Thursday, January 31, 2013

ICD Coding Is What It's All About!


Meet your coding, reimbursement and compliance goals in 2013.
Topics covered include the following coding manuals:
- 2013 CPT Professional - 2013 HCPCS - 2013 ICD-9 -

These classes are normally offered at over $2,000.00 per person. Save your time and money by attending our three day workshops. It's amazing what you'll learn!

Coding Certificate Bootcamp in Alamosa, CO
March 19, 20 & 21, 2013
Ramada Inn & Conference Center/333 Sante Fe Ave, Alamosa, CO
Click here to register

Billing and Coding Workshop in Rifle, CO.
May 21, 22 & 23, 2013
Grand River Hospital Conference Center/501 Airport Rd, Rifle, CO
Click here to register

Questions? Contact Danette Swanson ds@coruralhealth.org
Registration Assistance: Samantha Hiner at 720.248.2757

Culture Change Webinar Registration Now Open


Culture Change in the Real Rural World
Webinar

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

This webinar is offered free to CRHC members 
(one connection per line). 
For non-members, there is a $99.00-per-connection fee.

For more information about the webinar, please click here
Please click here to register.

During the webinar Culture Change in the Real Rural World!, you will discover innovative and proven strategies that can help you begin the rewarding process of true and sustainable culture transformation. The session will cover how to:
  • Assess what’s good, bad and/or ugly about your current culture;
  • Focus on shifting behavior vs. changing people;
  • Identify the strengths and potential weaknesses in team members;
  • Create an awareness of how behavior and communication impact patient perceptions;
  • Develop a strategy that will cement a culture of Commitment, Reinforcement &
  • Accountability!

Our featured trainer is Michelle Rathman Batschke, President and CEO of Impact! Communications, Inc. in Saint Charles, Illinois. Michelle specializes in working with Healthcare facilities providing customer service training.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Has Your CAH Joined MBQIP?

The Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) is a federal CAH quality initiative from the Office of Rural Health Policy to demonstrate the work CAHs are doing in the areas of quality improvement and patient safety. ORHP encourages all CAHs to participate. If your hospital hasn’t signed up, it’s not too late. Information is posted on CRHC’s website here, or you can contact cs@coruralhealth.org.

Policy Brief on Emergency Transfers of Elderly to Critical Access Hospitals

New Policy Brief:
Emergency Transfers of the Elderly to Critical Access Hospitals:
Opportunities for Improving Patient Safety and Quality 

January 28, 2013 

Dear Colleagues,

The Flex Monitoring Team is pleased to share with you findings from their study assessing the evidence base and best practices for improving the emergency transfer of nursing facility residents to the emergency department.

Emergency Transfers of the Elderly from Nursing Facilities to Critical Access Hospitals:
Opportunities for Improving Patient Safety and Quality

Research has shown that essential information is often missing during transfer of nursing residents to the ED, and communication problems between nursing facilities and EDs are one of the most cited barriers to providing quality patient care. Tools, such as transfer forms and checklists, that improve communication between settings of care help improve patient safety and quality of care.

This Policy Brief includes an appendix of transfer forms from 11 organizations.

Key Findings:
  • Transfers to the hospital emergency department (ED) are common for many nursing facility (NF) residents, with over 25% experiencing at least one ED visit annually, and many encountering repeat visits. 
  • Communication issues, including incomplete information during transfer, impact clinical care of the elderly NF resident transferred to the ED. 
  • Several studies strongly recommend the use of standardized transfer forms as a way of improving communication, which ultimately improves patient safety and quality of care. However, standardized transfer forms, in and of themselves, are not sufficient to solve communication issues between the sites of care (NF, EMS, ED). 
  • The establishment of ongoing relationships between hospital, EMS, and nursing facility staff help facilitate effective communication regarding patient needs during the transfer process and encourage the development of a systems approach to the transition of care. 

Why are standardized transfer forms helpful?
  • For Nursing Facilities: they help facilitate accurate exchange of information, reduce potentially avoidable hospitalizations, and provide a record of the patient's condition upon return. 
  • For Nursing Facility residents: they help to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of transfer and treatment and may help the resident avoid additional health complications and emotional trauma. 
  • For EMS: they provide the needed information to treat the patient en route and facilitate an accurate and comprehensive handoff report to the hospital. 
  • For Hospitals: they help facilitate effective assessment and treatment of the patient in the ED, minimizes time spent in the ED, and reduces unnecessary admissions. 
  • For Policymakers: to help reduce costs associated with unnecessary hospitalizations and longer ED lengths of stay. 

State Flex Programs can help:
  • Improve the transfer process by funding quality improvement initiatives that collaboratively address issues to improve interfacility communication. 
  • Support efforts to standardize transfer information by helping CAHs develop transfer checklists and forms that are grounded in the patient safety evidence-based literature. 
  • Improve patient safety at the local, regional, and state level by working with and encouraging rural communities to collaborate on standardized transfer forms as part of a systems approach to care transition. 


