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February 2018 Newsletter
Important Dates to Remember:
March 14th, 2018:
2018 Q1 PAC Meeting
March 15th- March 30th, 2018: MAPP Network Open for New Provider entry
March 16th, 2018:
1st Hub Assembly Meeting** @ The Otesaga Hotel, Cooperstown (Will replace 1st and 3rd Quarter
All Partner Meetings) **Required registration
March 16th, 2018: EGB Meeting CANCELLED
March 23rd, 2018: Deadline for Funds Request Submission to LCHP with Committee approval for April 5th Finance Committee Meeting *See schedule below for full list of deadlines and dates
March 28th, 2018
:
Poverty Simulation @ Springbrook Gym **Required registration
April 6th, 2018: Living Healthier Expo @ Foothills Performing Arts Center
April 10th, 2018: Partner Deadline for Actively Engaged Patient Reporting
April 20th, 2018: Deadline for Funds Request Submission to LCHP with Committee Approval for May 3rd Finance Committee Meeting
*See schedule below for full list of deadlines and dates
April 30th, 2018: Deadline for DY3Q4 Reporting
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State DSRIP Chief Leaving
A Letter from Jason Helgerson, head of New York State's Medicaid Redesign Team.
Dear DSRIP Nation:
Happy Friday. As you may have heard, I have decided to resign from my position effective April 6th. It has been a tremendous honor to help lead New York's effort to fundamentally transform Medicaid and health care. Together we have made the world a better place through innovation and hard work. While much has been accomplished there is still much left to do! I want to make clear that my departure will have NO impact on this important mission. The Department of Health and its leadership remains 100% committed to the causes of MRT, DSRIP and VBP.
While I am sad to go, I am so bullish about our state's collective future. Delivery systems across our state are changing and health outcomes are measurably improved. Organizations are working together as never before and as a result the system is really starting to work like a seamless, patient-centered delivery system focused on results. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for your collective work. Know that I will be cheering you on as you show the world that collaborative, accountable care that meaningfully addresses the social determinants of health, improves health care outcomes as well as community health.
I wish you all the very best,
Jason Helgerson
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Important NEW Dates for DSRIP Funds Request Submissions*
To clarify our Funds Request Process, we have developed a timeline to allow the necesary time for appropriate review and distribution of funds to our partners. Please contact LCHP with any questions you may have about this information or any other part of the Grant Fund Request Process.
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At Home Care Awarded Home Care Accreditation from The Joint Commission
Reprinted with permission of Bassett Medical Center
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Laurie Neander, RN MS, Pres. At Home Care and Chair, LCHP Project Advisory Committee
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LCHP's partner, At Home Care Inc. (AHC), part of Bassett Healthcare Network, announced it has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for Home Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards, and, as such, is the only Joint Commission-accredited home health agency in the region. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to providing safe and effective care to the patients they serve.
At Home Care, which has been providing comprehensive, compassionate, high-quality home health care to patients, their families and their caregivers for three decades in five counties, recently underwent a rigorous onsite survey. During the survey, compliance with home care standards reflecting key organization areas was evaluated, including the provision of care, treatment and services, emergency management, human resources, individual rights and responsibilities, and leadership. The accreditation process also provided At Home Care with education and guidance to help staff continue to improve its home care program's performance.
"At Home Care is completely honored to have achieved Joint Commission accreditation in November," says Laurie Neander, RN, MS, president, At Home Care, Inc. "The Joint Commission is recognized in health care as the 'gold standard' or a commitment to meeting the highest level of quality and safety patient standards that is attainable and gives credit to our commitment to achieve accreditation consistent with the standard established across the Bassett Healthcare Network. At Home Care elected The Joint Commission survey to demonstrate compliance with Medicare and Medicaid guidelines, as well as the stringent criteria established by the accrediting body. At Home Care is proud of this achievement."
