CAH Quality Network Webinar

September 16, 2010; 10:30am-12:00pm
The next bi-monthly CAH Quality Network Webinar will take place on September 16. This call, geared towards CAH Quality Directors is an opportunity for education, best-practice sharing, and updates. For more information, email jd@coruralhealth.org.

2010 CAH Advisory Council Meeting

November 4-5, 2010; Aurora, CO
This annual meeting brings together participants from CRHC, CAHs, and community partners to discuss Colorado’s CAH Program accomplishments and gather input on direction for the coming year. This year’s all-day meeting will take place on November 5 at the DoubleTree Hotel Southeast in Aurora with two, half-day pre-conference CAH workshops on November 4: a Board Training Workshop and a Quality Improvement Workshop. Registration information will be available soon.

Board Training Webinar

The next webinar in the 2010 CAH/RHC Board Series, “What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You: Legal/Fiduciary Responsibilities of Directors”, will take place on September 21, 2010 from 4:30-6:00. For more information and to register, click here.

CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum

Tuesday, September 14, 2010; 2pm-3pm ET
The next Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health Open Door Forum is scheduled for September 14. To participate, dial 800.837.1935; Conference ID 91965046. These calls address RHC, CAH and FQHC issues, as well as some inclusion of other questions and concerns that occur in clinical practice pertaining to other CMS payment systems that also extend into these settings. Timely announcements and clarifications regarding important rulemaking, quality program initiatives, and other related areas are also included in the Forums.

IHI Expedition – Reducing CA-UTI Infections

CA-UTI infections account for more than 30% of all hospital-acquired infections and the impact of these procedural changes can be far reaching. Outcomes, patient care, and quality will all improve, while costs come down. To provide best practices, and support hospitals in successful implementation, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is offering its latest web-based Expedition, Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections. This program will give teams the opportunity to learn from both expert faculty and other participants to reduce their instances of CA-UTI and improve patient care. Hospitals with under 50 beds may be eligible for 50% off the cost of enrollment.

Consultant Needed for Nonprofit Dental Start-up

The Aspen to Parachute Dental Health Coaltion (APDHC) is looking for a consultant to walk them through the process of becoming a sound, sustainable, dental health organization that will one day become a free standing 501(c)(3). The goal is to have an organization that will provide dental healthcare to all ages in the Garfield County and Pitkin County area. They are looking for a firm that will have the skills to help begin this type of organization and guide the group towards making the best choices when it comes to timing, finances, local factors, business models, etc. The Coalition is a very dedicated and hard working team -looking for knowledgeable insight, leadership, financial expertise, and guidance from an experienced outside agency. A basic business plan has already been developed, and the Coalition is now accepting bids.

Download the RFP by clicking here.  Please contact Carrie Godes, of Garfield County Public Health, with questions and to submit a bid, at 970.625.5200 x 8122, or cgodes@garfield-county.com.

$32 million awarded to support rural health priorities

Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced on Monday $32 million in funding for rural hospitals, workforce, veterans and telehealth to increase access to healthcare for Americans living in rural areas. The funds reach across seven programs administered by the Office of Rural Health Policy in HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The Colorado Rural Health Center received $566,000, which will go to supporting Critical Access Hospitals and HIT implementation.  Another Colorado facility, Plains Medical Center in Limon, also received a grant of $199,897 for rural health workforce development.

Lists of awards from HRSA’s 2010 appropriation can be found here.

2010 Seasonal Influenza Q&As

The Colorado Immunization Program has released a list of 2010 Seasonal Influenza Q&A’s. To access the document, click here.

HRSA HIT and Quality Webinar

Friday, August 27, 2010; 2-3:30 EST
As HRSA grantees and the safety net community work to become Meaningful Users of HIT, it is important for providers to assess their current health IT capabilities and evaluate where their meaningful use gaps exist. The presenters of this webinar, "Tips for Conducting Meaningful Use Gap Analysis within the Safety Net Community", will provide tips on how HRSA grantees and the safety net community can evaluate and conduct meaningful use gap analysis. The presenters on this webinar come from a health center, rural health center, and health center controlled network and will present on their experiences and tips regarding this topic. To attend, click here. The password is "portal".

2010 Board Webinar Series

Please join us for the 2010 Board Webinar Series hosted by CRHC and presented by Charney Associates. This series, geared towards Boards and CEOs, will build upon the sessions presented in 2009, but will also be appropriate for new attendees. Click on the links below for more information and to register for the upcoming webinars.

