HRSA Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals – Apply by February 7

January 25, 2024

HRSA Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals – Apply by February 7

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals (TTAP) program is accepting applications for two years of technical assistance. Hospitals seeking to enhance their financial and operational capacity are encouraged to apply.

TTAP is a federally funded initiative that offers comprehensive technical assistance to rural hospitals to address financial and operational challenges and maintain essential health services for their communities.

TTAP is not a grant program for hospitals. Participating hospitals will receive:

technical assistance at no cost
all applicants are eligible to participate in webinars and training events
- focused on best practices for financial and operational improvement
- held throughout the grant period

Eligible rural hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals and Inpatient Prospective Payment System facilities, can apply to participate in TTAP. Hospitals that demonstrate the greatest need for TA and readiness to engage in in-depth technical assistance are priority.

To Apply:

complete a brief application via the program website
- the application will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete
- no need to complete in one sitting
- online applications accepted on a rolling basis
  - application deadline announced for each new project year

Technical assistance for this project is provided by the Center for Public Health Practice and Research at the Georgia Southern University and will begin March 2024.

Applications are now accepted through February 7.

TTAP Programming

Apply Now

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

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

Sign up for an informational webinar (scroll down to see a table of dates and times)
Visit the Join the Program page
Read frequently asked questions

“Ask the Experts” Medicare Cost Report Camp – Nashville, TN March 12-13

January 12, 2024

“Ask the Experts” Medicare Cost Report Camp – Nashville, TN March 12-13

The American Institute of Healthcare Compliance (AIHC) has partnered with KraftCPAs LLC to bring you this exciting program opportunity to certify as a Cost Report Specialist. Certification is optional after camp.

Benefits of Camp:

Network with other professionals
Learn the Medicare cost report process
Train to become a Certified Cost Report Specialist (optional)

This training camp is designed for novice or seasoned cost report preparers and is recommended for:

Chief Financial Officers
Accounting staff
Revenue cycle professionals
Reimbursement professionals
Employees tasked with gathering information for Medicare cost report

Experienced Cost Reporting Professionals who would like to enhance their skill set by obtaining a professional certification will have the option to certify as a Certified Cost Report Specialist (CCRS) after successful completion of the Medicare Cost Report Training Camp.

Upon registration, you are given ready access to downloadable information such as:

COVID and Cost Reporting
Overview of DSH
FAQs
E-Filing requirements
Documentation requirements
Abbreviations and terms
A sample cost report
Cost report and compliance video

Click Here to download information packet w/camp syllabus

Cost:

AIHC Members – $695
Non-members – $825

Technical Assistance Webinar, January 17 – Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program (EB-TNP)

January 11, 2024

Technical Assistance Webinar, January 17 – Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program (EB-TNP)

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings using telehealth technology (HRSA-24-010).

The purpose of this program is to integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings using telehealth technology through telehealth networks and evaluate the effectiveness of such integration.

The goal for the BHI is to support evidence-based projects that utilize telehealth technologies through telehealth networks in rural and underserved areas. Applicants are encouraged to propose novel ways to achieve equity in access to affordable, high-quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate telebehavioral care for rural and underserved patients across the U.S.

HRSA will award approximately $8.75 million to up to 25 grantees over a period of five years.

Join the technical assistance webinar on January 17 at 3:30 p.m. EST to learn about this funding opportunity.

View Grant Opportunity

3RNet January Training for Rural Health Care Recruiters – January 9 at 1:00 p.m. CT

January 9, 2024

3RNet January Training for Rural Health Care Recruiters – January 9 at 1:00 p.m. CT

3RNet, formerly known as the National Rural Recruitment & Retention Network, is the national nonprofit with expertise in finding and placing clinicians in underserved areas.

Each month, 3RNet holds a live training session explaining how to post jobs and find job seekers on its site.

When:

January 9, 2024, 1:00 p.m. CT

HRSA Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals – Apply by January 31

:January 5, 2024

HRSA Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals – Apply by January 31

Applications are being accepted to receive two years of technical assistance through this Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported program for rural hospitals struggling to maintain health care services. The Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program (TTAP) offers comprehensive technical assistance to rural hospitals to address financial and operational challenges and assist rural communities with maintaining essential health services.

