March 2018
  WVPCA Weekly Outlook Newsletter
     A Newsletter on Community Centered Healthcare
 

We offer this publication as a member service of the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA).

If you have questions regarding our organization, WVPCA membership, or if you have content to suggest for this newsletter, please contact Kelsey Clough, Education and Communications Coordinator, by email or by phone at (304) 346-0032.

Sincerely,

West Virginia Primary Care Association
1700 MacCorkle Avenue
Charleston, WV 25314-1518
304-346-0032
1-877-WVA-HLTH
Quick Links: In This Issue.....

WVPCA News

Rural Health Centers struggle for funding 
FamilyCare Health Centers was recently featured in a story from CBS News. Read the entire article here

Why is it so difficult to fund prevention? 
Read the entire article, originally from WV Public Broadcasting  here

Amazon offers discount prime membership to Medicaid recipients
Read the entire article, originally from U.S. News and World Report  here

CDC: WV counties where HIV outbreak detected had no needle exchange 
Read the entire article, originally from the Charleston Gazette Mail  here

Charleston mayor will seek to close needle exchange service
Read the entire article, originally from the Charleston Gazette Mail  here

Efforts continue in state to extend decline of opioid deaths; barriers remain 
Read the entire article, originally from the Exponent Telegram  here

Campaign kicks off to highlight children affected by opioid epidemic
Read the entire article, originally from the Register-Herald  here
WVPCA NewsWVPCA
Shenandoah Valley Medical System Receives Quality Leader Award
Dr. George Sigounas,  Administrator of the Department of Health & Human Services, presented a Quality Leader Award to Shenandoah Valley Medical Systems for placing in the top 30% of the adjusted quartile rankings for Clinical Quality Measures.  As a Health Center Quality Leader, Shenandoah has achieved the best overall clinical performance among all health centers.   Hats off to the Shenandoah Valley team!
Boyd and Lewis named WVPBRN co-directors 
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Jennifer Boyd, PA-C, clinical coordinator with the West Virginia Primary Car
e Association and family practice physician's assistant at the New River Health Association, and William Lewis, M.D., family medicine physician with Harpers Ferry Family Medicine and associate professor at West Virginia University Easter Division, have recently been named co-directors of the West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network (WVPBRN).

This new leadership marks a shift to providers and network members who have been a part of the WVPBRN since its early stages steering the future of the organization.
 
The West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute's WVPBRN is an 86-site formal network that facilitates the conduct of studies that address important health issues in West Virginia. To date, over 2,600 patients and 274 providers have been involved in one or more projects, many of which have resulted in policy or practice changes.
 
Jennifer Boyd has been a WVPBRN member since 2013, serving on multiple projects including WV Project ECHO that connects rural patients with specialized care via videoconferencing technology. In her new position as co-director, Boyd will provide guidance on patient and provider engagement, foster linkage with community health centers, and provide guidance on research translation and dissemination.
 
"I am honored to serve as co-director for the WVPBRN," said Boyd. "The WVPBRN is bringing together academic researchers and community based partners to study topics that are meaningful and have lasting impact for our communities. I look forward to my part in helping this network continue to flourish."
 
William Lewis has been a WVPBRN member since 2013 and has led several initiatives including the IRIS diabetic eye exam project and the Resident Learning Collaborative . In his new position, Dr. Lewis will provide guidance on provider input and patient/provider engagement, WVPBRN research design, membership relationships, and practice transformation research.
 
For more information on the WVPBRN, visit the program webpage .  
 
WVCTSI Background
WVCTSI is funded by an IDeA Clinical and Translational grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (2U54GM104942-02) to support the mission of building clinical and translational research infrastructure and capacity to impact health disparities in West Virginia.
WVPCA Launches New Partnership
One of the most disturbing consequences of the opioid addiction crisis, is the number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).  The WVPCA is partnering with the WV Perinatal Partnership, WV Free, WV Office of Maternal & Child Health/Perinatal Programs and the WV Behavioral Health Care Providers Association to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies by providing staff with information about a "client-centered contraceptive care model".  This model has been successfully implemented in Ohio Community Health Centers.  In addition to the educational packet under development, training will be made available to increase the number of providers able to insert long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC).   If you are interested in learning more about this initiative, please contact Emma White, RN at the WVPCA.
Connecting Health and Home: How One CHC is Providing Home Visit Services 
The pressure for practices to provide patient-centered, comprehensive, coordinated, and accessible care is greater than ever. Extending the primary care team outside the normal clinic setting may be one solution to, not only providing enhanced access to patients, but also to help providers better understand and ultimately address patients' social determinants of health.

