Month: January 2024

NRHA Webinar – Developing a Strong Threat Management and Governance Program in Rural Healthcare and Beyond, January 30

January 22, 2024

NRHA Webinar – Developing a Strong Threat Management and Governance Program in Rural Healthcare and Beyond, January 30

In today’s complex healthcare landscape, effective threat management stands as a vital element in delivering quality care. This tailored webinar is crafted for rural healthcare executives to explore essential practical strategies to fortify security measures, protect patient data, and ensure the resilience of healthcare systems in rural settings.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify and assess the distinct threat landscape in rural healthcare settings, understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities faced
  • Explore practical best practices in proactive threat management, focusing on identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks in rural healthcare systems
  • Implement effective governance control measures tailored for rural healthcare organizations to ensure compliance and robust security protocols
  • Acquire actionable strategies and tools to strengthen cybersecurity resilience, addressing prevalent challenges of data breaches and cyber threats in rural healthcare contexts
  • Integrate a comprehensive understanding of threat management into rural healthcare operations, empowering executives to fortify security measures and maintain quality care standards in their unique settings

When: Tuesday, January 30, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

Cost: No Cost

Register Here

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs, January 25

January 22, 2024

NRHA Webinar – Finding Financial Support for Prescription Medications and Understanding the Medicare Reforms to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs, January 25

Are you concerned about the growing challenge of healthcare costs, even for those with insurance coverage? Recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights a concerning trend:

  • Nearly half of U.S. adults struggle to afford their healthcare expenses
  • About 50% would face difficulties covering a modest $500 unexpected medical bill

Join PAN’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer, Amy Niles as she provides insight into the pivotal role PAN plays in ensuring patients receive essential life-saving care daily.

Throughout this webinar, Amy will guide providers through the process of assisting eligible patients in applying for PAN grants, empowering you with actionable knowledge. Amy will also review Medicare reforms, now law, that will lower costs for people on Medicare.

Attendees Will Gain a Better Understanding of:

  • The role of charitable foundation assistance programs and why they are needed
  • How to connect patients with assistance through PAN’s disease-specific funds
  • The Medicare reforms enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022) will improve access to care for millions of people on Medicare

When: Thursday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

Cost: No Charge

Register Here

Application Help for SAMHSA Rural EMS Training Grant – January 24, 4 PM ET

January 22, 2024

Application Help for SAMHSA Rural EMS Training Grant – January 24, 4 PM ET

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will award up to $200,00 per year for a two-year program to recruit and train Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in rural areas with a focus on addressing substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders of substance use and mental health.

Applicants can ask questions at the end of this technical assistance webinar and/or view a recording of the session on SAMHSA’s website.

View Funding Opportunity

When: Wednesday, January 4, 4:00 p.m. ET

Cost: No charge

Register Here

Upcoming Virtual Conference – 2024 Rural Hospital and Clinic Virtual Performance Improvement Conference

January 22, 2024

Upcoming Virtual Conference – 2024  Rural Hospital and Clinic Virtual Performance Improvement Conference

On January 31, join the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and Wintergreen for the second annual Hospital Performance Improvement Virtual Conference.

Conference Content and Presenters:

  • Harsh Realities of Rural Operations – Jonathan Pantenburg, Wintergreen
    • Encompasses strategies related to:
      • Staffing and provider shortages
      • Revenue cycle
      • Growth
      • Reimbursement
      • Stiffening competition
  • Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP): Updates and Priorities – Meredith Anderson
  • Eliminate the Ego in Rural Recruitment – Nicole Barbano, Hunter Ambrose Intl
    • Uncover the impact of ego on rural healthcare recruitment and learn to build agile, ego-free strategies with enhanced accountability
  • Benefits: Strategic Asset, Not Cost – Rob Bloom, Wintergreen
    • Learn how to rethink benefit programs to address a healthcare organization’s most important asset, greatest vulnerability and biggest expense: It’s people
  • Capitalize on the RHC Value Chain – Kristen Ogden, The Compliance Team
    • As payers seek value-based, outcomes-based models, RHCs are positioned for growth and increased relevance – but only if their operations and team are exceptional
  • Harness Technology to Drive Revenue, Compliance and Safety – Bryan Knowles, VersaBadge
    • Learn how to leverage technology to improve:
    • Reimbursement
    • Compliance
    • Safety and performance using practical, cost-effective tools designed specifically for CAHs and RHCs
  • How to Modernize Rural Healthcare – Alan Richman, InnoVative Capital
    • This presentation demystifies perceived barriers for rural hospitals to fund projects that drive strategic, operational and technology-based innovation
  • Wait…We Can Get Paid for That? – Jonathan Pantenburg, Wintergreen
    • Will review the five novel reimbursement opportunities stimulated by:
    • Recent industry changes
    • Market dynamics and/or regulatory updates that can be implemented by your hospital or clinic in Calendar Year (CY) 2024

