Issue: #4, May 2012
In this issue


CCBC in the Spotlight
Events of Note
As of May 23, 2012

For the Latest on txt4health


For the Latest CCBC News


Team Approach The Crescent City Beacon Community initiative represents an unprecedented level of cooperation across organizations, sectors and disciplines in Louisiana. In order to ensure success, partners contribute to every phase of the development and implementation of CCBC interventions.

For a full list of partners, click here.

PCMH Summit Offers Practical Steps to Achieving Transformation

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, in conjunction with the newly established Louisiana Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) Institute, hosted the Achieving Practice Transformation Summit April 16 and 17 at the Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel. The purpose of the summit was to provide guidance in the process of transitioning to a Patient-Centered Medical Home, a daunting task if attempted alone. The summit attracted more than 100 primary care providers, public health leaders, trade association members, and other primary care transformation stakeholders.

The Louisiana PCMH Institute is a public-private partnership formed to bolster medical home delivery across the state. Its membership includes the Louisiana Primary Care Association, the Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum, the Department of Health and Hospitals, the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians, the Louisiana Rural Health Association and Blue Cross, and the Louisiana Public Health Institute.

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Txt4health Begins its College Initiative

The txt4health initiative continues its outreach efforts, most recently with a focus on college-age students who are a key demographic (ages 18-24). The goal is to reach students before they adopt poor behaviors that can put them at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes. On-campus events took place at Dillard University, Xavier University, Tulane University and Loyola University and garnered more than 160 students enrolling in txt4health.

Sites for future events include Delgado Community College and University of New Orleans.

In addition to enrollment events, txt4health is working with fraternities and sororities to raise awareness about type2 diabetes and to assist in promoting the program.


Administrative Committee Formed to Guide CCBC Health Information Technology Solution

An Administrative Committee for the GNOHIE has been formed, for the purpose of recommending administrative policy and engaging in organizational planning related to the CCBC Health Information Technology Solution (CCBC HITS). CCBC HITS is being developed to support community health interventions related to the CCBC mission.

This Administrative Committee is the first step in creating a permanent governance structure for the CCBC HITS infrastructure. It is envisioned as a balance of medical and administrative leadership representing the organizations participating as early adopters in the CCBC HITS, with each member assigning a representative to the Administrative Committee.

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CCBC HIT Pilot in Full Swing; Launch Scheduled for Summer 2012

The Greater New Orleans Health Information Exchange (GNOHIE), the community-shared HIT infrastructure that will facilitate care coordination and chronic disease management by enhancing data sharing and process linkages across health systems with the goal of improving the quality of care at the population level, is making strides in the pilot phase and gearing up for the full implementation scheduled for late July, 2012.

The GNOHIE connects health information systems of community health clinics and hospitals, respectively, to allow seamless exchange of health information in a HIPAA-compliant, secure manner to benefit patient care while maintaining privacy and confidentiality of personal health information.

The organizations participating in the pilot phase, specifically for Emergency Department (ED)/ Inpatient Notification, are Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, NO/AIDS Task Force, Tulane Community Health Center, and the Interim LSU Hospital (ILH).

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As one of 17 communities chosen to participate in the Beacon Community Grant Program of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the Crescent City Beacon Community (CCBC) was awarded $13 million over three years to strengthen local health information technology (HIT) infrastructure. Several major hospitals, public health agencies and community-based primary care providers are currently participating in this historic effort convened by the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI).

The Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) is a statewide, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1997 that serves as a partner and convener to improve population-level health outcomes. We are part of a growing movement of public health institutes across the country. Our mission is to promote and improve health and quality of life through diverse public-private partnerships with government, foundations, academia, community groups and private businesses at the community, parish and state levels. LPHI coordinates and manages public health programs and initiatives in the areas of health systems development and health promotion/disease prevention and provides an array of services to help meet the needs of local and national partner organizations.

For more information visit www.lphi.org or www.crescentcitybeacon.org or contact us.