For more information on this study, please contact
Karen Pearson at the University of Southern Maine
Maine Rural Health Research Center

Employers and Employees Can Improve Quality and Lower Costs – Stories from the Frontlines, Part One

February 7, 2013

(2:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern Time) Featuring:
  • Trissa Torres, MD, MSPH, Senior Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement 
  • Xavier Sevilla, MD, MBA, FAAP, Vice President of Clinical Quality for Physician Services, Catholic Health Initiatives 
  • Lindsay A. Martin, MSPH, Executive Director and Improvement Advisor, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
  • Randy Van Straten, Vice President Business Health, Bellin Health; Executive Director Bellin Run

US employers have had a lot to say about health care costs the past several years. Large and small companies alike have openly complained about the apparently inexorable rise in health care spending, skyrocketing insurance rates, and the degree to which both trends have threatened bottom lines, restrained wages, and eroded benefits for employees.

WIHI Host Madge Kaplan hopes you’ll tune into the February 7 WIHI, Employers and Employees Can Improve Quality and Lower Costs – Stories from the Frontlines, Part One, for a discussion of what promises to be the next wave of employer engagement in improving health and controlling health care costs in the US.

As we've seen, some of the most vocal businesses have been determined to remedy the situation by exercising their purchasing clout to get better deals from insurers and by shifting more costs and co-pays onto the workforce. The most enlightened have also ramped up their wellness programs. But these “solutions” are short-term at best, and efforts to encourage employees to get to the gym and adopt healthier lifestyles are proving insufficient. So, what to do instead?

We'll take a deeper dive into the underlying, often chronic health conditions affecting today’s employees. And, in a growing number of cases, partnering and learning from health care delivery organizations working on the very same issues — heavy health care utilization and high costs — with their own staff.

IHI’s Trissa Torres and Lindsay Martin have the big picture of these exciting new developments. The February 7 WIHI will also feature leaders from Bellin Health Care Systems and Catholic Health Initiatives who are at advanced (Bellin) and early stages (CHI) of “walking the talk” with their own employees. Among other things, these providers are committed to redesigning systems to deliver better care and better value to the community and all those paying the bills: employers, public and private insurers, and patients themselves.

Please join us on the February 7 WIHI. Click here to enroll.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Pertussis: Clinical Review and Colorado's Epidemic

Reminder to Register 

Pertussis:
Clinical Review 
and Colorado's Epidemic 

Thursday, February 7, 2013 
12:30-1:45 p.m.

Speakers:
Robert Brayden, MD Professor of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Lisa Miller, MD, MSPH - State Epidemiologist, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Colorado is currently seeing its greatest number of pertussis cases in six decades, with more than 1,400 cases reported in the state as of December 2012. The last time Colorado saw pertussis numbers reach this level was in 1948.

Robert Brayden, MD, will offer a review of pertussis so providers can:
  • Clinically identify an infant with pertussis. 
  • Understand the vaccine management necessary for a person recovering from pertussis. 
  • Describe common and uncommon adverse reactions to pertussis vaccination. 
  • Understand the relationship between "cocooning" and pertussis prevention. 
As Manager of the Communicable Disease Epidemiology Program at CDPHE, Lisa Miller, MD, MSPH, will also be providing learners with information and data surrounding Colorado's own pertussis epidemic.

Please click here to be directed to a previous blog post with more information on the event and registration.

Monday, January 28, 2013

CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum, Thurs., Jan. 13, 2013

The next CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum is scheduled for:

Date: Thursday, January 31, 2013;
Start Time: 2:00pm Eastern Time (ET);
Please dial in at least 15 minutes prior to call start time.

Conference Leaders: Carol Blackford, John Hammarlund and Matthew Brown.

**This Agenda is Subject to Change**

Opening Remarks
  • Chair – Carol Blackford, Deputy Director, Chronic Care Policy Group, Center for Medicare 
  • Co-Chair – John Hammarlund, Regional Administrator, Seattle Regional Office 
  • Moderator – Barbara Cebuhar (in lieu of Matthew Brown, Office of Public Engagement) 
Announcements & Updates
  • Flu Vaccination Awareness Announcement 
  • Medicare Shared Savings Program 
  • Program Instruction (CR 8030) 
  • G Code for Telehealth Inpatient Pharmacologic Management 
  • Rural Provision in the Tax Relief Act 

Open Q&A

**Next ODF: Thursday, March 7, 2013**

------------------------------------

Open Door Forum Participation Instructions: This call will be Conference Call Only.

1. To participate by phone: Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID: 78862773.

Persons participating by phone are not required to RSVP. TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired. For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880. A Relay Communications Assistant will help.

Encore: 1-855-859-2056; Conference ID: 78862773. Encore is an audio recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering the Conference ID, beginning February 4th. The recording expires after 3 business days.

NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program 2013 Application Cycle Open!

The 2013 application cycle is now open! The deadline to apply is February 28, 2013, at 7:30 pm EST. To learn more about program eligibility and requirements, visit: http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/repayment/nursing/guidance.pdf.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to join us for an application information webinar and audio conference call-in line on January 29, 2013, from 2:00 – 4:00 pm ET (1-3:00 pm Central/ 12-2:00 pm Mountain/ 11-1:00 pm Pacific) to support you as you complete the application process. You can join us either on the webinar using the URL below or via conference call.

