Author: dianawinder

MU CEHP Project Firstline On-Demand Learning Opportunities

June 17, 2025

MU CEHP Project Firstline On-Demand Learning Opportunities

The Missouri University Continuing Education for Health Professions (MU CEHP) has three Project Firstline events now available as on-demand video recordings.

  • Firstline Conference: Emerging Infectious Disease Threats – held in-person (Zoom): January 22, 2025
    • Responding to an emerging infections disease outbreak:
      • Primer for Outbreak Management and Infection Prevention
      • What Does it Mean to Recognize Risk
      • Enhanced Barrier Precautions
  • Community Facilitator Training – held in-person (Zoom): May 13, 2025
    • Unlock the full potential of Project Firstline materials to empower healthcare workers and foster a culture of safer, higher-quality care.
    • This training will equip you with the essential tools to educate and inspire your team to prevent infections among both patients and staff.
  • Infection Control Fundamentals – held in-person (Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center: June 5, 2025
    • Presentations include:
      • Where Germs Live-Body Reservoirs/Healthcare Environment Reservoirs/Body and Healthcare Environment Reservoirs: Synthesis
      • Emerging Infectious Disease Threats: Reducing Risk
      • PPE/Cleaning/Disinfection/Hand Hygiene

Cost: There is no fee to register, but you must register to receive educational credit.

When: On-Demand Access

Click Here to Register

CDC’s Suicide Prevention Communication Campaign Playbook

June 17, 2025

 

CDC’s Suicide Prevention Communication Campaign Playbook

Closing out Mental Health Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new resource for planning suicide prevention campaigns. The playbook includes:

  • Key Audience:
    • Tools for identifying specific populations at higher risk and their networks of influence.
  • Campaign Development:
    • Steps to design effective strategies, craft meaningful messages, and promote behavior change.
  • Behavior Models:
    • Insights into frameworks like the Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory.
  • Messaging Best Practices:
    • Strategies to emphasize hope and resilience and use culturally relevant language.
  • Evaluation:
    • Tools to measure campaign impact and improve future efforts.

The latest data from the CDC show that rural residents are at a higher risk of suicide than urban residents and that rates of suicide almost doubled between 2000-2020 in rural areas.

Click Here to Read More

RHC & FQHC Care Coordination Services: HCPS Code G0511 Deadline Extended to September 30

June 17, 2025

RHC & FQHC Care Coordination Services: HCPS Code G0511 Deadline Extended to September 30

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) extended the deadline for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to report individual CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) and HCPCS (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) base and add-on codes for care coordination services instead of reporting HCPCS G0511 to September 30, 2025.

The additional time, extended from July 1, 2025, allows for RHCs and FQHCs to update billing systems following the policy change issued in the CY 2025 Physician Fee Schedule final rule.

Click Here to Learn More

More information on the CY 2025 payment rates for care coordination is available here and here.

Rural Health Research: Preventing Medical Debt Among Rural Residents: Example Programs from Hospitals in Minnesota and Montana

June 17, 2025

Rural Health Research: Preventing Medical Debt Among Rural Residents: Example Programs from Hospitals in Minnesota and Montana.

Medical debt, which includes unpaid bills, loans, and other debt incurred from health care expenses, affects roughly 15% of adults in the U.S. this is despite more than 90% of U.S. adults having some form of health insurance.

Medical debt is an important social driver of health, with disproportionate impacts for populations already experiencing greater health risks. Overall, rural residents report more problems paying medical bills and are more likely to be unable to pay their medical bills altogether in comparison to urban residents.

This case series from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center examines how two rural hospitals aim to reduce medical debt for their patient populations and address barriers to medical debt relief.

Click Here to Read More

HRSA Loan Repayment Programs Open

June 17, 2025

HRSA Loan Repayment Programs Open

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has three loan repayment programs open to support working health professionals. They include:

  • Faculty Loan Repayment Program – Apply by July 3, 7:30 p.m. ET
    • Provides up to $40,000in health professional student loan repayment to faculty who serve two years at an eligible health professions school.
  • Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP)– Apply by July 10, 7:30 p.m. ET
    • Provides up to $250,000 for a six-year, full-time service commitment.
    • The following are eligible to apply:
      • Behavioral health clinicians,
      • Support workers,
      • Clinical support staff, and
      • Individuals trained in substance use disorders
  • Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program– Apply by July 17, 7:30 p.m. ET
    • Provides up to $100,000 in exchange for a three-year, full-time service commitment.
    • Clinicians providing pediatric medical or surgical care or child and adolescent mental and behavioral health care are eligible to apply.

Click Here to Learn More and Apply

DHSS Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

June 9, 2025

DHSS Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, an event that seeks to unite communities around the world to raise awareness about elder abuse. In Missouri, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) receives and investigates reports of abuse, neglect, bullying and exploitation of some of the state’s most vulnerable individuals – the elderly and disabled. Last year, DHSS received and investigated 41,929 reports, an average of about 115 each day. That number is on the rise, though the crimes are vastly underreported.

“As people age, it can become increasingly difficult for them to stay involved and connected to their communities and families. As a result, older people are more likely to experience social isolation, which increases the likelihood of abuse, neglect and exploitation,” said Sarah Willson, director of DHSS.

Elder abuse is widespread. Every year an estimated 1 in 10 older Americans are victims of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation.

“This all-too-common tragedy impacts aging adults wherever they call home and in communities throughout Missouri,” says Willson.

Despite its prevalence, experts believe that elder abuse is significantly underreported, in part because so many communities lack the social supports that would make it easier for those who experience abuse to report it. Sadly, research estimates that for every reported adult abuse or neglect case, 23 go unreported to the authorities.

Together, communities can address the issue of elder abuse and help prevent it by strengthening education and social support and by reducing social isolation.

