CTC-RI Annual Conference Welcomes Jane Cooper-Driver, MSc, and Devorah Donnell, MD

We are thrilled to welcome Jane Cooper-Driver, MSc, Intend Health Strategies acting Co-CEO, Chief Program Officer, and Devorah Donnell, MD, American Well Family Medicine Physician and Intend Health Strategies Trainer and Coach for the October 31 Annual Conference "Investing in Primary Care and Health Equity."

Ms. Cooper Driver and Dr. Donnell will be presenting on “Building Trusted Relationships with Patients” which will highlight the important role of relational leaders within the practice and for connecting with colleagues and patients. Relational Leadership (RL) practices are linked to reduced burnout, improved employee engagement and well-being, and a better workplace climate — all in the service of delivering better care. Watch this video to learn more about RL.

Finally, we are excited to announce that our registration has reached capacity for our conference and that only waitlist tickets are available. If you are signed up for our waitlist and a spot becomes available, you will receive email confirmation that your ticket has been approved.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Debra Hurwitz MBA, BSN, RN

CTC-RI Executive Director

September’s Clinical Strategy Committee meeting kicked off a Think Tank on Addressing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in Primary Care. We thank Nelly Burdette, PsyD, Boston Medical Center Population Behavioral Health Director, and CTC-RI Integrated Behavioral Health Senior Director; Linda Cabral, CTC-RI Senior Program Manager; and CTC-RI intern Nash Klinger for presenting a comprehensive environmental scan of AUD in Rhode Island. We’d also like to thank our expert panelists Garry Bliss, Prospect Health Services RI Senior Director; Barry Fabius, MD, UnitedHealthcare Chief Medical Officer; Gloria Rose, RN, Thundermist Health Center Director of Community Care Management; and John Tassoni, Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership Council of RI President for their contributions.

The session highlighted various barriers to addressing RI AUD in primary care such as the stigmatization of treatment-seeking, access to medication-assisted treatment, and the lack of peer recovery specialists. Proposed approaches included enhancing peer counseling in emergency settings, strengthening ties between emergency departments and primary care, early intervention in educational settings, and training non-clinicians in pharmaceuticals.

Our next meeting is October 21, 12:00-1:00 PM, focusing on community resources for AUD treatment, and the Addiction Care Today and Recovery Center at Lifespan. Join us and sign up for our 4-part series or email CTC-RI program coordinator, Phos Ivestei, at pivestei@ctc-ri.org.

The 2024 National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Plan Ratings are here, just in time for open enrollment! Three Rhode Island Health Plans earned 4.5 stars: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, UnitedHealthcare of New England, Neighborhood Health Plan, and Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization, Inc. These ratings help businesses and consumers easily compare health plans across commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid options.

National Highlights:

• Four RI plans achieved 4.5 stars: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI, Neighborhood Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, and Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization.

Improved Care Delivery:

• Better diabetes management (blood pressure, HbA1c, kidney health).
• Improved care coordination and medication reconciliation for Medicare.

National Concerns:

• Decline in childhood immunization rates for commercial and Medicaid plans.

What’s New:

• Increased focus on health equity by adjusting scoring for race/ethnicity diversity in memberships.

Find more details and explore the 2024 national ratings here.

CTC-RI, with support from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), hosted the inaugural session of the RI MomsPRN ECHO Learning Series on September 17, 2024. This eight-session series aims to enhance strategies for screening and resources related to maternal behavioral health, emphasizing culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate care.

Margo Katz, RIDOH Chief of the Substance Exposed Newborns and Safe Sleep Programs, provided insights into the landscape of prenatal substance use in Rhode Island and discussed public health interventions for affected individuals. Katie Gonzalez, a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and Community Health Worker with VNA of Care New England shared her personal journey with substance use, treatment, and recovery during pregnancy. Her case presentations highlighted the profound effects of substance use disorders on prenatal care, illustrating both adverse and positive outcomes.

With 89 participants attending, the session received positive feedback, with 97% rating it as good or excellent. Additionally, 95% of participants agreed that the session emphasized respectful, culturally responsive care.

Click here to access the session recordings, and presentation slides, complete the meeting evaluation for CME/CEU credit or a certificate of participation, or call (401-430-2800) for information on RI MomsPRN teleconsultation services.

