provider network and
specific services and products.
MedChi
Medical and Chirurgical Society – State Medical Society - The Maryland
State Medical Society, (MedChi) represents about 6,500 physicians
statewide practicing in more than 50 medical specialties. MedChi is
composed of 24 component medical societies, plus a medical students’
and residents’ section.
MHA
Maryland Hospital Association – The Maryland Hospital Association
represents Maryland hospitals and health systems through leadership,
education, information, communication, and collective action in the public
interest. Members include acute care hospitals and health systems,
specialty hospitals — including psychiatric facilities — veteran’s
hospitals, chronic, and long-term-care facilities.
MHIP
Maryland Health Insurance Plan – MHIP is a state administered health
insurance program for Maryland residents who do not have access to
health insurance. The Maryland General Assembly established the
Maryland Health Insurance Plan under the Health Insurance Safety Net
Act of 2002.
MIA
Maryland Insurance Administration – the Maryland Insurance
Administration is an independent State agency that regulates Maryland’s
insurance industry and protects consumers by ensuring that insurance
companies and health plans act in accordance with insurance laws.
MIEMSS
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System –the
Maryland Emergency Medical Services System is a coordinated statewide
network that includes volunteer and career EMS providers, medical and
nursing personnel, communications, transportation systems, trauma and
specialty care centers and emergency department. MIEMSS oversees and
coordinates all components of the statement EMS system in accordance
with Maryland statute and regulation.
MHCC
Maryland Health Care Commission – The Commission’s responsibilities
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include: development of a comprehensive standard health benefit plan;
establishment of the HMO Quality and Performance Evaluation System;
establishment of the Nursing Home and Hospital Performance Evaluation
Guides and the Ambulatory Surgery Facility Consumer Guide;
development of recommendations for a patient safety system in Maryland
and other special projects; creation of a database on non-hospital health
care services; implementation of a certificate of need program for certain
health care facilities and services; adoption of a state health plan related to
certificate of need decisions; and oversight of electronic claims
clearinghouses.
NSP
Nurse Support Program – the NSP was created through legislation with
the goal of expanding the pool of nurses in Maryland by increasing the
capacity of nursing programs in two phases. The first statewide initiative
provided funding for graduate nursing faculty scholarships and living
expenses, new nursing faculty fellowships, and state nursing scholarship
and living expenses grants. The second program, the competitive
institutional grants initiative, expands the state’s nursing capacity through
shared resources, enhancing nursing student retention, and increasing the
pipeline for nurse faculty.
OB/GYN
Obstetrics and Gynecology – Obstetrics is the branch of medicine that
deals with birth and with its antecedents and sequels. Gynecology is the
branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and routine physical care
of the reproductive system of women.
OHCQ
Office of Health Care Quality – the Office of Health Care Quality's
mission is to protect the health and safety of Maryland’s citizens and to
ensure that there is public confidence in the health care and community
service delivery systems through regulatory, enforcement, and educational
activities.
SCHIP
State Children’s Health Insurance Program – the SCHIP law appropriates
funding to help States expand health coverage to children whose families
earn too much for traditional Medicaid, yet not enough to afford private
health insurance. Maryland, like all States with SCHIP plans, will receive
Federal matching funds only for actual expenditures to insure children.
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6701 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21204
GBMC HealthCare includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center,
Gilchrist Hospice Care and GBMC Foundation