Systems of Care

Thanks to the generous support and substantial investment of the The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and other valued funders and partners, STEMI patients in rural Minnesota will have a chance at better outcomes.  Mission: Lifeline – Rural Minnesota, a three-year initiative led by the American Heart Association (AHA), will enhance the capacity, systematic response, and quality of care provided to Minnesota’s rural STEMI patients; and, by connecting all efforts throughout Minnesota, will result in a statewide STEMI system of care that saves lives throughout the entire state.  Yesterday, details of the program were announced during a press event at the State Capitol.

 Check out this Minnesota Connection news story on the initiative:

A major new initiative from the American Heart Association aims to save lives in Minnesota by improving and streamlining heart attack care in the state.

According to Mindy Cook, director of Mission Lifeline, the project will ensure that all ambulances have the proper equipment to allow for the quick diagnosis of what's called a STEMI heart attack, also known as the "widow maker."

"It's very important to identify that heart attack as early as possible, ideally in the ambulances," she said, "and then have a treatment plan for triaging that patient as quickly as possible at the referral hospital, so the artery can be opened within the guideline time of 90 to 120 minutes."  Click here.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/06/13/daily-circuit-heart-attacks?refid=0

Sigh.  This picture sums up how I felt yesterday.

This legislative session, which started out with much promise, may very well end with the swipe of the Governor’s veto pen.  The Governor has vetoed a bill that would have allowed Maine youth, our next generation of heroes, to learn Hands Only CPR.  Despite a valiant effort from AHA volunteers and our allies in the state house, we were unable to override his veto in the Senate.  We lost by 2 votes.  We were told that it was not due to the merits of the bill, which unanimously passed both chambers, but because of “external politics.” 

This defeat is added to the Governor’s veto of a bill that would have accepted Federal funds to give 70,000 Maine residents a chance to afford health care.  Also, at 5:00 AM today I learned that instead of listening to smart public health policy and trying to reduce youth smoking, the Appropriations Committee has not included a cigarette tax or a tax on non-cigarette tobacco to the biennial budget.  Instead they are seeking to raise the sales tax by 1/2 a cent, increasing meals and lodging taxes by 1% and making deep cuts to services that benefit all Maine residents.

Once again, politics trumps smart policy. 

I want to stress that we had some real champions in the Legislature who work really hard to do the right thing.  They will be featured in future blog posts.  Unfortunately, they are just outnumbered.

I know that some of you are paying attention to the pulse oximetry bill. The good news is that the bill is still in play, although the rumor is that the Governor has his cap off the veto pen for this lifesaving bill as well.  We will just have to see and not give up.

We are also not giving up on the idea that 70,000 hardworking, lower income Mainers deserve health care.  After the Governor vetoed the first bill, we supported another.  We are working very hard to pass that one by 2/3rds, so that this time, the veto pen won't be enough to stop good policy.

We will not give up until the adjournment bell rings (supposedly in a few weeks).  That is the thing about the legislative process.  You suffer defeats, lick your wounds, thank your allies and head right back into the fray.

Monday is the beginning of a new week.  Let’s sharpen our claws and get back to work.

Becky.smith@heart.org  207-523-3007

If we can help save a child’s life, shouldn’t we? With a simple pulse oximetry screening, it really is as simple as that.  It’s time for New York to make pulse oximetry a requirement for all babies.

It’s quick, painless and inexpensive, but more importantly, it can save lives. Before a newborn leaves the hospital, a routine pulse oximetry test – a small clip hooked to a finger or toe to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood – helps identify heart defects, potentially saving a life. Despite this, pulse ox is not required in New York, allowing thousands of parents to take their child home without knowing the condition of their heart.

Congenital heart defects (CHD), are the most common birth defect in the U.S. and the leading killer of infants with birth defects. Wider use of pulse ox screening could help identify more than 90 percent of heart defects, making the argument for it pretty self-evident.

