Rural Health Open Door Forum

The next Rural Health Open Door Forum is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, 2013 from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, ET. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 91724524. An agenda will be posted before the scheduled call and you will receive a separate notification. Thank you for your continued interest in the CMS Open Door Forums.

Don’t miss the opportunity to offer loan repayment to your healthcare providers!

Do you have a healthcare provider at your facility who is interested in loan repayment? Let them know that the Colorado Health Service Corps (CHSC) Loan Repayment Program spring 2013 application cycle will open March 1st, 2013.  The application cycle is open for one month, closing on March 31st, 2013.

Up to $105,000 for a 3-year commitment is available to your primary care healthcare providers!

CHSC provides loan repayment to fully trained primary care providers in exchange for either a three-year full-time service obligation in an underserved community. After completing their initial years of service, loan repayors may apply for additional years of support! Eligible providers include primary care Family Physicians, Internists, OB/GYNs, Pediatricians, Dentists, Psychiatrists, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Dental Hygienists and licensed mental health professionals.

Many types of health care facilities are CHSC eligible sites including Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Community Health Centers, and safety-net clinics.

To find out more about the CHSC Loan Repayment Program, please visit http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/primarycare/chsc/.

Would you like to speak with someone to find out if your facility is eligible for loan repayment? Contact Colorado Provider Recruitment (CPR) at cpr@coruralhealth.org or (303) 832-7493.

Patient Safety Awareness Week

Are You Ready?

Patient Safety Awareness Week Is March 3-9, 2013

Patient Safety Awareness Week is an annual education and awareness campaign for health care safety led by NPSF. Each year, health care organizations internationally take part in the event by prominently displaying the NPSF campaign logo and promotional materials within their organizations, creating awareness in the community, and utilizing NPSF educational resources among hospital staff and patients. Visit the NPSF Store to order materials.

The theme for Patient Safety Awareness Week 2013 is Patient Safety 7/365: 7 days of recognition, 365 days of commitment to safe care. This is a week to recognize the advancements that have been made in the patient safety arena, while acknowledging the challenges that remain—and committing to work on them, every day.

Join in activities this week at your own health care facility or online with NPSF.

Mark your calendar for two special events:

Professional Learning Series Webcast
Wednesday, March 6, 2:oo – 3:00 pm Eastern time
Achieving Safe Medication Practices:
Results from the ISMP Medication Safety Self Assessment® for Hospitals over the Last Decade

Twitter Chat

hursday, March 7, Noon – 1:00 pm Eastern time

For more information, please click here.

Why Attending the Forum Can Save Your RHC Money

The CRHC is excited to offer scholarship opportunities for RHC facilities to help their staff attend the 2013 Forum!

The Forum serves as an essential educational, training, and networking event for all safety net clinics, members of the clinic team, and other interested parties. However, even after paying the registration fee attending the Forum can be a hurdle on its own, with the rising gas prices and hotel fees involved.

So let us help you attend!

Approved staff members can receive up to $500.00 per person to attend The Forum. Please click here for more information on how your clinic can receive funds to attend the Forum 2013. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity!

For more information (including agenda) on the Forum 2013, click here.

If you have any questions about registration, please contact Bridgette Olson at bo@coruralhealth.org.

March iCARE Webinar

Please join us for our monthly iCARE webinar. The agenda includes:

• Welcome and Introductions
• Focused Round Robin (surrounding 30-day readmissions)
• QI Education Session - Using Human Factors to Improve
• Next Steps

Please send in your iCARE Project data to Caleb atcs@coruralhealth.org or Courtnay atcr@coruralhealth.org

Click here to register.

Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program

The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Broadband Program) furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas.

The goal of the Broadband Program is to ensure that rural consumers enjoy the same quality and range of services that are available in urban and suburban communities. This program aims to lend to entities capable of repaying its loans and that plan to offer service at a level that keeps pace with technology upgrades while meeting the demands of customers in rural America.

Please click here for more information, including eligibility and funding.

