Hello, just a reminder you are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in the West Virginia Primary Care Association.  Don't forget to add paula.beasley@wvpca.org to your  address book, so you don't miss any issues of the WVPCA Weekly Outlook!  
July 2, 2020
  WVPCA Weekly Outlook Newsletter
    A Newsletter on Community Centered Healthcare








Read the entire article from Charleston Gazette Mail  here.

Manchin Urges DOJ To Defend ACA, Protect Healthcare Coverage For West Virginians With Pre-Existing Conditions During COVID-19 Pandemicn
Read the entire article from  Newsroom  here.

Fact check: Masks are effective against COVID-19; OSHA doesn't say they offer no protection
Read the entire article from  USA Today  here.

Read the entire article from WCHSTV    here.

EmergencyManagement
The world surpassed two sobering coronavirus milestones Sunday-500,000 confirmed deaths, 10 million confirmed cases-and hit another high mark for daily new infections as governments that attempted reopenings continued to backtrack and warn that worse news could be yet to come.
To read more click here.
Are You Using the COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal?
Health center providers who have conducted COVID-19 testing or provided treatment for uninsured individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis on or after February 4, 2020 can request claims reimbursement through the COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing and Treatment of the Uninsured Program. More than $110 million in claims have already been paid for COVID-19 testing and treatment of uninsured individuals.  Learn more and apply for claims reimbursement. 

REMINDER: Chapter 16 of the HRSA Compliance Manual requires all FQHCs to bill all public programs that provide reimbursement for healthcare costs, which would include the COVID-19 Uninsured Program. FQHCs who fail to submit claims to the Uninsured Program risk getting a condition on their grant. There is a CDC public database showing how much every provider has received for testing and treatment.
There's a critical need for blood in West Virginia and across the country. As a way of thanking donors the American Red Cross is helping them find out if they've been exposed to COVID-19.

"Often we are in that need in the summer, but this summer is even more of a challenge because we have just come back online with elective surgeries in hospitals," Erica Mani, CEO at Red Cross WV Region, said.

The Red Cross has come up with the unique incentive to encourage people to donate. When you give blood you can get a free COVID-19 antibody test.

The test is not a diagnostic test to see if you currently have COVID-19. She said if you have any symptoms you should not come to a donation drive.

The antibody testing has helped motivate more people than usual to give. Many donation drive appointments are filling up several weeks in advance.

The antibody tests are available at all testing locations. Right now there isn't a set timeline for how long the tests will be available.   You can make an appointment to donate blood  here .
The Hidden Pandemic Behind COVID-19

In the U.S. and abroad, domestic violence cases have tracked upward on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic as prolonged social isolation and breakdowns in normal reporting have worsened conditions. Clinicians are often the last line of defense. 

Cases of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual exploitation in the time of COVID-19 appear to be on the rise in emergency rooms and health clinics across the country since March, experts said in a recent HRSA webcast.  Read more about the hidden pandemic behind COVID-19.
Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health are conducting an online study to learn how to address emotional stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the long-term effects on mental health. 

The purpose of this study is to provide individuals with an opportunity to voice their needs and concerns with the mental health system and for the National Institute of Mental Health to improve services. To participate in the survey, click here .

COVID-19/ NOVEL CORONAVIRUS Pandemic


As you know, information on coronavirus is changing daily.  The WVPCA is working with Federal, State, and local health officials in emergency preparedness activities as well as disseminating appropriate and current information to our Community Health Centers.  This includes up-to-date resources and policies to ensure the continued health and safety of the communities we serve.  

Guidance and resource information can be found on the WVPCA website here and coronavirus.gov.
WVPCA NewsWVPCA_news
Aunt Bertha: Addressing SDoH by Connecting Patients with Resources in their Community Demo Webinar

Please join the WVPCA, as we review the social services referral platform Aunt Bertha as a possible partner for the PCA/Health Centers.  

The Aunt Bertha platform was created to provide a social care network that connects people and programs - making it easy for people to find social services in their communities, for nonprofits to coordinate their efforts, and for Community Health Centers to integrate social care into the work they already do. Thousands of nonprofits and social care providers serve their communities. But for most people, navigating the system to get help has been difficult, time consuming, and frustrating. Too many Americans are suffering, and they don't need to. Aunt Bertha's network connects people seeking help and verified social care providers that serve them.  After the demonstration, we will evaluate health center interest in the system and group purchasing options.
 