• September 21; 4:30-6:00: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You: Legal/Fiduciary Responsibilities of Directors
• October 19; 4:30-6:00: CEO Evaluation: Are We Getting What We Asked For?
• November 4; Workshop: 12:00-4:00: Details and registration available soon

Rural Health Care Universal Service Support Mechanism - Proposed Rule

The Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on a package of reforms that would expand the use of broadband to improve the quality and delivery of health care, and addresses each of the major recommendations in the National Broadband Plan regarding the Commission's rural health care program. The Commission proposes three major changes to the rural health care program.

• To create a health infrastructure program that would support up to 85 percent of the construction costs of new or upgraded regional or statewide dedicated broadband networks for health care purposes.
• To create a health broadband services program that would provide 50 percent of the monthly recurring costs for access to broadband services for eligible health care providers.
• To expand the definition of "eligible health care provider'' to include administrative offices, data centers, skilled nursing facilities, and renal dialysis centers.

The Commission also proposes to eliminate the offset contribution rule for the rural health care program, and seeks comment on prioritizing funding requests, and establishing performance measures. Comments on the proposed rule are due on or before September 8, 2010. For more information, click here.

TraiBlazer Updated Job Aides

TrailBlazer has updated the Job Aides for CAH Top Billing Errors and CRNA Pass-Through Exemption. To access the job aides, click here.

RUPRI Rural Policy Brief: Rural Medicare Advantage Modest Enrollment Growth in 2010

Despite a slight drop in enrollment and a dramatic shift in the landscape of the rural Medicare Advantage (MA) market in early 2010, MA plans have experienced modest growth in enrollment in rural areas over the last two quarters of 2010. The majority of the growth is concentrated in preferred provider organization plans, counteracting a decline in private fee-for-service plan enrollment. To access the full policy brief from RUPRI, click here.

TrailBlazer Part A J4 Provider Outreach and Education Advisory Group

The Part A Provider Outreach and Education (POE) department is conducting its annual membership drive to recruit members for the 2010–2011 Part A J4 POE Advisory Group (POE-AG)! The Part A POE-AG includes representatives from various types of Part A facilities and state and local associations in the J4 Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) jurisdiction. The POE-AG assists TrailBlazer with the creation, implementation and review of provider education strategies and efforts. Members are invited to participate in quarterly teleconferences to provide input and feedback on training topics, provider educational materials, and dates and locations of provider education workshops and events. Applications are due no later than August 23, 2010. For more information, click here.

CMS Listening Session – Medicare Beneficiaries Receiving Extended Observations Services as Hospital Outpatient

August 24, 2010; 2:00 pm EST
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites you to a listening session regarding the recent trend of Medicare beneficiaries receiving extended observation care as a hospital outpatient. This is an opportunity for the beneficiary and hospital communities to share their experiences with extended observation care in the hospital setting. Registration for telephone attendees closes at 12:00pm EST on August 24. To register, click here.

CDC’s Public Health Grand Rounds Tackles the Vitamin D Controversy

August 19, 2010; 9.a.m. EDT
We invite you to watch the next session of CDC’s Public Health Grand Rounds, entitled “The Importance of Monitoring Vitamin D Status in the U.S.” which will be webcast live from CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, August 19, at 9 a.m. (EDT), with an archived video being made available on August 21. These sessions are now available for Continuing Education (CE) credits (*). Vitamin D has become a controversial nutrition issue. This session of Public Health Grand Rounds will review the latest evidence of vitamin D’s effectiveness and safety, while discussing challenges in how to best measure and define vitamin D status.

Medicare FFS 5010 Program: Taking EDI to the Next Level

August 25, 2010; 2:00pm To 3:30pm EST
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host its ninth national education call regarding Medicare FFS’s implementation of HIPAA Version 5010 and D.0 transaction standards on August 25, 2010. This session will focus on the 835 Electronic Remittance Advice transaction. Subject matter experts will review Medicare FFS specific changes as well as general information to help the audience prepare for the transition; the presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. The presentation will be available on the CMS website by clicking here. Please bookmark this new “5010 National Calls” web page.

Conference call details: Registration will close at 2:00 p.m. ET on August 24, 2010, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time. To register for the call, click here. Fill in all required data. Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box. Click "Register". You will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter.

McKesson: Certified Professional in Healthcare Management Program

Mckesson Health Solutions is bringing its Certified Professional in Healthcare Management (CPHM) certification program to Houston on November 9-10, 2010.

• Program details
• Registration form
• More information available on McKesson’s website

Register Now! CRHC CAH Board Series

CRHC is pleased to offer its 2010 CAH Board Training Series. Registration is available for all three webinars by clicking on the links below.

• Board Webinar I – August 24; 4:30-6:00: Key Elements of a Sound Board/CEO Relationship
• Board Webinar II – September 21; 4:30-6:00: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You: Legal/Fiduciary Responsibilities of Directors
• Board Webinar III – October 19; 4:30-6:00: CEO Evaluation: Are We Getting What We Asked For?
• Board Workshop – November 4; 12:00-4:00: Details and registration available soon

18th Annual Leadership Symposium of the Colorado Organization of Nurse Leaders

September 14, 2010
Register today for this event!