Many states have already passed laws requiring newborns to have pulse ox screenings prior to being discharged from the hospital. In New Jersey, just hours after their law took effect, a newborn’s life was saved.

It’s time for New York to do its part. And we are getting closer but we need your help.  Visit the Action Center and take action today.  You're voice can make the difference.

This couldn't have happened without your help!   Thanks to your help, the bill to screen all babies for heart defects passed the Assembly

Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and get the Senate to quickly pass the bill and then send it to the Governor's desk.  

Thanks for all your help for small hearts!  I will keep you posted on our progress.

Julie

When a baby is born, all parents check to make sure their child is healthy…Ten fingers, ten toes. Brown eyes, dad’s nose…

But is she healthy?

It’s time for pulse oximetry.

When a baby is born, there is so much to be excited about. Is it a boy or a girl? Who does she look like? What color is his hair? But at the end of the day, parents just want a healthy baby.

If we can help save a child’s life, shouldn’t we? With pulse oximetry screening, it really is as simple as that.

It’s quick and painless, but more importantly, it can save lives. Before a baby leaves the hospital, the test helps identify heart defects, potentially saving its life. Despite this, pulse ox is not required in all states, allowing thousands of parents to take their child home without knowing the condition of their heart.

We need pulse oximetry now!

But don’t just take our word for it. The evidence speaks for itself: Wider use of pulse ox screening could help identify more than 90 percent of heart defects.

And in case you need more convincing: Congenital heart defects (CHD), are the most common birth defect in the U.S. and the leading killer of infants with birth defects. And they cost money: In 2004, hospital costs for all individuals with CHD totaled $2.6 billion.

Several states have already passed laws requiring newborns to have pulse ox screenings prior to being discharged from the hospital. In New Jersey, just hours after their law took effect, a newborn’s life was saved.

It’s time to ensure our children have healthy hearts. It’s time to make pulse oximetry a requirement for all babies. But we need your help. You can be a part of the movement to make pulse ox a requirement for every newborn in our state.   What do you think? Let us know by posting a comment.

The Senate will start debating their budget and we are asking for their support for critical funding for key prevention programs. We knew it was going to be a tough budget year we feel that it is still important for the Legislature to make investments in public health and access to care. We are asking for support for our priorities:  

• Amendment #699 from Senator Rush to increase the funding Department of Public Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program funding.
• Amendment #13 from Senator Chandler to minimum packaging requirement for cheap, kid-friendly cigars
• Amendment #595 from Senator Montigny to ensure that stroke patients have access to the highest quality of care
• Amendment #714 from Senator Richard Moore to create an AED Trust Fund to ensure that funds are available to schools, senior centers and other high risk places in the community. 
• Amendment #634 from Senator Joyce to create the FMAP Trust Fund to receive enhanced federal Medicaid matching revenues and its funds dedicated to support Medicaid low-income programs.
• Amendment #546 from Senator Jehlen to invest in MassHealth operations and systems improvements to ensure access to care for low-income residents.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Massachusetts -- more than 8,000 of our residents lose their lives to tobacco each year while hundreds of thousands more suffer from its health consequences.  Tobacco-related health care expenses annually costs Massachusetts $4.3 billion – 10% of all our health care costs. The DPH tobacco control program is underfunded.  Next year the State will receive $1 Billion from tobacco related revenue. We need to fund the prevention and cessation program to help people kick this deadly habit and to prevent kids from starting to smoke. We need to protect our kids and not Big Tobacco. There are many products that look like candy, smell like candy, and are cheaper than candy but they are in fact deadly. According to the Department of Public Health, high school students in Massachusetts are now using these cheap cigars more cigarettes. We need to require minimum packaging for cheap, kid-friendly cigars.