Please note that the webinar has limited capacity and your participation on the webinar will be on a “first come, first serve basis.” The audio conference call-in line will be available to a larger audience capacity. The webinar will be archived and posted on the NURSE Corps web page at: http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/nursecorps/index.html.

The webinar and audio call will:
  • Provide an overview of the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program 
  • Highlight the key points to remember during the application process 
  • Review “need-to-know” information and resources for participating in the program, if awarded
  • Offer participants an opportunity to ask questions about the application and service requirements via the webinar Q & A tool and the audio conference call-in line. Any questions that are not answered during the webinar will be responded to via e-mail afterwards. 
Prior to the webinar, we encourage you to test your connection to ensure proper functionality and get a quick overview of Adobe Connect

**To login into the webinar, please use the information below:
Login to: https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/nursecorpslrpapplication12913/ and enter your name when prompted

**To login into the audio conference call in line, please use the information below: Call in number: 888-942-9043 Passcode: 7925982

Valley-Wide to Host La Junta Clinic Grand Opening

Valley-Wide to Host La Junta Clinic Grand Opening 

Valley-Wide will hold the grand opening of its newest clinic in La Junta, Colo., on Jan. 30, 2013. Since 1997, Valley-Wide leased space for the La Junta Clinic from the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center. Shortly after settling in the Arkansas Valley, Valley-Wide saw the demand and need for a long-term primary-care facility, and purchased land close to its existing site to serve as the future home for the La Junta Clinic. Valley-Wide was awarded Affordable Care Act Capital Development grants, enabling the organization to construct a new building capable of meeting growing needs.

Valley-Wide completed construction of its new facility in December 2012. The building increases capacity and strengthens clinic operations. The contemporary design and expanded space improves privacy compliance, workflow efficency, work environment safety and satisfaction, and it better accommodates Valley-Wide’s new electronic health record system. The larger space also allows for increased provider recruitment and retention, which is challenging in rural areas and important in the provision of patient centered care across the continuum of health care services.

The opening is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2013, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at 1012 Belmont Avenue, La Junta. Congratulations!

Opportunity to Take Part in National Telenursing Center

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A NATIONAL TELENURSING CENTER 

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has been awarded funding by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). This award will fund the National Sexual Assault TeleNursing Project (NSATP) which will provide real time, audio and video 24/7 access to expert guidance and support by MA Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) to clinicians caring for adolescent and adult sexual assault patients/survivors in four underserved pilot sites across the nation. The four sites will include: (1) a tribal community, (2) a corrections setting, (3) a rural community, and (4) a U.S Navy setting

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) for stakeholder input and commentary regarding a future Contract Award Opportunity (CAO) to recruit service delivery sites that will partner with the National Sexual Assault TeleNursing Project. The Project strives to develop a National TeleNursing Center that will meet the unique needs of the four pilot populations (tribal, rural, corrections and Navy). The MDPH and Project Team are currently seeking information about the needs and resources of potential pilot sites, and ideas and opinions regarding site selection criteria that will inform that future CAO. It is anticipated that the CAO will be released in February and it is expected that contracts will be active in June 2013.

Attached you will find the RFI which includes a link to a Survey Monkey Questionaire

Responses to questions should be submitted by February 1, 2013 to be considered. However, it is not required to respond to the RFI as a condition of future participation.

If you have any questions about any of the content of this RFI, please contact Joan Sham, Acting Director, MA SANE Program via email (joan.sham@state.ma.us) prior to February 1, 2013.

Friday, January 25, 2013

J12 and JH Webinar: "Preventive Services" - January 30, 2013 (10:00AM ET, 9:00 AM CT)


Join us as we review preventive benefits available to your patients! We will assist you in understanding Medicare coverage guidelines for these services as well as provide you with resources available to promote preventive services for eligible beneficiaries, such as cancer screenings, certain immunizations, and many more! Handout materials and registration information is now available.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Culture Change in the Real Rural World Webinar

Culture Change in the Real Rural World
Webinar

Save the Date!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013

CRHC Members attend the webinar for free, non-members pay $99
For more information about the webinar, please click here
Formal registration and further details to follow

During the webinar Culture Change in the Real Rural World!, you will discover innovative and proven strategies that can help you begin the rewarding process of true and sustainable culture transformation. The session will cover how to:
  • Assess what’s good, bad and/or ugly about your current culture;
  • Focus on shifting behavior vs. changing people;
  • Identify the strengths and potential weaknesses in team members;
  • Create an awareness of how behavior and communication impact patient perceptions;
  • Develop a strategy that will cement a culture of Commitment, Reinforcement &
  • Accountability!

Our featured trainer is Michelle Rathman Batschke, President and CEO of Impact! Communications, Inc. in Saint Charles, Illinois. Michelle specializes in working with Healthcare facilities providing customer service training.

What's a great way to save over $1,940? Coding Bootcamps!


Meet your coding, reimbursement and compliance goals in 2013.
Topics covered include the following coding manuals:
- 2013 CPT Professional - 2013 HCPCS - 2013 ICD-9 -

These classes are normally offered at over $2,000.00 per person. Save your time and money by attending our three day workshops. It's amazing what you'll learn!