"When individuals engage a home care provider, they want to be sure that provider is capable of providing safe, quality care," said Margherita Labson, RN, MS, executive director, Home Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. "As the home care setting becomes increasingly popular, it is important that home care providers are able to demonstrate that they are capable of providing safe, high-quality care. Accreditation by The Joint Commission serves as an indication that the organization has demonstrated compliance to these recognized standards of safe and quality care."
The Joint Commission's Home Care Accreditation Program supports the efforts of its accredited organizations to help deliver safe, high-quality care and services. More than 6,000 home care programs currently maintain accreditation, awarded for a three-year period, from The Joint Commission.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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NEW PARTNER SPOTLIGHT!
LCHP Welcomes:
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Photo Caption: (Photographer Bob Murdock) from left, Kathryn Murdock, CEO; Carolyn O'Reilly, VP; Nathan Smith, CFO
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Progressive Primary Care Solutions, Inc.
With 20 years of healthcare experience and several years participating in the redesign of healthcare locally, Kathryn Murdock, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CMPE, a native of Cooperstown, N.Y., and graduate of Hartwick College School of Nursing, steps into the role of CEO and President of Progressive Primary Care Solutions, which she co-founded with her business partner, Carolyn O'Reilly, BSN, RN. O'Reilly herself has over 10 years of nurse management experience and serves as Vice President. They are joined by Nathan Smith, Chief Financial Officer, who brings over 10 years experience in financial management, with a focus on the healthcare industry.
After several years of witnessing repetitive challenges within the primary care setting, and with awareness of the upcoming estimated shortage of one million nurses in 2024 (the largest nursing void in history), Murdock and her team set out to bring Progressive Primary Care Solutions to life. "The goal of our services is to relieve the burden contributing to clinician and nurse burn-out and combat the growing primary care clinician and nursing shortages by creating a company that supports primary care efforts in various innovative ways," says Murdock, President/CEO of PPCS, Inc.
Progressive Primary Care Solutions' cutting-edge program creates economies of scale in nursing services, improves the overall quality of care delivered, lowers the overall healthcare delivery costs and increases patient and employee satisfaction. "We are dedicated to decreasing the workloads across all primary care team roles and helping clinicians meet the growing demand of value-based payment programs," says Murdock, whose experience includes
a proven record of leadership and project management, and extensive nursing and operational competency in multiple clinical areas plus managerial operations experience with freestanding multispecialty ambulatory surgery centers, occupational health clinics, wellness clinics and homecare agencies.
Carolyn O'Reilly, Vice President, adds, "Our organization will act as an extension of primary care teams through technology-based care. All services will be performed via HIPAA-Compliant, telemedicine means. This model allows us to stay connected with today's patient, who wants to waste less time in the waiting room and during the intake process at the doctor's office, and have more time in person with their clinician and nurse." A graduate of Utica College School of Nursing, O'Reilly has an extensive background in primary care nursing, information technology and electronic medical records, as well as Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) standards and work flows.
PPCS connects medical groups, clinicians, hospital systems and patients to highly trained and qualified nursing services through pre-visit prep work; quality and value-based payment achievement; chart and medication reconciliation; annual wellness visits; and individualized preventative plans. In addition, the organization will be offering community-based and corporate wellness screening and education services for heart disease and diabetes in Otsego, Delaware, Chenango and Schoharie counties, with plans to expand services to extended regions of the state in 2019.
"This innovative model is a win-win for clinicians and patients alike. The services provided are not only aimed at improving patient experience and outcomes, but they aim to help clinicians achieve various value-based and quality centered initiatives such as MIPS, MACRA and Meaningful Use, which create immediate results for return on investment purposes," concludes Nathan Smith, CFO.
Progressive Primary Care Solutions, Inc.
Kathryn Murdock, CEO
Carolyn O'Reilly, CNO
Nathan Smith, CFO
4966 State Highway 23, Suite O
Oneonta, NY 13820
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Check Out Performance Hub Activity
Now the latest work occurring in the LCHP Performance Hubs can be reviewed on our website.
Learn more by clicking this direct link:
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SAVE THE DATE:
The Otsego County Department of Health is hosting the 2018 Living Healthier Expo at The Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta, April 6-7, 2018.
