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Greetings!
This edition of Rural Route includes the Flex State Profile for Minnesota and playback information from the February 10th TASC 90 Conference Call and the two recent Flex Grant Guidance calls from ORHP.
There is a lot of activity building in health information technology (HIT). American Recovery and Reinvestment Act award monies totaling over $750 million were just announced for state health information exchange (HIE) programs, HIT Regional Extension Centers (RECs), and HIT job training grants. Also, two recent national articles have highlighted successful rural work on HIT adoption. One article showcases the successful electronic medical record adoption in a critical access hospital - the first CAH nationally to reach such documented adoption levels! The second article highlights the collaborative work of four small rural Texas hospitals (including two CAHs) to form a regional health information organization (RHIO) for electronic health record adoption.
A very timely webinar is coming up at the end of February regarding rural health information technology challenges and strategies as well as a national teleconference on how HIT can reduce unnecessary hospitalization.
Sincerely,
Tracy Morton
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New Staff or Contact Info Changes?
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Do you have new staff in your State Flex Program or changes to your contact information?
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FY2010 Flex Grant Guidance TA Calls
The FY2020 Flex Grant Guidance is now available. On February 2nd and 9th, 2010, Steve Hirsch and Tom Morris with the Office of
Rural Health Policy (ORHP) held very informative one hour technical
assistance calls discussing the new Flex grant guidance. The calls were recorded for playback. If you missed the calls, we highly recommend that you listen to the playback recording.
The call on February 2nd discussed the overall Flex Grant Guidance. The playback recording can be accessed until March 4, 2010 at: Playback phone number: 1-888-203-1112 Replay passcode: 60894473 The call on February 9th discussed the Medicare beneficiary-specific optional multi-state quality project under Core Area 1 of the Flex Grant Guidance. The
playback recording can be accessed until March 11, 2010 at: Playback phone number: 1-888-203-1112 Replay passcode: 66816551 For more information on the call playbacks, please contact Nicole Clement. If you have questions regarding the grant guidance, please contact your ORHP Regional Liaison:
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ORHP Regional Liaisons
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Region A
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Jeanene
Meyers
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(301)
443-2482
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[email protected]
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Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont
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Jennifer
Chang
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(301)
443-0736
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[email protected]
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Maine
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Region B
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Samantha
Williams
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(301)
443-7306
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[email protected]
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Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
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Bridget
Ware
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(301)
443-3822
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[email protected]
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Alabama,
Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina
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Region C
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Megan
Alavi
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(301)
443-8349
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[email protected]
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Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska
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Michael
McNeely
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(301)
443-5812
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[email protected]
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Kansas,
Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin
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Region D
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Steve
Hirsch
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(301)
443-7322
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[email protected]
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Hawaii,
Nevada, Oklahoma
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Michelle
Goodman
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(301)
443-7440
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[email protected]
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Arizona,
California, New Mexico, Texas
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Region E
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Nancy Egbert
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(301)
443-0614
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[email protected]
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Idaho,
Montana, North Dakota, Washington, Wyoming
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Keith
Midberry
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(301)
443-2669
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[email protected]
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Alaska,
Colorado, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah
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State Profiles
In order for the State Flex programs to network together and avoid reinventing
the wheel, TASC is currently contacting the Flex programs and the State Offices
of Rural Health to collect information on their staff members, major program
areas, and successful activities. The information will be used to
facilitate communication among other State Flex programs with similar interests
and will be highlighted in TASC's electronic newsletter, Rural Route. The
state profiles will also be uploaded onto the TASC Web site.
Minnesota State Profile Flex Program Staff
State Office Director
Specialty
Areas / Background
Grants Development and Management, Project Management, Policy Research and Analysis, Staff Leadership
State Office Director since September 2005
Flex Coordinator
Judy Bergh
(651) 201-3843
Specialty
Areas / Background
Grant Writing and Grant Management, Project Management, Health Education in Maternal/Child Health and Adolescent Health
Flex Coordinator since January 2007
Although not all positions are paid
directly by Flex dollars, the Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care has integrated its programs so that
all contribute to the Flex program. Following are specific Flex staff,
along with key ORHPC staff who contribute significantly to Minnesota Flex. - Jill Myers, Supervisor, Rural Health Planning and Analysis
- Anne Schloegel, Project Consultant
- Craig Baarson, Reimbursement Fiscal Analyst
- Doug Benson, Supervisor, Primary Care and Financial Assistance Programs
- Tim Held, Trauma Systems Coordinator
- Chris Ballard, Trauma Systems Designation Coordinator
- Kristen Tharaldson, Senior State Planner
- MaryAnn Radigan, Communications Coordinator
- Cindy LaMere, Office Administrative Assistant
Most Significant Flex Program Achievement for Minnesota:
Designating 79
CAHs in Minnesota
and supporting them as they become stabilized as hubs of care in their rural
communities.