Coding Certificate Bootcamp in Alamosa, CO
March 19, 20 & 21, 2013
Ramada Inn & Conference Center/333 Sante Fe Ave, Alamosa, CO
Click here to register

Billing and Coding Workshop in Rifle, CO.
May 21, 22 & 23, 2013
Grand River Hospital Conference Center/501 Airport Rd, Rifle, CO
Click here to register

Questions? Contact Danette Swanson ds@coruralhealth.org
Registration Assistance: Samantha Hiner at 720.248.2757

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

: ICD-10 News: CMS Announces More Listening Sessions

Listening Sessions for End-to-End Testing 

CMS is pleased to announce additional industry listening sessions hosted by National Government Services (NGS) to develop common definitions and best practices for testing of the Administrative Simplification Requirements. National Government Services (NGS) will then use ICD-10 as a business case to validate a defined universal testing process that can be used throughout the health care industry.

CMS and NGS look forward to receiving insights from:
    Small Providers on January 24
    Large Providers on January 15 and 29
    Vendors on January 17 and 31
    Payers on January 23 and February 5 
The small provider sessions are geared toward organizations with fewer than 100 employees; large provider sessions are for those with 100 or more employees.

Based on feedback received from industry so far, CMS and NGS have revised proposed definitions of key terms as follows:
  • End-to-End testing. A focused process within a defined area, using new or revised applicable products, operating rules or transactions, throughout the entire business and/or clinical exchange cycle, for the purpose of measuring operational predictability and readiness. The End-to-End testing process should be performed in an environment which mirrors actual production as closely as possible, confirming the validation of performance metrics and analytics (reporting). 
  • Readiness. A state of preparedness in which an Entity has completed verification and validation of applicable policies, procedures, guidelines, laws, regulations, and contractual arrangements with expected results. Additionally, entities will demonstrate readiness by completing internal documentation, establishing communication mechanisms and validation with external trading partners, training of appropriate personnel, scheduled deployments, and software migration for each regulatory requirement. 
  • Compliance. A demonstrated adherence to those policies, procedures, guidelines, laws, and regulations to which the business process is subject in advance of, by, and continued support after, the regulatory implementation date. 
To learn more, please visit the end-to-end testing page on the CMS website.
Keep Up to Date on ICD-10 
Visit the CMS ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare for the October 1, 2014, deadline.

For practical transition tips:
Read recent ICD-10 email update messages
Access the ICD-10 continuing medical education modules developed by CMS in partnership with Medscape.

Rural Access to Emergency Devices (RAED) Training Funds

Rural Access to Emergency Devices (RAED) Training Funds 

Colorado Rural Health Center has limited funding available through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy RAED grant, to train first responders, as well as community members in CPR/AED courses. Entities eligible for this funding must be located in rural Colorado counties (contact Ron Seedorf for questions on eligibility) and courses must have been completed between 6/01/12 and 3/1/13. For more information, please follow this link: AED Training Funds

For all questions regarding this funding contact:
Ron Seedorf at 970-302-9021 or rs@coruralhealth.org

Monday, January 21, 2013

New from the Flex Monitoring Team: CAHs and SNFs--why some continue services, why some don't

The Flex Monitoring Team is pleased to share with you findings from their study on factors influencing Critical Access Hospital decisions to close or retain their skilled nursing facility (SNF) units. 

Why Do Some Critical Access Hospitals Close Their Skilled Nursing Facility Services While Others Retain Them?

Click to download the Briefing Paper and/or the Policy Brief 

Key Findings:
  • Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that closed Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) units cited a range of financial challenges related to payer mix, operating costs, cost allocation methods, and service utilization patterns. 
  • The availability of alternative local long term care services, including swing beds, often contributed to hospitals' decisions to close their SNF units. 
  • CAHs that continued to operate SNF units were driven primarily by community need, despite the financial disincentive for doing so 
  • Hospitals reported substantial variation in their strategies for using swing beds for SNF, rehabilitation, and post-acute services. 
  • Given ongoing concerns about financial viability and low census rates among some CAHs, further research on the ability of CAHs to expand patient services and revenues through swing bed use is warranted as is research on the quality and outcomes of skilled care delivered by CAHs in SNF and swing beds. 
Authors of the Briefing Paper and Policy Brief are John A. Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Andrew F.Coburn, from the University of Southern Maine, and Walter R. Gregg from the University of Minnesota.

For more information on this study, please contact 
John Gale at the University of Southern Maine Maine Rural Health Research Center

Thursday, January 17, 2013

WIHI Webinar:A Partnership to Reduce Deaths from Sepsis

(2:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern Time) 

Featuring: 
John D’Angelo, MD, FACEP, Vice President, Emergency Medicine, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Martin E. Doerfler, MD, Vice President, Evidence Based Clinical Practice, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Darlene Parmentier, RN, MSN, MBA, Assistant Director of Critial Care and Telemetry, Glen Cove Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Andrea Kabcenell, RN, MPH, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Diane Jacobsen, MPH, CPHQ, Director, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Developing an infection can be complicated enough, but when the body's immune system reacts by going into overdrive in the form of sepsis, every second counts. The diagnosis needs to be swift and, if sepsis is confirmed, interventions in the form of fluids and antibiotics must be administered immediately. Because the global death rate from sepsis remains painfully high — tens of millions each year — stepped-up efforts to reduce mortality have been underway on a global scale for at least the past decade. We’ll devote an hour to this critical issue on the January 24 WIHI, A Partnership to Reduce Deaths from Sepsis.