When: Wednesday, January 31, 11:00 AM ET

Cost: No Cost

Register Here

Request for Public Input on Maternal Mental Health – Comment by January 31

,January 19, 2024

Request for Public Input on Maternal Mental Health – Comment by January 31

The Task Force on Maternal Mental Health is a federal committee led by the HHS Office of Women’s Health and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

They are seeking public feedback on a set of questions concerning the effectiveness and limitations of prevention and treatment efforts for maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

The Task Force also seeks comment on whether underserved populations, including rural, are represented in the research and guidelines for screening and treatment.

How to submit a response:

  • All submissions must be submitted in the Docket ID HHS – for “Solicitation for Public Comments o Questions from the Task Force on Maternal Mental Health”
  • Comments are encouraged from the public and will be accepted through January 31, 2024
    • The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing system will accept electronic comments until midnight eastern time at the end of January 31, 2024
    • Comments, received by mail/courier, will be considered if they are postmarked on or before that date,
      • or the delivery service acceptance receipt date is on or before that date
      • written comments, received via mail, are uploaded into https://www.regulations.gov
    • Same limitations as for those directly submitted electronically into https://www.regulations.gov
  • 5,000 character limit for text box
    • Maximum number (10) of attached files
    • Maximum size (10 MB) of each file

Read Full Notice

Submit a Formal Comment

AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use – June 2024

January 19, 2024

AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use – June 2024

The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) seeks participants for a free, 18-month program beginning in June 2024 to promote appropriate antibiotic use for patients seen via telemedicine.

Two million infections per year are caused by antibiotic resistant organisms, leading to 35,000 deaths per year in the Untied States. Meanwhile, one-third of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions and half of the prescriptions for acute respiratory infections are unnecessary.

AHRQ is recruiting clinics and providers that want to improve antibiotic prescribing. Clinics and providers wanting to improve antibiotic prescribing will receive training and one-on-one expert coaching in diagnosis and treatment via telemedicine.

Benefits of Participation:

  • Improve efficiency and patient satisfaction with antibiotic prescribing, using approaches such as scripting for live and patient portal interactions
  • Perform better on antibiotic-related quality measures
  • Receive continuing education credits (CEUs), continuing medical education credits (CMEs), and American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC) points through live and/or self-paced materials

What You Will Learn:

  • Learn evidence-based strategies from nationally renowned experts in telemedicine diagnosis and antibiotic prescribing
  • Gain dedicated access to free expert consultation
  • Providers can receive CMEs, CEUs, and MOCs
  • Improve efficiency, using approaches such as scripting for live and patient portal interactions
  • Improve patient safety and reduce harm from antibiotic side effects
  • Improve patient satisfaction and communication with your patients and their families around appropriate antibiotic use
  • Improve performance on antibiotic-related quality measures such as Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures for bronchitis/bronchiolitis, upper respiratory infections, and pharyngitis, and meet Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) criteria from CMS

The deadline to enroll is May 23, 2024

Cost: There is no cost to participate. Participating practices will not receive any payment for participation

Learn More

Call for Grant Reviewers

January 19, 2024

Call for Grant Reviewers

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) relies on grant reviewers to select the best programs from a competitive group of applicants. Over the coming months, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will be competing a number of programs, i8ncluding among other things:

  • Substance use disorders and opioid use disorder
  • Rural workforce
  • Rural hospital

Having reviewers with expertise in rural health greatly benefits the review process and is also an opportunity to learn about the review process itself.

