August 6, 2019
  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 Pam Moore, Member Relations 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.....

CHC Resources
State News



News 
Flash!

The Plight of Rural Hospitals and How Some Health Networks Are Responding
Read the entir e article from WV Public Broadcasting  here

CMS gives states, MCOs guidance on tracking Medicaid opioid use
Read the entire article from Modern Healthcare  here

In several WV counties, as pain pill prescriptions rose, so did ODs
Read the entire article from the Herald Dispatch  here
It's National Health Center Week!
National Health Center Week (August 4th-10th) is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America's health centers over the past five decades.

Health centers serve 28 million patients - a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. In addition to their long history as health care homes to millions, health centers produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities and reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the social determinants of health affecting special patient populations. Each year we celebrate the work and services health centers provide to special populations within their community on designated days during the week.

This year, the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Health Center Advocacy Network invites you to celebrate the ways that health centers are "Rooted in Communities."

A host of NHCW events are scheduled across the country, including health fairs, visits by Members of Congress and state officials to local health centers, press conferences, back-to-school drives, community breakfasts, patient appreciation events, free health screenings and much more. Each day of NHCW 2019 is dedicated to a particular focus area:
We encourage you to consider coordinating your celebrations around the corresponding dates and  focus days to showcase the innovative ways that health centers are providing high-quality health care, improving health outcomes, and narrowing health disparities. Your events do not have to coincide exactly with the focus of respective days - much like the NHCW theme, focus days are available to enhance your events and help provide structure at your discretion. Coordinating local efforts around the themes of the focus days helps maximize the national impact of our message. More information is available here
WVPCA NewsWVPCA
Rob Dudley Named CEO by Coplin Health System Board of Directors
After a nationwide search for the next CEO, Coplin Health Systems and its Board are pleased to announce that Rob Dudley will hold the title.

Dudley's extensive background includes over 16 years of management and leadership experience, including the position of Coplin's COO since 2016 and the organization's interim CEO since September 2018.

"Because of Rob's unique understanding of Coplin's mission and priorities, I feel his characteristics are not just what Coplin wants in a CEO, but what Coplin needs as it continues to bring quality healthcare to our communities," said Board president David Schenkelberg.

Read the entire release here
Webinar Registration Open - "What If You Don't 'Like' An Employee's Social Media Content" 
"What If You Don't 'Like' an Employee's Social Media Content" is a presentation that will explore some of the pitfalls of social media in the modern age and help employers feel more confident in what they can and cannot do in response to social media posts of which they do not approve.  Please join the WVPCA and Brock Malcom of Bowles Rice on August 7th to discuss ways to:

Better familiarize the attendee with applicable law, including the First Amendment and its Right to Free Speech;
  • Help employers begin thinking about what needs to be included in their organization's Social Media Policy; and
  • Explore some real-life examples of social media posts and to engage in thoughtful dialogue regarding the employer's legal options in each case.
If you have any questions please email Pam Moore at  Pam@wvpca.org
 
This webinar is scheduled for August 7th at 1:00 pm. Registration is available here
State NewsStateNews
27th Annual WV Rural Health Conference October 8-11 
The 27th Annual West Virginia Rural Health Conference is scheduled for October 8-11, 2019 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Huntington, WV. This year's conference theme is "Country Roads: Moving WV Rural Health Forward." 

T his conference provides attendees with education and information about innovation, best practices and leadership in rural health. The conference includes state and national rural health updates along with providing attendees the opportunity to network with others interested in improving rural health care in West Virginia.

For more information, click here
Registration Open - "The Latest in HIV Care, Prevention and Reproductive Choices for Women".
The Fall schedule has been confirmed for  "The Latest in HIV Care, Prevention and Reproductive Choices for Women," presented by the  MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Center.
 
This program is aimed to those interested in pregnancy in the HIV positive female, along with harm reduction for women and the comprehensive pregnancy options for both HIV positive and negative females available with a neutral and objective tone for each option.
 
Registration fee is $35 which includes educational credits, handouts, coffee service and lunch.
 
Seating is limited. More information is available here
Registration Open - West Virginia Society for Respiratory Care's Fall Health Care Conference 2019
Registration is open for the West Virginia Society for Respiratory Care's Fall Health Care Conference 2019, scheduled for September 18-19 at the Holiday Inn - University Area (188 Pineview Drive in Morgantown). 

The Key Note Speaker is Dr. Brian Carlin, MD, FCCP, FAARC.  Dr. Carlin is a seasoned Pulmonologist, recipient of prestigious awards and recognition, as well as an Assistant Professor on the faculty at Drexel University School of Medicine.  He is a licensed medical doctor in the state of Pennsylvania, a Fellow in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine.  
 
Who Should Attend: RT and RN directors, managers, and supervisors, hospital-based staff respiratory therapists and nurses, pulmonary rehab staff, sleep lab staff, DME staff, nurses, home health staff, allied health staff, and RT and Nursing students.

Registration is $99 and CEUs are available for RTs and RNs licensed in WV, and  Specialty Certifications including ACCS, CPFT, RPFT, AE-C, and RPSGT. 

For more information, or to register, click here.   Early bird registration with discounted rates end September 3rd! 
National NewsNational
NACHC Launched New CEO Leadership Institute 
On August 21, NACHC will kick off an 8-month New CEO Leadership Institute as a post-conference session to the CHI & EXPO in Chicago. The CEO Institute is designed for new health center CEOs (6 months - 3 years' experience in the role). Trainers, selected from experienced health center, PCA, HCCN and NCA professionals and consultants, engage the cohort with blended learning opportunities that include:
  • in-person kick off
  • in-person wrap-up and
  • monthly series of online communications, including webinars and mentor group meetings.
Although developed for new health center CEOs, the Institute's focus on being strategic in the role of CEO and encouraging a keen eye on the big picture makes it equally relevant for new PCA & HCCN CEOs, as well as a good refresher for more experienced CEOs. It is open for all CEOs to apply.
 