Participants will learn:
  1.  How using Aunt Bertha to refer patients with social needs can assist with closing referral loops.
  2.  How resources are updated in Aunt Bertha and how health centers can rely on having up-to-date referral resources.
  3. How the data within Aunt Bertha from Social Determinants of Health and subsequent referrals can be used for advocacy and quality improvement.
Target Audience:  This event is intended for CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, Medical Directors, Behavioral Health Directors, Social Workers, Care Managers,Care Coordinator, Quality Directors, Nursing Directors, and any staff involved with referring patients for social services.   This event is intended only for Community Health Center Staff.        
 
July 8 from 1:30 PM  - 2:30 PM. 
Registration Closes July 7, 2020 at 12:00pm 
Using LEAN/Six Sigma Principles to Improve Health

Please join the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) as we have partnered with Jennifer Calohan, and the team at CURIS Consulting, to offer our members a highly interactive learning collaborative focused on using LEAN/Six Sigma principles and practices to improve health outcomes.  

This 10 month collaborative is focused on leveraging LEAN/Six Sigma principles and practices and applying them to improve outcomes in Community Health Centers. The program will provide multi-modal training on the foundational elements, concepts, and principles of LEAN/Six Sigma as it relates to healthcare with focus on real world scenarios specifically applicable to the Community Health Center workplace(s). Participants will receive a certificate of completion. The program will provide participants with core components of LEAN/Six Sigma to assist with preparation for yellow and/or green belt professional certification.

TARGET AUDIENCE: CEO,COO, CMO, Medical Directors, Quality & Operations team members.
 
Registration information can be found here.
 
Registration will be closing on  July 6, 2020.
Relatient - Patient Engagement Demo Webinar

The West Virginia Primary Care Assocation team has researched various patient engagement tools and has found that RELATIENT has resources which could be valuable to health centers in patient engagement strategies. We invite you to join us, along with Dusty Allen, Enterprise Sales Executive, for a demonstration of this patient engagement (PE) tool that has been voted "Best in KLAS 2020 for Patient Outreach & Engagement".  During this demonstration you will be able to interact with Dusty and view the features and functionality of their software and participate in a Q&A session.

Relatient uses a Patient-Centered Approach to Engagement.  Patient-centered engagement is about understanding patient needs, desires, and behaviors and bending technology to meet them.  Relatient pushes the information and services relevant to them, as they need it and in ways which they can quickly respond to it. In addition, Relatient offers the following while reducing no-shows, improving satisfaction and increasing revenue:                      
  • Appointment Reminders and Alerts 
  • No-Show Engagement
  • Recalls
  • Health Campaigns
  • eRegistration and Check-in 
  • Broadcast Messaging
TARGET AUDIENCE:    This event is intended for CEOs, COOs, CMOs, Medical Directors, Quality & Operations team members. 
 
July 16 from 1:00 PM  - 2:00 PM. 
Registration Closes July 15, 2020 at 12:00pm 
Qure4U - Remote Patient Monitoring Demo Webinar

Please join the West Virginia Primary Care Association and Qure4U's Tara Whitesides along with Megan Stewart to attend a demonstration of Qure4U. The WVPCA team has researched various patient engagement tools and found that Qure4U has resources which could be valuable to health centers in patient engagement strategies.  During this demonstration you will be able to interact with Tara and Megan and view the features and functionality of their software and participate in a Q&A session.
 
Qure4u's all-in-one patient experience platform offers patients and providers a fully integrated solution that supports the entire patient journey and optimizes care before, during, and after office visits. Their flagship solution, MyCarePlan, improves patient outcomes and communications while boosting in-office efficiencies, collections, cash flow, and revenues.  Qure4u drives brand equity, in-office efficiency, and revenue while enhancing clinical insight and improving the patient experience.  Qure4u also offers remote patient monitoring with bluetooth connected devices.

TARGET AUDIENCE:   This event is intended for CEOs, COOs, CMOs, Medical Directors, Quality & Operations team members. 
 
July 23 from 1:00 PM  - 2:00 PM. 
Registration Closes July 22, 2020 at 12:00pm 
#WellChildWednesdays Social Media Campaign Encourages Keeping Up with Pediatric Checkups and Immunizations 

Fewer children are receiving timely immunizations this year compared to last year. To encourage parents and stakeholders to keep up with these important well-child visits and immunizations, HRSA launched a new social media campaign with the hashtag #WellChildWednesdays. Each Wednesday for four weeks, messages will address well-visits, immunizations, adolescent and young adult care and nutrition, safety and mental health as topics to be discussed with pediatric providers.