PECOS?

Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners – Have you tried Internet-based PECOS for your Medicare enrollment actions? For more information, click here and scroll down to the CMS Provider Partnership E-mail Archive article.

CMS Approves 18 Medical Necessity Issues for RAC Review

The first set of approved medical necessity issues were posted August 12 by CGI, the Region B RAC, following an AHA announcement earlier this week that the initial review audits were approved by CMS, and would be released within two weeks.

Medical necessity issues have been a hot topic for months. In a May CMS Open Door Forum call, a CMS representative suggested that medical necessity issues had been submitted to CMS, but CMS had not yet approved them -- yet anticipated doing so in the "near future." However, the delay comes as no surprise, according to Michael Taylor, MD, senior medical director of government and regulatory affairs at Executive Health Resources in Newtown Square, PA.

"This is very consistent with the pattern we’ve seen with RACs since the roll out of the permanent program," he says. "CMS has been very deliberate in vetting the subjects that RACs are allowed to review." Eighteen issues for medical necessity review were posted to the CGI website today today, and all but one of them comes as no surprise, according to Taylor. For more information, click here.

Rural Prenatal & Oral Health Articles from the Rural Monitor Newsletter

Innovative Programs Aim to Prevent Premature Births
by Candi Helseth, Rural Monitor Newsletter
Having lost four babies since her son was born eight years ago, April McFadden successfully carried Michael, now three, to full term and is currently in the third trimester of another pregnancy. McFadden gives credit to Best Babies, a program begun in 2006 to reduce preterm births in four rural southern Georgia counties designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Read the rest of this article on the Rural Assistance Center website.

Finding New Ways to Meet Oral Health Needs in Rural Areas
by Candi Helseth

Teddy Tooth, mascot for the Early Smiles oral health program, has become a familiar figure in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he visits local schools and marches in parades.Nationwide dentist shortages are prompting rural providers to look for new ways to meet oral health needs. Residents with Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency (MDFMR) have added dental clinics to their patient care regimen. In Storm Lake, Iowa, school and home health nurses are giving oral exams and fluoride treatments to children as part of a broader-based program known as Early Smiles.

Read the rest of this article on the Rural Assistance Center website.

CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum

The next Rural Health Open Door Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14, 2010 from 2pm-3pm ET. To participate, dial 800.837.1935 and use Conference ID 91965046.

2010 Rural Behavioral Health Symposium

September 21-23, 2010; Glendale, AZ
The 2010 Rural Behavioral Health Symposium is sponsored by the Child, Adolescent and Family Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, SAMHSA, WICHE, the National Technical Assistance Center for Children`s Mental Health at Georgetown University, and the Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health. The symposium will focus on practical strategies to address the behavioral health needs of children and families in rural America. For additional information about the symposium, click here.

Four regional audio conferences offer best practices to minimize RAC impact

Join HCPro for these 90-minute live audio conferences, RAC Audits in Your Region: Strategies for Success. Our speakers will provide specific information about your RAC:

• Region A, DCS Healthcare on September 14
• Region B, CGI Technologies and Solutions, Inc. (CGI) on September 28
• Region C, Connolly Healthcare on September 22
• Region D, HealthDataInsights (HDI) on September 21

Select your region's event and listen with your RAC Team. You will learn strategies from the trenches and best practices to minimize the impact of the RAC program.

For more information or to register, call 800.650.6787 and mention Source Code EXPRESS or click the appropriate link above.

Proposed Emergency Department Outpatient Transfer Communication Measure

As reported to you last week, CMS has proposed an emergency department outpatient transfer communication quality measure they believe will be relevant to rural providers. If it is adopted this will set the precedent for measures that speak to the unique nature of rural, in an environment where the focus of reporting outcomes is increasingly important. Click here for a summary from CMS. Click here to access the proposed regulation (page 46374). CMS is accepting comments until August 31. Additionally, a recently released report from the Flex Monitoring Team provides information on the measure which assesses the quality of key patient information communicated from an ED to a referral hospital. To access the report, click here.

Health Care Expansion Population Stakeholder Conference Series

Join the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing for an overview of the new Medicaid expansion programs and the current status of their development. There will be opportunity for attendees to share their thoughts and feedback about the programs. The Medicaid expansion programs to be discussed at this conference are for adults without dependent children up to 100% FPL, working adults with disabilities and children with disabilities.  To register, click here.

If you are unable to attend in person or if the sessions are full, you will have the option to call in. Information about calling in will be provided closer to the meeting date.