Anyone who suspects a senior or disabled Missourian is being abused, neglected, bullied or exploited, should report to the Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210, which is operational from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m., 365 days a year. Online reporting is also available 24/7 at Health.Mo.Gov/abuse.

Everyone is encouraged to wear purple and communities across Missouri are encouraged to display World Elder Abuse Awareness Day banners, posters and yard signs along with purple ribbons, flags or pinwheels to bring awareness to this public health issue.

For more information about how to make a difference, visit Health.Mo.Gov/weaad.

Register Now: PROMPT RHC Learning Network Meeting, July 16

June 9, 2025

Register Now: PROMPT RHC Learning Network Meeting, July 16

The next PROMPT RHC Learning Network Meeting will be held in person, on July 16, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Missouri Soybean Association.

A detailed agenda and additional information will be released closer to the meeting date.

The Goal of PROMPT is to:

  • Network with your peers,
  • Support Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)/rural provider practices in transforming rural clinic practices to meet the ever-changing demands within the healthcare landscape,
  • Improve clinical quality data capture and reporting, to better meet the needs of funders, payors, and patients, and
  • Improve quality performance and patient care in rural Missouri.

Funding is available for the RHCs to cover a one-night stay for up to 2 rooms (2 double queen rooms) and mileage for one vehicle. Please contact Lisab@cabbllc.com for more information.

Click Here to Register no later than July 7

Article: Workplace, Community Violence Costs Hospitals $18B annually: AHA

June 9, 2025

Article: Workplace, Community Violence Costs Hospitals $18B annually: AHA

A report from the American Hospital Association (AHA) highlights hospital spending on workplace and community violence.

The report, “The Burden of Violence to U.S. Hospitals: A Comprehensive Assessment of Financial Costs and Other Impacts of Workplace and Community Violence,” was prepared for the AHA by Harborview Injury and prevention Research Center in Seattle, part of the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Three numbers that illustrate the burden of violence to hospitals:

  • The AHA estimates the total annual financial cost of violence to hospitals in 2023 to be $18.27 billion.
  • The $18.27 billion estimate i8ncludes pre-event costs ($3.62 billion) and included costs for:
    • training security and staffing,
    • policy and procedure development,
    • outreach to build public trust,
    • facility modifications to prevent and mitigate harm, and
    • technology investments to monitor events.
  • The $18.27 billion estimate also includes post-event costs ($14.65 billion) and included costs for:
    • healthcare,
    • staffing,
    • replacement and repair of infrastructure and equipment,
    • legal costs, and
    • community and public relations costs.
      • The AHA said post-event healthcare expenses to treat violent injuries was the largest contributor to the total annual financial cost of violence to hospitals.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Article: Redefining Utilization Management: The Role of AI

June 9, 2025

Article: Redefining Utilization Management: The Role of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, and healthcare is no exception. In a high-level exploration during the recent webinar “Redefining Utilization Management: The Role of AI, MCG’s Senior Clinical Integration Analyst, Miriam Moerbe, MS, BSN, RN, provided a basic exploration on what AI is, how it relates to healthcare and utilization management (UM), and key considerations when deciding if it’s right for a hospital, health plan, or government organization.

Three types of AI to consider:

  • Machine Learning
    • This is a type of AI that uses algorithms, rules, and data analysis to make data-driven recommendations.
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP)
    • This is a computer’s ability to understand text and spoken words in the same way human beings can by extracting symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments from narrative text.
    • In broader terms, it is machine learning to understand text and the spoken word.
  • Large Language Models (LLMs)
    • LLMs are fed enormous amounts of data to learn intricate patterns and nuances.
    • By using what it has learned from data, it can predict words and sentences based on probability.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Article: The Health System Workforce of the Future: 5 Bold Predictions

June 9, 2025

Article: The Health System Workforce of the Future: 5 Bold Predictions

Hospitals and health systems are undergoing a seismic shift in how they structure, support and scale their workforces.

Health leaders are turning to artificial intelligence and digital innovation to not only fill gaps but fundamentally reshape how care is delivered. Today’s healthcare workforce is leaner, more agile, and increasingly strategic.

As care continues its migration beyond hospital walls, the imperative is clear:

  • Success hinges on a workforce that is technologically fluent and empowered to lead transformation across clinical, operational and consumer touchpoints.

Five predictions on the healthcare workforce:

  • The Workforce will Shrink and Shift
    • Hospitals are incorporating AI into daily clinical and administrative operations to become more efficient and achieve better outcomes.
      • The workforce is also adapting to more care being delivered outside the hospital walls.
  • AI Literacy will be Table Stakes
    • AI significantly transformed healthcare operations and workflows over the last few years and continues to advance at a rapid pace.
      • The adage “AI won’t replace physicians, but physicians with AI will replace those without” can be applied to any role within the organization.
  • Consumerism will be King
    • Healthcare has been slower than other industries to embrace consumer-driven models, but hospitals are now rapidly evolving to compete for patients with easy and more convenient access to care.
      • Health systems are opening new satellite locations across communities and staying open on evenings and weekends to accommodate patients’ schedules.
      • They’re offering more virtual care options, embracing virtual nursing and allowing for self-scheduling.
  • Higher Engagement and Satisfaction
    • AI, Automation, ambient listening and more have reduced or eliminated low-value administrative tasks for clinical and operational teams.
      • They’re able to focus on the high-value accountabilities and human-to-human interactions vital to healthcare delivery which require a high level of thinking and input.
  • Silos will Become Nearly Obsolete
    • C-suite leaders have talked for years about breaking down siloes and integrating multidisciplinary teams for better outcomes. Now the technology actually exists to actually make that happen, and organizational structure has to keep up.

Click Here to Read Full Article