Selected hospitals are supported through a systematic and evidence-based process for identifying, prioritizing and implementing short-term, mid-range and long-term strategies for positioning their organizations for financial sustainability.

During their tenure in the program, hospitals receive comprehensive technical assistance in:

financial and operational assessment,
financial sustainability planning,
strategy implementation,
monitoring and evaluation.

Application Process:

applications accepted on a rolling basis until the program is at capacity
applicants not selected may be considered for future cohorts
cohorts of 4-6 hospitals enrolled annually
each cohort will participate in the program for a 2-year period with an additional year of follow-up

Technical assistance for this project is provided by the Center for Public Health Practice and Research at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University and will begin March 2024.

Learn More

Apply Now

Training Opportunity – Overdose Safety Planning in Rural Communities, January 30

January 3, 2024

Training Opportunity – Overdose Safety Planning in Rural Communities, January 30

A significant challenge facing rural community members is how to work with those who are struggling with opioid use and other substance use while effectively intervening to reduce the risks associated with overdose. Safety planning is an important aspect of overdose prevention.

In keeping with harm reduction principles, this webinar, Overdose Safety Planning in Rural Communities will explore best practices for overdose prevention so that community members feel more empowered to conduct safety planning with those individuals at risk.

Presenter:

Delores Blackwell, LCSW
- A multijurisdictional licensed clinical social worker
- Has held numerous administrative and clinical positions within both the addictions and mental health disciplines.
- An adjunct professor at both Touro College and Hunter College Silberman Schools of Social Work.
- Conducts and develops trainings for mental health and addictions professionals in both direct practice and leadership positions.
- Currently a Research Project Manager at the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Medical Center

Credits

This training has been approved for two renewal hours (CASC, CPP, CPS) and two initial hours (CPP, CPS) through New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS)
As an IC & RC member board, OASAS accredited courses are granted reciprocal approval by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee
Participants are required to attend the ENTIRE training, turn on their video cameras and actively participate in order to receive a Certificate of Completion.

When: Tuesday, January 30, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET

American Institute of Healthcare Compliance Trainings

January 3, 2024

American Institute of Healthcare Compliance Trainings

The Department of Justice obtained more than $2.2 billion in settlements and judgments from civil cases involving fraud and false claims against the government in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022. As we look to what the future holds in 2024, it is important to get back to the basics when it comes to mitigating risk.

The American Institute of Healthcare Compliance (AIHC) is available to support organizations with free resources, online and live training programs offered at a reasonable cost.

Short Coding & Documentation Compliance Courses for 2024:

Please click on title of course for complete description and registration information

Auditing Chiropractic Records for Compliance – 2024 – $75
- Designed as continuing education for auditors, insurance carrier SIU auditors, compliance officers and employers of Chiropractors
- Highly recommended for Chiropractic Providers, Office managers, coders, billers and Chiropractic Billing Companies
Capturing & Coding Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) for Physicians and Hospitals – $45
- Introduces the importance of addressing, documenting, and coding Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) within our healthcare system to improve the quality of care and health outcomes in our communities
E/M Coding & Documentation 2024 – $75
- This training is designed for those coding, billing and documenting evaluation and management (E/M) services in a patient’s medical records and highly recommended for Electronic Health Record Vendors, Health Plans and Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Auditors
Psychiatric Coding & Documentation Compliance – 2024 – $75
- Designed for:
  - Coders
  - Outpatient clinical documentation improvement professionals
  - Medical billers
  - Providers
  - Compliance Officers
  - Payers
  - Auditors and Investigators

Webinar – 3RNet January Training for Rural Health Care Recruiters, January 9, 2:00 p.m. ET

January 2, 2024

Webinar – 3RNet January Training for Rural Health Care Recruiters, January 9, 2:00 p.m. ET

Formerly known as the National Rural Recruitment & Retention Network, 3RNet is the national nonprofit with expertise in finding and placing clinicians in underserved areas.