There is progress to report on multiple continents where many health care organizations have been working hard on sepsis, often as part of international initiatives such as the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and in concert with professional societies such as the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In the US, where 25 percent of the 750,000 people who develop sepsis each year die, North Shore–Long Island Jewish Health System has reduced its sepsis mortality rate significantly. North Shore–LIJ is now in the midst of a strategic partnership with IHI to maintain and further these gains, and key learning has begun to emerge.

We’ll explore the progress on reducing deaths from sepsis on the January 24 WIHI with three clinical leads from North Shore–LIJ and two improvement leaders from IHI. Early detection and intervention are key, but in order to execute best practices reliably, changing the culture and engaging the leadership of the organization have proven essential. At North Shore–LIJ, focusing on the emergency department has also been foundational to testing best practices and spreading them to the rest of the hospital system.

WIHI Host Madge Kaplan invites you to a very important discussion about a critical problem that everyone in acute care needs to be aware of and working on. Patients and families are getting engaged too. Bring your progress and best practices, and get ready to ask lots of questions, on the January 24th WIHI.

Please click here to enroll.


About WIHI
WIHI is an exciting "talk show" program from IHI, connecting you to the cutting edge of health care improvement. It’s free, it’s timely, and it’s designed to help dedicated legions of health care improvers worldwide keep up with some of the freshest and most robust thinking and strategies for improving patient care. A 60-minute program is offered live every other week, or you can listen to recordings of the broadcast later at your convenience. WIHI is your opportunity to meet up with colleagues who want to improve patient care and shape a true health reform agenda.

Register for Coding Classes Now!


Meet your coding, reimbursement and compliance goals in 2013.
Topics covered include the following coding manuals:
- 2013 CPT Professional - 2013 HCPCS - 2013 ICD-9 -

Coding Certificate Bootcamp in Alamosa, CO
March 19, 20 & 21, 2013
Ramada Inn & Conference Center/333 Sante Fe Ave, Alamosa, CO
Click here to register

Billing and Coding Workshop in Rifle, CO.
May 21, 22 & 23, 2013
Grand River Hospital Conference Center/501 Airport Rd, Rifle, CO
Click here to register

Questions? Contact Danette Swanson ds@coruralhealth.org
Registration Assistance: Samantha Hiner at 720.248.2757

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

QHI Back to Basics

Please join us on Wednesday, January 30 from 1:00 to 2:00 MST for a QHi Back to Basics Session. During this session, after a brief overall project update, we will review the fundamentals of completing the hospital profile, adding users, selecting measures, and running reports. Following the demonstration, we will open up the lines discussion, so bring questions you might have for other facilities in the project. All QHi registered users are invited to attend this free webinar/conference call.


If you have questions, for more information and registration information, please contact Caleb Siem at cs@coruralhealth.org


CCIC's 2013 Provider Education Lecture Series on Pertussis

The Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition (CCIC) promotes improved access, delivery, and demand for children's vaccinations to keep Colorado healthy. In their 2013 Provider Education Lecture Series, they will be discussing pertussis.

Pertussis: Clinical Review and Colorado's Epidemic 
Thursday, February 7, 2013 
12:30-1:45 p.m. 

Colorado is currently seeings its greatest number of pertussis cases in six decades, with more than 1,400 cases reported in the state as of December 2012. The last time Colorado saw pertussis numbers reach this level was in 1948.

Robert Brayden, MD, will offer a review of pertussis so providers can:
  • Clinically identify an infant with pertussis.
  • Understand the vaccine management necessary for a person recovering from pertussis.
  • Describe common and uncommon adverse reactions to pertussis vaccination.
  • Understand the relationship between "cocooning" and pertussis prevention.
  • As Manager of the Communicable Disease Epidemiology Program at CDPHE, Lisa Miller, MD, MSPH, will also be providing learners with information and data surrounding Colorado's own pertussis epidemic.
Light snacks and beverages will be provided.

Speakers:
  • Robert Brayden, MD - Professor of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
  • Lisa Miller, MD, MSPH - State Epidemiologist, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Location: 
Children's Hospital Colorado
13123 E. 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045
2nd Floor, Mt. Harvard Conference Room
Directions

Registration To Attend In Person:
Please email your name, credentials, institution, work phone, mailing address and email address to us
by Tuesday, February 5.

For Distance Learners:
For optimal learning experience, please attend this presentation in person. However, if distance or time does not allow for this, please register for web and audio access here.


Become a fan of keeping Colorado kids healthy by joining CCIC's Facebook page or following us on Twitter

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

January 2013 USDA Rural Development Newsletter for Colorado

The USDA Rural Development Newsletter for January 2013 was released. Please click here to view the newsletter.

