Month: March 2021

Rural Initiative Addressing Community Social Needs

The Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) has released a new case series, Rural Initiatives Addressing Community Social Needs. The case series describes two Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based initiatives to address social needs in their communities:

  • Food Access Initiatives, Lakewood Health System, Staples, Minnesota, and;
  • NEK Prosper, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, St. Johnsbury, Vermont

This case series provides best practices for CAHs and communities that may wish to emulate these programs.

Webinar: Care by Video? Telephone? Email? Text? Remote Monitoring? When to offer whish if reimbursement is not an issue.

Date: March 23, 2021

Time: 2:00 PM CT

REGISTER HERE!

Objectives: Learn from four very experienced primary care physicians when each of the following care processes are appropriate, not appropriate, the best value (greatest clinical outcomes at the lowest cost/time spent).

  • Care by Video
  • Care by Telephone
  • Care by e-mail
  • Care by Text
  • Care by Remote Monitoring

HRSA Pathways Student Intern – Kansas City Opening (Closing Date: March 19, 2020)

The Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA)-Kansas City is seeking qualified students to participate in the Pathways Student Internship Program under indefinite appointments. Appointment is based on continued needs/funds for the position and the student’s continued compliance in the Pathways Intern Program. This is a developmental program while the student completes his/her education. After successful completion of the program requirements, the intern may be non-competitively converted to a term position (not to exceed 1-4 years), or a permanent position in the competitive service. However, in some situations a conversion may not be a guarantee.

The student may work a full-time or part-time schedule. Part-time hours are typically 16-32 hours per week. The work schedule will be established so that it does not interfere with the academic schedule during the school year.

HRSA Pathways Student Intern – Medical/Health

Pay Scale and Grade: GS-0699-5/7

Salary: $30,414 to $48,978 per year (Salary range listed does not include locality pay. The starting salary for this position will be set at the Step 1 of the position based on location.)

Closing Date: Friday, March 19, 2021

Announcement# and link: HRSA Pathways Student Intern – Medical/Health – GS-0699-5/7 – Regions

NEW COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance and Resources for Partners during the Pandemic

March 15, 2021

As COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more available across the country, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and CMS.

With information coming from many different sources, CMS has compiled resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. CMS looks forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage CMS beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity. For more information visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.

COVID-19 Snapshot of New COVID-19 Vaccine Information

CMS, CDC and HHS have released new guidance and resources related to the COVID-19 vaccine to serve beneficiaries. This important information is highlighted below for our partners:

    • CMS released Nursing Home Guidance with Revised Visitation Recommendations with information for nursing homes to safely expand visitation options during the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency (PHE). According to the updated guidance, facilities should allow responsible indoor visitation at all times and for all residents, regardless of vaccination status of the resident, or visitor, unless certain scenarios arise that would limit visitation. For more information, see the Press Release, Fact Sheet and new Guidance. Please share the visiting nursing home infographic.
    • CDC released new guidance, When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated, which is the first interim recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated with guidance for visiting with others in private settings. Here’s some messaging you can share with your consumers:
    • If you’ve been fully vaccinated:
      • You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
    • You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
    • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
    • However, if you live in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.
    • Fully vaccinated people can visit indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing with other fully vaccinated people or with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19. They should continue to wear masks and physically distance when in public or with unvaccinated people at high risk.
    • You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
    • For more information, see the CDC Information for Consumers page and the Science Brief.

The CMS Office of Minority Health has developed a COVID-19 Vaccine Resources website for vulnerable populations to include many federal resources organized for partners, health care professionals, and consumers. The new website includes links to many federal resources in multiple languages to assist organizations who work with those most vulnerable—such as older adults, those with underlying medical conditions, racial and ethnic minorities, rural communities, and people with disabilities. Some resources include:

HHS recently announced Funding for Health Literacy Projects in Underserved Populations, dedicating $250 million to encourage COVID-19 safety and vaccination among underserved populations. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health announced March 8th that funding will support approximately 30 health literacy projects in urban communities and 43 projects in rural communities for two years. Cities, counties, parishes, and other subdivisions, which will team up with community-based organizations, may apply for funding through the Office of Minority Health until April 20, 2021.

If you have any questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine information, please e-mail us at: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov

Funding: Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) Model Medical Triage Line – Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Available

March 12, 2021

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is releasing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) Model. Through the NOFO, CMS will fund state and local governments, their designees, or other entities that operate or have authority over a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) to establish or expand Medical Triage Lines aimed at reducing inappropriate use of emergency ambulance services and increasing efficiency in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems.

