Q: Why did EBCH decide to commission an EMS survey?

A: Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital (EBCH) has always been a supportive contributor to the Ely Area Ambulance Service (EAAS). We have provided them with various in-kind and financial support. However, in recent years, EBCH leadership began to hear concerns from our medical staff regarding emergency medical transportation of patients in relation to EAAS. Simultaneously, EBCH was asked to contribute more funding annually to support the service. As with any concerns, the EBCH Board of Directors conducted their due diligence by requesting financial and operational information from the EAAS before providing additional "cash" funding. This request resulted in further communication breakdown. EBCH looked for other ways to support Emergency Medical Service (EMS) throughout our service area. EBCH hired Safe Tech Solutions to complete a comprehensive regional study of EMS. In doing so, EBCH hopes to identify new, collaborative models that could be innovative and ensure that all of our local ambulance services are successful.

Q: Is EBCH’s goal to bring in a third-party ambulance service?

A: No. EBCH's primary goal is to provide the highest quality patient care possible. Part of that care is the peace of mind in knowing that, when needed, we can get our patients to a higher level of care as quickly as possible. EMS services nationwide, not just locally and statewide, are struggling. The team at Safe Tech Solutions includes working paramedics who help develop a sustainable model that can ensure viability for the future of EMS in our service area. Our decisions will always be in the best interest of our patients to ensure emergency medical transportation is available in the communities we serve.

Q: Has EBCH seen the survey results?

A: No. EBCH has not seen the survey results. Our experience has been that there are often delays with any large-scale project. They are typically unintended and certainly should not contribute to rumors or speculation. This work aims to provide high-quality care for our communities, and we will do everything possible to ensure this goal is met. However, since EBCH is the primary contact for the survey and has paid for its completion, we eagerly anticipate the results. We assure you that we are committed to transparency and will review the results

Q: What is Transitional Care?

A: Often, the road to recovery doesn’t lead straight home. Patients may need a little extra care following surgery, major illness, or injury. This is when they may need the services of a Transitional Care bed. In Transitional Care, patients can get the extra help they need to recover in a safe and secure environment with plenty of help and encouragement through hospital-based services such as Physical and Occupational Therapy. These stays are typically short and last ten to fourteen days.

Q: Why was this type of care formerly called a Swing Bed?

A: The term 'Swing Bed' was previously used by Medicare to describe extended care provided in a hospital setting. It was designed for patients who didn’t require a Skilled Nursing Facility like a Nursing Home but weren’t ready to return home. This program, now known as Transitional Care, was initially created for rural hospitals that might not have other care options available locally.

Q: How can I find out more about EBCH Transitional Care?

A: Our dedicated social worker is here to assist patients who need a Transitional Care bed. She plays a crucial role in connecting with discharge planners from larger facilities when patients are transferred from our Emergency Department to another hospital. She can advocate for patients to return to EBCH and recover closer to home, ensuring their needs are met. If you know in advance that you may need a Transitional Care bed (such as after surgery), we can work with you to help facilitate the process and ensure that your insurance will cover the costs. For more information, visit our Transitional Care web page or contact our social worker at 218-365-8758.

Q: What is Change Healthcare?

A: Change Healthcare is owned by UnitedHealth Group. It is an essential "pipeline" between healthcare insurers and providers. It electronically facilitates the flow of claims to insurance companies and the payments from insurance companies back to providers (e.g. EBCH). In addition to United Health Care, many payors (insurance companies) use Change Healthcare, including Atena, UCare, and Medica. Their claims clearinghouse processes approximately $2 trillion in claims annually.

Q: What happened with the breach?

A: In February, Change Healthcare was the victim of a cyberattack. A breach of this magnitude lends itself to the potential disclosure of confidential information, so they were forced to completely shut down their systems to prevent greater information loss. They have slowly worked to bring systems back online for the last month. However, electronic insurance verification for most companies remains down.

Q: Could this breach affect me?

