Meet the 2016 Safety Net Clinic Week Coordinator!

Sidharth Tripathi is a senior Biology major at Colorado College. Originally from Aurora, Colorado, Sidharth has a passion for health equity. Sidharth's passion for health equity stems from his involvement with GlobeMed at Colorado College , a student-run organization that fundraises and educates the local community about global health equity. Sidharth is passionate about health equity on both local and international levels, having just recently completed a one-month long internship at a health NGO in rural Kenya. Sidharth joined ClinicNET to help advocate for the important work safety net clinics do for their communities and in the state of Colorado. He is extremely excited for the potential impact he will have as the 2016 Safety Net Clinic Week Coordinator. 

A joint collaboration between ClinicNET and The Colorado Rural Health Center, the seventh annual Safety Net Clinic Week will take place from August 15th through August 19th. This is the perfect opportunity for community safety net clinics to educate their community and leaders about their role providing access to care to low-income, often medically vulnerable, Colorado residents. With the current evolution of health care, and potential unintended realities that come with such monumental change, the importance of highlighting the diversity of the health care safety net in Colorado cannot be overstated. Seize this opportunity to highlight an aspect of your clinic such as your dedicated volunteers, new programs services or partnerships; celebrate successes and highlight your work in our Colorado communities.  

A “toolkit” will be posted next week, so stay tuned! The “toolkit” will include fact sheets, flyers, logo and templates for press releases, letters to the editor, invitations for site-visits, and governmental proclamations.

I look forward to working with you and seeing all that will come from the 2016 Safety Net Clinic Week.

Sidharth Tripathi

sidharth.tripathi@clinicnet.org

720-863-7805

Rural HIT Training Scholarships Available - Next Deadline April 1

For a limited time, scholarships are available for individuals interested in a career in rural Health Information Technology (HIT). Scholarships are applicable towards HIT courses at Pueblo Community College that are designed to address the need for HIT workforce in rural communities, and support the implementation, use and security of Electronic Health Records (EHR) in reaching and sustaining the EHR Meaningful Use stages. Funding is provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Health Information Technology Workforce Development Grant in partnership with Pueblo Community College (PCC), Data Services for Healthcare (DaSH) and the Southeast Colorado Area Health Education Center (SECAHEC). Scholarship recipients are required to work in a rural healthcare setting for approximately two years upon completion of certification to be eligible for scholarship funding. For more information, visit SECAHEC's website or view the application packet.

[Webinars] Rural Health Virtual Training Gateway offer 3 HIT Webinars

"Establishing A Remote Telehealth Site with the VA: A "How To" Event
This is part of the Telehealth Resource Centers' national webinar series held the 3rd Thursday of each month.
1:00 p.m. Central Time
Cost: FREE
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2013
Format: Webinar

Things to Consider Before Signing a Health IT Agreement
The operational and financial role of health information technology ("HIT") is rapidly increasing. The provision of HIT services and products is generally governed by lengthy and complex agreements. Unless you are directly and actively involved in the negotiation process for each product or service, reviewing, understanding and evaluating these agreements can be a daunting task.
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Central Time
Cost: FREE
Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Format: Webinar

ACA's Opportunities for Improving Care Quality & Efficiency: A Three-Part Series
HIMSS has developed a three part series exploring how the healthcare reform bill will transform mandates into real world patient care. Each session builds on the content from past sessions, which are available on demand.
Part 2 Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Quality Measures Development: An Update
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Central Time
Part 3 Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Administrative Simplification and Operating Rules: An Update
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Central Time
Gaining ROI By Implementing Federal Operating Rules
11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Central Time
Consumer Access to Data and the State Insurance Exchanges: An Update
12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. Central Time
Cost: FREE
Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Format: Webinar"

[Source: Colorado Rural Health Center]

[Webinar] Using Clinical Decision Support in Safety Net Provider Settings

When:  Friday, March 22, 2:00 PM (ET)

"This webinar explores how safety net providers can implement and use a clinical decision support (CDS) system.  A CDS complements an electronic health record, helping to ensure that all patients in a practice receive appropriate and timely preventive services and the right test, the right medication, and the right treatment. Meaningful use requires that each clinician implement one CDS rule relevant to his/her specialty or clinical priority along with the capability to track compliance with the rule.
...Issues to be discussed include:

• How CDS can be integrated into the existing workflow
• How to use CDS to ensure quality care across various health care providers
• How to leverage internal or external data to track compliance

