Session 1: Human Trafficking and Health Professionals: Look Beneath the Surface and H.E.A.R. your Patient

Sarah Koransky
Education Specialist
United Against Human Trafficking · Houston, TX

ABSTRACT:
This session will focus on the impact that health professionals can have in the fight to end human trafficking.  Research that indicates that 88% of human trafficking victims encountered the health care system while in captivity but were not identified. This program aims to increase awareness among healthcare professionals and provide them with the skills necessary to help identify and respond to potentials victims.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify a victim of trafficking and the necessary elements
2. Distinguish human trafficking from other crimes
3. Communicate the importance of human trafficking protocols

Session 2: Medical Necessity Denials: A Focus on Prevention

Lisa Begeman, RN, BSN, ACM, IQCI
Clinical Consultant
Change Healthcare · Conifer, TX

ABSTRACT:
Over the past year, the presenter has conducted hundreds of chart audits throughout the United States. It is no surprise that the number one issue healthcare organization seek assistance with is their denial rate. Because of conducting these audits, she has identified where repeatedly organizations are falling short and how the implementation of small changes can have a big impact. During this presentation best practices will be reviewed as well as steps your organization can take upfront to establish medical necessity, document clinical needs and avoid the need to manage denials on the backend.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify areas where your organization may be falling short in the medical review process which are increasing your risk of being denied due to lack of medical necessity.
2. Establish strategies your organization can implement on the frontend to prevent denials on the backend.
3. Recognize simple steps that you can take to manage denials when they do occur.

Session 3: Transitional Care Plan with an Integrated Clinical Network

Lori Ann Blanton, DNP, RN, ACM
Director of Case Management
Encompass Health of Katy · League City, TX

ABSTRACT:
The demand for healthcare reform requires hospitals’ practice change from a focus of discharging patients from the acute setting back into community to process a transitioning patient to post-acute providers. The acute hospital’s reform to a transitional care planning process improves the length of stay and reduces 30-day readmissions. The presentation describes the utilization of the Care Coordination Model to implement transitional planning interventions for patients with heart failure. The transitional care planning involves transitioning from the acute setting to a preferred post-acute provider.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Determine strategies for improving discharge outcomes for patients.
2. Identify common reasons for readmissions in less than 30-days.
3. Master a terminology tactic to change perception of discharges from acute.

Session 4: Texas Legislative Update

Juliana Kerker
Director · Government Relations
HCA Healthcare · Austin, TX

Meghan Weller
Director · Government Relations
HCA Healthcare · Austin, TX

ABSTRACT:
The 2019 Texas Legislative session has wrapped, and the 2020 elections will be here before you know it.  This presentation will give you an update on what happened in the Texas Legislature, and what we anticipate being hot issues looking ahead to primary elections and implications for health care.  Proposals like “Medicare for All” and possible impacts will be discussed.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Review ethical standards for nurse case managers and social workers
2. Analyze “Medicare for All” type proposals.
3. Review of “Medicare for All” proposals and possible impact.

Session 5: Beyond Paternalism: Helping Patients Articulate and Advocate

Jerry Procell, DMin, BCC
Manager of Chaplaincy Services · Chaplaincy Services & Spiritual Care
Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital · Houston, TX

ABSTRACT:
Advances in health care have enabled people to live longer lives. What are some of the issues that arise with these advances? What are some of the core ethical principles and how are they applied? This presentation will review these questions as well as provide ways of supporting aging/ill individuals their families.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Define ethics and principles.
2. Apply questions in addressing ethical quandaries.
3. Help patients and families articulate and advocate for themselves.