Note from DCPCA CEO, Tamara Smith
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I hope you will join us for DCPCA’s Health Summit and Annual Meeting on May 16th. Topics for the day include a general session on health and racial equity, 3 breakout sessions with topics on: 1)creating value for employees while reducing burnout; 2) creating a Trauma Informed Care Culture to improve health outcomes; and 3) P4P- Using Data and Analytics to Create A Culture of QI and Care Coordination. We will have a luncheon keynote speaker and short awards ceremony. I hope you will join us as we revive an Annual DCPCA tradition. The link to register is here:
http://www.dcpca.org/events/2019-annual-meeting-and-health-summi
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Community of Hope: 'Save Black Women' - D.C. Gets To Work Addressing Pregnancy-Related Deaths
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It’s the end of Black Maternal Health week and we are glad that our city, news agencies and, most importantly, our health centers are paying attention to the challenges faced by pregnant women and new mothers in DC. Last week WAMU highlighted Community of Hope’s work on comprehensive maternal and child health, and the role of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee recently formed in DC.
Check out the story here.
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Catholic Charities Treated More Than 20,000 Patients in 2018
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Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington is the area’s largest independent social services agency. Taking a holistic approach to serving our clients, we provide fully integrated services to treat the whole person from head to toe. Our clinics provide patients with a “one stop shop” experience. In 2018, we treated more than 20,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health patients. Last year, our
three dental clinics treated more than 7,300 patients with low-cost preventive, diagnostic, emergency and restorative oral health care. Our two medical clinics provide patient-centered primary care services and specialty services, including minor surgery, gynecology, cardiology, pulmonology, dermatology, orthopedics, and acupuncture.
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Whitman-Walker Health: ‘X’ Gender Markers Affirm Lives and Create Access in Maryland and Beyond
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This spring, Maryland became the newest state to approve an ‘X’ gender marker for state-issued identification cards and licenses. This addition provides an affirming gender marker option for people who do not identify with the binary categories of “M” for male or “F” for female, or who prefer not to list their gender marker. Whitman-Walker was grateful and pleased to be a part of the coalition supporting this legislation.
Read More
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DCPCA Department Round-Up
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DC Connected Care Network (DC CCN)
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CCN Hires Chief Operating Officer
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We are excited to announce the hiring of Brandon Batiste, Chief Operations Officer for the DC Connected Care Network. Brandon comes with over 15 years of experience working in the healthcare sector with a focus on: care coordination, P4P, systems transformation, pop health analytics and behavioral health care integration. He comes with a passion to address the barriers to care patients face and has a successful track record of starting new programs. Brandon start on Monday, May 6th.
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eHealthDC Helps Eligible District Providers Meet 2018 Promoting Interoperability/Meaningful Use
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The DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) closed its 2018 Promoting Interoperability/Medicaid EHR Incentive Program year on April 15, 2019. In advance of that deadline, eHealthDC team members worked diligently with 25 enrolled practices, representing more than 60 eligible professionals, to submit Meaningful Use attestations to the District’s State Level Repository (SLR). We expect that these professionals will earn more than $500,000 in incentive payments for successfully achieving Modified Stage 2 meaningful use objectives.
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DCPCA and the American Heart Association Hosted Training on Team-Based Approach to Blood Pressure Control
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From March 6 – 8, 2019 the inaugural training, Team-based Approach to Blood Pressure Control: Understanding the M.A.P Framework, showed participants how to successfully implement an evidence-based approach to prevention and control of hypertension. Our guest speakers were Richard T. Benson, MD, PHD, Associate Medical Director of Stroke at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center with the NIH Stroke Program and Brent M. Egan, MD, Vice President of Research for Care Coordination Institute, Professor of Medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. In attendance were a total of 76 health care professionals from DC and Maryland including health centers Whitman-Walker Health, Elaine Ellis, Community of Hope, Mary’s Center, Unity, and Metro Health. To receive training materials or to have this training at your site, contact Berlinda Olivier at
bolivier@dcpca.org
.
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Qual IT Spring Conference Draws Over 100 Health Center Members
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DCPCA and our project partners HealthEfficient facilitated the Qual IT Spring Conference April 15 - 16, 2019 in Albany NY. Through the HRSA-funded Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) project, member health centers receive training and technical assistance on using HIT to improve clinical quality. The conference, with 115 in attendance, included two-days of sessions with four concurrent tracks: clinical quality, operations, HIT, and executive. Representatives from five DCPCA-member FQHCs were in attendance. Sessions included the following:
- Care Management Insights
- Tableau Showcase for Quality Improvement
- Meaningful Use Stage 3 New Workflows and Requirements
- Customer Service & Front Desk Excellence
- Deep Dive into new UDS Statin Measure
- Healthcare IT Security
- Building a Substance Use Disorder Program from the Ground Up
- Coding & Billing: Moving from FFS to VBP
- How to use eCW Population Health (CCMR) to Support Care Management
- 2019 Coding and Compliance Updates
- Optimizing Your Sliding Fee Scale
- Risk Stratification: Turning Data into Improved Health Outcomes
For further information on session materials or for support in implementing changes in your practice, contact Megan Loucks at
mloucks@dcpca.