Dates and Locations:

• September 22 - Fort Morgan Clarion Inn
• September 30 - Steamboat Springs Sheraton Steamboat Resort
• October 7 - Montrose Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
• October 13 - Lafayette Imagine! Conference Center
• October 21 - Gunnison Quality Inn
• November 4 - Trinidad Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
• November 9 - Colorado Springs Double Tree Hotel

Conference Topics:

• Expansion Program for Adults without Dependent Children up to 100% FPL
• Medicaid Buy-In Program for Adults with Disabilities
• Medicaid Buy-In Program for Children with Disabilities
• Resources and Information for working adults with disabilities in need of public assistance and the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG)
• Department outreach efforts targeting the expansion populations

Contact outreach@hcpf.state.co.us with questions.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month

This annual health observance is a great opportunity to educate seniors and other people with Medicare about the importance of disease control and prevention through immunization.

• Medicare Part B Immunization BenefitsMedicare provides coverage for seasonal influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccines and their administration, under Medicare Part B, for qualified beneficiaries as preventive immunizations. Providers who accept the Medicare-approved payment amount for these services are reimbursed under Medicare Part B.
• Seasonal Influenza Immunization
  Medicare provides payment for the seasonal influenza vaccine and its administration for all people with Medicare, once per influenza season, in the fall or winter. Medicare may cover additional influenza vaccinations, if medically necessary. (Note: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2010 – 2011 influenza vaccine will protect against the 2009 H1N1, and two other influenza viruses)
• Pneumococcal Immunization
  Medicare provides payment for the pneumococcal vaccine and its administration for all beneficiaries, generally once in a lifetime. Medicare may cover additional vaccinations based on risk.
• Hepatitis B Immunization
  Medicare provides payment for the hepatitis B vaccine and its administration for beneficiaries at medium to high risk of contracting hepatitis B.

For More Information:

CMS Adult Immunizations Webpage
Please Note: The “Immunizers’ Question & Answer Guide to Medicare Coverage of Seasonal Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccinations”, which provides administration and flu vaccine payment rates for use by mass immunizers and physician practices, will be updated and posted to this site sometime in early October 2010.

CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Preventive Services Educational Products Webpage
This site provides access to MLN educational resources developed by CMS for fee-for-service providers related to Medicare-covered preventive services, including adult immunizations.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website
This site provides information about National Immunization Awareness Month.

Announcing Safety Net Clinic Week: Aug. 30 - Sept. 3

In efforts to raise awareness of Colorado's healthcare safety net providers and clinics, ClinicNET in partnership with the Colorado Rural Health Center, is declaring August 30th - September 3rd as Safety Net Clinic Week. The week will be devoted to educating the public and policymakers about Community Funded Safety Net Clinics and federally-certified Rural Health Clinics.

There are currently 26 identified Community Funded Safety Net Clinics (CSNCs) in Colorado. These clinics tend to be nonprofit, rural & urban, privately funded and provide primary care services to uninsured and underinsured individuals. Colorado has 52 federally certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) that provide primary care services in some of the most rural and remote areas of Colorado. During 2009, CSNCs and RHCs collectively provided services to approximately 250,000 inidividuals in Colorado.

If you are a CSNC or an RHC and are interested in participating in Safety Net Clinic Week, please contact Brooke Powers at brooke.powers@clinicnet.org.

FREE Abbott Lab Machine

Dr. Felski, with Rocky Ford Health Center, has an Abbott Lab Machine that she would like to donate to a clinic who needs it. This machine performs blood tests for potassium, cholesterol and other blood tests. It is a tabletop unit, and it is very heavy. Please contact info@coruralhealth.org if you could use this machine and would like more information.

Proposed Emergency Department Outpatient Transfer Communication Measure

As part of the OPPS proposed rule, CMS has included a proposed emergency department outpatient transfer communication measure they believe will be relevant to rural providers. If it is adopted this will set the precedent for measures that speak to the unique nature of rural, in an environment where the focus of reporting outcomes is increasingly important. Click here for a summary from CMS. Click here to access the proposed regulation (page 46374). CMS is accepting comments until August 31.

QHi Benchmarking Tool Updates

Quality Health Indicators (QHi) will be holding a Back to Basics review webinar of their benchmarking tool on August 19 from 2:00 to 3:00 CST which will include a brief introductory presentation, and example of the live site to demonstrate basic functionality including selecting measures, entering data, user access and running reports. Colorado CAHs can participate in QHi at no charge. Additionally, HCAHPS measures are now available for reporting in QHi. For hospitals participating in the HCAHPS process through a vendor, QHi is developing a format for submission of the raw data from your vendor. For more information about QHi or the Back to Basics review, email jd@coruralhealth.org.