Our Increasing Pediatric Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Capacity using Community Health Workers (CHWs) project has wrapped up Year 1 activities! The 6 practices involved in this project completed significant milestones this year, including hiring and training CHWs to be part of an IBH team, implementing universal BH screening for all patients, training practice team members on how to leverage the IBH CHW, and collecting data on CHW activities. Data was presented at our September Steering Committee meeting that reflected CHWs connecting with 327 patients and families, with 66% of encounters dealing with both IBH and social needs. We are grateful to our partners at TEAM UP for Children at Boston Medical Center and the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute for providing training and evaluation support. All 6 practices are now working on Year 2 milestones, including continued data collection and improvement of universal screening rates for youth ages 0-17. Thank you to Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI, UnitedHealthcare, and Point32Health for your support of this project. Practices participating in this project are:

• Coastal Medical Bald Hill
• Coastal Medical Waterman
• CCAP
• Pediatric Primary Care at Hasbro Children’s Hospital
• Family Care Center
• Wood River Health

As part of the Best Practices in Team-Based Care series, CTC-RI, in collaboration with Community Health Center Inc. and the Weitzman Institute, was excited to host A webinar titled "Integrating HIV and STI Prevention for Primary Care – Best Practices and Beyond" on October 15. Covered were critical objectives, including a review of HIV epidemiology and disparities in PrEP utilization, a discussion of the HIV status-neutral framework, and an overview of PrEP eligibility, prescribing, and monitoring. Attendees also explored PrEP medication coverage options, the integration of substance use health with HIV prevention, and available PrEP education and training options such as ECHO and Fellowship programs. Our expert speakers, Dr. Marwan Haddad and Jeannie McIntosh from the Center for Key Populations at Community Health Center Inc., provided valuable insights and practical guidance for healthcare professionals at all levels. It was a great opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding and improve their practice. To view the session and materials, please visit https://ctc-ri.org/news-events/pcmh-news-and-articles/cme-coursework.

Joseph Diaz, MD, MPH

Care New England Chief Health Equity Officer

Paul Larson, MD, MBA

Lifespan Chief of Primary Care

In September, the 15 primary care practices participating in the CTC-RI 2024 Improving Demographic Data Collection in Primary Care to Address Health Disparities Quality Improvement Initiative came together for their midpoint learning collaborative. The project is generously funded by UnitedHealthcare and the Rhode Island Foundation. The meeting began with a presentation by Siri Colom, PhD, a researcher, and Assistant Professor of Sociology from Worcester State University, who co-authored the Rhode Island Foundation Report, “LGBTQ+ Voices in RI.” Island Foundation Report, “LGBTQ+ Voices in RI.” Her presentation, “LGBTQ+ Communities in Rhode Island: Joys, Challenges & Focused Priorities,” focused on her research for the report concerning health care and wellness for the RI LGBTQ+ community. After providing some background, Dr. Colom discussed the factors that have contributed to the fraught relationship of the LGBTQ+ community members with the healthcare system.

The 15 participating practices are continuing to work on the quality improvement efforts to improve complete patient demographic data collection and will report their progress at the final learning collaborative meeting on December 18. Click here to view the learning collaborative meeting and PowerPoint presentations.

Statewide Performance Against the Cost Growth Target, 2019–2022

In 2022, statewide spending on health care for Rhode Islanders reached nearly $9 billion, highlighting its significant impact on the state's economy, budget, and household expenses.

The RI Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) plays a crucial role in monitoring healthcare spending growth and providing insights into its distribution and drivers, supporting shared accountability among insurers, providers, and government for making healthcare affordable.

RI has established a Cost Growth Target to ensure that healthcare spending does not outpace economic growth, state revenue, or wage increases. The target, set at 3.2% annually, was collaboratively developed with health insurers and providers in 2019. This initiative aims to control spending while promoting high-quality care.

In 2022, RI achieved a remarkable 1.6% increase in healthcare spending, significantly below the established target. RI was the only state to meet its cost growth target that year, demonstrating effective collaboration in managing healthcare costs.

Each year, OHIC collects data from insurers to evaluate spending and identify areas needing improvement. The findings are shared in an annual spending report, supplemented by interactive dashboards using the state's All-Payer Claims Database. This transparency helps keep all stakeholders accountable for making health care more affordable for Rhode Islanders.

The RI Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) is pleased to announce updates to the public-facing cost trends dashboards available on the OHIC Data Hub. These dashboards use data from the All-Payer Claims Database (HealthFacts RI) to provide transparent reporting on trends in the cost and use of healthcare services in Rhode Island. They were developed in collaboration with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Data Ecosystem and the Cost Trends Steering Committee. Dashboard updates include:

• Addition of 2023 APCD data for commercial payers and Medicaid and 2022 data for Medicare.
• Dashboards are updated to display results for calendar years 2019 through 2023.
• The Overview, Care Migration, and Pharmacy dashboards were redesigned to make them simpler and more intuitive for users.
• Additional filters have been added, including functionality to separate insured and self-insured claims data.

The dashboards compare cost and utilization measures overall and for retail and medical pharmacy, inpatient, outpatient, emergency room, professional, and mental health services. The purpose of the dashboards is to inform provider organizations, payers, purchasers, policymakers, and state residents interested in improving the affordability of health care in Rhode Island.

In the coming months OHIC will publish new special analytic reports as part of its monthly Data Stories series. Previous special analytic reports have focused on increasing prescription drug prices, emergency department use and intensity, mental health utilization, and the shift in site of care for orthopedic procedures.