Presenters are:

• Clinical and Quality Leaders from the Community Health Center, Inc., Middletown, Connecticut
• Lisa Gall, DNP, RN, CFNP, LHIT-HP, Health IT Consultant, Stratis Health/REACH, Bloomington, Minnesota"

 Click here to register.  [Source: HRSA]

RAC Launches Rural Obesity Prevention Toolkit

"In an effort to help rural communities better address the current obesity epidemic, the Rural Assistance Center has launched a Rural Obesity Prevention toolkit. This toolkit contains resources to help communities develop obesity prevention programs, building on best practices of successful obesity prevention programs..."  Click here to read more.  [Source: Colorado Rural Health Center]

ACC Payment Reform Subcommittee

When: Friday, December 14, 2012 2:30 PM-4:30 PM (GMT-07:00) Mountain Time (US & Canada).
Where: 225 E. 16th Avenue; Room 6 A/B

The meeting is a venue for RHCs, FQHCs, BHOs and RCCOs (Regional Care Collaborative Organizations) to discuss and provide input on Medicaid payment reform. RHC’s are encouraged to participate. See the call-in information below.

Call-in information:
Toll: 1-720-279-0026
Toll free: 1-877-820-7831
Passcode: 610450#  
[Source: Colorado Rural Health Center]

Celebrate National Rural Health Day November 15!

"The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and State Offices of Rural Health have set aside November 15, 2012 as National Rural Health Day to showcase Rural America; increase awareness of the unique healthcare issues facing rural communities; and highlight the efforts of State Offices of Rural Health and others to address those issues. Click here to learn more about National Rural Health Day and access resources..."  Read more about this celebration that includes a luncheon at St. Vincent Hospital in Leadville, a coloring contest in elementary school classrooms across Colorado, and a photo contest!  [Source: Colorado Rural Health Center]

MJJ and Seed Grant Applications Due November 1

"The Marva Jean Jackson (MJJ) Rural Community Health Scholarships Program can be used to help pay for the training and/or education of a local healthcare provider located at rural facilities or community groups. Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) will match, two-to-one, the support provided, up to $1,000 a year...Click here to learn more and find out how to apply. Deadline to apply is November 1...

Seed money is available for purposes or projects whose intent matches CRHC's mission: enhancing healthcare services in Colorado by providing information, education, linkages, tools & energy toward addressing rural healthcare issues...Click here to learn more and find out how to apply. Deadline to apply is November 1."  Read more.  [Source: Colorado Rural Health Center]

Webinar: Leadership Tips During a Health IT Implementation

When: Friday, September 14, 2012 – 2:00 PM (ET)

"This webinar focuses on the importance of leadership in successfully steering an organization through a health IT implementation. It features established leaders who have conducted more than 70 health IT implementations in health centers, rural health clinics, and critical access hospitals. The presenters will also focus on how leadership is important in helping staff, clinicians, patients, a safety net providers’ board, and partners adjust to and overcome the barriers that typically accompany a health IT implementation and impede success. Lastly, the presenters will provide leadership examples of unique health IT implementation situations such as meeting meaningful use objectives, changing vendors, and implementing health IT in multiple provider sites..."Click here to learn more and to register.  [Source: HRSA]

CRHC Grant Applications Due Sept. 15

Two opportunities, the Marva Jean Jackson Grant and Seed Grants, are available to support rural health care in Colorado.  Both share deadlines on September 15th.  Click here to learn more about these grants and to apply.

Celebrate Safety Net Clinic Week 2012! Clinic Toolkit Available

Celebrate Safety Net Clinic Week 2012

CLINIC “TOOLKIT”

In an effort to raise awareness of Colorado's health care safety net providers, we encourage your clinic to participate in the third annual Safety Net Clinic Week, August 20-24, 2012. Sponsored by ClinicNET and the Colorado Rural Health Center, the week is devoted to educating the public and policy makers about these vitally important health care clinics - Community-Funded Safety Net Clinics (CSNCs) and federally certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs.) We have created a “toolkit” to help clinics participate in Safety Net Clinic Week 2012. Included in the “tool kit” are many easily customizable pieces, click on each to open:

• Short Overview of Safety Net Clinic Week, Social Media Templates, and Safety Net Clinic Week 2012 Logo (use as content for your website, blogs, social media, newsletters, email signatures...)
•    Safety Net Clinic Week Flyer (full page and half page flyers)
•    Letter to the Editor (for submission to your local paper)
•    Governmental proclamation (request a proclamation from your city and/or county)
•    Safety Net Clinic Week Invitation (consider inviting city, county, state officials, candidates for elected office and local business and community leaders to visit your clinic during Safety Net Clinic Week. *see helpful links below)
•    Safety Net Clinic Week Fact Sheet (include with any invitation extended and use, in addition to specific information about your clinic, as speaking points during Safety Net Clinic Week)
•    Safety Net Clinic Week Press Release (submit to your local media.)