Rolling Admissions for 340B New Entity Types: August 2 - September 30

Entities that have completed the 340B registration process will be added as their eligibility can be confirmed. The registration process will require at least 3 days of processing time; all required documents need to be submitted by September 27.

• Download registration forms
• View New Covered Entity Webinar originally presented July 28 (Download slides (PPT - 309 KB))
• Affordable Care Act Entities

For more information, visit the Office of Pharmacy Affairs & 340B Drug Pricing Program website.

HHS Announces Availability of Health Center New Access Point Grants

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Monday the availability of up to $250 million in grants for New Access Points for the delivery of primary health care services for underserved and vulnerable populations under the Health Center Program. The funds, made available by the Affordable Care Act, will be awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  Applications can be submitted at http://www.grants.gov/.  To access the full press release, click here.

2010 Vaccine Information Sheets (VIS)

The updated 2010-11 Influenza VISs are now available from the CDC by clicking here.

Invitation for grant requests in honor of National Health Center Week, 2010

As a nonprofit organization, Kaiser Permanente Colorado's mission is to improve the health of its members and the communities they serve. They invest in our communities because health is a human condition that affects us all. Kaiser Permanente recognizes that Safety Nets are essential community partners in the shared goal of improving the health of individuals and communities, and are committed to supporting them in a variety of ways including strategic grant making.

In celebration of National Health Center Week, they are announcing approximately half a million dollars ($500,000) in funding available for grants to specifically support Safety Net partners, federally qualified health centers and community funded health centers. Individual grants will range from $10,000 to $100,000, based on the project.

Although this is an open invitation program, organizations must apply for funding and demonstrate a need in one of the following four areas:

1. Quality Improvement
2. Capacity Building
3. Knowledge Dissemination
4. Community Integration

To apply, applicants will submit a Safety Net grant application by no later than September 6, 2010.

Safety Net clinics eligible for Safety Net grant funding:

• Federally qualified primary care Community Health Clinics
• Non-Federally qualified primary care Community Health Clinics
• Community Health Clinics Primary Care Associations
• Primary Care residency programs

Geographic reach for the grants must include, but are not limited to, these communities’ surrounding areas:

• Greeley
• Fort Collins
• Longmont
• Boulder
• Denver
• Colorado Springs
• Pueblo

If you have questions please feel free to contact Sylvia Kamau-Small at 303.344.7304 or sylvia.kamau-small@kp.org.

RMR WOCN Conference: Best Practice for Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management

October 14-16, 2010; Denver, CO
The Rocky Mountain Region Wound Ostomy Continence Society (RMR WOCN) will be presenting their regional conference this October in Denver, This conference titled, “Best Practice for Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management: Old Concepts, New Ideas”, is coordinated with the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. Education related to pressure ulcer prevention, assessment and management of existing pressure ulcers will be a full day venue on Friday. Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning will be primarily WOC-content focused. 14.25 contact hours will be provided. For more information, click here.

Kresge Foundation: Community Relief Fund

In response to the economic crisis and the impact it is having on front-line human service organizations, The Kresge Foundation has established a 24- to 36-month, interest-free program-related investment fund offering bridge loans of $250,000 to $500,000 to high-performance organizations so that they may be better able to meet the ever-increasing demand for their services. For more information, click here.

DNH X: Patient Safety Award Nominations Now Being Accepted

The Colorado Patient Safety Coalition is accepting nominations for patient safety awards to be presented at this year’s Do No Harm X Conference. Awards will be given according to the following criteria: Individuals, groups or organizations whose patient safety projects have demonstrated leadership and innovation in improving patient safety within Colorado through:

• Promotion of cultural change that encourages continuous improvement in patient safety,
• Leadership in the implementation of proactive strategies to improve patient safety, and
• Application of evidence-based improvement methods with empirical measurement of the results.

Awards will be presented during the conference on November 19th, 2010. The application deadline is November 1st, 2010. Award recipients must attend the conference to receive award. To make your nomination, please fill out this form and email to admin@coloradopatientsafety.org.

Rural Health Research and Policy Center Webinar – Rural Workforce Shortages

Thursday, September 23, 2010; 1:00-2:00 PM CDT
The Gateway project will host a free webinar addressing rural primary care workforce shortages and challenges in the context of recent policy developments. The webinar will feature Rural Health Research Center researchers speaking about their recent publications and work in the field, along with national experts in rural health workforce who will offer a broader context. Please register for the webinar by sending your name and e-mail address to Alex McEllistrem-Evenson at aevenson@medicine.nodak.edu.

Children’s Oral Health Conference

September 23-24, 2010; Vail, CO
Caring for Colorado, The Colorado Health Foundation, the Colorado Trust, Delta Dental Foundation of Colorado, Oral Health Awareness Colorado, and the Colorado Area Health Education Center System Program will host a skill-building workshop for people working to promote oral health in children. For more information, click here.