With the support of Leatherstocking Collaborative Health Partners, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, and NYCM Insurance, the Otsego County Department of Health will bring together area resources and experts to provide the local community with knowledge about living healthier, living better, and living longer.
Topics will include Rabies awareness, Lyme disease prevention, chronic disease management and prevention, mental health awareness, and resources for chronic pain control and substance abuse.
Scheduled during National Public Health Week, there will be vendors offering information, free training, and free giveaways. Several bicycles will be given away courtesy of NYCM Insurance - just in time for spring!
The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive both days. Please contact the Otsego County Department of Health to schedule an appointment to donate.
For more information or to become a sponsor of this event, please visit the event website:
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Bassett Pediatrician Creates State's First Rural Pediatric Registry to Study Health Outcomes among Transgender Youth
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Anne Gadomski, MD, Director, Bassett Research Institute
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"There is not a lot of evidence to help inform clinical care of transgender and gender nonconforming youth, particularly for rural areas," says Anne Gadomski, MD, pediatrician and director of the Bassett Research Institute.
Gadomski was recently recognized by the NYS Department of Health for her work in support of gender wellness; she received the Worlds AIDS Day NY Commissioner's Special Recognition award for establishing New York State's first rural pediatric registry for transgender and gender nonconforming youth. It is also believed to be the country's first rural-based registry for transgender youth.
"The information we are compiling will help us address outcomes in youth and young adults receiving transgender care at the Bassett Healthcare Network Gender Wellness Center," explains Gadomski. "It's going to provide outcome information about the youth and young adults receiving transgender care, which will be used to inform evidence-based care going forward."
Participation in the registry is voluntary; currently, there are 113 patients participating who are in various stages of transition. The pediatric registry includes diagnoses, treatment, lab results and outcomes. The initiative was presented last November at a national scientific meeting in San Francisco by two of Bassett's researchers, Jane O'Bryan and Kim Leon, who helped develop the registry.
Gadomski says, "We expect that the database will increase practitioner understanding of specific clinical conditions and patient health care needs as well as help us identify trends that result from different interventions. Our goal is to continue to improve the care of transgender and gender nonconforming pediatric patients. Using the registry, we'll also try to answer specific research questions such as, "Do psychological outcomes improve over the course of gender-affirming care?"
Carolyn Wolf-Gould, MD, who founded the Gender Wellness Center and nominated Gadomski for the state award, says, "Anne's tireless efforts on behalf of our patients have made a tremendous difference already and this registry is another major step forward in advancing the care of transgender individuals."
Gadomski also helped secure Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding for the Gender Wellness Center in Oneonta, which is working to become a center of excellence for transgender care and provide comprehensive, affirming medical, surgical and mental health services for gender nonconforming people and their loved ones.
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Dr. James Anderson presenting at the DSRIP Learning Symposium
LCHP Staff Attends State-Wide DSRIP Learning Symposium
Members of LCHP attended the third annual DSRIP Learning Symposium on Staten Island on February 7th and 8th. PPS's from around the state convened to discuss challenges and share best practices. An array of national and international experts addressed a multitude of topics, ranging from transformational leadership and patient engagement to the social determinants of health and equity of care. Among the presenters was LCHP's Medical Director, Dr. James Anderson, who presented
Project ECHO and Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Addiction. He shared data from the project and engaged attendees in discussion about the process of building such a program, as well as the risks and benefits of this approach in treating opioid addiction.
Staff concurred that the Symposium was a great opportunity for learning, reflection and renewing enthusiasm for DSRIP work. LCHP's Director of Operations and Data Analytics, Brett Wilhelm summed it up: "The third annual Learning Symposium was a reinvigorating and thought-provoking experience for the LCHP team. We felt encouraged by the progress seen across New York State, in line with our own efforts in the Leatherstocking region. The overarching messages of perseverance, collaboration, and the shift of healthcare towards addressing Social Determinants of Health have enlivened our team and are already improving our strategies for 2018 and beyond."