The first message already posted, and more messages will appear on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #WellChildWednesdays. Please share, retweet and promote #WellChildWednesdays to help amplify this important message.
PCMHCorner
NCQA (PCMH) Regional Training

July 13-17,2020 - Now Virtual
   
The West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA), District of Columbia Primary Care Association (DCPCA), and the Mid-Atlantic Community Health Centers (MACHC) and are excited to offer National Committee on Quality Assurance's (NCQA) Patient-Centered MedicalHome (PCMH) Training.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-Supported National Committee on Quality Assurance's (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Region 3 Training is now being offered VIRTUALLY!

Facilitators:  Bill Tulloch, Director, Quality Solutions Group, NCQA & Christina Borden, Director, Recognition Program Policy Resources, NCQA
Who Should Attend:  Any person implementing the PCMH model at their clinical practice, pursing PCMH 2017 recognition, and/or PCMH status through annual reporting.  
Cost:  This training is offered at NO COST to participants.

Registration information can be found here.  

For more information, please contact Shannon Parker, MBA, PCMH CCE at  shannon.parker.wvpca.org.
2020 PCMH Recognition Quality Awards
   
Health centers that have Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition by Wednesday, July 1, 2020, may be eligible to receive the 2020 Health Center PCMH Recognition Quality Award. View the table of health centers with valid PCMH recognition status and the number of sites with PCMH recognition. If your health center serves multiple states, please be certain to check the number of sites for EACH state to calculate the total number of PCMH-recognized sites in HRSA's Electronic Handbooks (EHBs).
  • If your health center's PCMH recognition is accurate, no action is needed.
  • If it is inaccurate, please submit an update to your PCMH recognition information via the EHBs no later than Sunday, July 5. View instructions for submitting an update, including the acceptable forms of required documentation.
For more information, please contact Shannon Parker, MBA, PCMH CCE at  shannon.parker.wvpca.org.
NACHC'S "Reimagining Care" Webinar Series


NACHC's new webinar series, "Reimagining Care" will focus on how Health Centers will continue to lead the primary health care industry through flexibility and innovation in a post-COVID world. 

The next webinar in the series, Ensuring Access to Coverage During a Pandemic and Beyond, highlights health centers' response to massive disruptions in health insurance status and health care access due to unemployment and COVID-related factors.

Speakers from community health centers and a state primary care association will showcase innovative models of providing outreach and enrollment (O&E) services. Health center outreach staff and enrollment assisters play a critical role in ensuring that patients and communities maintain access to health insurance - whether through Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, the Marketplace etc. - during a pandemic.
 
Speakers will highlight virtual workflows, partnerships, and examples of an increasingly diverse scope and range of activities - from contact tracing to enabling services - that O&E staff provide to keep people connected to care. Time will be reserved for Q&A.

Thursday, July 9 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST
(*Save the date and time for other upcoming webinars:  July 23 & August 6, 1 pm EDT!)

State NewsStateNews
Vaccine Super Hero Contest  


The  West Virginia Immunization Network has launched a Super Hero Comic Contest for middle and high school students. The purpose of this contest is to spark an interest in science and vaccine development. Full contest description, permission slips, and comic strip panels are available on their website .  If you need further information on the contest, please feel free to email barbara.thaxton@wvruralhealth.org or elaine.darling@wvruralhealth.org .
Wednesday Webinar Series: June and July

The West Virginia Primary Care Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers and the MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Center have created this six-part webinar series for Community Health Centers who have an integral role in Ending the HIV Epidemic. Participants will hear from fellow Community Health Centers and clinic leaders for a strategy-gathering information exchange to learn more about HIV Routine Testing, Implementation of Routine Testing, Importance of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and how to access funding for PrEP. The webinars will be an hour in length and will include Q&A as well as audience interaction via polling. CME, CNE, and CEU are available.   For more information and registration information click here . 
GKVF Announcing Virtual Trainings


The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation is launching a Virtual Nonprofit Capacity Building series to assist partners to work remotely.  Below are several of the webinars they will be offering.  Registration is required and descriptions of the webinars can be found via the registration links.  For more information visit TGKVF's website.

