Author: dianawinder

Take Action: Begin the NHSC Site Recertification Process

August 18, 2023

Take Action: Begin the NHSC Site Recertification Process

It’s time to recertify! National Health Service Corps (NHSC wants to remind you that sites must recertify in order to extend NHSC-approved site status beyond this calendar year.

As an approved site, your clinicians can apply for the NHSC Loan Repayment Programs, while you take advantage of recruitment benefits, such as the Health Workforce Connector and HRSA Virtual Job Fairs.

It is recommended that the recertification process is started early – the deadline is Thursday, October 12 at 11:59 p.m. E.T.

NHSC has a variety of helpful resources to ensure a seamless application process. From the Site Reference Guide to the Site Agreement, everything is right at your fingertips.

Save the Date: Site Recertification Webinar

When: Thursday, August 24, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET

Join on Zoom

Contact Info for Questions/Problems

Division of Regional Operations State/Territorial Lead

Your State/Territorial Primary Care Office

Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services

Office of Primary Care and Rural Health (ORHPC)

Phone: (573) 751-6441

Fax: (573) 522-8146

Email: ORHPCinfo@health.mo.gov

You may also submit a question via the Customer Service Portal.

Problems logging into the Customer Service Portal:

Contact the Customer Care Center at 1-800-221-9393

Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET (excluding federal holidays)

 

 

Free Training and Technical Assistance Opportunity

August 18, 2023

Free Training and Technical Assistance Opportunity

You are invited to join the Primary Care Tobacco Cessation Health Systems Change Community of Practice (CoP). This is a great opportunity to receive free training and technical assistance to advance your tobacco cessation practices for individuals suffering from health conditions exacerbated by tobacco/nicotine use. The CoP is supported in partnership by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Missouri Primary Care Association.

Whether your organization is starting to consider implementing tobacco use disorder (TUD) and nicotine-free policies or you want to continue integrating TUD into standard care, this CoP may be an excellent fit.  As a participant, you will receive support and training to meet the individualized needs of your organization.  National TUD and health systems change experts from the Behavioral Health and Wellness Program at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine will facilitate a peer learning environment where you will have the opportunity to set goals, share ideas, and overcome barriers with your peers from other Missouri primary care organizations.

This CoP is a low-burden opportunity for your organization to address TUD and assist many of your patients with improving their health.

  • It is anticipated that the CoP will consist of about 2-3 hours of monthly activity.
  • The CoP will begin in early September with an Introduction Webinar on August 30th, 2023 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
    • Register for Introduction Webinar Here

Space is limited. To confirm your agency’s participation in the 2023 Primary Care Tobacco Cessation Health Systems Change Community of Practice (CoP), or for additional follow-up questions, please contact Valerie Howard at Valerie.Howard@health.mo.gov or (573) 522-28245 by August 8, 2023.

DHSS and MPCA, looks forward to further supporting you to enhance your agency’s tobacco control practices through this CoP opportunity.

Grants 101 Workshop in Kansas City – September 12, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

August 11, 2023

Grants 101 Workshop in Kansas City – September 12, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Regional Director – Region 7, invite you to this free workshop:

When: 

September 12, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT

Where:

MCC – Penn Valley/Education Center; 3201 Southwest Trafficway, Kansas City, MO

Topics at a glance:

  • Federal Grant Application Process
  • Federal and State Funding Opportunities
  • Tips for Writing a Strong Application and Applying for Funding
  • Technical Assistance and Resources
  • Working with Foundations

Who should attend:

  • Health and Social Services Providers
  • Health Centers and Public Health Departments
  • Hospitals
  • Tribes and Tribal Organizations
  • Faith and Community-Based Organizations
  • Community Colleges
  • Universities

Register Here

For more information, contact Nick Clasen at nickolas.clasen@hhs.gov or Michelle Schwarz at MSchwarz@hrsa.gov

Now Enrolling for Fall 2023 Cohort – Rural Hospital CEO Certification Program

August 11, 2023

Now Enrolling for Fall 2023 Cohort – Rural Hospital CEO Certification Program

NRHA’s Rural Hospital Certification Programs were created by rural hospital leaders for rural hospital leaders to empower them to lead their rural hospitals and communities to success. The Center for Rural Leadership has recently expanded its program offerings, with certifications now available for rural nurses, rural hospital board members, CMOs and human resources and the first cohorts in each launching this month.

Rural Hospital CEO Certification Program

Participants engaging in this program will be empowered to lead rural hospitals as CEO’s to thrive, not just survive, and to improve the quality of life in rural America by effectively leading their hospitals and communities to create a culture of wellness.

Curriculum

The building blocks that make up the course curriculum were developed by successful rural hospital CEOs by answering this question: “What do you know now that you wish you would have known then?

  • Leadership Building Bloc
    • INTRA-Personal Leadership
    • INTER-Personal Leadership
  • Operational Building Bloc
    • Regulatory Compliance
    • Data Analytics & Predictive Analytics
    • Lean Management
    • IT/Cybersecurity
    • Insurance
    • Strategic Planning & Working with your Board
  • Financial Building Bloc
    • Fee for Service
    • Population Health
    • Dashboard Items
    • Supply Chain
  • Clinical Building Bloc
    • Physician/Patient Outcomes
    • Physician/Providers
    • Quality
    • Physician Engagement

Learn more about this and other programs

Apply Now

HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications

August 10, 2023

HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications

The Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) seeks rural reviewers for grant applications. If you have expertise in certain subjects, you may be able to evaluate grant applications.

How Reviewers are Chosen:

Reviewers are chosen based on their knowledge, education, and experience. They are also selected based on specific criteria in the HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

How to Become a Grant Reviewer:

If you work or have experience in health care, register via the Reviewer Recruitment Module (RRM).

