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JHCPU Online access to the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved is an ACU member benefit. Click the image to learn more about JHCPU.
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January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. New resources now available include toolkits, PSA's, preventive brochures and more! Learn More
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Erin Sullivan, DNP, an ACU member from Athens, Georgia, was the lucky winner of the iPad2 gift card drawing held in conjunction with our membership renewal campaign. A computer program selected her name at random from the more than 200 members who joined or renewed their membership by December 31st. Congratulations, Erin!
Dr. Sullivan is a family nurse practitioner at the Athens Nurses Clinic, which provides free health and dental care to no/low income, uninsured individuals in Athens-Clarke County and Northeast Georgia. She also teaches in the family nurse practitioner program at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA. Dr. Sullivan learned about ACU through the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved during her doctoral program. Her research focus was on on diabetes management in the uninsured.
If you have not yet joined or renewed, don't hesitate. The sooner you act, the sooner you become eligible for a host of benefits that only ACU members can access. You can join or renew online or call 1-800-548-1784.
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Visit TobaccoFree
 ACU would like your feedback on a new website called TobaccoFree. The goal of the website is to provide you with the information, tools and resources you need to improve your tobacco cessation practices. You will find staff protocols, treatment guidelines and links to resources to help you provide better care for tobacco users.
The first 100 visitors to the site who complete this short questionnaire about their user experience will receive a small gift card.
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ACU Collaborates on health IT conference
 Las Vegas, Nevada is the site of the 2012 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, Feb. 20-24, at the Venetian Sands Expo Center. 30,000 healthcare industry professionals and 900 exhibitors are expected to attend and discuss cutting-edge technology and innovative healthcare solutions designed to improve patient care.
ACU is proud to be a collaborator at this annual event. Key issues to be addressed at HIMSS12 include; achieving meaningful use and ICD-10 compliance, mobile technologies, clinical and business intelligence, cloud computing and connected health. Leading keynote speakers, more than 400 education sessions and innovative exhibits offering healthcare delivery solutions round out the conference.
ACU members can take $255 off the registration price, if you register by January 23. Choose the "collaborator" rate on the conference registration page. Students may register for just $120. More details available on the HIMSS 12 conference website.
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Pfizer offers Chantix discounts
Pfizer is offering coupons that reduce the cost of a Chantix prescription by $30. You can download the coupons at www.Chantix.com. In selected states, including Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, and Pennsylvania, Pfizer offers coupons that reduce the out-of-pocket cost of all monthly Chantix prescriptions to $40 (up to $75 savings). In Oklahoma, Ohio and Washington, a coupon is available to reduce the out-of-pocket cost of the first month of Chantix to $40. Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply. Details are available online.
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Easy moves for the workplace
No time to work out? You don't need a gym; instead, try to incorporate these 12 moves that can easily be done at work. The series was developed to help get people moving without using any special equipment. Most of the moves involve getting the lower body moving, which helps burn more calories. You can view a short video to see how to do each move or download and print a free poster for your workplace.
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Conferences and E-Learning
Jan. 12, 2-3 P.M. ET, Removing Barriers to Better Health and Better Care with Medical-Legal Partnerships, a free audio program sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Register here.
Jan. 19 - 21, Health Action 2012, a health advocacy conference sponsored by Families USA in Washington, D.C. See full announcement.
Jan. 20, 2 P.M. ET, Health IT: Tips For Engaging Safety Net Patients Using Health IT, Register online.
Feb. 1, 2 P.M. ET, Connecting Health and Housing Programs: Collaborative Efforts to Improve Asthma Outcomes, a free webinar featuring Margaret Reid from the Boston Public Health Commission and Amanda Reddy from the Healthy Neighborhoods Program. Register here.
Feb. 20-24, the 2012 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition at the Venetian Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. ACU members qualify for reduced cost registration. To claim your discount, chose the "collaborator" rate on the registration form.
Feb. 28 - 29, Facilitating PCMH Recognition, a training seminar offered by NCQA at the Westin Galleria Dallas in
Dallas, TX. Early bird registration discount available through January 27.
April 30, first annual National Primary Care Conference on Aging sponsored by the National Center for Health and the Aging at the Westin Hotel in Alexandria, VA. ACU's Lois Wessel, CFNP, will present on health literacy, medication management and the elderly.
May 1 - 3, Health Care for Residents of Public Housing National Training Conference at the Westin in Alexandria, VA. ACU's Lois Wessel, CFNP, will present on smoking cessation for residents in public housing.
