Improving Hypertension _ Diabetes Control and Prevention
  
An e-NEWSLETTER from Quality Insights                                                                                      August 11, 2017

In This Issue
2017 NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK IS 
AUGUST 13-19 

healthcenterThe theme for National Health Center Week (NHCW) 2017 is "Celebrating America's Health Centers: The Key to Healthier Communities." As local community owned and operated businesses, health centers serve over 25 million Americans at more than 9,000 delivery sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories.

For millions of Americans, community health centers are the key to affordable, high-quality, and patient-centered primary health care. 

Health centers use a holistic approach to patient care, treating the entire person by integrating behavioral health, oral health and primary care services. Whether it's controlling diabetes, high blood pressure, treating depression or childhood obesity, health centers exceed the national average. Their important work to protect and promote the health of America exemplifies this year's theme. 

For more information about NHCW and to access the list of 2017 focus days and corresponding resources, please click here.
Clinicians Can Now Submit Quality Payment Program Hardship Exception Applications

cliniciansThe Quality Payment Program (QPP) Hardship Exception Application for the 2017 transition year is now available on the Quality Payment Program website.
 
MIPS eligible clinicians and groups may qualify for a reweighting of their Advancing Care Information performance category score to 0 percent of the final score, and can submit a hardship exception application, for one of the following specified reasons:
  • Insufficient internet connectivity
  • Extreme uncontrollable circumstances
  • Lack of control over the availability of Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT)
There are some MIPS eligible clinicians who are considered Special Status , who will be automatically reweighted (or, exempted in the case of MIPS eligible clinicians participating in a MIPS APM) and do not HIT icon need to submit a QPP Hardship Exception Application. Learn more about Special Status .

Click here to learn more about the hardship exception.

Do You Need Help? Would You Like to Submit an Application Verbally Email the Quality Payment Service Center or call 1.866.288-8292 or TTY: 1.877.715.6222.
make sure to remind adult patients that VACCINATIONS are important for all ages

ImagePack Vaccine vaccineAugust is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) and focuses on highlighting the importance of vaccination for people of all ages, not just kids. It is important for adults to get vaccinations to protect their health. Even healthy adults can become seriously ill and pass diseases on to others. 

Everyone should have their vaccination needs assessed on a regular basis. Certain vaccines are recommended based on a person's age, occupation, or health conditions (such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or heart disease).

Below are a few key messages for providers: 
  • Every year, thousands of American adults still get sick from diseases that vaccines can prevent. Patients with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) are at higher risk from complications from certain vaccine-preventable diseases.
  • Did you know that your patients with diabetes have higher rates of hepatitis B compared to the rest of the population? Help your patients stay healthy by taking the opportunity to make sure your patients are vaccinated.
register nowQPP Year 2 NPRM Office Hours Session

Wednesday, August 16, 2017
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

registerJoin CMS for an office hours session to learn more about the draft provisions included in the QPP Year 2 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).  CMS will provide a brief overview of the Quality Payment Program and address questions from attendees on the Year 2 NPRM. 
Space for this webinar is limited, so please register today
For More Information:  CMS encourages participants to review the proposed rule , press release , and fact sheet prior to the webinar.
 Additional resources are also available on the website .
Promote the importance of immunizations with this communications toolkit during national immunization awareness Month

toolkit toolkitT he 2017 edition of the National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) toolkit, developed by the National Public Health Information Coalition, contains key messages, vaccine information, sample news releases and articles, sample social media messages, links to web resources from CDC and other organizations, and logos, web banners, posters and graphics to use with social media. It also includes a media outreach toolkit and a place for you to share your NIAM activities and view what other are doing for NIAM.

Quality Insights encourages your practice to use the toolkit to design your own promotions. Mix and match, copy or adapt the contents to fit the particular news and issues of your own organization or community - and share your NIAM activities to inspire others. For more information, contact  lcanton@nphic.org .
learn about the National Diabetes Prevention Program becoming a covered benefit to qualified beneficiaries in california

patients with doc Thursday, September 15, 2017
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm. ET 

diabetesAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 29 million people in the United States have diabetes and 86 million adults - more than one in three U.S. adults - have prediabetes.

In response to these staggering statistics, the state of California recently approved funding to provide the National Diabetes Prevention Program as a covered benefit to qualified Medi-Cal beneficiaries starting in July 2018. 

The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Diabetes Translation to increase awareness, screening and referral to the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP).

In early 2017, The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) awarded grants to three institutions to develop new provider referral models that address the type 2 diabetes epidemic.  AltaMed , the largest FQHC in California, was awarded one of the demonstration projects.

Join ACPM for this w ebinar that features AltaMed and their partner Solera Health . The event will provide 1.0 CME / MOC credits for attendees.

This webinar will focus on:
  • Engagement of Medicaid patients in the National DPP
  • Innovative models of referral and identification
  • Inclusion of social determinants of health within the referral and delivery model
  • Plans for model expansion and scalability 
About ACPM
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is a professional medical society of more than 2,700 preventive medicine and public health physicians who manage, research, and influence population health.
contact information

For more details about the Improving Hypertension and Diabetes Care & Prevention project, please contact Rhonda Dodson.
Quality Insights logo
Funding provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health through the State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control 
Diabetes,  Heart Disease, Obesity and Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health federal grant from the Centers for 
Disease Control  and Prevention. Publication number: PADOH-HD-081117