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Thanks to All Who Attended Our 5th Annual Budget Briefing Dialogue
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Pictured above is Wayne Turnage, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and Director of the Department of Health Care Finance. Seated is Tamara Smith, DCPCA CEO, Veronica Damysen, President of the District of Columbia Health Care Association, and Mark Levota, Executive director of the DC Behavioral Health Association. Not pictured is Co-Host Jaqueline Bowens, President and CEO of the DC Hospital Association, and Co-Presenter Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of DC Health, and at the time, Interim Director of the DC Department of Behavioral Health. For a copy of materials shared, contact David Poms at
dpoms@dcpca.org.
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Medicaid Lifts Prior Authorization for Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT)
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Since February 2018, DCPCA and member health centers have worked together to advocate that prior authorization restrictions on buprenorphine be eliminated. Too often, such restrictions create barriers and obstacles to beginning and maintaining treatment for opioid use disorders. Health center providers, including those from Unity, Mary’s Center, Whitman-Walker, and others, testified, shared moving examples of how MAT is changing lives, wrote letters, and did not give up until change was made. DCPCA thanks them for their dedication and commitment to fighting for their patients!
Read More
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DCPCA Awarded DHCF Grant on Resource Inventory and SDOH Exchange
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In March 2019, DHCF selected DCPCA for the Community Resource Inventory and Exchange (CoRIE) Phase One grant. This project has two goals: first, to develop a community resource inventory for social needs and screening tools, and second, to design the technical solution for a web-based bi-directional non-proprietary platform through a comprehensive needs assessment and technical requirements gathering process. The platform should enable the ability to screen individuals for selected social determinants of health, as well as the ability to refer residents to appropriate federal, District, and community resources to address their health care and social needs. It is DHCF’s intent to issue a subsequent opportunity to develop the exchange and referral capacity. DCPCA is working with a number of partners as well as the DC PACT coalition to complete this process by the end of September 2019.
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Billing and Finance Peer Group Launches May 9, 2019
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Over the course of the past several years, DCPCA has hosted ad hoc calls with health center finance teams to identify and address billing, cost report, and rate-setting problems. With the support of the FQHC CEOs, DCPCA will host a regular monthly Billing and Finance Peer Group on the second Monday of each month at 10 AM. Join us to learn from colleagues and share your strategies for ensuring maximum resources to meet your health center mission. Contact Patricia Quinn
pquinn@dcpca.org
to learn more or to be added to the group.
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New Supplemental Funding Opportunity Available: FY 2019 Integrated Behavioral Health Service
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HRSA announced
the availability of $200 million in supplemental funding to health centers for Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS). On Friday, April 5, eligible health centers received emails announcing the availability of the EHBs application module. Applications are due in EHBs by Monday, May 13, at 5:00 p.m. ET. To learn more information review the
slide presentation and visit the
TA webpage
for additional TA resources. Contact the
IBHS TA Team
with questions.
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Pro Bono Consulting for Nonprofits - Compass Greater Washington
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Compass’ client application for 2019-20 is now open. Compass volunteer teams of experienced business professionals provide
pro bono consulting to nonprofits in the following areas: Board Development, Funding Strategy, Strategic Alignment, Strategic Planning, Partnerships & Collaborations, Strategic Marketing, and Technology Strategy. Applications deadline:
June 7. Details and the application are available at:
Greater Washington Client Application.
You’re invited! Please join us for an information session for prospective clients on
Friday, May 3.
Rsvp here. For additional information, please contact Hallie Smith, Director of Consulting Programs, at
hsmith@compassdc.org
or (202) 629-2354.
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John K. Tolmie will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer for Howard University Hospital
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John K. Tolmie will serve as interim chief executive officer for Howard University Hospital effective immediately. He will take over the day-to-day management operations for the Hospital while a full executive search for a permanent hire is conducted.
Read more
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Barbra Bazron is new DBH Director
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Many of you will remember that Barbara Bazron served as Interim DBH Director prior to Dr. Royster appointment, and that she had more than a decade at DBH prior to her Interim appointment. DCPCA is hopeful that Ms. Bazron’s experience in the District and at the Department will mean she can address the many challenges effectively and expeditiously.