Utilization Management for CAHs Webinar - Tomorrow!

Utilization Management for CAHs 

Webinar
Friday, February 22, 2013 at 11:30 AM MST

 For more information and to register click here.

Join the Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) for this webinar on Utilization Management (UM) and Utilization Review (UR) for CAHs. All hospitals, including CAHs, must have a UM/UR Plan that describes the process used to review all services provided by the institution and by the members of the medical staff. In addition to assuring optimal healthcare delivery and positive patient outcomes, sound UM/UR practices are integral to achieving successful results during activities such as RAC audits.

During this webinar, experts from the Joffit Group, will discuss the components involved in setting up an efficient UM/UR process and will review CRHC's Utilization Management Resource for Critical Access Hospitals: a concise, easy-to-use tool for hospital providers and staff that explains the role of UM/UR in various CAH settings including: Inpatient, Outpatient, Observation, and Swing Bed. This resource includes:

• Key UM/UR Concepts and Examples 
• Regulatory and Audit Impacts (including RAC, MIC, and CERT) 
• UM Plan Example 
• Checklists for Developing Comprehensive UM/UR Processes 
• FAQ's, Quick Reference Guides, and Resource Links 

Registration Fees (you will be invoiced after the webinar):
CRHC Members: FREE
Non-members: $99 per connection

To see if your facility is a current CRHC member, click here.

All Colorado CAHs will receive an electronic copy of CRHC's Utilization Management Resource for Critical Access Hospitals free of charge prior to the webinar. The Utilization Management Resource for Critical Access Hospitals is availble for all others for purchase for $199. For more information about purchasing the UM Resource Guide for CAHs, contact cs@coruralhealth.org.

Upon registration, you will receive an email confirmation with connection information.

This webinar is supported through CRHC's reciept of the Federal HRSA Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Grant: CFDA 93.241; Award 2 H54RH00056-11-00.

Dialysis Availability in Rural America

Key Facts
Full Report

End stage renal disease (ESRD), a potential consequence of diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions, leaves the individual in need of a kidney transplant or kidney dialysis to survive. Depending on their clinical condition and service availability, patients may receive hemodialysis, generally performed in a clinic, or peritoneal dialysis, which can be performed at home. This study explored the availability of dialysis services in rural America, using the Medicare Dialysis Compare files and the Standard Analysis File of the US Renal Data System.

Key Findings include the following:

• The prevalence of dialysis use did not differ across urban versus rural counties. 
• Rural residents travel further for dialysis services. 
• Fewer expanded dialysis services (peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis training, and after-hours availability) were offered in rural areas. 
• Dialysis quality outcomes were similar across rural and urban end stage renal disease facilities. 

Contact information:
Amy Brock-Martin, DrPH
South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Phone: 803.251.6317
brocka@mailbox.sc.edu

Department of Health Care Policy and Financing Increasing the Enrollment Cap for the AwDC Program

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing announced last week that they will be increasing the enrollment cap for the Adults without Dependent Children (AwDC) in Medicaid by an estimated 9,250 slots.

HCPF plans to enroll 3,000 individuals from the AwDC program waitlist beginning in April and enroll 1,250 individuals each subsequent month though September 2013 as long as funding allows. The phased monthly increase in enrollment will allow the Department to continue to evaluate program expenses to ensure costs do not exceed provider fee funds.

Read the letter from HCPF on increasing the enrollment here.

* I would just use this link. They already posted the letter, and we’re part of this campaign anyway.

http://connectcampaign.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/letter-from-hcpf-on-increasing-awdc-enrollment/

Commentary: Looming Sequestration Cuts Put Rural Providers on Edge

By: John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media, February 20, 2013

With 40% of rural facilities already operating at a loss, a 2% cut about to be triggered by unchecked legislation "is incredibly challenging," says an official at the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute.

More Analysis

HealthSciences Health Coaching Webinar Series

HealthSciences is now accepting registrations for the Spring MI Health Coaching Webinar Series. 