A: Possibly. Because we cannot quickly verify insurance coverage electronically, there may be delays if you need a service or procedure that requires Prior Authorization. These Prior Authorizations must be verified manually, which entails calling the company. When we call the companies, hundreds of other healthcare providers nationwide are also calling. It can be an extensive and time-consuming process. Additionally, claims are taking significantly longer than usual to process. This means you may not receive a bill for your (patient responsibility) portion for some time following an appointment.

Q: What is Telehealth or Telemedicine?

A: Telehealth and Telemedicine have become prominent in medicine throughout the pandemic. These terms are often used interchangeably to describe a general distribution of healthcare-related services using electronic means and methods. The difference is often related to scope, with Telemedicine referring more to actual clinical services such as diagnosing and treating. At the same time, Telehealth often includes additional non-clinical work such as provider training or administrative work.

Q: What are some of the various methods of Telemedicine?

A: There are three main types of Telemedicine care delivery
1.) Store and Forward when data about a patient is collected through a medical device that the provider can later download.
2.) Remote Monitoring allows providers to get real-time information through various medical devices and is most often used to manage a patient with a chronic condition.
3.) Real-time interactions include live interactions between patients and providers using electronic devices. These interactions can include video conferencing platforms or adaptive technology for patients with disabilities such as hearing impaired.

Q: Is Telemedicine used at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital?

A: Yes —EBCH utilizes technology to deliver care for our patients in various ways. We have the option to contact with a Specialty providers through the Emergency Department for consultation on cases such as Mental Health crises. The Cardiopulmonary Department offers a Zio patch home device to monitor heart-related diagnoses. Even the Refill Rx app can be used to communicate with Ely Community Pharmacy and refill prescriptions.

Q: What is Medicare?

A: Medicare can seem complex and confusing, but essentially, Medicare is a federal insurance program that provides coverage for all individuals over 65, individuals under 65 who have specific disabilities, or individuals with end-stage renal disease.

Q: Why are Medicare Parts A & B considered “Original Medicare”?

A: Medicare Parts A and B were the original blueprint for Medicare coverage. Part A is typically free for individuals who paid into Medicare for a certain period throughout their career. It primarily covers hospital insurance for major medical events and possibly some home health or skilled nursing facilities. Medicare Part B is typically the medical insurance that costs you an out-of-pocket premium for annual physicals, diagnostic, or lab services. You may not need to purchase Medicare Part B if you or your spouse still work and insurance is offered through employment.

Q: What about Parts C and D?

A: Medicare Parts C and D are considered additional coverage. Part C is Medicare Advantage, which is private insurance that covers everything the original Medicare covers and often provides extra benefits for a monthly premium. Part D is specifically designed insurance to cover the cost of prescription drugs. Private insurance companies only offer Part D, which can often be part of a Medicare Advantage plan or purchased separately.

Q: EMTALA?

A: EMTALA stands for Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. Congress passed this act in 1986, ensuring access to emergency care for all individuals regardless of their ability to pay. This act states that any individual presenting to any emergency department will receive a medical screening and stabilizing treatment before deciding to transport the patient to another level of care.

Q: HIPAA?

A: HIPPA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. A federal law was created in 1996, establishing national standards to protect sensitive patient health information. HIPPA ensures that a patient’s health information is kept private and secure and that patients are notified if there are any breaches to their health information.

Q: HCAHPS?

A: HCAHPS stands for Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. In 2006, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) implemented the system to create the first standardized and publicly reported system for surveying patients on their hospital care. The surveys focus on 29 standard questions that address various aspects of a hospital stay. Hospitals utilize data for quality assurance and process improvement.

Q: What is a Critical Access Hospital?

A: In 1997, the federal government created the unique Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation for rural facilities with fewer than 25 beds and typically located at least 35 miles from a higher level of healthcare. Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital is one of 78 CAHs in Minnesota.

Q: Is EBCH a not-for-profit hospital?

A: Yes, EBCH, like most hospitals in MN, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3). This means that we provide care to all residents regardless of their ability to pay. It also means we must survey our community every three years with a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and identify community needs gaps. We must develop an implementation plan to identify partnerships and strategies to help meet those needs. Some of the past projects that EBCH has worked to address include access to specialty providers (such as orthopaedics and podiatry), daycare, and transportation.