Read More
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If It’s Spring, It Must Be District Budget Season!
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DC Health Releases the 2018 Primary Care Needs Assessment
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The Community Health Administration's Health Care Access Bureau worked with John Snow, Inc. (JSI) to develop the 2018 Primary Care Needs Assessment, conducted in coordination with the State Health Planning and Development Agency's 2017 Health Systems Plan (HSP.)
Some key findings which will drive District action and investments in the years ahead:
- Medicaid patients, regardless of ward of residence, generally travel for their care and often bypass closer care sources.
- Residents have low levels of engagement with a medical home for ongoing primary care. Women aged 18 to 34 were least likely to receive their primary care at one location.
- Approximately four out of ten DC Medicaid enrollees did not have any primary care visits in the 12-month period reviewed. Women aged 18 to 34 were the least likely among the population groups to have had a primary care visit.
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Black Maternal Health Week Held April 11-17 Every Year
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As DCPCA launches the Maternal Health Equity Action Lab to improve maternal health, we will learn from and be guided by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance maternal and reproductive justice frame. Black Maternal Health Week (founded by Black Mamas Matter) seeks to:
- deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health in the US;
- amplify community-driven policy, research, and care solutions;
- center the voices of Black Mamas, women, families, and stakeholders;
- provide a national platform for Black-led entities and efforts on maternal health, birth and reproductive justice; and
- enhance community organizing on Black maternal health.
Download the
BMMA ToolKit to learn more. Check out how we promoted #BMHW19 on Twitter @dcpca.
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Six weeks left to meet FTE requirement for FY2018 Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health (SUD-MH) Services supplemental funding
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Health centers who received SUD-MH funding in FY18 should note that they have until May 18 to add at least 1.0 FTE direct hire(s) and/or contracted personnel to support SUD and/or mental health services. HRSA has stated that failure to meet this requirement may impact Year 2 funding. Grantees should also not that they may not begin any minor Alteration and Renovation (A/R) activities supported with SUD-MH funding without receiving prior approval from HRSA.
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2019 Site Visit Protocol (SVP) Update Effective Thursday, April 18
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HRSA has updated the SVP in response to feedback from stakeholders. No changes were made to the Compliance Manual or to Health Center Program requirements. The
2019 SVP Update
has been available for public preview, but will go into effect for site visits that start after this Thursday, April 18. Check out the
2019 SVP Summary of Updates
and
SVP Frequently Asked Questions
.
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Calendar Year 2020 Requirements for Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Medical Malpractice Coverage
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HRSA has issued
PAL 2019-02
to describe the process for Health Center Program grantees to submit applications for FTCA initial deeming and redeeming for calendar year (CY) 2019 and 2020. The PAL is available on the
FTCA Program webpage
. The redeeming application period (for coverage for CY 2020) begins on Friday, May 17, and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, July 1. Initial deeming applications are accepted year-round.
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DCPCA Training and Events Spotlight
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Registration Now Open! DCPCA Annual Meeting and Health Summit
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Partner Training: National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Training – May 14, 2019
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Partner Summit: 2019 DC Health and Medical Coalition Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Summit - June 4, 2019
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Partner Conference Save the Date: ACU Annual Conference July 28-31, 2019, Washington, DC
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Upcoming events and trainings
sponsored by DCPCA are on our website at
http://dcpca.org/events
. These are group trainings, often available to all members. Trainings specific for a member organization will not appear on our website.
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DCPCA offers an array of on-site trainings, customized to member needs, which include the following opportunities:
- Quality Improvement Techniques and Tools
- Blood Pressure Control
- Billing & Coding
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Emergency Preparedness, including active shooter/active threat, stop-the-bleed, de-escalation, and CPR/First Aid/BLS.
- EHR Optimization
- Data Analytics via BridgeIT
- Data Visualization via Tableau
- Meaningful Use
There are numerous
ways for our members to engage in our ongoing trainings and technical assistance opportunities, which include our DCPCA-facilitated Peer Groups - so many opportunities that it warrants a separate newsletter! See the latest edition of our monthly
Training and Technical Assistance Newsletter! For more information, contact Emily Long at
elong@dcpca.org
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We Want to Hear From You!
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Do you have a great article, story, or health center highlight that you would like to be included in next month’s newsletter? Please send to Emily Long, Training and Program Manager at
elong@dcpca.org
.
For past editions of DCPCA Connection and other DCPCA Publications, click
here
!
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This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $565,223. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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