May 2020
In this issue...
NCAFCC Summit & Member Meeting - RESCHEDULED
CEO Connection
A Message from Your Board Chair
Deputy Director
Clinics in the News
NAFC Charitable Health Care Symposium
Upcoming Events & Deadlines
Quick Links
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NCAFCC SUMMIT 2020 -
RESCHEDULED
September 10-11, 2020
Please note the new dates. Registration fees and room rates remain the same. More information coming in the summer.
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CEO Connection
Randy Jordan, CEO
Bravery, Peace and Heroism During the COVID-19 War
As a young boy, the news reels from World War II were prevalent on the relatively new phenomenon of television (yes, I’m showing my age) and war movies displaying heroism were everywhere. Then, as a young man in line for the draft, the Vietnam War presented another picture of war. In both portrayals of war, I found myself drawn to the medic or corpsman who bravely ignored the dangers surrounding them to help a fellow soldier in need. Sometimes they offered medical care to the severely wounded. Other times they were a voice of calm and peace to an injured soldier who might be facing their last breath. In all cases, they represented bravery. Although usually cast as supporting characters for the front line soldiers of war, health workers always epitomized to me the highest form of heroic service.
So, now it’s the war against COVID-19. Although this time it’s the health workers who are on the front line of war. The images of wounded soldiers being carried to safety on a stretcher are replaced by gurneys being rushed from the ambulance to the emergency room. The MASH units of the war zone are now the ICUs of our country’s hospitals. And where is the front line of this war? It’s where we are in free and charitable clinics across North Carolina continuing to serve our uninsured patients. Sometimes, you’re asked to care for the COVID-19 patient who shows up at the clinic door. Other times, you offer peace to a fearful patient who reaches your clinic through the portal of telemedicine. At all times, you serve with bravery. As you stand on the frontlines of the COVID-19 war, we are inspired by your heroic service. And, we stand ready to support you in every way that we can. Whether it’s needed funding, timely tools like telemedicine, sometimes PPE masks and always making the public aware of your service, consider NCAFCC as part of your supply chain to the front lines. We stand by you.
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A Message from Your Board Chair
April Cook
Lake Norman Community Health Clinic
Persevering through the unknown can push the savviest leader to question their leadership and self-confidence. Before COVID-19, Executive Directors were focusing on expanding access to healthcare, implementing workflows to address social determinants of health, fundraising and creating awareness through advocacy. Now we are making rapid decisions on whether or not to stay open and if so, in what capacity. More importantly, how to do it and keep everyone safe. We are worried about our funder’s portfolios and whether or not they will be able to continue funding our programs. As funds dry up during this economic downturn, how will programming, staff and volunteers be effected? These are scary times, however, what we do now will greatly shape how we look to funders, patients, and our community when this crisis is over.
Great leadership instills a sense of security. According to the
Harvard Business Review
, there are
four behaviors
that help leaders manage a crisis.
1.
Decide with speed over precision
. Focus on the few things that matter most which enables a framework for critical and rapid decisions.
2.
Adapt boldly
. Don’t be afraid to admit to what you don’t know. That builds trust. Prioritize and put a hold on big projects. Communicate with your staff on “what not to do” during this crisis. They will have a tendency to try and stay the course and the course has changed.
3.
Reliably deliver
. Set metrics to measure performance and monitor accountability. This will be priceless when grant reports are due. Everyone’s metrics have changed since initial grant measures were implemented. Find new measures to report on to show grantors how you managed funds during the crisis.
4.
Engage for impact
. In times of crisis, it is imperative to take care of your team. Connect with team members individually and as a group. Let them know you are available to discuss concerns and ideas.
We are experiencing great successes during this crisis. Our association was way ahead of private practices and other safety net organizations with our quickly implemented telehealth option for our clinics. A special thanks to Randy and Mark for their leadership during this time. Please don’t hesitate to share your successes, because I know there are many among this incredible group!
Stay safe,
April
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Coronavirus
Testing, Testing and More Testing
Diagnostic Test – Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is used to detect coronavirus from a nasopharyngeal sample (nasal swab). The RT-PCR technique targets the virus’ genetic material to detect the presence of COVID-19 in a person. The tests only detect the virus while the person is currently infected. This test is used in making a diagnosis of COVID-19. It is considered accurate, with few if any false positives.