Q: How is EBCH reimbursed as a Critical Access Hospital?

A: EBCH receives “cost-based” reimbursements as a Critical Access Hospital. CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) establishes payment based on hospital volumes and proximity to other healthcare facilities. In 2023, nearly 64% of individuals were covered by government insurance programs, with reimbursement rates currently around 20% less than the cost of the care provided.

Q: What is the Price Transparency Act?

A: The Hospital Price Transparency Act put in place regulations by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that require hospitals to make information about their standard charges available to the public. In doing so, patients have a better foundation for patient-driven healthcare, allowing them to see the costs associated with care before scheduling their appointments.

Q: Does EBCH offer Financial Assistance?

A: Yes, EBCH understands the burden of medical bills and how they can affect your family’s budget. We offer a variety of opportunities to ease the burden of medical expenses, including a Financial Assistance Program (FAP), payment plans, prompt pay discounts, and AblePay Health services. More information about these programs is available by visiting our Billing & Insurance page.

Q: Navigating healthcare billing is difficult; who can help me?

A: Ely-Bloomenson understands how difficult it can be to navigate your healthcare insurance and billing information. We have a wide variety of professionals who can help you understand your billing and payment options, including a fully staffed Business Office Team, a Patient Access Team Leader, and a Social Worker. Call us at 218-365-3271 during regular business hours, and our receptionist can direct your call to the appropriate support staff to get you the help and understanding you deserve.

Q: What are Outpatient Services?

A: Outpatient care is a type of healthcare service that does not require an overnight stay at a hospital and is usually scheduled by appointment. These services are typically separate from your routine primary care visit. They can include procedures, treatments, and consultations such as lab work, radiology services, physical and occupational therapy, or a diagnostic colonoscopy in the Surgery Department.

For instance, suppose you visit a Clinic for your annual physical, and your provider orders a follow-up test for your bone density. In that case, you can schedule an appointment as an outpatient with the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital (EBCH) Radiology Department. Separate entities are working together to care for you.

Q: Does EBCH offer Outpatient Services?

A: Yes, EBCH offers a wide variety of Outpatient Services. Some services include mammography, infusion therapy, chemotherapy, cardiopulmonary rehab, physical and occupational therapy services, and surgical procedures. For a complete list of what each EBCH department offers, visit ebch.org/services or call us at 218-365-3271. We have knowledgeable Receptionists who answer the phones during regular business hours and can answer your questions or direct your call.

Q: Do you need a referral for Outpatient Services?

A: You will need a provider referral for most procedures, such as colonoscopies or diagnostic imaging procedures. However, it is a patient’s choice where they would like their referrals to be sent. You can have an open conversation with your provider and let them know if you would prefer to have your services close to home. Let your provider know if you have barriers such as transportation or taking time off of work so they can help make the best decisions about where to get your care and always check with your insurance company to ensure coverage.

Q: What will happen in the upcoming legislative session that affects healthcare?

A: Our current legislative session in Minnesota is set to convene on February 12, 2024. There was much talk in last year’s session about the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act. This was a bill that would have imposed statewide staffing mandates for Hospitals. We anticipate these potential staffing mandates to be a topic again this year as the MN Nurses Association (MNA) is currently meeting with legislative leaders.

Q: What won’t we see during this session?

A: This session is not a budgeting session, so we most likely won’t see much happening regarding bonding or funds distribution throughout the State. Although we know many healthcare entities, including Hospitals and Emergency Medical Services statewide, ended last year with negative margins, we most likely will not see much funding during this session.

Q: Do hospitals need funding from the government?