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Videos stars: fruits and vegetables
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The winners of the My Plate Fruits and Vegetables Video Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture were announced recently. There were 14 winners and $9,000 in prize money awarded. The goal of the challenge was to create inspiring and instructive videos that will help others eat more fruits and veggies and raise awareness of the importance of a balanced diet on a budget. Click the link to view one of our favorites, or view all of the winning entries (and others) online.
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SAMHSA defines 'Recovery'
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is issuing a new definition of recovery from mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders. The definition is the product of a yearlong effort by SAMSHA and a variety of partners in the behavioral health field. Read more online.
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ACU member named to IOM Committee
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Laurie Francis, BSN, MS
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Laurie Francis, BSN, MS, has been appointed to the Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Health Literacy representing ACU. The Roundtable brings together leaders from academia, industry, government, foundations and associations, and representatives of patient and consumer interests who work to improve health literacy.
Health literacy is central to improving health outcomes, Ms. Francis says. "Our clinic assessments revealed that 50 percent of clients suffer from diminished health literacy levels, so it surprises me that we treat it as an isolated condition." Instead, she says, "I would like to see the concept fully imbedded in patient-centered conversations, motivational interviewing, patient self-management goal setting, and patient activation."
Ms. Francis currently serves as senior director of clinical excellence and operations for the Oregon Primary Care Association. She was a founder of Community Health Partners, Inc., a FQHC in Livingston, MT, where she served as chief executive officer. During this time she published research linking limited literacy to depression. She has served on an ACU advisory committee and has been actively involved in ACU's work on health literacy and primary care, including developing training modules in health literacy for the primary care teams. Ms. Francis replaces Sharon Barrett, MS, who previously served as ACU's representative to the Roundtable.
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More ACU members in the news
ACU member Deborah Nuber, director of operations at Zufall Health Center in Dover, NJ, was the recipient of an ACU-Kaiser Permanente Scholarship to attend the National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care annual meeting in Orlando, FL in December.
Ms. Nuber said the conference offered up both motivation and inspiration. "Of particular benefit to me," she said, "was the safety net panel discussion which provided real time specific actions that could be implemented almost immediately to measure patient care improvements." Something as simple as a "diabetes clinic appointment card" can be an important tool for making sure patients are utilizing all of the clinic's services.
Zufall Health Center is a small federally qualified health center serving a predominately Black and Hispanic population, 70 percent of whom are uninsured. In addition, Zufall has received funding to focus on homeless individuals, public housing residents and migrant and seasonal farm workers.
The ACU-KP scholarships will continue to be available in 2012 for ACU members to attend conferences sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. For information on applying for a scholarship, visit the ACU website.
 Nancy Sanger Pallesen, executive director of the Arlington (Va) Free Clinic was named a 2012 Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine. One of eight local leaders named this year, Nancy was recognized for her commitment to public health and her steadfast efforts to create and sustain the only clinic providing free health care to low-income uninsured adults in Arlington. Congratulations Nancy!
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Featured jobs in the ACU Career Center
Physician, AtlantiCare, Atlantic City, NJ.Board certified or board eligible primary care or family medicine. FT, Monday through Friday.
Psychiatrist, Institute for Family Health, New York, NY.Board Certified or Eligible in Psychiatry; MD or DO Academic Degree or Psychiatry Fellowship in process. NYS Medical License and NYS Registration Certification required.
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Patient-centered outcomes research
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Methodology Committee has issued a Request for Information on their draft Translation Framework Components. Click here to learn more. To help ACU gauge members' interest and involvement in patient-centered research, please send a copy of your comments to KathieW@clinicans.org.
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Pediatric 'nature champions' sought
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is seeking clinicians to serve as Nature Champions to their communities and help build capacity among other pediatric providers to be leaders in prescribing outdoor activities to children. Through a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, NEEF is expanding the program to seven children's forests around the country. Training and materials will be provided. To learn more, visit the NEEF Children and Nature Initiative web page. If interested, please email Leyla McCurdy, lmccurdy@neefusa.org.
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Nominations sought
The Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy is seeking applicants for the 2012 E Pluribus Unum Prizes, a national awards program that provides $50,000 prizes annually to exceptionally successful immigrant integration initiatives. The program highlights and rewards outstanding efforts that help immigrants and their children join the mainstream of US society or that bring immigrants and the native born together to build stronger, more cohesive communities. The application is open to individuals, nonprofit and community organizations, businesses, religious groups, and government entities, agencies, or officials operating in the United States. Application deadline: March 15. |
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Kick Butts day funding available
 United Health Foundation is offering minigrants of $500 and $1,000 to help support local Kick Butts Day events on March 21, 2012. The application deadline is January 27. Get details on how to apply here. You can also download a free 2012 Kick Butts Day Guide.
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