Following a sold-out Fall session, on Thursday May 2nd, HealthSciences Institute kicks off the Spring MI Health Coaching Webinar Series with Miller and Rollnick's 2012 Health Coaching Framework from Helping People Change (3rd Ed.). The new model offers a step-by-step process for engaging patients and facilitating health-related behavior change. In addition to reviewing this new model and its application to real world health care settings, the series includes individual and team practice activities and case studies for building concrete, practical health coaching skills.

Twice National Institutes of Health-funded authority on MI in health care, Associate Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine, MINT member, and HealthSciences Institute's MI lead contributor, Dr. Susan Butterworth, facilitates.

Who Should Attend? 
Any health care practitioner, new to MI or experienced in MI, who has not completed training in this new model. The series is designed for practitioners who serve patients at risk of, or affected by, chronic conditions in telephonic or face-to-face wellness, disease management or case management, or, direct care settings including medical homes and accountable care organizations. Clinicians and non clinicians are welcome to attend including nurses, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, physicians, dietitians, rehabilitation therapists and behavioral health care professionals. Chronic Care Professional (CCP) health coach certification is a recommended, but not required, pre-requisite.

For more information on the series or to register, please click here.

Picking Apart the PPACA (Obamacare)

Picking Apart the PPACA (Obamacare)

Patient Affordable Care Act Changes That Occurred in 2010:
Indoor tanning services were assessed a 10% excise tax.

A re-insurance program offset the costs of health benefits for workers age 55-64 who were forced into early retirement.

Medicare beneficiaries who fell into the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug "donut hole" received a $250 rebate. They received a 50% discount on brand name drugs in 2011, and the doughnut hole is eliminated in 2020.

Children were allowed to stay on their parents' health insurance until they turn 26.

New private plans were required to cover preventive services with no co-payments, and they are exempt from deductibles. Consumers who applied to new plans have access to an external appeals process if coverage is denied.

Insurance companies were prohibited from dropping coverage if someone got really sick. They couldn't create lifetime coverage limits. They could no longer deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. The same will apply to adults in 2014. Until then, adults with pre-existing conditions who have been denied coverage will get access to temporary health insurance coverage until the exchanges are set up. (To see how to sign up, go to Pre-Existing Conditions.)

Patient Protection Affordable Care Act Changes in 2011:

• Medicare-covered preventative services were exempted from deductibles and the co-pay was eliminated. 
• Insurance companies must prove they spent at least 80% of the premium payments on medical services, rather than on things like advertising and executive salaries. Those that didn't were required to provide rebates to policyholders. 
• States were funded to require health insurance companies to submit justification for all rate hikes. 
• Funds were expanded to increase the number of doctors and nurses, and more community health centers -- enough to double the number of patients they can treat in the next five years. 

Changes in 2013:
Medical expenses must be at least 10% of income before they are deductible for those under 65. Manufacturers and importers of medical devices will pay a 2.3% excise tax. (Click here to read more about Changes in 2013.)

Changes in 2014:
In 2014, the state-run health exchanges will be set up. Medicaid eligibility will be expanded to include those with incomes up to 133% of the Federal poverty line ($29,000 for a family of four). (Click here to read more about Changes in 2013.)

Prescription Drug Misuse Round Tables

Prescription Drug Misuse Round Tables 

Friday, March 8, 2013

8:00 am - 3:00 pm* 

You are invited to participate in a one-day working meeting to develop statewide recommendations and action steps to address prescription drug misuse in Colorado by contributing your expertise to one of the following areas:

1. Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)
2. Provider and Prescriber Education
3. Public Awareness
4. Safe Disposal of Prescription Drugs
5. Data and Analysis

These efforts will inform Governor Hickenlooper's strategic plan that will be developed as part of the National Governors Association Prescription Drug Abuse Reduction Policy Academy.

To learn more about the event, the agencies involved, or to register, please follow this link: http://vipreventionnetworkco.com/p/prescription-drug-overdose.html.

We look forward to your participation!

Please note: there has been a change in time from the previous notification. The event will begin at 8:00 am.