Top Three Flex Activities in 2009 for Minnesota: Contracting
with Stratis Health (QIO) to prepare CAHs to get ready for mandatory
quality reporting under Minnesota's
state health reform law. Providing
approximately $5 million in grants and loans to CAHs and other rural
health care organizations. Designating 79
trauma hospitals in the last three years.
Minnesota Flex Program Success Story
Minnesota's Flex Program
contracted with Stratis Health QIO to work with a group of CAHs to
re-administer the AHRQ Rural Organization Safety Culture survey, analyze the
data and assist in planning and deploying meaningful interventions. The survey
was administered to five hospitals. Four hospitals continued beyond the survey
process, with teams attending workshops on "Implementing a Just
Culture;" holding conference calls; participating in re-surveys; attending
a workshop on implementing Team STEPPS in their hospitals; and, attending WebEX
sessions to discuss survey results and measurements. Among the results: one
hospital reported identification and resolution of staffing issues, freeing up
RNs to spend more time with patients and increasing staff satisfaction; another
showed improvement in their error reporting process and increased comfort level
among staff in reporting near misses. All participating hospitals indicated
they appreciated the educational opportunities and even in cases where improvement
was not dramatic, they reported they had implemented changes that they
anticipated would ultimately yield positive results.
Minnesota Flex Program Details
Location: Minnesota Department of Health
Number
of CAHs: 79
Web site: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/orhpc/
State Rural Health Plan - Minnesota
Rural Assistance Center State Profile - Minnesota
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TASC 90 Playback Information
If you were unable to attend the TASC 90 Conference Call on February 10th, the conference playback information will be available until March 11, 2010. Topics on the call included: - ORHP Update - Steve Hirsch, ORHP
- CAH Regulatory Changes - Carrie Cochran, ORHP
- Rural Trauma Designation - Dr. Robert Winchell, Maine Medical Center and Chair of the American College of Surgeons' Trauma Evaluation and Planning Committee
- State Trauma Designation Stories:
- Susan Werner, Trauma Systems Manager, Oregon State Public Health
- Amy Eberle, State Trauma Coordinator, North Dakota Department of Health
- Mark Schoenbaum, Director, Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
- Flex Monitoring Team Update - Walt Gregg, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
- ARRA Loan Repayment Funds - Leah Lample and Sylvia Sosa, Bureau of Clinician Recruitment Services, HRSA
The playback is now available and can be accessed at: Playback number: 1-888-203-1112
Passcode: 61804337
Flex Coordinators, State Office Directors, and other Flex personnel are invited to participate in quarterly TASC 90 Conference Calls, which focus on specific technical assistance topics related to State Flex Program implementation. For more information, please contact Nicole Clement.
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CAH Recognized for Successful EMR Adoption
A Minnesota CAH was recently highlighted in Healthcare IT News article for its significant progress toward Meaningful Use adoption of health information technology. Health information technology adoption is nationally being compared to the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Adoption Model. Kanabec Hospital, located in Mora, Minnesota, became the first CAH nationally to achieve Stage 6 (of 7 total stages) on the HIMSS EMR Adoption Model in September 2009. Kanabec Hospital's CEO credits their success to their relationship with an HIT consortium, SISU Medical Systems, and the hospital staff's commitment. Kudos to Kanabec Hospital! For more information on the HIMSS EMR Adoption Model, please click here.
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Rural Texas Hospitals Work Together to Implement an EHR
Four small rural hospitals in Texas are working together to form a regional health information organization (or RHIO). A recent Government HealthIT article explains how Anson Memorial General Hospital, Stamford Memorial Hospital, Stonewall Memorial Hospital (a CAH), and Throckmorton County Memorial Hospital (also a CAH) have formed together into a RHIO to enable clinicians to share patient information as well as the financial burden of an electronic health record (EHR). "None of us could do this project alone-it just wouldn't be possible,"
said Nathan Tudor, CEO of Stonewall Memorial Hospital, which has 20
in-patient beds and sees between 1500 and 2000 patients a year in its
emergency room. "Because we're so small, not every hospital can be everything to every
patient, and so we were willing to collaborate and cooperate on this
project," he added. "As a result we have overcome some of the financial
and technology obstacles that have historically stood in the way of
rural hospitals that want to implement EHRs." To view the full article, please click here.
