FREE WEBINAR: Using Energy as the Currency to Fund Your Infrastructure Projects

The Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care has partnered with Siemens to provide a free webinar for Missouri’s rural hospitals: Using Energy as the Currency to Fund Your Infrastructure Projects

Date: August 23, 2021

Time: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM

Target audience: Hospital system c-suite leadership/ Executive Teams

Topic Summary: Healthcare organizations face considerable challenges including access to capital, governmental mandates, personnel shortages, and patient satisfaction among others.

Your infrastructure is an asset that can be leveraged to increase revenue, reduce operating costs, change attitudes, and produce positive public relations.

By looking at a Total Energy Management approach, this session will outline strategies on how to Reduce energy demand and operating costs; Produce on-site energy generation; Procure energy at the lowest cost; Protect your infrastructure investments and Promote culture change and excitement with your employees and in your community.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting.

Call in (audio only): +1 323-457-5927,,624373071# United States, Los Angeles

 

FREE CAH QUALITY WEBINARS: CAH Annual/Biennial Review & Quality 101 for Department Managers

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex) has partnered with Canopy Associates to provide Missouri’s Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with two FREE follow up webinars to the QAPI workshops offered in Macon and Salem in June.

The CAH Annual/Biennial Review

August 4, 2021

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

This webinar will provide:

  • Key components to meet the SOM requirements
  • Create tracking tool/gap analysis metrics and data collection
  • Evaluate CAHPS data and impact for review/performance

Audience: All staff members that are part of the annual review process.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/97376086795?pwd=VDNOQXdEVHI3UXZzMGRYaXBkbUptZz09

  • Meeting ID: 973 7608 6795
  • Passcode: 811245
  • One tap mobile
  • +13126266799,,97376086795#,,,,*811245# US (Chicago)
  • +16465588656,,97376086795#,,,,*811245# US (New York)

Quality 101 for Department Managers

August 5, 2021

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

This webinar will provide:

  • Insight to requirements of QAPI and the department manager role in providing quality data/outcomes
  • Understanding of surveyor inquiries to staff engagement in quality
  • Oversight into the State Operations Manual and where guidance is located

Audience: All department managers.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92834773177?pwd=ZlFab1ViTlFUeWFNekYxNzgrWEJXQT09

  • Meeting ID: 928 3477 3177
  • Passcode: 637024
  • One tap mobile
  • +13126266799,,92834773177#,,,,*637024# US (Chicago)
  • +16465588656,,92834773177#,,,,*637024# US (New York

Both webinars will be recorded and made available along with the slide deck.

 

Webinar: DATA 2000 Waiver Training Payment Program

Date: July 29, 2021

Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM CT

Click to Register. 

This presentation will provide information about HRSA’s new DATA 2000 Waiver Training Payment Program. Authorized by the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act, Section 6083, this program provides Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment for each eligible employed provider who attained a Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) waiver on or after January 1, 2019. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is now accepting applications for payment from RHCs and FQHCs employing eligible buprenorphine waivered providers. There is no deadline to apply, but available funds are limited and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis. HRSA will accept applications and process payments until all available funds are exhausted. Presenters will share information about how to apply to the program and provide answers to frequently asked questions.

Presented by: National Association of Rural Health Clinics

Moderator: Nathan Baugh

Speakers:

  • Sarah Potter, Director for the Office of Performance & Quality Measurement within HRSA’s off of Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation.
  • Elisa H. Gladstone, Deputy Director of HRSA’s Office Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation

MO HealthNet launches Project Hep Cure to Eliminate Hepatitis C in Missouri’s Medicaid Population

July 16, 2021

JEFFERSON CITY, MO –The Department of Social Services MO HealthNet Division announced the launch of a new partnership, called Project Hep Cure, to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) in an estimated 6,000 Medicaid participants who have not been treated for the disease. The treatment is available at no cost to MO HealthNet participants.

The new Project Hep Cure partnership with the Department of Health & Senior Services, Missouri Primary Care Association, and Show-Me ECHO will help connect and enlist provider participation to test and treat MO HealthNet participants who have HCV and the collaboration with AbbVie, a research-based global biopharmaceutical company, removes barriers to treatment and discounts HCV drug prices for MO HealthNet. 