Ali Maffey, MSW
Policy and Communication Coordinator
Injury, Suicide, and Violence Prevention Branch
State of Colorado, Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
303-691-4031

Rural Pharmacy Closures: Implications for Rural Communities

Rural Pharmacy Closures: Implications for Rural Communities 

In many rural areas, a single retail pharmacy is the sole provider of essential services. When these pharmacies close, rural residents may not only have difficulty obtaining medication but also in some cases find themselves without proximate access to any clinical provider.

This policy brief documents the closure of local retail pharmacies in which the pharmacist was the only clinical provider available in the community at the time the pharmacy closed, describing characteristics about the communities and retail pharmacies in question.

Key findings:
- 119 sole community pharmacies closed between May 1, 2006, and October 31, 2010.
- Of those 119 pharmacies, 31 were located in rural communities with no other health professionals or clinical providers.
- Of those 31 pharmacy closures, 17% were located in remote rural areas (RUCA score of 10 or higher).

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

Additional Resource of Interest:
July 2012: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America
June 2011: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America, 2003–2010
More information about the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis

Updates to the RHC Manual -- CMS TA Call

On February 1st, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a revised version of the RHC manual. This latest iteration updates and clarifies a number of policy areas. In order to provide a thorough explanation behind the updates we have arranged for Corinne Axelrod, CMS’ RHC coordinator to walk us through the updates and respond to your questions.

The next RHC TA call, “Updates to the RHC Manual,” has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 20th at 3:00pm EASTERN. Please reserve this time on your calendar. The call-in number and access code will be sent via a separate email.

Here is a link to the updated RHC Policy Manual.

We are not anticipating that our speaker will use slides. Instead, she plans to go through the RHC Manual, section-by-section. Therefore, it would be useful to have a copy of the document in front of you as you listen to her presentation.

Also, if you’ve read the document and you have questions you would like to submit ahead of time, please send them to: info@narhc.org and put RHC TA Question in the subject line. We will pass these along to Corinne so she can try to incorporate the answer to your question in her formal presentation. If she is unable to incorporate the answer, we will make every effort to ask the question during the Q and A portion of her presentation.

As always, a transcript and recording of the call will be available some time after the call.

Why the Community Paramedic Program is Important for Future Health Care

The Eagle County Paramedic Services was recently highlighted in the Eagle Valley Enterprise as an exemplar case of the Community Paramedic program. The Community Paramedic program focuses on "preventative medicine. A Community Paramedic does not replace the specialized services available in a home health care model or physician office, but is an extension of a patient's primary health care."

The Eagle Valley Enterprise reports that in the time between September 2010 to June 2012, "47 physician visits, 15 ambulance transports, 13 ER visits, three hospital admissions/readmissions and 244 skilled nursing days were prevented." This translates into an estimated savings of $124,071 in health care costs.

To read more about the Community Paramedic program, as well as Eagle County Paramedic Services's hard work, please click here to access the Enterprise article. 

To read a separate article about Community Paramedics, produced by Health Leaders Media, please click here. 

-Way to go Eagle County Paramedic Services!-

Utilization Management for CAHs Webinar

Join the Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) for this webinar on Utilization Management (UM) and Utilization Review (UR) for CAHs. All hospitals, including CAHs, must have a UM/UR Plan that describes the process used to review all services provided by the institution and by the members of the medical staff. In addition to assuring optimal healthcare delivery and positive patient outcomes, sound UM/UR practices are integral to achieving successful results during activities such as RAC audits.

During this webinar, experts from the Joffit Group, will discuss the components involved in setting up an efficient UM/UR process and will review CRHC's Utilization Management Resource for Critical Access Hospitals: a concise, easy-to-use tool for hospital providers and staff that explains the role of UM/UR in various CAH settings including: Inpatient, Outpatient, Observation, and Swing Bed. This resource includes:

• Key UM/UR Concepts and Examples 
• Regulatory and Audit Impacts (including RAC, MIC, and CERT) 
• UM Plan Example 
• Checklists for Developing Comprehensive UM/UR Processes 
• FAQ's, Quick Reference Guides, and Resource Links 

Registration Fees (you will be invoiced after the webinar):
CRHC Members: FREE
Non-members: $99 per connection

To register, click here. 
To see if your facility is a current CRHC member, click here.