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DID YOU KNOW?
LCHP's contract with HWapps/ Health WorkForce NY assists
our partners with advertising jobs. By visiting the LCHP homepage Career Center, partners will have the option to post new jobs and review submitted resumes. Users can view openings by accessing the job board and will have the option to upload their resumes separately or apply to a specific job posting. New users can learn more about the LCHP region by visiting the recruitment page.
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News From the Ottawa Smoking Cessation Conference
The 10th Annual Ottawa Conference: State of the Art Clinical Approaches to Smoking Cessation took place on January 19-20 with pre-session workshops on Jan 18. Members of LCHP's Smoking Cessation Committee were in attendance. Dr. Roy, Korn, Cobleskill Regional Hospital, Lauren Brown, ANP-C, Coordinator of the Bassett Lung Cancer Screening Program, and Amanda Mulhern, Health Programs Manager, St. Peter's Health Partners, shared their experience with us.
The Ottawa Conference has become a center point for health professionals seeking to gain knowledge in clinical smoking cessation. The meeting brings together physicians, nurses, healthcare and community practitioners, researchers, and policy-makers to share knowledge, ideas and discussion about control of the number
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one worldwide preventable cause of death and disability.
At the conference, we had opportunity to hear from luminaries such as keynote speaker Dr. Richard Hurt, who founded the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center and was star witness in the successful Minnesota Tobacco Trial, and Karl Fagrerstrom from Sweden who developed the Fagerstrom Test for Cigarette Dependence. In breakout sessions and panel discussions, we heard from pharmacists, psychiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, general surgeons and primary care physicians who are integrating smoking cessation into their routine patient care and improving their outcomes. We heard from patients, former smokers or in-process-of-reducing, who spoke about programs and shared advice they found helpful and not so helpful.
We heard the experiences of hospitals and healthcare networks in the province of New Brunswick which are successfully implementing the Ottawa Model as the clinical standard of care. The healthcare networks' systemic support makes available smoking cessation counseling and treatment at whatever point smokers access healthcare services - anywhere in the province. The systemic implementation of smoking cessation access has contributed to the smoking rate dropping in New Brunswick from 20% in 2013 to 14% in 2015. We also learned about population smoking cessation innovations in Crete, Uruguay, and, closer to home, Rochester, New York, where Strong Hospital has initiated the Rochester Model for Smoking Cessation.
We three members of the Leatherstocking Collaborative Partners Tobacco Cessation Committee absorbed many ideas. We look forward to discussing how to best bring these ideas to our organizations and patients.
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Partners Initiate Drug Take- Back Program
LCHP's partners, Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, O' Connor Hospital in Delhi and FoxCare Pharmacy in Oneonta, recently installed drug take-back kiosks (see photo) in their outpatient pharmacies and began collecting unused medications free of charge. The medication disposal initiative is in collaboration with the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) and the New York Product Stewardship Council (NYPSC) , which developed a pilot program that includes three other hospitals serving rural New York State that are collecting leftover pharmaceuticals from the public through July 2018. Bassett Healthcare Network anticipates continuing the drug take-back program beyond that date and hopes to eventually expand it to other locations in the network.
The drug take-back program offers residents convenient locations to dispose of medications - one part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the
public health and
environmental impacts of unused drugs and includes locations in Otsego, Delaware, Monroe and St. Lawrence counties.
Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, the PSI and NYPSC six-month pilot program enables individuals to drop off unwanted, expired, or leftover medications at participating outpatient pharmacies via collection kiosks and pre-paid mail-back envelopes for free, no questions asked.
Dr. William LeCates, acting president of Bassett Medical Center, says, "We are committed to lessening the burden of opioid addiction in our communities. Removing unneeded or expired medications from homes is important in preventing medication misuse and diversion, and is also an important part of preventing addiction and overdose. Our goal in this project is to provide an easily accessible and safe means for disposing of unneeded medications."