AgriSafe Webinar: Neurological Dysfunction and Disease in the Agricultural Health Study

Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010; 12:00pm CDT
Presenter: Freya Kamel, PhD, MPH, Staff Scientist, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Session Objectives:

• Describe the limits of our knowledge of pesticide neurotoxicity. Identify generally accepted findings and areas that still need more research.
• Describe the findings of the Agricultural Health Study regarding the relationship of pesticide exposure to neurologic symptoms. Identify the strengths and limitations of this research.
• Describe the findings of the Agricultural Health Study regarding pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease. Identify the strengths and limitations of this research.

Click here to enter the session, then enter your name in the guest login box and click on 'Enter Room'.

Rural Health Network Planning Grant--Apply Now!

ORHP recently announced the release of the Rural Health Network Planning Grant Guidance. This is a one-year program which focuses on the development of an integrated health care network. Some examples of activities that can be conducted with the funds include: conducing a needs assessment, hiring a HIT consultant to determine HIT readiness, the development an economic impact plan and the development of a strategic and business plan. The award amount an applicant can request up to is $85K.

All applications must be submitted through http://www.grants.gov/ where applicants can click on Find Grant Opportunities, Basic Search and type in the funding opportunity number: HRSA-11-085 or CFDA number 93.912. All applications are required to be submitted electronically (no paper applications will be allowed to be submitted this year). Applications are due by October 8th, 2010. ORHP strongly encourages applicants submit their applications ahead of the due date to avoid any technical problems.

There will be a Technical Assistance Conference Call on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 2:00 PM ET. This call will provide further information on program purpose and requirements.

The number to access the call is:

• Telephone Number: 1-888-810-3951
• Passcode: Network Planning

This call will be recorded for playback. Playback will be available until October 6th, 2010 at: 888.567.0495.  For further questions on the Network Planning Program, please contact Eileen Holloran, eholloran@hrsa.gov or 301.443.7529.

Patient Advocate Briefing – Programs for the Uninsured

August 18, 10:00-11:00; La Alma Rec Center, 1325 W. 11th Ave., Denver, CO 80204
In coordination with the Alliance for Health Equality, Pfizer announces a briefing aimed at educating people and groups who have direct access to patients lacking prescription drug coverage on patient assistance programs. This briefing will focus on resources available from Pfizer and other industry-wide programs to help uninsured and underinsured Americans get access to their prescription medicines. Registration required – please register by August 13.

• Register by email: pfizerhelpfulanswers@apcoworldwide.com. Please reference the event date in your response.
• Register by phone: 877.852.0461 and provide Name, Title, Organization, Address, Phone Number and Email.

CMS Manual Update – Ambulance Services

Change Request (CR) 7058 updates the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 10, Section 30.1.1, to incorporate the application of information for BLS, ALS1, and ALS2. No new policy is presented but CR 7058 updates the relevant manual section to reflect current policy. For more information, click here.

Rural Health Network Planning Grant

The Rural Health Network Planning Grant Application Guidance has been released as of August 6, 2010. The applications must be submitted through www.Grants.gov, Announcement Number HRSA-11-085. Applications are due by October 8, 2010.

There will be a Technical Assistance Conference Call on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 12:00 Mountain Time. The number to access the call is:

Telephone Number: 1-888-810-3951
Passcode: Network Planning

This call will be recorded for playback. Playback will be available until October 6, 2010 at: 1-888-567-0495. Please direct all questions to eholloran@hrsa.gov.

Teleconference: RHC Technical Assistance Call for EHR Incentives

Thursday, August 12, 2010; 12:00pm MT
A few weeks ago, CMS and the National Coordinator released the final rules for implementation of the new Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive program. On the 12th, the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will convene the next RHC TA call and will present RHC specific information on the standards for Eligible Professionals (EP) working in RHCs and the meaningful use criteria for all Eligible Professionals to qualify for the incentive payments.

This session will cover:

• What health professionals working in the RHC are eligible for EHR incentive payments?
• What does it mean to be a “PA led” RHC?
• Are EPs working in provider-based RHCs eligible to participate?
• What are the measures/tests EPs will have to meet in order to qualify for the incentive payments?
• When do incentive payments become available and how long will they be available?
• Will RHCs that do not adopt an EHR be subject to penalties for failure to adopt and use an EHR?

Slides for the program will sent out a few days before the session. You do not need to register to participate. The program will last approximately 45 minutes, followed by time for questions and answers. If you would like to participate live, the dial-in information is:

Toll free: 1-866-288-9872
Participant passcode: 680987

If you have a specific question you would like to submit ahead of time to ensure that the subject matter is covered during the presentation, please send it to: info@narhc.org and put ‘RHC TA Question’ in the subject line.