Reviews are typically held remotely over a period of a few days and reviewers who participate and complete their assigned duties receive an honorarium.

Registration is easy and does not commit you to serving as a reviewer.

Please consider lending your expertise to these important initiatives.

Compensation: non-federal participants are compensated

Read More here

How you can become a reviewer:

  • If you work or have experience in health care, register via Reviewer Recruitment Module (RRM)
    • Need people with expertise in the following areas:
      • Behavioral health
      • Health workforce training
      • HIV/AIDS
      • Maternal and child health
      • Primary care delivery
      • Rural health
      • Working with or a member of underserved communities

Additional experience considered:

  • Diversity, equity, inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)
  • Lived experience
  • Health equity
  • Social determinants of health

Questions: Please send an email to RRMTechAssistance@hrsa.gov

CDC Details Downward Mortality Trend for Older Adults (Before COVID-19)

January 19, 2024

CDC Details Downward Mortality Trend for Older Adults (Before COVID-19)

The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, pre-pandemic, death rates were decreasing for both urban and rural U.S. adults aged 65 and older. Data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics show that, though death rates from 2009 to 2019 were higher in rural areas than urban areas for both men and women and for all race and Hispanic-origin groups, they declined 15 percent in rural areas over that period.

CDC research from 2019 showed rural Americans are more likely to die from five leading causes than people living in urban areas. The research showed that rural residents are also more likely to die of preventable deaths – with higher rates of cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and obesity, higher rates of poverty, and less access to health care and health insurance.

Click here to read full article

Upcoming Webinar – HRSA’s Loan Guarantee Program: An Overview

January 19, 2024

Upcoming Webinar – HRSA’s Loan Guarantee Program: An Overview

If you are in need of additional financing for your upcoming capital project, join Capital Link, on February 6th for an overview of the benefits, eligibility and application process of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program (LGP).

A loan from the HRSA LGP can enhance your credit profile and cover up to 80% of the principal amount of loans made by non-federal lenders. The LGP also reduces lender risk and allows a lender to provide a loan under more favorable terms than otherwise possible.

LGP Benefits to Health Centers:

A loan guarantee can

  • Enhance the health center’s credit profile
  • Reduce the lender’s risk and allow them to lend to health centers under more favorable terms
  • For some centers a loan guarantee might mean the difference between getting a “yes” or “no” from a lender
  • For others a loan guarantee may allow the lender to offer a lower interest rate, longer fixed-rate term or a higher loan to value ratio

Interested or have questions? Join Capital Link’s webinar session which provides an overview of the benefits, eligibility and application process of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

When: February 6, 1:00 p.m. CT

Cost: No charge

Register Here

If you are unable to attend this webinar, a recording will be available here, along with all the recordings of past webinars.

Please contact Chloe Bahnan cbanan@caplink.org if you have any questions.

NRHA Webinar on ER Behavior Health

January 18, 2024

NRHA Webinar on ER Behavior Health

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) partner HFG Architecture will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CST January 23 on ER designs to accommodate behavior issues.

Emergency rooms serve as a single-entry point for a variety of patients into a hospital. From sick children and expecting mothers to victims of violent crime and traumatic incidents, the ER has to accommodate a wide range of needs and increasingly this includes behavioral health patients. Intentional design is critical to the overall safety of hospital staff, patients and visitors.

When designing emergency rooms for behavioral health patients, preserving security for patients and staff security should be the number one priority. Crucial security considerations during design include:

  • Direct linking of the ED to the behavioral health ward
  • Controlling access to all spaces
  • Anti-ligature and tamper-proof features
  • Limiting or enhancing patient privacy with clear sight lines, depending on patient acuity
  • Administration of bathroom access
  • Designing nurse stations close by the ED holding rooms

These elements and more will be discussed in this lecture by two subject matter experts.

When: January 23, 2 p.m. EST

Cost: No charge

Register Here