Dr. Jack Rusley,

Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Brown University

CBO Spotlight: The Ocean State Center for Independent Living

Our primary care transformation efforts often include the support and partnership of statewide community-based organizations (CBOs). CTC-RI is spotlighting a different CBO monthly to recognize and appreciate their work in our communities.

This month, CTC-RI is spotlighting The Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL), a consumer-controlled, community-based nonprofit organization established to provide a range of independent living services. We spoke with Beth Pinkham, Associate Director at OSCIL, about their work.

How does your organization support Rhode Islanders?

The Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) is RI's non-profit Center for Independent Living. Our mission is to remove physical and attitudinal barriers that prevent full inclusion for people with disabilities. We offer services like Information & Referral, Independent Living Skills Training, Peer Support, Advocacy, and Youth and Nursing Home Transition. All our services are consumer-directed, and tailored to the individual’s goals for staying independent at home.

How can a partnership with primary care providers strengthen your work?

We can connect primary care providers and their patients with resources that promote independent living. Too often, Rhode Islanders are sent to nursing facilities when there are suitable community options. OSCIL is a valuable resource to help explore those options.

What’s something you’d like the primary care community to know about your organization?

We are Rhode Island’s top resource for disability-related information, offering expert advice and referrals at no cost. If we can’t meet a need, we will guide people to the right place.

Contact Beth Pinkham, Associate Director, for more info at beth.pinkham@oscil.org or call 401-738-1013 x53. 

The RI Department of Health (RIDOH), in partnership with the University of Utah, manages the RI Medical Home Portal (MHP) to provide resources for families of children with special needs and the professionals who serve them. However, due to a recent cyber-attack on the MHP server at the University of Utah, access to the portal is temporarily unavailable. RIDOH is actively working to restore this valuable resource. In the meantime, families and providers can access the “Connecting the Dots Resource Guide” via our RIPIN partner site, available in English and Spanish. For questions, contact the Family Voices Program at familyvoices@ripin.org.

Cameron Jacobs, Clinical Coordinator at PediPRN

Healthcentric Advisors, in partnership with the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, highlights the Lifespan Respite Care Program—a valuable resource for caregivers in Rhode Island.

Are you a caregiver?

If you assist an older family member or care for a minor with a disability, you are a caregiver. The Lifespan Respite Care Program provides support and community resources to help.

Resources:

• Catholic Social Services for respite care information: (401) 421-7833
• The Point (Rhode Island’s Aging & Disability Resource Center) for confidential assistance: (401) 462-4444
• Family Caregiver Alliance for advocacy and peer support: (401) 444-0600

Join healthcare professionals and colleagues to celebrate RI World Diabetes Day at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick! This FREE event will feature insightful presentations, engaging discussions, and interactive Q&A sessions. Light refreshments will be provided.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 8:00am - 12:00pm, Crowne Plaza, Warwick, RI

Upcoming CTC-RI Committee Meetings and Workgroups

• October 18, 7:30-9:00AM – Clinical Strategy Committee 
• October 25, 7:30-8:45AM – Board of Directors 
• November 15, 7:30-9:00AM – Clinical Strategy Committee 

Upcoming Learning Collaboratives and Professional Development

• October 18, 12:00-1:00PM – Integrated Behavioral Health Meet and Eat
• October 18, 12:00-1:00PM – Addressing AUD in Primary Care Think Tank: 4-Part Series
• October 22, 7:30-8:30AM – Transition of Care Learning Collaborative 
• October 23, 7:30-8:30AM – ECHO: Best Practices in Addressing Sexually Transmitted Infections in Primary Care
• October 24, 7:30-8:30AM – Pediatric Sleep ECHO series
• October 28, 11:00-12:30PM – CHW Advocacy Network for Leadership
• October 29, 7:30-9:00AM – Diabetes/CKD Pharmacy Project Learning Collaborative
• October 31, 7:00-3:30PM – CTC-RI Annual Conference: "Investing in Primary Care & Health Equity"
• November 07, 7:30-8:00AM – Virtual Coffee Break with Dr. Pat Flanagan & Dr. Beth Lange
• November 13, 8:00-9:00AM – Primary Care Workforce Taskforce Meeting
• November 14, 7:30-9:00AM – 4M Framework Midpoint Learning Collaborative
• November 15, 12:00-1:00PM – Integrated Behavioral Health Meet and Eat
• November 18, 12:00-1:00PM – Addressing AUD in Primary Care Think Tank: 4-Part SeriesNovember 19, 8:00-9:00AM – Best Practices in Team-Based Care
• November 19, 12:00-1:00PM – MomsPRN ECHO Series
• November 20, 7:30-8:30AM – ECHO: Best Practices in Addressing Sexually Transmitted Infections in Primary Care
• November 21, 7:30-8:30AM – Pediatric Sleep ECHO series
• November 25, 11:00-12:30PM – CHW Advocacy Network for Leadership
• November 25, 12:00-1:00PM – Healthy Tomorrows Quarterly Learning Collaborative meeting - Cohort 4
• November 26, 12:00-1:00PM – MomsPRN Midpoint Meeting