CRHC 2010 Board Training Series – Register Now!

Register now for CRHC’s 2010 CAH Board Webinar Series presented by Charney Associates. This year’s series will include 3 webinars to be held August 24, September 21, and October 19 from 4:30-6:00, plus a half-day workshop on November 4.  For more information and to register, click here.

Swing Bed Training

The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) offers Swing Bed training in order to assist CAHs with their swing bed programs and promote the appropriate use of skilled services. CRHC’s Swing Bed training can be conducted on-site at your facility and is geared toward physicians, clinical staff and case managers. Whether your hospital has offered Swing Bed services for many years or is starting up a new Swing Bed program, the training is tailored to meet your hospital’s specific needs.  For more information, click here or email jd@coruralhealth.org.

NEW Online MS Program Opportunity for RNs

The University of Colorado College of Nursing is pleased to announce a NEW 30-credit MS program. The i-LEAD program (Innovative LEadership and ADministration) in Nursing will provide nurses the opportunity to complete a health systems-focused MS degree, entirely online.  Even though formal admission is not available until Spring semester, a new course in Systems Theory will be taught this fall by Drs. Colleen Goode and Joyce Verran. Both are incredibly accomplished administrators and researchers. More information is available by clicking here.  The course to take this fall is NURS 6790 Systems & Leadership Theory. Click here for the registration form. If you have any questions, contact Amy Barton at amy.barton@ucdenver.edu.

CMS 2011 OPPS Proposed Rule – Physician Supervision and Other Provisions

The CMS 2011 OPPS Proposed Rules contains many provisions including proposed updates to the CAH physician supervision requirements for Outpatient Therapeutic Services.  To see a summary of some key provision, click here. CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rules until August 31, 2010.  To access the proposed rules, click here.

340B Drug Pricing Program

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Pharmacy Services Support Center has information about enrolling in the 340B Drug Pricing Program including links to registration information and a recording of the July 28th webinar, “340B Eligible Entity Types Newly Eligible under the Affordable Care Act”.  For more information, click here.

TrailBlazer July eBulletin

The July TrailBlazer eBulletin is now available online by clicking here.  The eBulletin contains news and updates from TrailBlazer.

Physician Compensation: Key Design Principles for the Independent, Health System-Sponsored, and Faculty Plan Platforms

While there have long been varying views on the extent to which physician compensation drives desired behaviors, most agree the design of any compensation plan is an important ingredient in motivating and sustaining strong physician performance in any organization that employs physicians. This article, by Wipfli, will explore the overarching design principles and characteristics that should be connected to any compensation plan and will provide some specific design principles and components related to the three primary employment platforms for physicians—independent medical practices, hospital or health system-sponsored arrangements, and faculty plans. To download the complete article, please click here.

Hand Hygiene Program Resources

In 2005, Novant Health of North Carolina initiated a system-wide hand hygiene program designed to save lives through the reduction of hospital-acquired infections. Three years later, Novant Health achieved 99 percent hand hygiene compliance and reduced MRSA infections by 63 percent and won the Joint Commission’s Codman Award for their efforts. Novant Health is making its hand hygiene resources available free of charge to other organizations. For more information, click here.

HCPF Newsletter – At A Glance

The July issue of At A Glance is now available by clicking here.  The publication provides updates from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.  Updates in the July issue include MORE funding for CHP+ and Medicaid outreach and enrollment, new medical assistance applications, community health reform forums, and more.

Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs: Tip Sheets for Medicare Eligible Professionals, Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)

Tip Sheets for Eligible Professionals, Hospitals, and CAHs are now available on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms. Select the Medicare Eligible Professional or Hospital tab on the left, and then scroll to “Downloads.” For more information, click here.

CMS Education Series for Providers on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites you to join a series of national provider calls addressing the specifics of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs for hospitals and individual practitioners. Learn the specifics on what you need to participate in the these incentive programs: Who is eligible; How much are the incentives and how are they calculated; What you need to do to get started; When the program begins and other major milestones regarding participation and payment; How to report on Meaningful Use measures; Where to find helpful resources and more.  For more information, click here.