All Colorado CAHs will receive an electronic copy of CRHC's Utilization Management Resource for Critical Access Hospitals free of charge prior to the webinar. The Utilization Management Resource for Critical Access Hospitals is availble for all others for purchase for $199. For more information about purchasing the UM Resource Guide for CAHs, contact cs@coruralhealth.org.

Upon registration, you will receive an email confirmation with connection information.

CMS End-to-End Testing

End-to-End Testing Virtual Event: 

A Collaborative Approach to Testing, Readiness and Compliance 

February 28, 2013
11:00 am to 5:30 pm ET

Organizations must conduct thorough end-to-end testing to ensure readiness for the October 1, 2014, transition to ICD-10.

To help the health care community prepare, CMS and the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) will host the End-to-End Testing Virtual Event on Thursday, February 28, 2013, 11 am – 5:30 pm Eastern Time.

All members of the health care community are welcome to take part in this no-cost webinar, which will include sessions tailored for:

• Providers 
• Clearinghouses 
• Payers 
• Vendors 

The webinar will provide information on how to participate in the ICD-10 National Pilot Program. Established by WEDI and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and conducted in coordination with CMS, the ICD-10 pilot aims to:

• Standardize the testing process 
• Provide a coordinated approach 
• Minimize guesswork by leveraging best practices of early adopter organizations 

A question and answer period will follow each webinar session, and a recording of the entire event will be available.

To find out more and register, visit the WEDI website.

Keep Up to Date on ICD-10.
Please visit the ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare.

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

The deadline for ICD-10 is October 1, 2014.

RHC Can Win a Free AED by Attending the Forum!

Want to attend the Forum this year? 

Think it will cost your facility too much?

What if we helped you get here? CRHC offers scholarships to RHCs to help staff members attend this important event. Approved staff members can receive up to $500.00 per person to attend The Forum. Please see the attached flyer for more information on how your clinic can receive funds to attend the Forum 2013. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity!

Among many other panels and breakout sessions, this year CRHC, and their partner in the event, ClinicNET, are pleased to provide two Emergency Preparedness sessions. Speakers include Lonnie Knudsen from Magnum Solutions, LLC. and Gerald Lawrence, Director of Facilities of Mercy Hospital in Joplin, MO.

Knudsen will touch on best practices for Radio Communication, provide an overview of NIMS training, and discuss the importance of Healthcare Partnerships. Lawrence will recount the Joplin tornado event and steps that medical staffs go through to take care of patients during and after, security issues, lesson learned from a root cause analysis and what Mercy Hospital of Joplin is doing to improve the hardening of the facility for the future.

At the end of the Emergency Preparedness sessions, a brand new, free AED will be given away to one of the RHC clinics in attendance – that could be your clinic!

So, the CRHC’s The Forum is coming up – have you registered? 

For more information (including agenda) on the Forum 2013, click here. 

If you have any questions about registration, please contact Bridgette Olson at bo@coruralhealth.org.

Coding and Billing Made Fun!

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

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

Denver Health Care Career Event

Join us at our 

Denver Health Care Career Event at Sports Authority Field

Tuesday, April 9th

9:00am to 2:00pm

Q&A Session for New Grads: 8:30-9:00am

Brought to you by the Colorado Hospital Association & the National Healthcare Career Network...dedicated to connecting Colorado health care employers, educators & talent.

Exhibitor Cost
Employers: $699
Educators: $599
Recruiter Panelist: $499

Includes:
FREE 30-day job posting (value: $450) on the National Healthcare Career Network
6' table & chairs
Box Lunch

Register by March 1st for a $50 discount

For more information or to register, please click here.