Rural Access to Emergency Devices (RAED) Training Funds

The Colorado Rural Health Center, Colorado’s State Office of Rural Health has limited funding available through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s federal Office of Rural Health Policy RAED grant, to train first responders, as well as community members in CPR/AED courses. 

The courses must be either American Heart Association or American Red Cross, as they are the national standards recognized by the state. Entities eligible for this funding must be located in rural Colorado counties (contact Ron Seedorf at rs@coruralhealth.org for questions on eligibility) and courses must have been completed between June 1, 2012 and March 1, 2013.

Visit the RAED Training Funds page for eligibility information and the required forms.

Monday, January 14, 2013

South Carolina Rural Health Research Center Releases "Rural Border Health Chartbook"

The South Carolina Rural Health Research Center at the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina is pleased to announce the report entitled “Rural Border Health Chartbook”, authored by Amy Brock Martin, DrPH; Myriam Torres, PhD; Medha Vyavaharkar, MD, PhD; Zhimin Chen, MS; Samuel Towne, MPH, CPH; and Janice C. Probst, PhD is now posted on their website.

The Executive Summary and Full Report are available at http://rhr.sph.sc.edu. Questions pertaining to this report should be directed to Dr. Amy Martin at brocka@mailbox.sc.edu.

NCRHW Presents Research Study on the Needs for General Surgeons in Rural Areas


The National Center for Rural Health Works (NCRHW) published a research study last September entitled Estimating the Need for a General Surgeon based on the Demand for Primary Care Practitioners in the Medical Service Area.

The full report can be found here.

Purpose of the Study
The need for surgical services in rural areas seems obvious, but with the variability among surgeons, it can be challenging to estimate the amount of general surgery services that a specific medical service area could support. It is difficult to identify a single definition that would uniquely describe every rural general surgeon or the routine procedures that they perform. There is a strong relationship between primary care and other specialty physician services. Visits to a specialist are typically generated from primary care practitioner  referrals. Therefore, the utilization of primary care practitioner services can be the basis for estimating the need for a general surgeon.

Approach
This paper presents a methodology to estimate the need for general surgery based on available primary care practitioner services. This methodology could be used for other specialty services as well. The information included in this report is designed to assist local decision-makers in assessing the need and potential for general surgery services. A case study illustrating the methodology will be presented.


Key Findings

  • The relationship between primary care and specialty physician services can be the basis for estimating the need for specialty services.
  • The number of visits and type of general surgery procedures can be significantly different from hospital to hospital
  • The need for a general surgeon is impacted by the demographics of the population base, the scope of practice for the local general surgeon and the number of primary care practitioners.
  • The medical service area, population usage rates of local primary care practitioners and the referral rates for local general surgeons should be determined locally.



Friday, January 11, 2013

Western States Clinical Research (WSCR, Inc.) looking for volunteers for study

Western States Clinical Research (WSCR, Inc.) is a clinical research site that specializes in research studies related to pulmonology, asthma and allergy, gastroenterology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, and neurology. All of the studies conducted by Western States are Phase 2, Phase 3, or Phase 4 (post-marketing) studies. This means that the treatments being studied have already been safely and successfully tested on healthy human volunteers. Investigators are carefully selected for their expertise in their given field.

Some patients may be looking for different medication options if their condition is not being controlled by their current medication. Others do not have health insurance or may be underinsured. And still others like to learn more about the condition they have through close monitoring.

Patients that are enrolled in clinical studies receive study medications and directed exams at no cost. They also will receive compensation for study related time and/or travel.

The staff at WSCR, Inc. recognize that the people volunteering as study participants at our research site are the core of our work. We diligently follow each volunteer through all the initial study qualifications, the study visits and any follow-up that is needed. The physicians and study coordinators at WSCR, Inc. value the efforts made by research volunteers to participate in clinical trials.

We are currently enrolling patients for high cholesterol, asthma, COPD, irritable bowel syndrome, gout, cat allergy and dry eye studies. You can find out more about our site, principal investigators, and studies at www.wscrinc.com.

WSCR, Inc. is located at 9201 W. 44th Avenue in Wheat Ridge, CO. Our phone number is 303-940-9773 and email is research@wscrinc.com.

CPC Certification Preparation Course

RT Welter and Associates are offering a CPC Certification Preparation Course in Spring 2013. Click here for details. CRHC members are eligible for a discount on tuition. For more information, contact Jennifer Heuer at 303.534.0388 or jh@rtwelter.com.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Coding classes – sign up now!!