The NOFO complements the ambulance payment component of the ET3 Model, which began implementation on January 1, 2021 and for which the final list of Participants was posted today. Applicants to the NOFO must share at least one ZIP Code with the ambulance providers and suppliers that are participants in the model. Under the ET3 Model, CMS provides greater flexibility to ambulance care teams to address emergency health care needs of Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries following a 911 call, by paying ambulances to transport beneficiaries to Alternative Destinations or to facilitate Treatment in Place with a Qualified Health Care Partner, either in-person or through telehealth.

The NOFO is available at grants.gov under Opportunity Number CMS-2F2-21-001.

For more information, please see the ET3 Model’s webpage. Stay up to date on the latest ET3 Model news and updates by subscribing to the ET3 Model listserv or contact us at ET3Model@cms.hhs.gov.

Midwest Partnership Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Convening: Sustaining and Redefining Community Relationships with B.E.S.T. Practices

Date: March 18, 2021

Time: 1:00 PM-6:00 PM CDT

The national plan to end the HIV epidemic is a bold strategy that requires broad and robust community and health department partnership. This afternoon of conversation and networking will highlight community B.E.S.T. (building, engaging, strengthening and trust-centered) practices, and how the role of communities in Midwest EHE Phase 1 jurisdictions can be re-imagined and re-defined. AIDS United is going to have very real and open conversations around community and EHE and look to strengthen the ways partnership looks in the Midwest. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Learn more and register here.

Conference: 2021 National Rural EMS & Care Conference

Dates: April 20-22, 2021

Time: 12:00 PM t0 3:30 PM CT

Cost: $300 per attendee. If you register and pay for 4 attendees, you will get the 5th registration for free. All 5 attendees must register at the same time.

Registration: Click here to register.

For more information about the conference, including the agenda, please click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Matt Strycker at stryckerm@nosorh.org or at 574-855-4671 or Trevor Brown at trevorb@nosorh.org or 248-537-2343.

 

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcements

March 11, 2021

HHS to Invest $250 Million for COVID-19 Response in Underserved Communities. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a community-level program for vulnerable populations, including those in rural areas, and racial and ethnic minorities. The new initiative – Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 – is expected to fund approximately 30 projects in urban communities and 43 projects in rural communities (as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer) for two years to encourage COVID-19 safety and vaccination. Applications are due on April 20th. Eligibility is limited to local municipalities, with consideration given for localities with high social vulnerability.

Deadline Extended for CMS Rural Transformation Project. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the application due date for its new, rural-focused Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model Community Transformation Track to May 11. Optional Letters of Intent are due April 13. This voluntary payment model, the first of its kind from the CMS Innovation Center, will test whether upfront investments, predictable capitated payments, and operational and regulatory flexibilities will enable rural health care providers to improve access to care while reducing health care costs. Selected participants will have 15 months to collaborate with local partners and develop a Community Transformation Plan.

AHRQ Data Request: Improving Rural Health Through Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking published and unpublished scientific information to inform their review of this subject. Key questions in the review include those about the effectiveness of provider-to-provider telehealth and about effective implementation strategies. Submit information to AHRQ’s Evidence-Based Practice Centers Program on or before April 1.

ERS on COVID-19 and Rural America. The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture analyzes county-level data on the prevalence of COVID-19 and local employment rates. A second report takes a closer look at the impact on counties where meatpacking accounts for more than 20 percent of employment.

CRS on Broadband Provisions passed by Congress. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides objective policy and legal analysis to committees and members of the U.S. House and Senate. This report provides information on each federal program included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, designed to increase broadband availability for underserved areas of the United States.

ONC Reports on Interoperability of Electronic Health Records. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) published a data brief examining rates of interoperability by hospital size, type, method of interoperability, and suburban-urban status.

Share Your Thoughts and Opinions on Health – Respond by March 15. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking English-speaking people living in rural areas to participate in virtual discussions about health. The purpose of these discussions is to obtain consumer feedback on newly developed health materials. HRSA is open to speaking with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Sessions will be held in March and May via Zoom and will last approximately 90 minutes. All who participate will receive monetary token of appreciation. If you or someone you know may be interested, please have them contact Heidi.Palacios@SchlesingerGroup.com or call (972) 503-3100 x- 407. Feedback from rural populations will help HRSA create easy to understand health materials for everyone.