EHR Incentive Programs

The EHR Incentive Programs Stage 1 Rule stated that, in order for a Medicaid encounter to count towards the patient volume of an eligible provider, Medicaid had to either pay for all or part of the service, or pay all or part of the premium, deductible or coinsurance for that encounter. 

 The Stage 2 Rule now states that the Medicaid encounter can be counted towards patient volume if the patient is enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program (either through the state’s fee-for-service programs or the state’s Medicaid managed care programs) at the time of service without the requirement of Medicaid payment liability. How will this change affect patient volume calculations for Medicaid eligible providers?

Importantly, this change affecting the Medicaid patient volume calculation is applicable to all eligible providers, regardless of the stage of the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program they are participating in. Billable services provided by an eligible provider to a patient enrolled in Medicaid would count toward meeting the minimum Medicaid patient volume thresholds. Examples of Medicaid encounters under this expanded definition that could be newly eligible might include: behavioral health services, HIV/AIDS treatment, or other services that might not be billed to Medicaid/managed care for privacy reasons, but where the provider has a mechanism to verify eligibility. Also, services to a Medicaid-enrolled patient that might not have been reimbursed by Medicaid (or a Medicaid managed care organization) may now be included in the Medicaid patient volume calculation (e.g., oral health services, immunization, vaccination and women’s health services, telemedicine/telehealth, etc.).

Providers who are not currently enrolled with their state Medicaid agency who might be newly eligible for the incentive payments due to these changes should note that they are not necessarily required to fully enroll with Medicaid in order to receive the payment.

In some instances, it may now be appropriate to include services denied by Medicaid in calculating patient volume. It will be appropriate to review denial reasons. If Medicaid denied the service for timely filing or because another payer’s payment exceeded the potential Medicaid payment, it would be appropriate to include that encounter in the calculation. If Medicaid denied payment for the service because the beneficiary has exceeded service limits established by the Medicaid program, it would be appropriate to include that encounter in the calculation. If Medicaid denied the service because the patient was ineligible for Medicaid at the time of service, it would not be appropriate to include that encounter in the calculation.

Further guidance regarding this change will be distributed to the states as appropriate.

HCAHPS Training offered through CMS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will offer Introduction to HCAHPS and HCAHPS Update Training sessions the week of March 4, 2013. These training sessions are intended for hospitals that self-administer the HCAHPS survey, hospitals that administer HCAHPS for multiple sites (multi-sites), survey vendors that participate in HCAHPS, as well as other interested individuals and organizations.

All HCAHPS training sessions will be conducted via webinar. There is no fee for either Introduction or Update training. Training materials for the 2013 HCAHPS Training sessions, as well as the newly revised HCAHPS Quality Assurance Guidelines V8.0, will be posted on the HCAHPS Web site (www.hcahpsonline.org) in late February 2013. Please note that the HCAHPS Quality Assurance Guidelines V8.0 will be made available on the HCAHPS Web site, and will not be provided in hard copy. Please click here for more information on the 2013 HCAHPS Training.

Please click here to register for the 2013 HCAHPS Training Sessions. -- Training Registration will close on Wednesday, February 20, 2013!

For more information on the training session dates and times, as well as more information on the courses offered, please click here.

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program NOW OPEN!

Don’t miss out on your chance for loan repayment! 

Pay off your student loans while serving communities in need. 

Do you have a healthcare provider at your facility who is interested in loan repayment? National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program is now open! NHSC is open from February 7th, 2013 through April 16th, 2013.

Up to $60,000 for a 2-year commitment is available to your primary care healthcare providers!

NHSC provides loan repayment to fully trained primary care providers in exchange for either a two year service obligation in an underserved community. After completing their initial years of service, loan repayors may apply for additional years of support! Eligible providers include primary care Family Physicians, Internists, OB/GYNs, Pediatricians, Psychiatrists, Dentists, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Dental Hygienists and licensed mental health professionals.

Many types of healthcare facilities are NHSC eligible sites including Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Community Health Centers, and safety-net clinics.

To find out more about the NHSC Loan Repayment Program, please visit http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/index.html.