“People who have hepatitis C can have the disease for many years with no symptoms and unknowingly spread the infection to others,” said Kirk Mathews, MO HealthNet Acting Director and Chief Transformation Officer. “Curing hepatitis C means not only a healthier life for those MO HealthNet participants and stemming the spread of the disease, it also reduces the overall cost of hepatitis C to Missouri since fewer people will get the disease and there will be far fewer liver disease complications or liver transplants.”

In the past few years, new therapies have become available to effectively treat and cure people who have HCV with shorter treatment times and fewer side effects. Starting this month, MO HealthNet’s partnership with AbbVie makes it possible to treat participants with hepatitis C with MAVYRET®, a medication with a 98 percent cure rate, without prior authorization. It simply begins with a MO HealthNet participant visiting their health care provider.  

“Previously, MO HealthNet providers had to go through a number of steps to prescribe a new hepatitis C drug, creating a barrier to treating everyone” said Joshua Moore, MO HealthNet Director of Pharmacy.  “This is a real game-changer for MO HealthNet providers who can now immediately prescribe MAVYRET® to treat and cure hepatitis C without prior authorization.  It is as easy as prescribing an antibiotic and one trip to the pharmacy for the 8-week drug treatment to cure hepatitis C and stop the spread of the disease.”

The Department of Health & Senior Services, Missouri Primary Care Association, and Show-Me ECHO play a vital role connecting and enlisting the participation of providers to test and treat MO HealthNet participants who have HCV.

To find MO HealthNet participant and provider frequently asked questions, provider resources, and more information go to https://dss.mo.gov/mhd/hepc/.

The mission of the Department of Social Services is to empower Missourians to live safe, healthy, and productive lives.  Visit dss.mo.gov to learn more about the Department of Social Services and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Webinar Series: Strategic Social Media for Rural Health Stakeholders

For rural health organizations, engaging stakeholders using social media is an essential business practice. The National Organization of State Office of Rural Health (NOSORH) is pleased to present a special three-part series on social media strategy facilitated by Impact! Communications, Inc., experts in rural health communication strategy.

Click to view flyer.

Session 1: Better than Basic Training on Social Media Strategy
August 12, 2021
1:00-2:30pm CT
Register
Presenter: Michelle Rathman, President, Impact! Communications, Inc.
During this 90-minute session, participants will explore social media strategy, why to use it, when to use it, and how to develop content designed to engage. The session will also provide an overview of social media channels, defining your audience and goals, and tips on how to make social media matter to your organization.

Session 2: Social Media Blast Training 1
August 19, 2021
1:00-2:00 pm CT
Register
Presenter: Sarah Staub, Lead Designer, Impact! Communications, Inc.
During this 1-hour session, participants will be provided with an overview of how to select channels and handles, some tools of the trade, and a deeper dive into content development from a designer’s perspective.

Session 3: Social Media Blast Training 2
August 26, 2021
1:00-2:00 pm CT
Register
Presenter: Sarah Staub, Lead Designer, Impact! Communications, Inc.
During this final 1-hour session, participants will be provided with an overview of the social media marketing funnel, social media advertising, ROI, and a high- level look at analytics.

 

Rural Healthy People 2030 Survey

The Southwest Rural Health Research Center at Texas A&M University with funding support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy is conducting a survey as part of Rural Healthy People 2030 – a project designed to understand the most important health priorities for rural Americans. This once in a decade survey allows individuals who care about rural health like you to voice your opinions on important topics for the health of rural individuals in the United States.

https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020

As a valued rural health stakeholder, your opinion in identifying national priorities is vital. You are encouraged to please participate in this research study by completing the survey at the link below. Please also share it with any other rural stakeholders you know. This would include individuals who work for public health officials in rural areas, medical providers serving rural clients, hospitals and health clinics serving rural Americans, as well as researchers, journalists, advocates, policymakers, and more who report on or try to improve the lives of rural Americans through their work.

The survey should take 15-20 minutes to complete and if you have any questions about this study, please feel free to reach out to Timothy Callaghan at callaghan@tamu.edu.

