Connecting Students to Careers, Professionals to Communities, and Communities to Better Health!
2021 - 2023 AHEC Scholars Begin First Didactics Session
A new semester is underway and that means a new cohort of AHEC Scholars begin their course work. 2021-2023 AHEC Scholars cohort began their first didactics session on January 18th. Their coursework will highlight six core topics;

  • Interprofessional Education
  • Behavioral Health Information
  • Social Determinants of Health
  • Cultural Competency
  • Practice Transformation
  • Current and Emerging Health Issues; such as COVID-19

We are thrilled to welcome another cohort to our SW ID AHEC Scholars network and look forward to their growth over the coming years.

In case you missed our announcement last month, SW ID AHEC is now on social media! Stay up to date with all of these exciting updates and more by following us across all platforms (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter).
SW ID AHEC Releases 2020 - 2022 AHEC Scholars Yearbook
Congratulations to our 2020 - 2022 AHEC Scholars! These scholars completed their year two course work on November 30th and will graduate in the spring of this year. We are so proud of each and every one of them and look forward to their future healthcare careers!

  • Wivine Bisoka, BSU, Pre-Nursing
  • Hayley Brown, BSU, Nursing, Bachelor of Science
  • Morgan Cobley, BSU, Nursing, Bachelor of Science
  • Ashley Frostrom, ISU, Nursing, Doctorate
  • Thomas Garrett, ISU, Pharmacy, PharmD
  • Mindy Hoang, ICOM, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Kendra Ickes, ISU, Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy, Doctorate
  • Benjamin Jantzi, ISU, Nursing, Doctorate
  • Erica LaBranch, ISU, Speech/Language Pathology, Master of Science
  • Michelle Miles, ISU, Nursing, Doctorate
  • Rachel Rogers, ISU, Speech/Language Pathology, Master of Science
  • Kella Louise Vangsness, ICOM, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Kajal Vora, ICOM, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Emily Weerts, ISU, Physician Assistant, Master of Science

To view the full yearbook click here.
Introducing Mayra Ruiz, SW ID AHEC CME Coordinator

We are so pleased to be able to introduce you to Mayra Ruiz, the newest member of the SW ID Area Health Education (AHEC) team. Mayra is serving as manager of SW ID AHEC’s new Medical Education Program, which offers Continuing Medical Education for physicians. SW ID AHEC was approved as an accrediting body by the Utah Medical Association on 12/1/21 as the result of the absorption of the former Ada/Canyon Medical Education Consortium (ACMEC). Please join me in welcoming Mayra and watch for a press release coming soon for more information on the history of how this win-win opportunity came to be. In the meantime, here’s a bit of information about our new fellow SW ID AHEC team member.

Mayra is a dedicated program administrator with over twenty years of experience in the field of education. Prior to joining SW Idaho AHEC, Mayra served as the Executive Director of the Ada Canyon Medical Education Consortium (ACMEC), the largest accredited provider of continuing medical education (CME) in the state of Idaho. Under her leadership, ACMEC achieved Accreditation with Commendation, awarded over 50,000 individual CME credits annually, and was named 2019 Organization of the Year by the Idaho Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Before that, Mayra held various leadership roles in student affairs and executive education at the University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Irvine.

Mayra earned a BS in Hospitality Administration from Boston University and MA in Strategic Public Relations from USC. She also completed graduate coursework in Organizational Performance & Workplace Learning at Boise State University and doctoral coursework in Educational Leadership at USC.

Mayra loves traveling, attending theater productions and concerts, and is an avid sports fan. She enjoys baking and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her husband Jason and their dog Louie. Mayra’s guilty pleasures are trivia and competition reality shows.
 
Together with her husband, Mayra also owns a small business through which they have helped feed families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Boise and frontline workers throughout the city, among others. They also help mentor budding entrepreneurs and small business owners to contribute to a growing community. For their work, their company was recognized as a finalist for the Boise Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Small Business of the Year award in the Food & Agri-Business Industry Excellence category. 

Please give a warm welcome to Mayra and feel free to contact us if you have questions about our new Medical Education program.

Warmly,

Katrina Hoff and Jacelyn Lawson
SW ID AHEC and FMRI Host Doctor for a Day at Caldwell High School

Students at Caldwell High School had the opportunity to learn what it's like to be a Doctor for a Day on Wednesday, January 12! Doctor for a Day was presented by the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho and SW ID AHEC. CNA, Pharmacy Tech, Medical Assisting, Mental Health Assisting, and Health Occupation students learned from six real-life medical doctors in their second year of residency with Family Medicine Residency of Idaho. One of the residents, Craig Cowling, was a 2008 graduate of Caldwell High!

Students were split up into three different groups to learn about diabetes, and had the chance to do physical exams, eye tests, and imaging in labs.

Many thanks to Dr. Sarah Gerrish from the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho for working alongside us to conceive the idea, help with the planning, and coordinating the doctors. Thanks also to Theresa Sigel, Brian Sullivan, Rob King, and Anita Wilson from Caldwell High's Health Science program, who worked hard at organizing and planning the event on the school end.