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State HIE, Regional Extension Centers, and HIT Job Training Grants Announced
On Friday, February 12, 2010, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius and Department of Labor Secretary Solis announced over $750 million in health information technology (HIT) awards from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for state health information exchange (HIE), HIT Regional Extension Centers (RECs), and HIT job training programs. These awards are to help health care providers advance the adoption and meaningful use of HIT and train workers for health care jobs. To view the full press release and list of awardees with award amounts, please click here. According to the announcement, $386 million will go to 40 states and qualified state designated entities to facilitate HIE at the state level. These programs are charged with rapidly building capacity for exchanging health information across the
health care system both within and across states. Awardees are
responsible for increasing connectivity and enabling patient-centric
information flow to improve the quality and efficiency of care. An additional round of HIEs will be announced in the future. For more information on state HIE grants, please click here. $375 million will go to an initial 32 non-profit organizations to support the development of RECs that will aid health professionals as they work to implement and use HIT. The RECs will offer technical assistance, guidance, and information on best
practices to support and accelerate health care providers' efforts to
become meaningful users of electronic health records. RECs are expected to provide outreach and support services to at least
100,000 primary care providers and hospitals within two years. An additional round of RECs will be announced in the future to create a combined total of 70 RECs throughout the country. For more information on the REC program, please click here. More than $225 million was awarded through the Department of Labor (DOL) to train 15,000 people in job skills needed to access careers in health care, IT, and "other high growth fields". Fifty-five separate training programs will be funded in 30 states. Employment services will be offered through the DOL and training programs will be offered at community colleges and other local education providers. For a descriptive list of the awards and programs, please click here.
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Grant Reviewers Needed!
Do you know someone that is familiar with the Flex Program who you think would be a good reviewer? If so,
don't hesitate to ask them to sign up with HRSA to be a Flex Grant Reviewer! Reviewers can sign up at: https://grants.hrsa.gov/webReview/
If you have
any questions about reviewing, please contact Steve Hirsch.
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New Rural Research Shows Rural Medicare Advantage Growth
New research from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis show that "rural enrollment in Medicare Advantage (MA) and other prepaid plans grew by 15% from
December 2008 to December 2009, faster than the 10% national growth rate.
Preferred provider organization plans drove the increased enrollment in MA
plans in rural areas in 2009, while private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans
continued to dominate the market with over 50% of enrollment. This landscape
could change in 2010 as rural Medicare beneficiaries will experience a decline
in PFFS availability, as some insurers have announced plans to pull their PFFS
plans from the market."
For more information on rural research, please visit the Rural Health Research Gateway.
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Upcoming Educational Opportunities
February 24, 1010Rural HIT Challenges and StrategiesSponsor: Rural Health Innovations Format: Webinar Sponsor Description: Louis Wenzlow, Director of Health Information Technology at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, will be discussing the recently released CMS proposed
requirements for the meaningful use of electronic health records, with
a focus on what applications will likely need to be implemented for
providers to meet the requirements. Sue Severson, Director of Health Information Technology Services at Stratis Health, will
discuss the importance of taking a standardized and structured approach
to assess a hospital's readiness for HIT adoption. Sue will focus on
how HIT Readiness Assessments can provide a launching pad for hospitals
to gain clarity about their unique HIT challenges and build upon their
strengths. Cost: $99 per connection February 24, 2010National Web-based Teleconference on Transitions in Care Managing Patient Care Transitions: How Health IT Can Reduce Unnecessary RehospitalizationSponsor: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Format: Webinar Sponsor Description: This free 90-minute teleconference will explore the latest research on
leveraging health IT to reduce rehospitalizations and the potential
impact of health IT systems to improve transitions in care and quality
of care. Cost: Free March 31, 2010Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Multigenerational Healthcare ProvidersSponsor: Rural Health Innovations Format: Webinar Sponsor Description: Today's physician recruitment approach has its share of strengths
and weaknesses. Learn how employers should re-think and re-design their
recruitment strategies to achieve greater success in recruiting and
retaining multi-generational providers. Participants will learn about:various generational characteristics; assessing the differences in candidate practice preferences (gender, age, specialty, etc); characteristics of successful integrated multi-generational medical staff; and, motivating younger providers vs. established practicing providers.
Cost: $99 per connection |
Last Chance for the Current TASC Book Club Book Offerings!
TASC offers multiple new Book Club books each quarter. We ask that you please choose one selection during the quarter. The TASC Book Club is open to all State Offices of Rural Health and Flex Program Staff (limit one book per state per quarter). Please contact Jere-lyn Fern if you have any questions on this new method for the TASC Book Club or would like to order a book from the selections below.