• EHR Incentive Programs for Eligible Professionals: A session just for individual practitioners on the specifics about the EHR incentive program
  Tuesday, August 10, 2010; 2:00-3:30 pm EST
  
  
• EHR Incentive Programs for Hospitals: A session just for hospitals on the specifics about the Medicare & Medicaid EHR incentive program
  Wednesday, August 11, 2010; 2:00-3:30 pm EST

• EHR Questions and Answers for Hospitals and Individual Practitioners: Have questions? Join this session to have an opportunity to ask a question and hear answers by our panel of experts on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs.
  Thursday, August 12, 20102:00-3:30 pm EST

2nd International Swine Flu Conference

August 18-19, 2010; Hilton Washington Dulles Airport Hotel, VA
Delegates are coming from US, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. In addition to insightful presentations and dynamic panel discussions, you can also choose from over 30 concurrent breakout sessions. For more information on the event, please click here. If you have any questions, contact Lisa Wilson at 202.536.5000 or email lwilson@nfemail.com.

Patient Navigator Training

August 9-12, 2010; 9:00am-4:30pm at the University of Colorado Anschutz Campus
This is a 4-day, 3-course package offered by the Colorado Patient Navigator Training Program. This comprehensive course package is our “Level 1” training for navigators who want to improve their navigation skills and gain comprehensive knowledge of patient resources, basic health promotion and professional conduct. The cost for ALL FOUR days is $400. Lunch is not provided. Parking is $5 per day. Course registration will be open soon. To learn more about these courses, click here. If you are planning to attend, email lisa.oreilly@ucdenver.edu (this is NOT an official registration).

Medicare Learning Network

Web-Based Training Courses
Need to know the Medicare basics? The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) offers a series of web based training (WBT) courses to teach health care professionals the fundamentals of the Medicare Program. WBT courses are available from the MLN here by scrolling to the bottom of the page and selecting Web based Training Modules from the Related Links Inside CMS section of the CMS website.

NCCI Tools Booklet
Get your NEW How to Use the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Tools booklet from the MLN and learn how to navigate the CMS NCCI website. This new MLN product explains how to look up Medicare code pair edits and Medically Unlikely Edits (MUEs). NCCI tools can help providers avoid coding and billing errors and subsequent payment denials. If you want to become familiar with the "National Correct Coding Initiative Policy Manual for Medicare Services" and the tools on the NCCI website, this is your best resource! Click here and enter ‘How to’ to find this and other MLN ‘How to’ series publications.

Misdirected Mailings from Medicare

As a healthcare provider subject to the privacy and security requirements under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 996 (HIPAA) and/or under State law, you must safeguard patients’ personally identifiable health information. If you receive a remittance advice on a Medicare beneficiary who’s not your patient, you should 1) destroy it and 2) report it to your fiscal intermediary, carrier, or Medicare Administrative Contractor, as appropriate.

RHC Federal Compliance Services

Are you ready for a CMS survey today?

We offer low cost, comprehensive compliance services to RHC regulations, allowing you time to focus on providing excellent care to your rural community.  Our specialized compliance services include:

• On-site Mock Survey, including comprehensive gap analysis, report, and mediation strategies
• Review of your current Policies & Procedures to ensure you are up-to-date
• Assessment of Annual Evaluation requirement, and fulfillment of Annual Non-clinic Member requirement
• Comprehensive RHC Policies & Procedures Manual that can be immediately implemented in your facility

Let us help you be prepared for your next survey! Visit our website for more information or download our complete brochure of services.

A new "twist" in the law makes it easier to save on your prescription drug costs

Under a new law, more Medicare beneficiaries could qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs because some things no longer count as income and resources. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth an average of $3,900 per year. To qualify for the Extra Help, a person must be on Medicare, have limited income and resources, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. For more information, click here.

Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners: Protecting Your Privacy – Protecting Your Medicare Enrollment Record

If you are a physician or non-physician practitioner who is enrolled in Medicare, or who is planning to enroll in Medicare, it is important that you protect your Medicare enrollment information from getting into the hands of dishonest and unscrupulous people. CMS has released Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners: Protecting Your Privacy – Protecting Your Medicare Enrollment Record as the first in a series of fact sheets designed to educate FFS providers about important Medicare enrollment information. This fact sheet is available on the CMS website by clicking here.

Webinar: Financing Your Working Capital Needs

August 5, 2010; 10-11am MDT
To help otherwise financially sound grantees through challenging economic times, the Colorado Health Foundation has established a Loan Fund through a partnership with NCB Capital Impact (NCBCI). The Loan Fund provides short-term, low-interest loans to current Foundation grantees who are experiencing a cash-flow shortfall or who may lack access to traditional lenders for short-term working capital needs.

The program enables grantees to maintain continuity of operations and ensure the impact of previous grant investments through an affordable source of borrowing. Join this webinar to learn five basics to ease the process of applying for and securing financing you need for working capital including:

1. Overview of the loan process and lending terms
2. Tips about how to calculate the appropriate loan
3. Checklist of information and document
4. Your application and other action items
5. Budgeting for repayment

Click here to register now, or visit the Colorado Health Foundation Working Capital Loan Fund page at NCB Capital Impact.