Would you like to speak with someone to find out if your facility is eligible for loan repayment? Contact Colorado Provider Recruitment (CPR) at cpr@coruralhealth.org or (303) 832-7493.

Managing Culture Change in the Rural World

Culture Change in the Real Rural World

Webinar

Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Starting at 11 a.m. MST

Please click here to register.

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

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.

Questions? Contact Courtnay Ryan at cr@coruralhealth.org or 303.309.6807.

Grow Your Own Coders

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

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

Free medication safety leaflets for consumers

The Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has free consumer leaflets available on their website that describe a variety of commonly used high-alert medications, including warfarin, fentanyl patches, insulin, and more. Each includes key tips for how to take the medications and when to contact a physician. The leaflets can be reproduced for free distribution to consumers. (Note: Free registration is required to get access to the leaflets.)

National Council Offers Veterans Behavioral Health Online Courses and Conference Sessions

Are you struggling with finding the best clinical practices for assisting veterans with transitioning to civilian life and reintegrating with their families? More veterans than ever before are returning home with the visible and invisible wounds of war, which range from post-traumatic stress disorder to depression and suicide.

The Serving Our Veterans Behavioral Health Certificate offers 14 self-paced online courses that are based on real-life cases and provide applicable knowledge and skills for providers to help Veterans and their families build a framework of resiliency for mental health challenges or reintegration difficulties.

The curriculum is based on the latest evidence and clinical practice guidelines developed by the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs for treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, addictions, and depression.

Enroll now and earn 20+ hours of continuing education credit for only $350.

The certificate includes the following courses:

• Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD in Veterans and Military Personnel 
• Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence 
• Epidemiology of PTSD in Military Personnel and Veterans 
• Fundamentals of Traumatic Brain Injury 
• Improving Substance Abuse Treatment Compliance 
• Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Returning Veterans 
• Military Cultural Competence 
• Overview of Suicide Prevention 
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD for Veterans and Military Service Personnel 
• Provider Resiliency and Self-Care: An Ethical Issue 
• PTSD Then and Now, There and Here 
• The Impact of Deployment and Combat Stress on Families and Children: 
• Part I: Understanding Military Families and the Deployment Cycle 
• Part II: Enhancing the Resilience of Military Families 
• Working with the Homeless: An Overview 

Questions? Contact info@essentiallearning.com or call 800-729-9198, ext. 296.

The Serving Our Veterans Certificate is a public/private partnership between the National Council for Behavioral Health, the Department of Defense Center for Deployment Psychology, and Essential Learning to ensure that our exceptional veterans and their families receive the exceptional services they deserve. Educational opportunities to support our veterans are also available at the 2013 National Council Conference, including a preconference university, “Serving Our Veterans: Clinical and Cultural Competencies.” Check out our preliminary program for more details.

Get Informed! David Ginsberg to host webinar on HIPAA Omnibus Rule

After a 2.5 year wait the final HIPAA Omnibus Rule has been released with 563 pages of changes to HIPAA as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The package of regulations will be officially posted on the Federal Register on Jan. 25. The final omnibus rule will be effective on March 26, but covered entities and business associates have until Sept. 23 to comply. 

The package includes:

• Extensive modifications to the HIPAA privacy, security and enforcement rules. Among the changes: Applying many security and privacy requirements to business associates and their subcontractors.
• A final version of the HIPAA breach notification rule. An interim final version has been in effect since September 2009. The new version clarifies requirements for when a breach must be reported to authorities.
• A rule spelling out that using genetic information for insurance underwriting purposes is a privacy violation under HIPAA, as well as discriminatory under the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act.

CRHC's Senior Advisor, David Ginsberg, is reviewing the changes and providing summaries. A webinar is scheduled for February 14, 2013 from 12:00-1:00. Please click here to register for the event. 