A: According to a Press Release issued by the MN Hospital Association (MHA) on January 31, 2024, patient discharge delays cost Minnesota hospitals nearly half a billion dollars in 2023. A new comprehensive survey of patient care in Minnesota hospitals has found persistent, ongoing delays in discharges from emergency departments and inpatient care, resulting in tens of thousands of days of unnecessary hospital-level patient care and staggering financial losses. “Minnesota hospitals have gone from being a safety net, to being a catch-all for patient care,” said MN Hospital Association CEO and president Dr. Rahul Koranne. “This is a function they were never intended for, can’t afford, and isn’t good for patients. This gridlock is preventing Minnesotans from getting care that their lives depend on. Policy makers must act.” EBCH is not immune to these delays in getting patients to another level of care. It is currently challenging to find a facility for a patient who needs mental health or substance use disorder care, and they often wind up staying at EBCH for an extended time. If you would like a complete copy of the recent MHA Press Release, please contact jmartin@ebch.org.

Q: How will Artificial Intelligence (AI) impact healthcare in the future?

A: AI is all around us. We hear about it almost daily on the news. While it is unclear how AI will affect healthcare, we know it will likely impact how healthcare is delivered. We can only project that AI might allow for greater access to healthcare for patients, reduce human error, or assist medical professionals through advanced technology. EBCH is always working on strategic planning and looking at the future of healthcare. What will EBCH look like in 2030? We are excited to see!

Q: Can AI be used in scams?

A: Yes. We recently had an incident where the Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital CEO Patti Banks "seemingly" left voicemails on some of our patients' phones. That was not the case. These are typically scams perpetrated by using AI and cloning an individual's phone number or, in some cases, even their voice. We want to remind you to be cautious when confronted with a potential scam; never give out your personal information or pay money to them over the phone.

Q: How can I find out more information?

A: Call us at 218-365-3271. During regular business hours, a receptionist typically answers our phones and directs our calls. We pride ourselves on making as many personal connections with our patients as possible. If something seems wrong, trust your gut and call us. You can also visit our website at www.ebch.org for a full range of information about EBCH. We generally post urgent announcements on our Facebook page and share them with the "What's Up, Ely, MN" and "What's Up, Babbitt, MN" pages.

Q: Which Specialty Clinic Providers can I currently see at EBCH?

A: There are currently three Specialty Providers seeing patients monthly at EBCH. Dr. Harms and his staff from Orthopaedics Associates see patients twice monthly for all of their Orthopaedic needs. Podiatrist Dr. Katie Evans is on campus typically twice per month to see patients. She provides a full range of services to men, women and children for their feet and ankles. EBCH is also grateful to partner with Dr. John Bollins of Advances Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota to supply expert surgical services using our da Vinci surgical robot. Dr. Bollins is typically on campus four days per month for consultations, performing surgery, and seeing our patients for their follow-up.

Q: Do I need a referral?

A: It depends, some of our visiting providers can see you without a referral: however, you may want to be sure your insurance will cover the visit if you make the appointment on your own. We highly recommend that you talk with your Primary Care Provider and your insurance company if you would like to make an appointment with one of our Specialty Providers.

Q: How can I find out more information?

A: Call us at 218-365-8793 and our knowledgeable Specialty Clinic Team will answer your questions and get you started in the right direct. You can also visit our website at http://www.ebch.org for a full range of information on all the services offered here at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital.

Q: Who owns Ely Community Pharmacy?

A: Although Ely Community Pharmacy (ECP) is located next to the Essentia Health – Ely Clinic waiting area, ECP is owned and operated by Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital. ECP is a full-service retail pharmacy that offers easy prescription refills and transfers, vaccinations, and diabetic testing supplies.

Q: Is it too late to get my vaccinations?

A: It is not too late to get your vaccinations. Currently, Ely Community Pharmacy has vaccinations available on a walk-in basis every Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm. Influenza, RSV, Shingles, Pneumonia, and Tetanus (Boostrix) vaccinations and the latest COVID-19 boosters are fully stocked and waiting for you!

Q: How can I refill my prescription?

A: You can refill your prescription at Ely Community Pharmacy in various ways.

• Stop in and request a refill at the counter during regular business hours.
  • Monday – Friday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Saturday: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Call us at 218-365-8788 and follow our automated prompts.
• Use our convenient mobile app, RxLocal.
  • Download for free from your phone’s app store.