Rural Spotlight

Maternal and Infant Health Engagement Survey for MO HealthNet Providers

August 22, 2023

Maternal and Infant Health Engagement Survey for MO HealthNet Providers

The MO HealthNet Division (MHD) and the managed care health plans are collaborating on a project to educate and inform providers and participants/members on benefits and opportunities available to them during and after their pregnancy.

Please take a quick five minute Maternal and Infant Health Engagement Survey to help us collect data to improve policies, payment methodologies and most importantly outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and infants.

 The survey will close on September 8, 2023.

Large Health Care System Suffers Rhysida Attack

August 21, 2023

Large Health Care System Suffers Rhysida Attack

Rhysida is an emerging threat group, targeting many critical infrastructure sectors including the Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) sector. It is a ransomware-as-a-service group which deceitfully describes itself as a “cybersecurity team” projecting themselves as helping victims highlight potential security issues and secure their networks. While not much is known about the group’s origins or country affiliations, Rhysida ransomware is deployed in multiple ways.

On August 3, 2023 Rhysida attacked a health care system which operates 16 hospitals and more than 165 clinics and outpatient centers in four states.

According to reports, the attack resulted in “emergency departments to close, ambulances to be diverted, and other medical services to cease operations” in what appeared to be a ransomware attack.

The attack required the hospitals to take their systems offline to protect their patient data and to revert to using paper records. In some states, the health system’s blood draw stations and medical imaging locations were also impacted. Areas saw emergency departments, as well as some primary and specialty locations closed until further notice. As a result, impacted entities were contacting patients individually due to the various effects to patient care.

Read the 2-page August 16, 2023 Brief released by the HHS 405(d) Task Group which also recommends that your IT department implement the following best practices found in their FREE resources, such as the Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices (HICP) Technical Volumes 1&2 and Knowledge on Demand to protect your valuable health information from such threats.

Low-cost resources offered by the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance (AIHC) – a non-profit organization:

 

 

Registration Open for Missouri Telehealth Summit

August 21, 2023

Registration Open for Missouri Telehealth Summit

The Missouri Telehealth Summit brings together leaders, policymakers, providers and payers for in-depth conversations around telehealth.

The 2023 summit will focus on sustainable telehealth integration, value-based care mo9dels, training the workforce, remote patient monitoring and more.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Eric Wallace, MD, FASN. Dr. Wallace is a professor of Nephrology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is the UAB Medical Director of Telehealth, Co-Director of the UAB Home Dialysis Program, and Director of the Rare Genetic Kidney Disease Clinic. Since becoming faculty, he has sought to eliminate geographic and socioeconomic barriers which prevent patients from accessing specialized care. He has overseen the creation and scaling of ambulatory and inpatient telehealth programs, E-Consults, tele-ICU, and remote patient monitoring. He is focused on using these tools to help re-design healthcare.

The pre-summit workshop will focus on in-depth detail around telehealth AIMS (adoption, implementation, monitoring, and sustainability).

Target Audience

  • Physicians
  • Nurses
  • Social workers
  • Counselors
  • Psychologists
  • Administrators

When:

  • Pre-Summit – Thursday, September 7, 2023
  • Summit – Friday, September 8, 2023

Cost:

  • Pre-summit workshop – $115
  • Summit (virtual or in-person) – $35

Click here to register

             OR

Scan the QR Code below:

 

RHC Learning Network – Developed for Missouri RHCs

August 21, 2023

RHC Learning Network – Developed for Missouri RHCs

You and your team are invited to the 1st Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Learning Network developed for Missouri RHC’s.

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care has provided funding to support the RHC Learning Network. This funding will cover 1 hotel stay and mileage travel expenses for those RHC’s that attend the RHC Learning Network and are outside of the Jefferson City area.

The goal of PROMPT is to:

  • Support RHCs/rural practices in transforming rural clinic practices to meet the ever-changing demands within the healthcare landscape
  • Improve clinical quality data capture and reporting
  • Improve quality performance and patient care in rural Missouri

PROMPT Learning Network topics include:

  • Highlighting RHC’s
  • Sharing of best practices
  • Subject matter experts

There is no registration fee and lunch will be provided at no cost.

When: Saturday, October 19, 9:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Where:

Missouri Soybean Association

934 S Country Club Dr.

Jefferson City, MO 65109

Register Now

To take advantage of the funding provided by the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC):

Contact Charity Woodard at charity@cabllc.com for hotel reservations and the mileage reimbursement form.

NRHA Webinar on Utilizing Swing Beds

August 18, 2023

NRHA Webinar on Utilizing Swing Beds

Allevant will host a webinar at 1 p.m. CDT September 21 on swing bed culture and attention to wellness vital to rural health care. Allevant, a joint venture between Mayo Clinic and Select Medical, helps Critical Access Hospitals by developing post-acute Transitional Care programs using available Swing Beds.

Focused on helping patients transition to their highest level of independence, Transitional Care is a program that involves the patient and family, makes available the full resources of the Critical Access Hospital and focuses on measured outcomes and evidence-based processes to ensure patients get the best care possible.

Allevant has supported approximately 100 Critical Access Hospitals across 22 states including both independent and part of health systems. Their clients have cared for over 12,000 patients representing more than 158,000 swing bed days. With a strong focus on quality, outcomes, and growth, clients saw an average growth in swing bed days of 55% by the second year. 64% of patients were categorized as complex medical or complex surgical which is a growing patient population, and only 7% of Transitional Care patients were discharged directly back to acute care during a program stay of less than 30 days. 76% of patients were discharged from Transitional Care back to independence. The average patient rating was 4.83 out of 5 when asked if patients would “recommend the program to others”.

When: September 21, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. CDT

Register Now

Learn more at www.Allevant.com.

NRHA Webinar on Leveraging Telehealth

August 18, 2023

NRHA Webinar on Leveraging Telehealth

Join National Rural Health Administration (NRHA) Partner Equum Medical for an industrial webinar designed exclusively for CEOs and C-Level administrators of rural hospitals as they delve into the crucial topic of value-based care and evolving applications of inpatient telehealth to complement patient access and clinical workforce strategies. Stroudwater, a leading healthcare consulting firm, and Equum Medical, a pioneer in innovative telehealth-enabled clinical workforce solutions, have joined forces to deliver a comprehensive webinar that explores the significance of value-based care in transforming rural healthcare delivery.

When: Thursday, September 14, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 pm CDT

Register Now

 

Act Soon: Join Clinic, CAH Experts to Improve Community Care

August 18, 2023

Act Soon: Join Clinic, CAH Experts to Improve Community Care

Time is running out to save hundreds on your chance to discover RHC and CAH-specific strategies and solutions with the experts at NRHA’s Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences Sept. 26-29 in Kansas City.

Register and book your hotel at a discount by Sept. 7 to join NRHA in our hometown, the perfect place to rediscover the roots of rural health care with a mix of modern amenities and Midwest charm. From barbecue to ballet, there’s something for everyone in the Paris of the Plains, and we can’t wait to show you what’s new since last year.

Those who register early, are members, and attend both events are eligible for hundreds in combined discounts, so check out the updated event agendas, mark your calendar, and act soon to save. The NRHA block of discounted hotel rooms is running out fast, so be sure to book a great rate through NRHA before you register. We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City.

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