On February 22, 2018, the WVPCA hosted a webinar " Connecting Health and Home: How one CHC is Providing Home Visit Services". 7 participants representing 4 centers were in attendance and had ample opportunity to ask questions, exchange ideas, and share best practices.

During this interactive webinar, Valley Health Care (VHC) shared some of their reasons for providing home visits and strategies their center is using to provide effective and efficient care for complex patients, including:
  • Provides better access to care for homebound patients
    • Allows for improved communication between patient, patient's family and care team
    • To maintain continuity of care
    • Observing the home environment gives valuable insight into patient's social determinants of health
    • Allows opportunity to better assess family support
    • Allows opportunity to conduct on-site home medication adherence
 
VHC's social workers usually conduct the home visits although nurses visit approximately 20% of time. While there are some patients who receive care at home for their chronic illnesses, the majority still have to come in to the health center for chronic disease visits. The selection of patients who need home visits is anecdotal at this point and typically, at the provider's discretion. They do plan to start collecting/analyzing this data to determine if these visit s are helping improve patient's clinical measures. They are not currently billing for these visits, but feel strongly that providing this service improves patient engagement and compliance with care recommendations, leading to better outcomes and overall lower health care costs.

John Kennedy, WVPCA School-Based Health Coordinator, provided information about the Quick Response Team (QRT) through Cabell County Emergency Services in Huntington. This team, comprised of medical care providers, law enforcement, recovery and treatment providers, faith leaders, and university research partners, provide home visits within 36 hours of an EMS drug related call. This team works to help the identified person seek appropriate treatment.

If you would like additional information or would like the presentation and/or recording please contact Shannon Parker at shannon.parker@wvpca.org.
New Webinar: A Framework for Understanding Economic Diversity: Improving SBH 
The West Virginia Primary Care Association is offering a one-hour webinar, A Framework for Understanding Economic Diversity: Improving SBH on March 20. The presentation will begin at noon with speaker Idress Gooden, WV Adolescent Health Coordinator. The webinar will discuss how poverty impacts the ability to provide care in school-based health centers and offer ways to improve student wellness.  

For more information, and to register, click here
State NewsStateNews
Apply Now to Become a Presenter at the WV Rural Health Conference 
The WV Rural Health Conference is currently requesting presentations for their upcoming conference.  The conference theme is, "Revitalizing our Rural Communities for a Health West Virginia," and includes the following tracks:  Leadership/Policy, Clinical and Future of Health Care/Innovation.  This year's conference will be held October 17-19, 2018, at Pipestem State Park Resort. 
 
If you are interested in submitting a keynote presentation, or if there are any questions about the conference, contact WVRHA Executive Director Debrin Jenkins at debrinwvrha@gmail.com

Please click here to review the RFP for the conference. 
WVU Offering a Certified Tobacco Treatment Training Program | May 18 & 19 and June 1 & 2
The West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry, in cooperation with the Office of Inter-professional Education presents "A Certified Tobacco Treatment Training Program (CTTTP)". The four-day course will run May 18-19 and June 1-2, 2018 at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center in Morgantown. 

Professionals in the fields of medicine, dentistry, social work, pharmacy, nursing and public health will present evidence-based strategies to assist patients and clients interested in tobacco cessation. 

The training is recommended for physicians, physician assistants, dentists, dental hygienists, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, physical therapists and other health care providers who encounter tobacco using patients/clients. 

View the flyer here for additional information and continuing education credit information. Registration is available here
National NewsNationalNews
Register today for the NACHC Policy & Issues Forum

The NACHC Policy & Issues Forum (P&I), a great way to gain insights on the constantly evolving discussions in DC and on priority issues ranging from entitlement reform to health innovation, will be held March 14-18. The P&I will also offer an opportunity to thank legislators for their support in re-authorization of health center funding.  "Hill Day" will be Thursday, Mar. 15.  The WVPCA has scheduled visit appointments with all five congressional offices.  Click here for the conference schedule and to register.  For those unable to travel to DC, NACHC is offering a virtual participation option.  Be sure to register for the P&I today to make sure you are up-to-date on the latest policy trends affecting health centers from workforce issues, to 340B, to telehealth, behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, and more. Questions?  Contact  Louise Reese at 304.346.0032.
Secretary Azar Statement on UnitedHealthcare Drug Discount Announcement
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement today after UnitedHealthcare announced that they would be sharing manufacturer rebates and discounts with patients at the pharmacy:

