The WVPCA is pleased to announce that Emma White, RN has been hired as the Clinical Quality  Improvement Coordinator.  Prior to her arrival at the WVPCA, Emma was employed by Roane Family Health Care as the Director of Quality Improvement.  She has considerable experience in developing and leading quality improvement activities  and led the health center to be the only CHC in WV to achieve the Million Hearts award several years ago.  Emma enjoys working with data and identifying ways to use data to improve health outcomes.  Emma also worked at WVU/Office of Health Services Research to support efforts that improve outcomes for diabetic patients.  Her health center experience will make her a valuable member of our team.   Please join us in welcoming Emma to her new role at the WVPCA. 

The 2018 Spring Patient Experience survey sampling period is about to begin. In preparation, the WVPCA will host a second 30 minute webinar to review the survey layout, the sampling process and answer questions related to sample size, random sampling and survey submission.  The webinar will be focusing on the importance of meaningful calculation of sample size and adhering to that number.  In order to accommodate any potential scheduling conflicts, the same webinar will be held twice (today, Tuesday January 16th at 11:00 and Thursday January 18th at 11:00).  We encourage you to ask staff from each of your surveying sites to participate in the webinar, and ask that you please forward this information to them.   

 

The following modifications have been made this year to the survey:

If you are interested in additional information or in attending one of these webinars, please contact the WVPCA at 304-346-0032 or at [email protected] for the WebEx information.

Every day while catching up our emails, tweeting checking our Facebook page, with the news or radio on in the background, we hear that another HIPPA breech has taken place.   Sometimes we stop and listen to the details and other times we go about our day.  In order to arm ourselves with the necessary tools in order to avoid such a thing from happening within our health centers, the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) offered a two-hour webinar discussing HIPAA Privacy and Security.  Participants learned the basics of HIPAA, including the importance of safeguarding patient information, and when to report privacy and security incidents.  Additionally, the participants were educated on securing electronic devices and how to detect phishing scams.  A wonderful Q&A session took place after the training with many excellent questions. This educational program met the annual training requirement for HIPAA for the Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification rules. 

The webinar was presented by members of OCHIN's HIPPA Compliance Team.  OCHIN is one of the largest and most successful health information and innovation networks, serving hundreds of organizations comprised of more than 10,000 clinicians nationwide.

 

Registration for the 5^th Annual West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network (WVPBRN) Retreat is now open. This year's retreat activities will include poster and oral presentations highlighting current WVPBRN projects, a PBRN successes and challenges panel, and networking opportunities to discuss future projects and initatives. Deadline to register for the retreat is February 13, 2018. Please feel free to contact Andrew Denny, Network Coordinator (304-581-1922) or Stacey Whanger, Network Manager (304-581-1821) if you have any questions.

Click here for more information. 

NACHC has confirmed reports that Congress plans to include a 6-year funding plan for CHIP in "must pass" legislation next week to avoid a government shutdown.  NACHC also reports that the current "Continuing Resolution" spending plan will ONLY include funding for CHIP - not Community Health Centers, Teaching Health Centers, National Health Service Corps or any other health-related program. 

Watch for a potential call to action later this week. 

The Society for Human Resource Management reports that  enactment of the 2017 Tax Act , which President Donald Trump signed into law on Dec. 22, will result in the issuance of revised tax withholding tables for employees' paychecks. While the expected IRS guidance should be helpful, at this point there are a lot of questions and some confusion among employers. Read the article on the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) website.

January 22-28 is National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (NADFW), allowing organizations to participate in helping to shatter the myths about drugs and alcohol in their communities.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism are encouraging your participation.  According to recent data from a NIDA survey,  Monitoring the Future, nearly a third of high school seniors report using alcohol in the past month, 28% report vaping, and 37% report past year use of marijuana. NDAFW is a national observance designed to equip communities with materials and tools needed to educate young people about the effects of drugs on their brain, body, and behavior.  You can obtain these resources free from NIDA.  To get more information on ideas on how you can help shatter the myths, take a look at the NADFW website.

If your health center contracts with a local Rite Aid to dispense 340B drugs, this contract's and the pharmacy's eligibility for 340B may be impacted by Walgreen's recent purchase of over 1900 Rite Aid locations. Over the coming months, Walgreens will gradually announce which Rite Aid locations will be converting to Walgreens. (Other locations will be closed entirely.) If you currently contract with a Rite Aid:

HRSA is making special arrangements to ensure that pharmacies converting from Rite Aid to Walgreens do not experience gaps in 340B eligibility. However, to take advantage of these arrangements, you must contact Apexus promptly upon learning about a conversion.

Starting this month, NACHC staff will hold monthly office hours on 340B and general pharmacy issues. These sessions, which are made possible by HRSA funding, will be an opportunity for health center and PCA staff to ask questions and share ideas and information about 340B and pharmacy activities. Each session will begin with a brief overview of a timely issue, and the bulk of the time will be left for Q&A and discussion. Office Hours will be held on the Third Thursday of each month, at 2:00 ET. Participation is free, but you must register here by 2:00 ET on Tuesday Jan. 16. Contact Colleen Meiman at [email protected] for more information.

According to the 2016 UDS, health centers nationally served more than 330,000 veterans; in West Virginia, more than 10,300 received care at an FQHC.  Here are some resources that can assist health centers in caring for veterans.