HRSA looks for people with expertise in one of 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

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

HRSA is also interested in reviewers who have expertise in social, cultural, or health care issues of people in rural areas, migrants, or Native Americans.

What You Will Do:

  • Review eligible applications against published evaluation criteria
  • Input your scores and comments into an online portal, the Application Review Module (ARM)
  • Discuss your scores and evaluation with other reviewers

Compensation

Each non-federal participant is compensated

Quarterly Training Webinars:

Questions: Email HRSA for assistance at RRMTechAssistance@hrsa.gov

Learn More

HQIN Office Hours on Reducing Readmissions

August 10, 2023

HQIN Office Hours on Reducing Readmissions

This session, Hear From Your Peers: What Works to Reduce Readmissions, will feature speakers from Health Quality Innovators’ (HQI) network of hospitals, including critical access, rural and acute care hospital settings. Each speaker will share their hospitals experience with readmission reduction strategies, key implementation tips, and results. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions and network with other peers seeking ideas on what is working to reduce readmissions.

Attendees will learn how to:

  • Examine new options for reducing readmissions
  • Connect with peers for assistance on operationalizing new interventions
  • Feel empowered to apply new strategies to strengthen your readmission reduction portfolio

This session will have something applicable for each hospital within the HQI network.

Date & Time: You can choose to attend one or more of the following session:

  • August 10, 2023 11:00 a.m.
  • September 14, 2023 11:00 a.m.
  • October 12, 2023 11:00 a.m.
  • November 9, 2023 11:00 a.m.

Register Here

 

Updates to Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing

August 10, 2023

Updates to Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing

As announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in January 2023, clinicians no longer need a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder. Clinicians will still be required to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications.

Beginning on June 27, the DEA registration will require applicants – both new and renewing – to affirm they have completed a new, one-time, eight-hour training. Exceptions for the new training requirement are practitioners who are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, and those who graduated from a medical, dental, physician assistant, or advanced practice nursing school in the U.S. within five years of June 27, 2023.

Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained between January 1, 2019 and December 29, 2022 (when Congress eliminated the waiver requirement). Approximately $889,000 in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

New Training Requirements for All DEA-Registered Providers

Send questions to: DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov

Partnership for Quality Management (PQM) Seeks Rural Health Experts for Committees

August 10, 2023

Partnership for Quality Management (PQM) Seeks Rural Health Experts for Committees

New committees are being formed by Battelle, as contracted by CMS, to make recommendations on health care quality measurement. Rural health experts are sought for all PQM committees.

It takes diverse voices to drive PQM’s mission. PQM uses a consensus based process involving a variety of experts – clinicians, patients, measure experts, and health information technology specialists – to ensure informed and thoughtful endorsement reviews of quality performance measures.

Interested in learning more about joining a committee? Click Here

Committee Nominations:

Battelle staff conduct a review of committee member appointments annually, which includes internal re-calibration of membership, a call for nominations, and targeted outreach.

Any interested party may nominate themselves or another individual to a committee of interest once the nominations period is open.

Click Here to nominate yourself or another person

Upcoming Webinar – The Star Struck Factor in Survey Mastery

August 9, 2023

Upcoming Webinar – The Star Struck Factor in Survey Mastery

The next webinar in the Engage series, The Star Struck Factor in Survey Mastery, with expert Brian Lee, is scheduled for September 8 at 9:30 a.m. CT.

Who Should Attend:

  • C-Suite
  • Executives
  • Leaders at every level
  • Board members
  • Quality
  • Physicians & ACPs
  • Everyone committed to improving the patient experience

You will learn how to:

  • Understand the purpose and goals of the CMS HCAHPS Inpatient Survey
  • Gain insights into the credibility of all CMS CAHPS Surveys
  • Become knowledgeable about the evolution and purpose of public social media “reputation management” rating sites and how they work
  • Interpret the impact of social media websites that empower consumers with rating transparency
  • Learn the fundamentals of reading and interpreting the patient experience survey data
  • Empower your leaders and caregivers to interpret and use patient experience survey reports for continuous improvement
  • Master the five questions leaders need to know and answer about their ongoing patient experience scores
  • Grow market share about star ratings and their market impact
  • Gain important insights about the significant financial impact of survey ratings on market growth and decline

2 Powerful Action Take-Away Tools:

  • The Patient Experience Reporting Protocol Guide
  • Seven Steps to Improve Patient Experience Response Rates

When: Friday, September 8, 9:30 a.m. CT

Cost: No charge

Register Now

 

Upcoming Webinar – The Future is Virtual Care – but how do we get there, sustainably?

August 9, 2023

Upcoming Webinar – The Future is Virtual Care – but how do we get there, sustainably?

By now it’s obvious that virtual care is here to stay. The key questions though is: how can health centers, health systems, hospitals and behavioral health agencies make virtual care an integral part of their care delivery? How can we achieve financial sustainability, clinical sustainability, and strategic sustainability? What approaches can we take to increase clinician buy-in and commitment by leadership?

Based on 15+ years of experience implementing virtual care services, Christian Milaster will share a set of pragmatic approaches, mindset models, and tactics to enable those who care about virtual care to make it stay. Sustainably.

The presentation will present approaches and tactics

  • to create clinician buy-in and leadership commitment
  • to build the business, financial, and clinical case for virtual care
  • to increase your organization’s virtual care maturity
  • for telehealth optimization: workflows, technology and policy
  • to create a virtual care and digital health strategy
  • to manage virtual care performance

When: August 15, 2023, 2:00 p.m. CT

Register Here