Survey Link: https://tamu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_73qcXw58n1Z2LRk

Texas A&M IRB #IRB2021-0455

IRB approval date: 6/2/21

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcements

July 22, 201

Rural Health Clinics Receive $100 Million for COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced that the funds will go to more than 1,980 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to help residents understand the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.  The funds will be administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence Program.

COVID-19 Pubic Health Emergency Renewed. Effective July 20, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration for another 90 days.

NIH Reports on COVID-19 Variants. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that the more that SARS-CoV-2 spreads, the greater the chance that its genetic material will change or mutate, and create new variants or strains.  As it passes from person to person, the virus builds up mutations.  Currently, there are four known mutations, known as variants of concern, with the highly transmissible Delta variant dominant across the country.  The COVID-19 data hub created last year by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services indicates that, as of July 15, new cases across the country were up nearly 70 percent over the previous week; deaths were up 26.3 percent.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the COVID-19 cumulative death rate in non-metropolitan areas has exceeded that of metropolitan areas since December 2020.   

HHS Reviews State Medicaid Telehealth Policies Before and During the Pandemic. While as many as 47 state Medicaid programs were paying for some form of care via telehealth before the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, data show that services increased more than 20-fold between February and April 2020.  Rates declined after April but still remained far above pre-pandemic level.  This issue brief from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) examines how the use changed during the pandemic and identifies selected changes in telehealth policy related to Medicaid. 

CDC: Acceptability of COVID-19 Vaccination Among Adolescents and Parents of Adolescents. In its latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed teens aged 13-17 years and parents of youth aged 12-17 to determine their intent to vaccinate during April 15 – April 23 of this year, prior to vaccine authorization for this age group.  Among parents of unvaccinated adolescents, 55.5 percent reported they would “definitely” or “probably” have their adolescent receive a vaccination.  Among adolescents surveyed, 51.7 percent reported they would “definitely” or “probably” receive a vaccine. 

CDC Provision Drug Overdose Death Counts for 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) present a visualization of reported and predicted provisional counts of deaths due to drug overdose occurring in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.  While provisional counts are incomplete due to pending investigation into causes of death, the data show a 29.4 percent increase in overdose deaths for the year.

Request for Information: HHS Seeking Input on Advancing Sensitivity Toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders – due August 17. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) seeks input from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and AAPI-serving organizations to inform the development of guidance describing best practices for advancing cultural competency, language access, and sensitivity toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the context of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 response.

2020 Transportation Trends. The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center identifies issues affecting the availability of accessible transportation for older adults and people with disabilities.  The report identifies “an innate strength” in rural culture that uses a neighbor helping neighbor strategy, and includes examples of programs underway in rural areas to address transportation needs.

Call for Abstracts for the National Telehealth Research Symposium – August 2. Hosted by the Society for Education and the Advancement for Research in Connected Health (SEARCH), the National Telehealth Research Symposium will showcase connected health efforts and research for telemedicine, telehealth, eHealth, mHealth, and other healthcare technologies.  The symposium will be held virtually on November 8-10, 2021.  SEARCH is seeking submissions for podium presentations and posters in categories that include research, policy, education, and state of the art. 

Missouri Association of Rural Health Clinics Nominations

The Missouri Association of Rural Health Clinics (MARHC) is accepting nominations for three board positions that will become vacant at the Annual Fall Conference on September 15 & 16. Each of these positions is a three-year term and will expire at the Annual Fall Conference in 2024.

Additionally, MARHC is accepting nominations for two officer positions that will become vacant at the Annual Fall Conference. Each of these positions is a two-year term and will expire at the Annual Fall Conference in 2023.  The individual elected to the President-Elect position will automatically move to President in fall 2023.

Open Officer Positions include:

  • President-Elect
  • Treasurer

All MARHC members are eligible to nominate themselves or persons they know to serve. To nominate yourself or someone you feel would serve the association well please complete the attached form and return it to MARHC Office via email (info@marhc.org) or fax (573-635-2858). All nominations must be received in the MARHC Office by August 1, 2021, to be considered.

The MARHC Board of Directors meets four times per year with meetings held either virtually or in-person in Jefferson City in February, May, August and December. Additionally, the Board meets in conjunction with the Annual Fall Conference in September/October.

Click here to download nomination form.