Stroke is the nation's No. 3 killer and a leading cause of long-term disability and every year, about 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke, and 160,000 of them die. On average, every 45 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke and someone dies of a stroke every 3 to 4 minutes. Today, 5.7 million Americans are stroke survivors, and as many as 30 percent of them are permanently disabled, requiring extensive and costly care. Death and disability from stroke are projected to nearly double by 2032. The development of stroke systems of care, including the establishment of a primary stroke center, can significantly increase the proportion of patients who receive improved stroke care. Quick and attentive care of a stroke victim is the key to determining the quality of the rest of their life.

Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation, with an automated external defibrillator (AED), can more than double a victim’s chance of survival. In fact, early defibrillation, along with CPR, is the only way to restore the SCA victim’s heart rhythm to normal. We need to ensure that our communities have comprehensive AED programs that so that we can achieve high survival rates.

We believe these initiatives will provide for a healthier citizenry in Massachusetts and will save health care dollars and

May is American Stroke Month.

Every 40 seconds someone has a stroke and every four minutes someone dies of a stroke. But stroke is largely preventable, treatable, and beatable with your help.

The American Heart Association is working to improve acute stroke care in Vermont. Together with the Vermont Department of Health and the Vermont Stroke Work Group we’re working to get Vermont hospitals to implement recommendations for a quality stroke system of care. 

As a way to be a part of Stroke Month and build momentum please click here to tell legislators about this new stroke project.

 And take a minute yourself to learn a F.A.S.T. way to remember stroke warnings signs and the need to act quickly.

F-Face Drooping

A-Arm Weakness

S-Speech Difficulty

T-Time to Call 9-1-1  

We’re all working hard to make pulse ox a requirement in New York, and we know that the more people help out, the better. But how do we reach people in our community who are not yet advocates? Meet them at a common medium, like a newspaper, used by most of the community. Letters to the editor can be effective in reaching groups outside You’re the Cure and validates the message because it comes from a real person in the community: their neighbor.

We’ve provided an outline to help you get started on your LTE. The best part of an LTE is that it reflects the tone of its author, which is why we’ve only provided an outline, not a template. We want your voice to shine through! Before you start writing, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Visit your local newspaper’s website to learn how to submit your LTE. If necessary, give your editor a call and ask the preferred method of submission.
2. Make sure you leave your name and contact information (including phone number) when you submit. The newspaper will need to contact you to verify you truly submitted the letter before they can publish it.
3. LTEs should be short. Try to keep your message around 100 words.

LTE Outline

1. Share your story: If you have a pulse ox story, consider sharing it here so you can make a personal connection from the start. Make sure you explain what pulse ox is upon your first mention of it (feel free to use fact 3a. below for this explanation).
2. State your intent: Right after you share your story, state your intent: to get decision-makers to make pulse oximetry a requirement in New York.
3. Back up your intent with facts:Here are some facts you can include in your LTE to give credibility to your appeal:

1. Pulse oximetry is a screening that checks a baby’s blood oxygen level through sensors placed on their toe and finger. The results can indicate whether a child has a congenital heart defect (CHD) or not. It’s fast, painless and affordable, costing approximately five dollars, and most importantly, it can save lives.
2. It’s quick and painless, but more importantly, it can save lives. Before a baby leaves the hospital, the test helps identify heart defects, potentially saving its life.
3. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defect in the U.S. and the leading killer of infants with birth defects. And they cost money: in 2004, hospital costs for all individuals with CHD totaled $2.6 billion.
4. Wider use of pulse ox screening could help identify more than 90 percent of heart defects.
5. In New Jersey, just hours after their law took effect, a newborn’s life was saved.

• Restate your intent: Urge lawmakers one more time to pass pulse ox legislation and then end with a charge for other people in your community to do the same. Caring for children truly is a community effort, and we need help from all our neighbors and friends. Make sure to direct them to YouretheCure.org so they can learn how they can get involved. 

 Let us know if you plan to submit or if you have submitted a LTE! You can let us know by replying to this post!  We want to hear from you!  And if you need any help at all let us know by replying to this post and we are happy to reach out!

