NOVEMBER 2017

North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics

1399 Ashleybrook Lane
Suite 110
Winston-Salem, NC 27103

336-251-1111



Randy Jordan , CEO
ext. 104

Mark Scheerer , Deputy Director
ext. 101

Cindy Jones , RCP
Director of Training & Support
ext. 103

Office Manager
ext. 102 
A Shared Thanksgiving
 
I had a powerful experience of thanksgiving recently when Cindy Jones and I visited the John P. Murray Community Care Clinic in Albemarle. Chris Vaughn and her clinic staff had successfully renewed their NCAFCC accreditation and we were visiting the clinic to make a presentation of their accreditation certificate. As we were about to enter the clinic door, a person parked in a nearby car got out and approached us. He said, “since you are dressed up, I think you may have something to do with this clinic and I just want to say thank-you.” He went on to explain, “I am a patient at the clinic and had nowhere else to go when I had some problems with my heart. This clinic is keeping me alive and I just want to encourage you to keep on helping.”
 
The truth is that Cindy and I did almost nothing to earn this patient’s gratitude and we quickly shared with Chris his expression of thanks. However, I was struck by the shared spirit of thanksgiving that takes over when we all work together to help another person in need. So as we enter the month of Thanksgiving, I wanted to pass along on behalf of our NCAFCC staff how blessed and thankful we are to be working with you on a shared mission of helping others. Here’s wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends.
 
Sissy Lee-Elmore, Board Chair, NCAFCC
A Few Thoughts to Share

So… I googled newsletter article topics (and yes, Virginia, “google” is a verb according to the Oxford English Dictionary, which is considered the most authoritative dictionary of the English language). I then “drilled down” to health care for more specificity” (who actually says, “drilled down”, like they are a dentist or an oil developer?). And the internet says that readers enjoy “how to” articles. And medical people like articles about topics such as “Four medical tests you should get every year” or maybe “Could you be a diabetic and not know it? 3 signs you can’t ignore”. But if you wanted the answer to these two topics, wouldn’t you just google them yourselves? Or maybe you already know the answers to these two questions. Then I have basically shared nothing.

People also like to share personal anecdotal stories, which are little stories “about things that happened to them, or that they heard about, to make a point. That kind of talk is anecdotal : based on small, personal accounts”. The only point I’m making is that I basically have nothing to write about that I think would interest all of you. Lol (Can I “lol” here? The internet says it’s a little outdated and that it would be used much like the “laughter” que card for a live TV audience. The internet also indicated that these abbreviations used in texting are going to be the end of civilized writing and will likely take us back to the Stone Age (yes, texting is a verb).

But just think, if we go back to the Stone Age and have to chisel our thoughts on a rock, we will have to use very few letters. And that’s all I have. SYL (Which in this case means “See you later”, not “strapping young lad”…I could go on from here but I will restrain myself)

If you have any topics or suggestions for the newsletter, let me know!
What's it all About?

In October, Randy and I attended the National Symposium put on by the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics. Also attending from NC were Executive Directors Tracy Salisbury, April Cook, Sandy Motley, Leona Donor, Cindy Cole and board members Michael Lischki and John Mills. This meeting is but one of the many benefits of being a member of the national organization. I encourage all of you to join or renew your membership. Membership application can be found here .

NAFC Member Benefits include:

  • NAFC Staff Advocate for America's Free and Charitable Clinics Expanded Free and Charitable Clinic Purchasing Power
  • Access to Funding Sources and Important Clinic Information
  • Networking, Continuing Education
  • Retirement Plan
  • Practical Help for Starting and Operating a Free or Charitable Clinic

DISCOUNT! Big discounts for new members are now available! Contact Ariana at the NAFC for this opportunity.

Board Development
Thanks to a suggestion from a clinic board member, we plan on including information for board members in our newsletter. I encourage each of you to send me your board members' names and email addresses so we can add them to our distribution list. Send to [email protected] .