Meet your coding, reimbursement and compliance goals in 2013.
Topics covered include the following coding manuals:
- 2013 CPT Professional - 2013 HCPCS - 2013 ICD-9 -

Coding Certificate Bootcamp in Alamosa, CO
March 19, 20 & 21, 2013
Ramada Inn & Conference Center/333 Sante Fe Ave, Alamosa, CO
Click here to register

Billing and Coding Workshop in Rifle, CO.
May 21, 22 & 23, 2013
Grand River Hospital Conference Center/501 Airport Rd, Rifle, CO
Click here to register

Questions? Contact Danette Swanson ds@coruralhealth.org
Registration Assistance: Samantha Hiner at 720.248.2757

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Save the Dates for CMS Webinars on the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program

Save the Date! 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be hosting several webinars for partners and providers on The Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program

  • January 28, 2013 at 11:00 EST 
  • January 29, 2013 at 2:00 EST 
  • January 30, 2013 at 4:00 EST 
  • January 31, 2013 at 6:00 EST 
  • February 5, 2013 at 2:00 EST 

The Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program, is a change to the Medicare program that is scheduled to go into effect for Medicare beneficiaries with Original Medicare in 91 competitive bidding areas (CBAs) across the country starting on July 1, 2013. Under this program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be awarding contracts to suppliers for certain categories of DMEPOS in the CBAs.

It is important that your staff, such as physicians, social workers, and discharge planners, understand this new program so that they can help Medicare patients get covered medical equipment and supplies. Once the program begins, patients with Original Medicare who live in or travel to a competitive bidding area and who need certain medical equipment and supplies will have to get the equipment or supplies from a DMEPOS Medicare contract supplier. To ensure that Medicare patients’ medical equipment and supplies will be covered, partners and providers will have to help beneficiaries find a supplier that is a Medicare contract supplier. Medicare plans to announce the contract suppliers in the spring of 2013.

Please forward this message to any partners who may benefit from this educational session. We also look forward to your participation and the opportunity to educate partners and providers about the program.

If you have any questions about this webinar please contact Lynne Tierney at lynne.tierney@cms.hhs.gov or Renee Richard at renee.richard@cms.hhs.gov

Healthcare Connect Fund Webcast


Healthcare Connect Fund Webcast
This month, in place of the regularly scheduled conference call, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will present a special webcast about the Healthcare Connect Fund, a new part of the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. FCC staff will provide an overview of the new Healthcare Connect Fund, discuss its key features, and explain the application process.
As a follow-up, RHC staff will host a conference call on Thursday, January 24, 2013, and will answer questions about the new program (more information to follow).

Webcast Agenda - Thursday, January 10, 2013
  1. About the Healthcare Connect Fund
  2. When to Apply for Program Funds
  3. Supported Services
  4. Eligible Health Care Providers
  5. Unique Features: the Consortium Approach, Competitive Bidding Exemptions, Skilled Nursing Facilities Pilot Program

Date: January 10, 2013
Time: 2:00 PM EST
Dial-In: 1 (888) 517-2513
Passcode: 6396 002#
Webcast: Click Here
Login Instructions
To verify that your computer will support the webcast, we advise that you test the system. The webcast is limited to 300 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.
  1. Five minutes prior to the start of the conference, call and enter the passcode:
       Dial-in: 1 (888) 517-2513
       Passcode: 6396 002#
    As a courtesy to others and to improve sound quality, press *6 to mute your phone.
  2. To join the web conference, click here: Begin Webcast.
  3. Enter all information as prompted and press "Join."
  4. At the end of the conference, please log out of the meeting.
For assistance, press *0 at any time. 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Needlerock Medical Clinic's Grand Opening!

Needlerock Medical Clinic celebrated their Grand Opening on Saturday, January 5, in Crawford, Colorado. Jenny Mitchell, CFNP, a true medical pioneer, has worked tirelessly for the past five years to make this dream come true. Until last week, Jenny served her patient population from a remodeled garage.

The resources of the entire county have been leveraged to create this facility to serve the very rural community of Crawford. Tim Mitchell, Jenny’s husband and the general contractor, enlisted the Delta County Correctional Facility Workforce to assist in the remodel of the doublewide mobile which was purchased through grant monies. The laborers gained valuable skills while contributing to the building project. The citizens of this small town have invested time, money and labor to make the medical clinic a reality.

The clinic is also furnished with facilities to house students during a medical rotation with Jenny serving as a mentor.

Joy, pride, and community spirit was present in abundance at the Grand Opening. This was a wonderful demonstration of the power of RURAL…collaboration, vision, and community engagement.

-Contributed by CRHC's Quality Improvement Specialist, Kathryn Steele, who attended the opening ceremony of the Needlerock Medical Clinic last Saturday.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Spanish Language for Health Care Professionals!


CHAMPS is pleased to offer the Spanish Language for Health Care Professionals training, in partnership with the Denver Medical Society (DMS).  Please see below for more information about this exciting course.

Dates/Times:  Friday, April 19 – Monday, April 22, 2013, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day

Target Audience:  This course is targeted for physicians, PAs, NPs, nurses, medical assistants, and other medical personnel.  Other types of health care providers and clinical staff are welcome to attend, such as dentists, behavioral health providers, and pharmacists, however it is important to note that only a limited amount of time is spent on terminology for such disciplines.

Course Description:  This four-day course is an intensive, conversational, and medical workshop.  The course curriculum provides an experience of immersion learning, an approach that has proven suitable for those with limited time who must use their new language skills immediately.  Three skill levels will be offered with separate classes for each.  Classes will be determined based on the results of registrants completed self-assessment forms.  Please see the full course description, per the link below, for more information about the content of the course.