Antibody Test – Blood serology test used to detect immunity to the COVID-19 virus, not actual active infection. Antibody tests detect markers of the immune response, IgM and IgG antibodies show up in most people’s blood more than a week after feeling sick. Antibody testing is not used as a basis to diagnose COVID-19 but can reveal if an individual has been infected after the fact.
Special thank you to Dr. Peter Morris for his input on this article.
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Dealing with the New Normal
Mark Scheerer
Deputy Director
As you and your staff deal with the stress and realities of COVID-19, I want to share an article that was written for medical students as they cope with what is being more frequently called the new normal.
Tuning In While Staying In
Paige Bentley, Ph.D, LCMHCS
Bentley Therapy, PLLC
Among the many, much more important things I’m missing during this time of “compassionate spacing” (I prefer this term) is my favorite food from Quanto Basta – Tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce. This weekend, I decided to do something about it. I found a recipe and followed the directions. (I am grateful for the time and money to do this, as I know many are not able at this time to have that luxury). Chop, stir, heat. Easy. If I had ended here, the sauce would have been edible, at best. The magic happened in the three hours of simmering that followed. Transformation right before my eyes – and my taste buds.
This is where many of us are now in this COVID-19 experience -- the simmering land of liminal space – the in-between time of grieving the old and uncertainty about the future. Although we may not like it, this is the process of change and transition and the place of transformation. Change happens quickly. Transition takes time. Transformation is what happens when we sit with the uncomfortableness of the process. Change is often energizing and engaging. We saw this during the initial weeks of this crisis in the incredible outpourings of service offerings on social media. We saw this in the calls to “seize the moment” and use this time for personal growth. We saw this in the very real and dramatic shifts that businesses, governments, and educational systems across the globe made – without any playbook -- to continue to serve the needs of the community.
In this liminal time, we are in a waiting space between two worlds. We will not be going back to the old as we knew it, and we do not know what the new will be. We are grieving the old and uncertain about the future. Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one knows this experience of in-between time. It is crazy uncomfortable.
COVID-19 Resources
Updox Telehealth Solution
Since implementing the free Updox telehealth platform in mid-March, clinics have held over 3,600 video visits with patients! For more information on how to register and use telehealth in your clinic, simply
email me
to get started.
Helpful Information for You and Your Patients
Weekly Forums
Subject Matter Experts from the NC DPH will provide a quick update on any new developments.
Webinar access through your computer:
COVID-19 Assistance
Call 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162
Text COVIDNC to 898211 for COVID-19 updates
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NCAFCC and Clinics in the News
There have been a number of news articles and interviews with clinics and Randy Jordan, CEO, NCAFCC, highlighting the difference clinics are making during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to read more.
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Upcoming Events & Deadlines
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September
10 - 11
October
25-27
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NCAFCC Summit 2020 - NEW DATE
Indianapolis, Indiana
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Board of Directors
Board Chair
April Cook, MBA
Lake Norman Community Health Clinic
Vice Chair
Tony Price
Moore Free and Charitable Clinic
Treasurer
John Price, MPA
ORHCC – Retired
Secretary
Tracy Salisbury
Open Door Clinic of Alamance County
Lisa Bottomley
Community Care Clinic
Sissy Lee-Elmore,
MBA, MPA
WATCH Healthcare Program
Past Chair
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Jerry Hermanson, MBA
Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers
Andy Kurtzman,
MHCA
Scotland Community Health Clinic
Michael Lischke,
EdD, MPH
Northwest AHEC
WFU School of Medicine
Theo McClammy
Caring Community Clinic
John Mills,
CPC
ECHO
Krista Woolly, MS
Community Care Clinic of Rowan County
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2018 Annual Outcomes Report
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The first four of our Healthy Neighbors podcasts are
online on our website
. In the first series, Randy Jordan and Dr. Andy Barbash discuss telemedicine and how NCAFCC clinics are adopting this model of care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
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Staff
CEO
ext. 104
Deputy Director
ext. 101
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Director of Quality & Clinical Support
ext. 103
Office Manager
ext. 102
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