"Today's announcement by UnitedHealthcare is a prime example of the type of movement toward transparency and lower drug prices for millions of patients that the Trump Administration is championing. Empowering patients and providers with the information and control to put them in the driver's seat is a key part of our strategy at the Department of Health and Human Services to bring down the price of drugs and make healthcare more affordable. We are already seeing clear momentum toward the type of innovation in the private-sector that will be an important part of the value-based transformation that is coming to America's healthcare system."

Yesterday, Secretary Azar delivered a speech to the Federation of American Hospitals where he addressed transformation of the healthcare system based on value rather than volume, and on pricing transparency for patients instead of special interests. He said "the only option is to charge forward - for HHS to take bolder action, and for providers and payers to join with us." To read the speech please visit:
New Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual Released 
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) has released the 2nd edition of their  Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual This manual, developed by a team of experts , is designed to help safety net dental clinic directors, administrators, and others address a wide range of issues related to clinic development and operations and is divided into six units that be read in succession or as stand-alone units. The units consist of:
  • Unit 1: Essential Elements
  • Unit 2: Facilities and Staffing
  • Unit 3: Finances
  • Unit 4: Administrative Operations
  • Unit 5: Quality Management
  • Unit 6: Clinical Operations
The manual includes supply lists, floor plans, photographs, budget worksheets, quality-improvement plans, fact sheets, and websites as well as addresses topics such as clinic policies, clinic efficiency, professional standards, funding strategies, and clinic design. An interactive site index and additional resources are also included.
Webinar Opportunity: Preventing Diagnostic Errors in Ambulatory Care
As part of the Patient Safety Leadership Speaker Series, the ECRI Institute, on behalf of HRSA, will host a free live webinar featuring Hardeep Singh, MD, MPH. The webinar is on March 7 at 2:00 PM. 

Diagnostic error is a leading cause of adverse outcomes and liability claims in health centers and other ambulatory care settings. Making timely and accurate diagnoses requires fail-safe systems for tracking test results and referrals, effective communication, and patient follow-up.

Click here to register. 
Registration is open for the HRSA Healthy Grants Workshop May 30-31 
Registration is now open for the HRSA Healthy Grants Workshop scheduled for May 30-31, 2018 at HRSA's headquarters (5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD). Registration, FAQ, draft agenda and logistics information is available here

The workshop is limited to 200 active HRSA grantees. For more information, reach out to workshop staff at 2018HealthyGrants@hrsa.gov
Community Health Center ResourcesCHCresources 
ECRI Institute 
 
The  ECRI Institute  offers numerous policy templates that can be used as guidance consistent with the needs of community health centers. To take a look at their library of policy templates, click  HERE .
If you are not an ECRI member, creating a free account before accessing these materials is required. ECRI Institute resources are provided for free on behalf of HRSA.

To Access Policies: 
  • From the main page, click on the clinical risk management link on the left hand side of the page
  • Click sample policies and tools listed under tool-kits on left side of page
Click on the + sign to access individual templates.
Tracking and Referral Resources Available at ECRI
 
ECRI has released a Test Tracking and Follow-Up Toolkit and the Get Safe! Communication Ensuring Care Coordination of the Medically Complex Patient.  All resources are provided for free by ECRI Institute on behalf of HRSA.  If you do not currently have access and would like to set up an account, just email them or call (610) 825-6000.  For those who have already registered on the site, the links will take you to these tools.  
WVPCA Staff

Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial/Chief Operations Officer
Clinical Consultant
Director of Health Center Operations
John Kennedy  
School-Based Health Coordinator
Staff Accountant
Education & Communications
Coordinator
Member Relations Coordinator
Outreach & Enrollment Coordinator 
Data Analyst
Data Services & Integration  Speci alist
Clinical Quality Improvement Coordinator
To sign up to receive the WVPCA Weekly Newsletter, click HERE

West Virginia Primary Care Association
  1700 MacCorkle Ave. Charleston, WV 25314| (304) 346-0032 | WWW.WVPCA.ORG
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