For this legislative update, we have some exciting news regarding one of our top federal legislative priorities, National Institutes of Health Funding.  At the state level, we have been very busy seeing positive movement on our top issues.  As always, thank you for your efforts and please stay tuned to your email for more information and alerts so you know when we need your help!

Federal Update:

Last week we learned that Senator Richard Burr has co-authored a “Dear Colleague” letter with Senator Casey of Pennsylvania to urge their peers to support a strong commitment to NIH funding.  Senator Burr is showing great leadership on this issue.  Please send Senator Burr a thank you message and then, ask Senator Hagan to sign on to the letter. 

Thank Senator Burr: http://www.burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Ask Senator Hagan to sign onto the Casey-Burr Letter: http://www.hagan.senate.gov/contact/

State Update:

SB 98: Require Pulse Oximetry Newborn Screening –passed the Senate unanimously and has now been assigned to the House Health Committee.  We are making great progress and have had unanimous votes showing lawmaker support.   Now we just need to get one chamber to take up the others’ bill and then drive this on to the Governor!

SB 456: Designate Primary Stroke Centers –passed the Senate on Thursday unanimously!  Senator Pate did a brilliant job presenting the legislation on the Senate Floor.  Next, it will be read into the House and assigned to a House Committee.  More to come!

Tobacco Control Program Funding:  We have been continuing to work on this issue talking with top Senators involved with the budget process.  Now that the Governor has presented his budget and we have passed tax day, the Senate is focusing heavily on the state budget.  We expect that the Senate will introduce their budget by mid-May. 

Bills of Concern:  SB 612, SB 703, HB 683 - all have preemption provisions.  Specifically, SB 612 has a provision that would result in broad preemption; SB 703 rolls back on smoke-free law as it relates to outdoor spaces and community college campuses; and HB 683 has what is being called the anti-Bloomberg provision because it would prohibit ordinances which would regulate beverage cup sizes.   These bills could stop local communities from implementing policies to protect their citizens.  At this time we are assessing these bills and working closely with partners to determine next steps. 

Learn more about what preemption means:  http://publichealthlawcenter.org/topics/other-public-health-law/preemption-public-health.   

If you have questions, please contact me.  Thank you for your support.

Betsy Vetter
NC Director of Government Relations

For some, spring break is a time to get away.  Many families take vacation while the kids are out of school.  In advocacy, it is a great time to advance our policy efforts. 

The last two weeks, legislators have been back home for time to refresh before returning to work on the budget.  However, their aides are still busy working!  Therefore, it has been the best time to follow up on your meeting feedback from advocacy day. 

The last two weeks, there have been days with meetings every half hour all day long.  Re-enforcing your meetings from advocacy day and your email messages allow us to continue the dialogue.

Now, your help is needed!  Here are our Return from Spring Break Top Three List:

• Visit the Action Center and click through the alerts.  Sending messages now will make sure legislators haven't forgotten about us and will leave us top of their mind when session begins on Tuesday afternoon.
• Share your activity on Facebook.  Once you click through the alerts, you can post it easily to Facebook.  Encourage others to let their voice be heard.
• Tag your legislators.  If you follow any of your legislators on Facebook, tag them in a post about your action.  It is another great way to remind them (and their followers) of the importance of heart health policies.

As a reminder, our key issues are:

• Pulse oximetry screening of all Ohio newborns.  The bill has passed the Ohio Senate, but House action is needed!
• Health Education Standards.  A co-sponsor letter is currently out in the House.  Help encourage your member to become a co-sponsor.
• Shared Use. Policy to create more opportunities for physical activity locally is a good thing for all communities.  With quick state action, we can make a difference!
• Stroke Policy.  We know what great coordinated stroke care looks like.  We had a bill last year that would have made the necessary improvements to Ohio's system.  New legislation is needed.
• Tobacco Prevention Funding.  Ohio is ranked 50th for state tobacco prevention funding.  Our adult and youth use rates are increasing.  By restoring funding to at least previous funding levels, we can reduce the negative impact of tobacco use.