Strategies for Writing Grants when your Organization is Understaffed presented by Global Partners President Patrick Patterson 
 July 9th from 10:30-11:45am
 
Tech Tools for Nonprofits presented by our own Grants Manager Candace 
Krell; these include short, 15-minute tutorials on a variety of tools.  
You can find them here.
National NewsNationalNews
Senate Health Committee Chair Wants to Make Telehealth Changes Permanent

Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander recommended the federal government permanently extend policy changes that allow physicians to be reimbursed for a telehealth appointment wherever the patient is located as well as policy changes that doubled the number of telehealth services that could be reimbursed by Medicare. He also said there are 29 other temporary federal policy changes that could also be considered for being made permanent.  Read more.
House Sets up Votes on Two Bills and COVID-Related Hearings

The House introduced and is planning to vote on legislation to strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act . Also, the House recently introduced a $1.5 trillion infrastructure package, known as the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2). The bill includes a provision to authorize $10 billion over five years for health center capital projects. The House expects to take up this bill next week.  While both bills will likely pass the House, the prospects in the Senate are less favorable. 

In addition, several congressional committees held hearings as they continue to monitor the COVID-19 response. The House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing  to discuss how COVID-19 has exacerbated racial disparities, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing  to look at lessons learned from the pandemic and the House Energy and Commerce Committee looked at the Administration's response to the pandemic. 
Year 2021 FTCA Health Center Deeming Applications

Applications for medical malpractice coverage under the FTCA  are open in EHBs. We've extended the completion deadline to Monday, July 13.

HRSA guidance for both new applications (deeming) and renewal of existing coverage (redeeming) for health center staff is available in Program Assistance Letter (PAL) 2020-02 .
Upcoming Training OpportunitiesUpcomingNationalTraining


Project ECHO, is hosting a free 16-week webinar series that provides primary care providers and other members of a multidisciplinary diabetes care team with case-based learning and consultation to empower them to address the needs of patients with diabetes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Webinars are held every Wednesday at 12:00 - 1:15 pm discussing a new topic each week. CME credits are offered for attendance.
_____________________________

or check  with the organizer's 
websites and  contacts to 
verify the status  of ALL 
events  and trainings
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NACHC is producing a five-part podcast series to help health centers manage their fiscal solvency during COVID-19 response and recovery. Podcast topics include managing your health center's cash flow, paycheck protection, the Provider Relief Fund, grants management, and staffing.
 
The first three sessions are available now:  
  • Podcast 1: Staffing Considerations
  • Podcast 2: Provider Relief Fund, CARES Act, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act
  • JUST ADDED: Podcast 3: Funding Streams and the SBA Paycheck Protection Program Loan

The title says it all. Head of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, Jim Macrae brings us up to date on the most recent health center news.

 Thursday, July 14, 2020
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
*Access details coming soon 
 Tuesday, July 28, 2020
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
*Access details coming soon 
 ______________________________ __
FinancialAnchorFinancial and Funding Resources

The HRSA Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will be making approximately 50 awards of $200,000 each to rural communities to enhance capacity to address substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder. Over the course of an 18-month period of performance, grant recipients will conduct a series of planning activities, engage multi-sector consortiums and participate in the RCORP-Planning learning collaborative. Applicant organizations may be located in an urban or rural areas; however, all activities supported by this program must exclusively target HRSA-designated rural areas  (per the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer ). FORHP recorded an hour-long webinar that is available upon request.   Apply by Monday, July 13.

USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants

The USDA Rural Development announced a second application window for funding under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program due to the current public health emergency. This program helps rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. Eligible applicants include most entities that provide education or health care through telecommunications. Apply by Monday, July 13.
CommunityHealthCenterResourceCommunity Health Center Resources
 
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 Programs & Plans
Claims and Lawsuits
Role of the Risk Manager
Patient Grievances and Complaints
Communication with Patients
Credentialing and Privileging
Communication among Providers, Staff, and Community Partners
Tracking Systems for Diagnostic Tests, Referrals, and Hospitalizations

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.
COVID-19 Resources for Health Centers
ECRI Institute 
 
Federally qualified health centers and free clinics are on the front line in testing and treating patients who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Use these resources to keep your staff and patients safe:
In addition, ECRI's COVID-19 Resource Center includes free resources addressing the provision of clinical care and managing the supply chain. Updated several times per week, highlights include:
Additional guidance is available directly from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), including:
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
John Kennedy, MA | School-Based Health/Behavioral Health Coordinator
Pam Moore | Member Relations Coordinator
Shannon Parker, MBA, PCMH-CCE | Director of Health Center Operations
Amanda West | Staff Accountant
Emma White, RN | Clinical Quality Improvement Coordinator 
Paula Beasley | Education and Communications 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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This project is/was supported partially/fully by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U58CS06834 State and Regional Primary Care Associations. 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.