Please direct any questions about the New CEO Leadership Institute to Gerrard Jolly ( GJolly@nachc.org) or Cindy Thomas ( CThomas@nachc.org). Both may be reached via phone at 301-347-0400.

Read the brochure here and the curriculum here
HRSA's Shortage Designation Modernization Project: Round 8 of the Update Preview Released 
The eighth round of update preview reports has been released. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) tentatively plans to update all automatically designated Health Professional Shortage Area (Auto-HPSA) scores in late August 2019.
The criteria for scoring Auto-HPSAs remain the same and Auto-HPSAs will not lose their designations.

The preview scores are informative only and subject to change as state Primary Care Offices continue to review and revise their provider data.

Update previews will continue to be distributed by email monthly until the national update occurs. 

Watch the Technical Assistance Webinar recording or visit the Shortage Designation Modernization Project for more information.
HHS Announces New Action Plan to Lay Foundation for Safe Importation of Certain Prescription Drugs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that HHS and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are publishing a   Safe Importation Action Plan - PDF * that outlines two potential pathways that would lay the foundation for the safe importation of certain drugs originally intended for foreign markets. Read more here
Living Proof: Recovery Supports for People with Opioid Use Disorder or Co-Occurring Disorders Considering or Using Medication-Assisted Treatment
Join SAMHSA for Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS), a three-part virtual learning series focusing on recovery supports for people considering or using Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for OUD or co-occurring disorders. Register for any of the three sessions. The first two sessions have passed. Information on the final session is available below. 
  • Delivering Recovery Supports to People with OUD Who Are Considering MAT 
    Wednesday, August 7  | 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
New Funding to Support Women Affected by the Opioid Crisis - RESTORE Grant Program
This week, the Women's Bureau announced a new grant program to help women affected by the opioid crisis re-enter the workforce. The Re-Employment, Support, and Training for the Opioid Related Epidemic (RESTORE) grant will award $2.5 million to organizations that assist in providing coordinated, employment-focused services to women.
The RESTORE program will provide approximately four to eight grants to governments of states and outlying areas, Indian/Native American Tribal governments or organizations, state or local workforce development boards, or nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, including community-based or faith-based organizations. The recipients can use the grant to foster cooperative relationships among a wide range of entities, including key stakeholders, public health and substance abuse treatment professionals, and other human services and support service providers, to provide skills development and employment services to women workers.
Organizations applying must provide the following types of activities:
  • Providing skills development and employment services to women workers affected by the opioid crisis;
  • Establishing a new program or expanding an existing program to quickly address the urgent challenges faced by women in areas of the country hardest hit by the opioid crisis; and
  • Forming partnerships with key stakeholders, which may include women's organizations and state and local women's commissions, as well as agencies and organizations in workforce development, public health and substance abuse, human services, and other supportive services.
Click here to view the solicitation for grant applications. Apply by August 23, 2019.

For more information about the program see the frequently asked questions and view the press release.
Community Health Center ResourcesResources
Jackson Kelly PLLC
 
The WVPCA has retained the law firm of Jackson Kelly, PLLC to provide legal guidance to the WV Primary Care Association and its members.
 
Jackson Kelly attorneys provide limited consultation to all members of the WVPCA at no charge, as part of the WVPCA contract. There is no limit to the number of calls which any member may make. All inquiries within the scope of professional competence of firm attorneys will be addressed. Inquiries which require expertise not available through the firm will be promptly identified and, when requested, Jackson Kelly will assist in referring the matter to accounting firms, insurance agents, or others as circumstances warrant.
 
All inquiries, responses and consultation services provided by the firm lawyers will be provided without additional charge beyond the retainer amount, except for matters which require formal opinions, representation of record in litigation, transactional work, e.g. the purchase or sale of real property, or matters which require continued representation, research or consultation beyond a single inquiry or document review.

Justin M. Harrison is a labor & employment lawyer with Jackson Kelly PLLC. He is available for consultation through a special retainer relationship with the WVPCA.  Justin can be reached at 304.340.1358 and via email at justin.harrison@jacksonkelly.com.
Risk Management Manual for Health Centers Now Available!
 
The Risk Management Manual for Health Centers is now available on the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website! Designed to support a proactive approach to risk management at health centers and free clinics, the Manual provides background, tips, and how-tos in a manageable format.

Specific areas that are covered include:
  • Risk Management Program
  • Role of the Risk Manager
  • Risk Management Plan
  • Credentialing and Privileging
  • Communication with Patients
  • Tracking Systems for Diagnostic Tests, Referrals, and Hospitalizations
  • Patient Grievances and Complaints
  • Communication among Providers, Staff, and Community Partners
  • Claims and Lawsuits
  • And more!
View an archived webinar that provides a guided tour of the Manual and key features. For access to the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website or any other questions, email clinical_rm_program@ecri.org.
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.
WVPCA Staff

Sherri Ferrell, MBA | Chief Executive Officer
Debra Boyd | Chief Financial/Chief Operations Officer
Staci Arnold, MBA | Data Service & Integration Specialist
Jennifer Boyd, PA-C, PCMH-CCE | Clinical Consultant
Warne Dawkins, MBA | Health Data Analyst
John Kennedy, MA | School-Based Health/Behavioral Health Coordinator
Pam Moore | Member Relations Coordinator
Shannon Parker, MBA, PCMH-CCE | Director of Health Center Operations
Ruby Piscopo | Special Programs Coordinator
Amanda West | Staff Accountant
Emma White, RN | 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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