ClinicNET and the Colorado Rural Health Center will be requesting a proclamation for Safety Net Clinic Week 2012 from the Governor and be doing a general statewide press release. We will also be extending invitations for clinic site-visits to the Governor, our congressional delegation, targeted state legislators and other public officials. Our Safety Net Clinic Week Project Coordinator, Charlotte Kaye, is available to help you; she is coordinating all Safety Net Clinic Week 2012 activities. Please let her know if you utilize any parts of the toolkit above or if you need support in doing so.

Project Coordinator, Safety Net Clinic Week 2012:
Charlotte Kaye, 720-863-7805, charlotte.kaye@clinicnet.org

*Links to Identify your Elected Officials:

•     Identify your U.S. Representative, State Senator, and State Representative
•     Identify your County Commissioners
•     Identify your members of local government municipalities

Colorado Medicaid Workshops

ACS is offering Web-EX presentations of basic billing for the CO1500 and the UB04 providers.  These Web-EX workshops are set up specifically for the providers servicing Medicaid clients outside the Front Range geographical area. In a time when practices need to run “lean and mean”, it may be good to know there is no enrollment fee for providers to dial into these sessions.

For more information on these Web-EX trainings please click here.

Free Webinar: Assess ICD-10 impact. Protect revenue.

Although the ICD-10 implementation date has been delayed until October 2014, it is still critical that practices start preparing for the transition now. In this webinar sponsored by Navicure, learn how practices can shift their focus from 5010 to ICD-10 and how planning ahead will assist with a smooth and successful transition.

Thursday, May 17th, 1pm (EST) ICD-10: Evaluating the Impact on Your Revenue Cycle. During this hour, you’ll hear Kim Reid, CPC, CPMA, CEMC, CPC-I, Director of ICD-10 Development and Training with the AAPC, discuss how to:

•     Evaluate the potential financial impact of ICD-10.
•     Develop a transition timeline, including where to locate resources about ICD-10.
•     Prepare for potential cash flow disruptions.

Participants can earn 1.0 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) from the AAPC by attending the live webinar.

Grant Opportunity for Rural Areas

You could be eligible for a grant up to $500,000 to support distance learning and telemedicine services at your organization. The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is a competitive grant with around 100 awards each year. This grant targets rural areas and funds programs that are interested in implementing distance learning and/or telemedicine in rural areas to increase access to clinical and/or educational services.

TECHFunds Resource Center and Solutionz Conferencing Grant Program Services have partnered together to assist organizations with applying for and securing grant funding to support your distance learning and telemedicine needs, providing as much or as little assistance as needed, including grantwriting services.

To obtain additional information about the DLT grant program you can visit their website or contact Irene Alvarez directly at Irene@techfundsresourcecenter.com.

Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Program

Purpose: To support projects that support the rural health infrastructure and strengthen the capacity of rural entities to provide outpatient primary care services now and in the future. For more information about the grant click here.

Amount: Up to $50,000.

Dates: Grant guidance will be posted Dec 1, 2010. Applications will be due in early March.

Primary eligibility requirement: Project/Organization must be located outside of Colorado’s urbanized areas. Website to check for this is http://ims2.missouri.edu/rac/amirural/, click on the CMS – Rural Health Clinics Program. (You don’t have to be a  rural  health clinic, the 2 programs just use the same definition.) Places in urban counties are sometimes eligible, for example, Brighton and Fruita, so it’s good to double check.

Grantwriting Service Available to Community-Funded Safety Net Clinics!

As part of the Colorado Rural Health Center’s continuing commitment to safeguard and expand rural healthcare, they provide a grant writing service, GROW (Grants: Research, Opportunities & Writing) available to individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. The GROW service’s overall goal is to provide grant writing resources to help ensure that comprehensive, affordable, high quality healthcare services are available at the local level in the state of Colorado. This service is available to all ClinicNET affiliated clinics. For more information click here.