Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Last Week to Register for Alamosa Bootcamp!

Make sure you get your registration in for the Alamosa Coding Certification Bootcamp March 19th-21st. Last day to register is March 14th!


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


In case you can't make our March bootcamp, why not go for our May bootcamp? Held in Rifle, this three day bootcamp will be held May 21-23, 2013.

Coding Certification Bootcamp 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


June 2012: Rural Medicare Advantage Enrollment and Premium Update


Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment continued to grow and premiums continued to decline in 2012 despite reductions in payment to the plans as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. Rural MA enrollees face higher premiums than their urban counterparts, and the average premium for rural MA beneficiaries fell to $48 per month in 2012 as compared to $52 per month in 2011.

Analysis of the zero premiums by plan in relationship to the plans charging a premium gives additional insights into the MA marketplace as faced by rural enrollees. Zero premium plans are less available in rural areas and are selected less often when they are available, which is a potential source of inequity between rural and urban areas.

Contact information:
Keith J. Mueller, PhD
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Phone: 319.384.3831
keith-mueller@uiowa.edu

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Enhance Your Spanish Skills!

Spanish Language Training for Health Care Professionals, a four-day intensive hosted by CHAMPS and the Denver Medical Society (DMS), will be held in Denver, CO, Friday, April 19 through Monday, April 22, 2013. The course is recommended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, and other clinical personnel. Four full days of instruction, course book, and over 40 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credit are included in the cost. With three Spanish language skill levels offered and a central Denver location, this is the perfect medical Spanish course to brush up, expand your skills, or start learning.

Register early as space is limited! 

For more information and to register, visit www.CHAMPSonline.org/Events.html#SLT or email chelsea@CHAMPSonline.org.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

SEED Grant Application Deadline

The first round of SEED grant applications are due April 30th!

The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) sets aside a portion of its discretionary revenues for the Colorado Rural Health Seed Grant program. Seed Grant money is available for rural projects whose intent matches the mission of CRHC. Rural organizational members can apply for these grants in amounts up to $1,500.

Please click here for more information, as well as applications.

Monday, March 4, 2013

WIHI on Mar. 7: On the Frontlines of Hand Hygiene

March 7, 2013: No Excuses, No Slack! 
(2:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern Time) 

Featuring:
Gene H. Burke, MD, Vice President and Executive Medical Director for Clinical Effectiveness, Sentara Healthcare
Michael Howell, MD, Director of Healthcare Delivery Science, Director of Critical Care Quality, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Lisa L. Maragakis, MD, MPH, FSHEA, Director of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Johns Hopkins Hospital
Scott A. Miller, MD, FACP, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Sentara Leigh Hospital
Tom Talbot, MD, MPH, Chief Hospital Epidemiologist, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

One of the cornerstones of infection prevention in any health care setting, including when someone is being cared for at home, is good hand hygiene. Much of the attention in recent years has focused on hospitals and their rates of hand hygiene compliance among staff. And rightly so. Among the biggest contributors to hospital-acquired infections are, inadvertently, health professionals themselves... and others who come in contact with patients.

The good news, as you’ll be reminded on the March 7 WIHI, entitled No Excuses, No Slack! The Latest from the Front Lines on Hand Hygiene, is that awareness of the necessity of strict hand hygiene compliance has never been greater… not just in the US, but in acute care settings globally. And this awareness has been coupled with practices that are being adhered to more reliably than ever before. But not everywhere, all the time; organizations that can tout rates as high as 95% are still the exception, not the rule, and good performers continue to face challenges closing the gap.

For the March 7 WIHI, host Madge Kaplan has rounded up infection prevention leaders and clinicians from four organizations whose recent innovations with hand hygiene at their facilities represent what could be the best bet yet that 100% compliance is achievable. Sentara, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center all have fresh approaches that rely on new kinds of auditing tools to discern what really works; better surveillance, monitoring, and measuring; reengineering; constant education; and a laser-like focus on behavior and culture change.

What’s working in your organization? How are you getting your hand hygiene compliance rates to move upward? Compare and contrast your methods with those of our guests.

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

Patient Safety Awareness Week in Full Swing!

March 3rd-9th is Patient Safety Awareness Week, an annual education and awareness campaign for health care safety led by the National Patient Safety Foundation (www.npsf.org).

We here at the Colorado Rural Health Center would like to help you participate. The Essential Guide for Patient Safety Officers offers a roadmap for health care organizations to create the necessary strategy, structure, environment, and metrics to improve patient safety. Also you might consider enrolling in the Patient Safety Executive Development Program offered by IHI.

Friday, March 1, 2013

At a Glance -- February 2013

The February edition of "At a Glance" has been published.

This Department of Health Care Policy and Financing publication provides information on major initiatives including policy changes and program updates. Please feel free to share it with your colleagues.

Please click the following link to read the publication : At a Glance