The locked kiosks and mail-back envelopes, acquired through
Stericycle, Inc. and managed by the hospital pharmacies, accept both over-the-counter and prescription drugs (
schedule II-V). The pilot program is informed by PSI's
How-to Guide for Drug Take-Back and an Advisory Committee consisting of public and private-sector experts. These include state and local government, environmental groups, drug abuse prevention groups, Covanta, and others.
Bassett Healthcare Network drug take-back locations:
- Bassett Medical Center, One Atwell Road, Cooperstown, NY, 13326 - (607) 547-6528; kiosk in clinic lobby. Hours: Mon-Fri 8am - 5:30pm; Sat 8:30am - 12:30 pm
- O'Connor Hospital, 460 Andes Road, Delhi, NY, 13753 - (607) 746-0365; kiosk in outpatient pharmacy waiting area. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am - 5pm; Sat 8am - 2pm
- FoxCare Pharmacy, 1 FoxCare Dr., Suite 215, Oneonta, NY 13820 - (607) 431- 5959; kiosk in outpatient pharmacy waiting area. Hours: Mon-Fri 9am - 5:30 pm; Sat 9am - 1pm
"Hospital pharmacies are the most convenient, accessible location for their patient population to safely dispose of unused medications," said Scott Cassel, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of PSI. "This pilot program makes it easy for patients to dispose of drugs responsibly, and will be a model for hospitals across New York and nationwide."
Other hospitals participating in this drug take back pilot include Rochester General Hospital, Gouverneur Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg.
At the end of this project, PSI and NYPSC will release an online Toolkit that medical professionals nationwide can use to learn about safe drug disposal and educate their patients about how to properly remove leftover drugs from their homes. The project will conclude with a national webinar to share results and lessons learned.
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LCHP Partner Receives Behavioral Health Care Collaboration Award
Congratulations to The Neighborhood Center on being one of 19 selected networks of behavioral healthcare providers in New York awarded funds to form a Behavioral Health Care Collaborative. The goal is to integrate care across the spectrum of physical and behavioral health services.
The following is a message from The Neighborhood Center regarding the award.
Mohawk Valley Behavioral Healthcare Collaborative (MVBHCC)
The Neighborhood Center, Inc. has been awarded the lead for a three-year NYS Behavioral Health Value Based Payment (BH VBP) Readiness Program. The program supports behavioral health providers' engagement in the Value Based Payment arena. As a lead agency of a BHCC approved by OASAS and OMH, we will play a key role in leading a coalition of network and affiliate providers in VBP readiness activities. Along with our managed care partner, Fidelis, Value Based Payment is an important and necessary strategy for future success for providers and the plan. We will work side by side with our partners including the managed care plan using a total cost of care model as we explore and test new and creative VBP strategies. The MVBHCC covers the region including the counties of Herkimer, Oneida, Otsego, Chenango, Fulton, Montgomery, Delaware and Schoharie.
For our OMH and OASAS provider partners, as well as our community based affiliate partners, this means establishing our approach to VBP. We will consider what clinical practices and service coordination is necessary for our success, establish data analytics to share among our partners equipping our network with up-to-date utilization and trending for service improvements and identify gaps in coverage to better serve our population.
- Initial Meeting with Network Partners Week of March 5, 2018
- Year One Preliminary Work Plan due to Fidelis March 22, 2018
- Quarterly calls with Fidelis - first call June 2018
For more information please contact our website:
www.MVBHCC.org
or call Laura Eannace, Assistant Executive Director, The Neighborhood Center, Inc. at 315-272-2623.
We are eager to move forward with our network of excellent providers!
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Corporate Compliance
LCHP is committed to maintaining open communication about compliance issues and concerns.
For those of you who were unable to attend the December All Partner Meeting, LCHP welcomed our new Compliance Officer, Jack Hogan. Jack is happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have:
Click here to visit the Compliance Page on our Website!
Jack Hogan, LCHP Compliance Officer
Phone: 607-547-7259
Compliance Hotline: 607-547-3017
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