The residents are open to providing online mentoring for some of the students serious about a career in the Health Sciences. This is the first year we have conducted Doctor for A Day at Caldwell High School, and we look forward to continuing it and other programs in the future.

If you are interested in scheduling a Doctor for A Day or are interested in partnering to bring Doctor for A Day to your community, please contact Katrina Hoff, khoff@jannus.org.
Boise State University
News & Updates
Idaho Business Review Recognizes Toevs as One of Idaho’s Top Healthcare Leaders

The Idaho Business Review named Sarah Toevs, professor in the Department of Public Health and Population Science, and the director of the Center for the Study of Aging, as a leader in the Idaho health care sector.

Toevs earned her spot on the Idaho Business Review’s health care Power List because of her research and work in the study of aging.

For Toevs, the recognition of her work by the Idaho Business Review represents an understanding that health care doesn’t only include clinicians and hospital administrators — it includes those working to connect patients with resources and services in the community. Read More.
Postponed: New Boise State Speaker Series Means to Show What It Means to Live Inspired – and Inspiring – Lives
 
With the COVID variant surge and return to crisis standards of care in the community, we have decided to postpone the Carl and Jean Grosz Health Sciences Lecture. We are disappointed to delay this event yet again due to the pandemic. The new date for Dr. Paul Farmer’s visit to Boise State University will be Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Protecting and promoting the health of our community is at the heart of all that we do in the College of Health Sciences. We look forward to exploring how to make the world a better place with you and Dr. Farmer in September.

If you have already RSVPd for the 6 p.m. free community lecture at the Morrison Center, thank you, and your response will automatically be rolled forward to the new date.  Please email heatherjauregui@boisestate.edu with your questions about the lecture event.


Farmer received his medical degree from Harvard University; serves as chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He also holds a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard and is the Kolokotrones University Professor. He is a co-founder of Partners in Health and the author of multiple best-selling books, and has spent much of his life drawing attention to the needs for global health equity and social justice. Farmer and Partners in Health are featured in the documentary "Bending the Arc," which is available to stream on Netflix.
 
The lives of both Dr. Grosz and Farmer have been driven by passion, community service and creativity in improving conditions for those around them. Most importantly, through their examples and now through the lecture series, both illustrate how others can carve a path of meaning and usefulness in their lives and careers. 
 
Southeast Idaho AHEC Publishes Telebehavioral Health Study

The Southeast Idaho AHEC is pleased to announce a new article, “Use of a Research as Intervention Approach to Explore Telebehavioral Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Southeast Idaho,” published in the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health. This article explores qualitative research conducted during the pandemic, written by SEID AHEC Executive Director Dr. Diana Schow, Ann Thomson, and two AHEC Scholars, Wilson Trusty and Laurel Buchi-Fotre. 

Their work included producing a virtual care film, poster, and a sixteen-page report distributed to statewide policymakers, stakeholders, and legislators. CARES Act funding supported their research, which helped explain the complex and newly evolving use of telebehavioral health in southeast Idaho. 

The aims of this study were to:
  • characterize Southeast Idaho primary care and behavioral health providers’
  • experiences with virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • generate policy- and practice-level recommendations regarding virtual care in this region that will address inequities in access to care
  • raise awareness of issues relevant to virtual care among community stakeholders who
  • influence the implementation of this treatment modality in southeast Idaho

The project was assisted by the Research-as-Intervention Committee, who helped guide the research process and questions: Dr. Elizabeth Cartwright, PhD; Idaho State University Department of Anthropology; Dallas Clinger; CEO, Power County Hospital District; Rhonda D’Amico; Southeastern Idaho Public Health; Dr. Elizabeth Fore, PhD, M.Ed; Idaho State University Institute of Rural Health; Dr. Steve Lawyer, PhD; Idaho State University Department of Psychology; Dr. Julie Lyons, MD; St. Luke’s Wood River Family Medicine. Read More.

“This research was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant Number T1KHP39168, Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, P.L. 116-136 (CARES Act) Supplemental Funding for Health Workforce Modernization, in the amount of $95,455 with a 1:1 match. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Earn Up to 14 CME Credits at the Mountain West Transforming Care Conference

Crossroads AHEC, along with several of its partners including the University of Utah, is sponsoring a virtual conference that might be of interest to your medical communities:
Mountain West Transforming Care Conference
  • What; a conference on gender-affirming care, sexual health, and HIV prevention in primary care
  • How; virtual via the conference platform Whova
  • When; March 31 - April 2, 2022, 8am – 1pm MDT each day
For a list of topics, speakers, and instructions on how to register, visit this link. Click here for the conference flyer.
ECHO Idaho Now Jointly Accredited

Project ECHO Idaho, a free, virtual continuing education resource available to healthcare professionals throughout the Gem State, has been granted Joint Accreditation status. This designation means that individuals across a number of different healthcare professions — physicians, PAs, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers, dieticians, dentists, athletic trainers and optometrists — can all claim continuing education credit specific to their profession for participation in the same ECHO sessions. It also reinforces ECHO Idaho’s commitment to interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to healthcare education.