Questions? Contact: David Ginsberg, Senior Advisor, Colorado Rural Health Center
505.466.8597  or 303.883.7760 (cell)

Ergonomics: Slips, Trips, & Falls Prevention

Join us for a FREE Webinar 

February 14, 2013, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Central Time 

Ergonomics: Slips, Trips, & Falls Prevention 

SPACE IS LIMITED
Register here

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar

Presenters: 

Charlotte Halverson, RN, BSN, COHN-S, AgriSafe Network Occupational Health Coordinator
Carolyn Sheridan, BSN, AgriSafe Clinical Director

Charlotte developed and implemented agricultural health programs at the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety since 1997. As an AgriSafe rural health nurse, she is leading efforts to advance the quality of health care offered to farm families

Carolyn is a registered nurse who is a national leader in developing agricultural health clinics and providing occupational health services to the agricultural community

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Identify actions and tools that can be integrated to prevent slips, trips and falls 
• Locate OSHA standards related to workplace hazards that may result in injuries from slips, trips or falls 
• Access personnel representing OSHA, AgriSafe and local organizations that can assist in workplace safety development 

CMS and WEDI Announce End-to-End Testing Webinar

End-to-End Testing Virtual Event: 

A Collaborative Approach to Testing, Readiness and Compliance 

February 28, 2013
11:00 am to 5:30 pm ET

Organizations must conduct thorough end-to-end testing to ensure readiness for the October 1, 2014, transition to ICD-10.

To help the health care community prepare, CMS and the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) will host the End-to-End Testing Virtual Event on Thursday, February 28, 2013, 11 am – 5:30 pm Eastern Time.

All members of the health care community are welcome to take part in this no-cost webinar, which will include sessions tailored for:

• Providers 
• Clearinghouses 
• Payers 
• Vendors 

The webinar will provide information on how to participate in the ICD-10 National Pilot Program. Established by WEDI and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and conducted in coordination with CMS, the ICD-10 pilot aims to:

• Standardize the testing process 
• Provide a coordinated approach 
• Minimize guesswork by leveraging best practices of early adopter organizations 

A question and answer period will follow each webinar session, and a recording of the entire event will be available.

To find out more and register, visit the WEDI website.

Keep Up to Date on ICD-10.
Please visit the ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare.

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

The deadline for ICD-10 is October 1, 2014.

Finding Funding

Research is the first step for success in grant-writing. Developed by the Community Resource Center, the Colorado Grants Guide is Colorado's leading tool for grant funding research. This comprehensive, online database profiles over 750 local foundations and trusts, corporations, national funders, government agencies and religious organizations that support Colorado nonprofit organizations.

Participants of this training will learn the steps necessary to develop an organized, focused approach to research and how to optimize their search efforts, using this online resource. Save valuable time and resources and master the Colorado Grants Guide Online today.

• Master your usage of the Colorado Grants Guide online for grant funding research
• Understand basic grant terminology and how research fits into the larger process
• Recognize what to look for in a foundation 990

*Class participants will receive a 10% discount on the Colorado Grants Guide annual subscription if purchased on the day of the training!

Date: 2/6/2013
Start Time: 1:00 PM
End Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Mt. Shavano Conference Room (233 A&B), Touber Building: 448 E. First Street Salida, CO 81201
Instructor: Crissy Supples, RPD Program Associate

Colorado Welcome Back

Are you an internationally trained healthcare professional? 

Do you want to get back into the healthcare field? 

Colorado Welcome Back can help! 

Colorado Welcome Back, a program of Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, helps foreign trained health care professionals re-establish careers in health care in Colorado. Designed to increase the diversity and cultural competency of the state health care workforce, the program also addresses medically underserved communities experiencing health workforce shortages and health disparities.

Colorado Welcome Back is for people with health care training from other countries that have moved to Colorado and desire to work in a health care setting again. The program provides an array of case management, education and employment services to assist Colorado’s foreign trained health professionals who are otherwise unable to practice their professions.

Colorado Welcome Back is funded by the Colorado Refugee Services Program, the Kaiser Foundation, and the Colorado Health Foundation.

For more information about Colorado Welcome Back's services please see the program brochure.