Instructors:  Rios Associates has successfully taught this course for CHAMPS members for over a decade, and has been presenting intensive medical Spanish language courses throughout the U.S. since 1983.

Location:  The course will be held at the DMS offices at 1850 Williams Street, Denver, Colorado, 80218.

Course Fees:  The fee is $499 for individuals working at CHAMPS Organization Member health centers and for DMS members.  The fee for non-members of CHAMPS or DMS is $599.  Please visit the CHAMPS Organizational Members webpage to determine if your organization is a current CHAMPS member.

CME:  Continuing medical education (CME) credit is available.  Please see the CHAMPS website or full course description for the number of hours and types of credits available.

Registration Process:  Registrants must complete the Registration and Self-Assessment forms per the instructions in the Course Description and Registration Document.  The registration deadline is April 5, 2013.  Class sizes are limited so register early!

Please see the following webpage for more information and to access the Course Description and Registration Document:

Profile of Rural Health Clinics: Medicare Payments & Common Diagnoses

With over 3,900 certified sites located across the country, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) are an important component of the rural health care infrastructure. This Findings Brief presents a summary profile of Medicare billing and reimbursement activity for independent and provider-based RHCs, using data extracted from 2009 Medicare outpatient provider claims.

Key findings:
  • In 2009, RHCs filed over 8.1 million claims to Medicare with total charges of $869 million, and $809 million due in reimbursement from all sources (Medicare, patient, other). 
  • The majority of RHC Medicare claims are for clinic visits (89%) and another 9% are for home, skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care (LTC) visits. Revenue codes for behavioral health, visiting nurse services, and telemedicine are rarely billed. 
  • The most common medical conditions for Medicare beneficiaries seen by RHCs in 2009 include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, respiratory infections and diseases of the heart. 
This Findings Brief is the first in a series on RHCs which will profile the distribution and characteristics of individual clinics as well as the characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries served by RHCs.

Contact information:
Andrea Radford, DrPH
North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
Phone: 919-966-7922
aradford@schsr.unc.edu

Additional Resource of Interest:

Earn a Grant Writing Certificate from Home!


Want to learn Grant Writing?
Want to study from home?

Fort Hays State University (Hays, KS) offers a 8 week, distance learning certificate course for grant writing. With the program, you can also earn 10 CEUs. The course has positive student feedback and is offered at $175. 


Email D. Keith Campbell, PhD sociology@fhsu.edu or call 785-628-5840 if you have any questions.

Friday, January 4, 2013

JH Part A Teleconference: "Medicare Updates"- January 9, 2013 (2:00pm-3:30pm CT)

Due to high demand, we are changing the start time of this event from 1:00pm to 2:00pm Central Time .

If your staff is unclear about the changes with Medicare and would like to know where to find valuable resources to assist with complying with new guidelines, then don’t miss this teleconference. You will gain a clear understanding of the Medicare changes and the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) Program. We will provide valuable tips to assist with avoiding the most common errors, and your staff will be able to identify the use of self service options while promoting preventive services. Join us for this fantastic and very informative event!

https://www.novitas-solutions.com/calendar/parta/teleconferences.html#jh

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Foundation for Rural Service College Scholarship Program

WebsiteLink to program website
SponsorFoundation for Rural Service
Deadlines : March 1, 2013
Contact : Email: foundation@frs.org

Purpose
Foundation for Rural Service College Scholarship Program offers scholarships to students from rural America for their first year of college, university, or vocational-technical school.

Eligibility
Applicants must first contact their local telecommunications provider to ascertain if they are a member of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA). Applicants must be nominated by a NTCA member organization.

Graduating high school seniors who have been accepted into an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school are eligible to apply. Applicants must have at least a C grade point average and express an interest to return to a rural community following graduation.

Geographic coverage : Nationwide
Amount of funding  : (30) $2,500 scholarships and (4) $5,000 scholarships will be awarded.
Application process :
Completed applications should be mailed to:
Selection Committee
Foundation for Rural Service
4121 Wilson Boulevard, 10th Floor
Arlington, VA 22203

For complete information about funding programs, including your application status, please contact funders directly. Summaries are provided for your convenience only. RAC does not take part in application processes or monitor application status.

Gov. Hickenlooper Announces Plans for Expansion of Medicaid in Colorado

Governor Hickenlooper announced this week his administration’s plans to expand Medicaid as part of federal healthcare reform. This is a big win for rural Coloradans who typically earn lower wages than their urban counterparts and disproportionately experience unemployment. CRHC’s most recent policy survey shows members overwhelmingly support the expansion as a means to increase access to care for rural Coloradans, so this is exciting news for CRHC members and partners.

The new eligibility standards will enable the state to cover an additional 160,000 adults. The federal government will cover 100% of the costs for the newly-eligible Medicaid population through 2016. After that, the federal match begins to taper down, and Colorado will be responsible for 10% beginning in 2020 (unless the law is changed).

The Governor’s press release can be found here. Gov. Hickenlooper released a fact sheet and an FAQ with his announcement. Click on the embedded links to read those documents.

As posted by Alicia Haywood on The Rural Voice.