New ECHO Idaho Series: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Office Hours

Following ECHO Idaho's upcoming X-Waiver Training on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, ECHO Idaho will be launching a new series: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Office Hours.
This weekly drop-in series gives physicians, clinicians and healthcare teams treating patients with opioid use disorder the chance to connect with specialists for advice, feedback and knowledge-sharing related to MOUD, MAT and the X-Waiver. Registration for these weekly drop-in sessions is not required.

Virtual sessions meet every Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific time / 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Mountain time. For more information about MOUD Office Hours as well as other ongoing ECHO Idaho series, visit their website: www.uidaho.edu/ECHO
Idaho Caregiver Alliance Presents the Idaho Family Caregiver Conference

The 11th Annual Idaho Family Caregiver Conference invites participants from across Idaho for a virtual event on Saturday, Feb. 26th. The conference is sponsored by the Idaho Caregiver Alliance and Boise State University’s Center for the Study of Aging. This year’s theme is “#CaregiverAnd: Embracing Your Identity as a Caregiver and Beyond.” The conference will feature four tracks: The Future of Caregiving; Your Role as a Caregiver; You Beyond the Caregiver; and #CaregiverAnd en español. A few organizations holding sessions include the Alzheimer’s Association, Family Caregiver Navigator Project, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Idaho Office of Refugees, and AARP, among many others. Topics will look at caregiving from various perspectives, including Idaho’s direct care workforce, providing inclusive and culturally competent care, mindfulness and self-care practices, as well as other tools for caregivers. 

The daylong event will take place virtually via Zoom and costs $25 to attend. Registration is free to students and anyone who registers for the Spanish track, thanks to MolinaCares Accord in collaboration with Molina Healthcare of Idaho. More details, including a full agenda of the conference, are available on the Idaho Caregiver Alliance website. Organizations interested in purchasing tickets in bulk or sponsorship options may contact Destinie Triplett at destinietriplett@boisestate.edu or call (208) 426-5899 ext. 3.

For more information and to register click here.
The Bureau of Rural Health & Primary Care Sponsors No-Cost Trainings for Individuals That Serve As Medical Interpreters

  • Challenges and Strategies in Medical Interpretation (language neutral). One hour webinar on February 23, 2022, from 12:00-1:00 MT. Pre-registration required – space is limited, register now.
  • Bootcamp for Spanish Interpreters in Healthcare. Two-day virtual course designed for bilingual individuals that serve rural healthcare organizations who successfully completed the two-day Basic Training for Interpreters in Healthcare. Friday, February 18 and Friday, February 25, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT. Pre-requisite: Basic Training for Interpreters in Healthcare.
  • Skill Building for Spanish Interpreters in Healthcare. One-day virtual course designed for bilingual individuals that serve rural healthcare organizations. Friday, March 11, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time. This is the last of three trainings to fulfill the 40-hour training requirement to qualify for the national medical interpreter certification exam. Pre-requisites: Basic Training for Interpreters in Healthcare and Bootcamp for Interpreters in Healthcare.

Additional details and registration information can be found here.

New Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) have been established in Blaine County as well as Bonneville County’s Idaho Falls subcounty division. A new Dental Care Health Professional Shortage Area has been established in Blaine County’s Hailey-Bellevue and Ketchum CCD’s.

  • With these new designations all outpatient primary care and dental clinics and organizations are encouraged to learn about the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) as they are now eligible to apply for new site designations that can lead to clinician loan repayment opportunities.
  • Sites are also encouraged to reach out to the Bureau of Rural and Primary Care to learn about state funded resources now available to them!

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) indicated they will be opening the NHSC New Site application process in March. To prepare an application for the upcoming cycle, sites are encouraged to review the NHSC Site Reference Guide.
The Department of Health and Welfare Establishes New Idaho Healthcare Directive Registry (IHDR)

The registry went live on October 12, 2021. All existing advance directives were transferred from the Secretary of State to this new system. IHDR is a secure web-based system where Idahoans can safely view, create, store, and share their healthcare advance directive. Idaho healthcare providers can request access to the IHDR to view patient directives 24 hours a day. Additionally, electronic POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment) forms can be created online and digitally signed by licensed physicians, advance practice professional nurses, physician assistants, and patients. There is currently no cost to access the IHDR.

New accounts can be created by clicking here. For more information, please visit the IHDR website or contact IHD directly at IHDR@dhw.idaho.gov, or call 208-334-5501. 
This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U77HP03022, for the WWAMI Area Health Education (WWAMI AHEC) Program Office and its five regional Centers in the total amount of $840,630 for the 2020-2021 fiscal year (with a 1:1 total match of $840,630 from non-federally funded governmental sources). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.