PAC/PAP Networking List - An updated PAC/PAP Networking list can be found here . Updates to the list will be made on a regular basis and you can find the spreadsheet in the Members Only section of our website. Please let me know if you need your username and password. If your PAC/PAP staff member would like to be added to the list, email [email protected] .

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peace,

Mark
November Updates from Cindy

National Health Observance:
November is American Diabetes Month, check out the Tool Kit below for promoting awareness

NCAFCC 2017 Annual Outcomes Survey:
The survey and all related TOOLs will go out to the membership in December. These documents will be used to prepare for the actual online web-based completion of the survey in February 2018. A webinar for review of the survey will also be scheduled.

NCAFCC Accreditation:
Congratulations! to Alliance Medical Ministry for obtaining NCAFCC Accreditation status within the first two years of their membership.
 
John P. Murray Community Care Center was recently presented with their NCAFCC Accreditation Certificate.


Regional Meetings - Spring

Primary Care Conference and
Member/Annual Meeting - Spring

ED Retreat - September 20 & 21



NAFC Charitable Health Care Symposium Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Nevada - October 14-16, 2018


Resources

News for the Board
The Board-Staff Partnership - From BoardSource comes an article about the importance of a good relationship between the board and the staff. BoardSource is an excellent resource for both the board and for staff. Explore their website for helpful articles.

Continuing Education
Many of your medical volunteers and staff may be looking for ways in which to receive CEUs or CMEs. The NAFC is always looking for resources for you to get the credits you may need. If you hover over to the "Education Corner" button at the top of the NAFC's website - http://www.nafcclinics.org - make sure to check out the "Continuing Education" page for links to sites where you can access CEU/CME credits, many of which are at no cost to you.  


News and Updates from Clinics
The Two Tenors!
Concert Supports the Hope Clinic!
CLICK HERE to read about the event.

Ada Jenkins Guides Clients from Crisis to Sustainability
CLICK HERE to read more about their transformation.


AWARDS

Award Recipients from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics

The NAFC gave out awards at the Symposium In October. NCAFCC Recipients are as follows:

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Equity Administered by the NAFC and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

This award program celebrates health practitioners at NAFC member organizations who excel in building a “Culture of Health and achieving health equity” in communities across the country. The awardee's work would improve outcomes under the areas of increasing patient visit capacity, bettering chronic disease outcomes, reducing Emergency Room utilization, improving patient compliance, establishing collaborative health & wellness programs in addition to primary care, and/or establishing successful telehealth or mobile health programs.

Award Recipient:
Dr. Steven Crane - Volunteer Medical Director, The Free Clinics (Hendersonville, NC)


PoCECE

Point of Care, Enhancing Clinical Effectiveness (PoCECE)
Administered by Heart to Heart International and BD (Becton Dickinson)
A multi-year initiative that provides clinics caring for underserved and vulnerable populations throughout the United States the essential diagnostic point of care testing they need to evaluate their patients on site in a timely manner. PoCECE, funded by Becton Dickinson (BD) and implemented by Heart to Heart International (HHI) in conjunction with the NAFC, provides awards to safety-net clinics with a desire to use point of care testing to diagnose and set treatment protocols to improve patient outcomes.

Award Recipient:
Community Health Services of Union County - Monroe, North Carolina


Board of Directors 

Board Chair
Sissy Lee-Elmore, MBA, MPA
WATCH Healthcare Program

Vice Chair
April Cook, MBA
Lake Norman Community Health Clinic

Treasurer
John Price, ORH - Retired

Secretary
Tracy Salisbury
Open Door Clinic of Alamance County

Jerry Hermanson, MBA
Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers
Tony Price
Moore Free and Charitable Clinic

Sandy Motley
Davidson Medical Ministries Clinic
Past Chair

Michael Lischke, Ed.D., MPH
Northwest AHEC
WFU School of Medicine

Theo McClammy
Caring Community Clinic

John Mills
ECHO

Jacquie Rose
The Free Clinics


 
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