Lean T hinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation
"In the revised and updated edition of Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation,
authors James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones provide a thoughtful
expansion upon their value-based business system based on the Toyota
model. Along the way they update their action plan in light of new
research and the increasing globalization of manufacturing, and they
revisit some of their key case studies (most of which still derive,
however, from the automotive, aerospace, and other manufacturing
industries). The core of the lean model remains the same in the
new edition. All businesses must define the "value" that they produce
as the product that best suits customer needs. The leaders must then
identify and clarify the "value stream," the nexus of actions to bring
the product through problems solving, information management, and
physical transformation tasks. Next, "lean enterprise" lines up
suppliers with this value stream. "Flow" traces the product across
departments. "Pull" then activates the flow as the business re-orients
towards the pull of the customer's needs. Finally, with the company
reengineered towards its core value in a flow process, the business
re-orients towards "perfection," rooting out all the remaining muda (Japanese for "waste") in the system."
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't
Good to Great : Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't by Jim Collins is a classic and may just be the most quoted book on management ever written. The author asked the question, "Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?" "In Good to Great Collins, concludes that it is possible, but finds there are no silver bullets.
Collins and his team of researchers began their quest by sorting
through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those that made
substantial improvements in their performance over time. Making the transition from
good to great doesn't require a high-profile CEO, the latest
technology, innovative change management, or even a fine-tuned business
strategy. At the heart of those rare and truly great companies was a
corporate culture that rigorously found and promoted disciplined people
to think and act in a disciplined manner. Peppered with dozens of
stories and examples from the great and not so great, the book offers a
well-reasoned road map to excellence that any organization would do
well to consider. Good to Great is one of those books that managers and CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come."
Request Your Copy of one Book Club Book Today! |
Save the Dates
Below please find a list of upcoming events in the next four months. If you have an event that you would like posted, please contact Tracy Morton.
February 26, 2010 North Central Rural Health SummitThe North Central Rural Health Summit will be February 26, 2010 at the Sheraton Sioux Falls and Convention Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Summit is co-sponsored by the Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota Rural Health Associations, the Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, and the Wyoming Office of Rural Health. March 16-18, 2010 Virginia Rural Health SummitThe 2010 Virginia Rural Health Summit will be March 16-18, 2010 at the Institute Conference Center in Danville, Virginia. This event includes a pre-summit on March 16 on rural workforce and a telehealth summit on March 18, 2010. March 17-18, 2010 South Carolina Annual Rural Health ConferenceThe 14th Annual South Carolina Rural Health Conference will be held at the Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, South Carolina from March 17-18, 2010.
March 23, 2010 Northwest Regional Critical Access Hospital Conference
The Northwest Regional Critical Access Hospital Conference will be March 23, 2010 at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park in Spokane, Washington. This conference is produced and supported by state offices of rural health for Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
The Northwest Regional Rural Health Conference will be March 24-25, 2010 at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park in Spokane, Washington. This conference is produced and supported by state offices of rural health for Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. This year's conference is titled "Weathering the Perfect Storm: Challenges & Changes".
March 24-25, 2010 Alabama Rural Health Conference
The Alabama Rural Health Conference will be March 24-25, 2010 at the Marriott Legends at Capitol Hill in Prattville, Alabama.
March 24-26, 2010 NARHC Spring Institute
The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) Spring Institute conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio from March 24-26, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas.
April 13-15, 2010 Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health
The 2010 Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health will be held April 13-15, 2010 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. This year's conference theme is "Health Care in Transition: Creative Strategies".
April 19-21, 2010 Colorado Rural Health Clinics Forum
The Colorado Rural Health Clinics Forum will be held April 19-21, 2010 at the Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast in Denver, Colorado.
April 27-29, 2010 Illinois Rural Health Association Annual Conference
The 21st Illinois Rural Health Association Annual Conference will be held in Effingham, Illinois at the Hilton Garden Inn from April 27-29, 2010.
April 28-30, 2010 Alaska Rural Health Conference
The Alaska Rural Health Conference 2010 will be held April 28-30, 2010 at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska. This year's conference theme is "Sustaining Our Systems of Care: Planning for the Decade Ahead".
May 5-6, 2010 National Meeting on Improving Health Care for Rural Veterans
The 2010 National Meeting on Improving Health Care for Rural Veterans, sponsored by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health, will be May 5-6, 2010 at the Embassy Suites in Portland, Maine.
May 5-7, 2010 Small Rural Hospital Summit
The 2010 Small Rural Hospital Summit will be held May 5-7, 2010 at the Salem Conference Center in Salem, Oregon.
May 6-7, 2010 Michigan Rural Health Conference
The 2010 Michigan Rural Health Conference will be held at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort on May 6-7, 2010 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
May 18, 2010 NRHA Rural Medical Educators Conference
The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Rural Medical Educators Conference 2010 will be May 18, 2010 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia.
May 18-21, 2010 NRHA Annual Rural Health Conference
The 33rd National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Annual Rural Health Conference will be May 18-21, 2010 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia.
May 24-26, 2010 KHA Annual Convention
The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) 81st Annual Convention will be May 24-26, 2010 at the Lexington Center/Hyatt Regency in Lexington, Kentucky.
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