masthead
 June 2014
In This Issue
FEATURE STORY

ACU 2014 ANNUAL MEETING HEALTH IT FORUM

The conference is just three weeks away and we're very excited about the program and speakers! Check out the speakers, the sessions, and the Clinician Heroes we will be recognizing at the conference on our Conference home page.

 

There is still time to register and as an added bonus for our newsletter subscribers, for a limited time you can take 10% off your registration fee by using the discount code: NEWSLETTER. The savings are off the regular price for all the different registration types, so take advantage today!

 

Don't forget to register and reserve your spot at this exciting annual event today! 
Policy & Advocacy

HRSA REORGANIZES WORKFORCE BUREAUS

In an effort to streamline management of the various health workforce programs under its authority, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) formally announced the creation of the Bureau of Health Workforce. This new Bureau, to be led by Rebecca Spitzgo, will combine programs previously run by the Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr) and the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS). The National Health Service Corps program will be managed within the new Office of Health Careers, with the intention of enabling the program to be better coordinated with other health workforce programs under Titles VII and VIII. Kimberly Kleine, the current head of BCRS, is slated to be the head of the new Health Careers Office. ACU is hopeful that the changes will improve the coordination among the various workforce programs.

 

SENATE CONFIRMS NEW HHS SECRETARY

The Senate has confirmed Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be the nation's new health secretary and steward of the president's health care law. The 78-17 vote was a bipartisan show of support for the veteran government manager who most recently served as President Barack Obama's budget director. Despite a strong finish to open enrollment this year, HealthCare.gov is still dealing with unresolved issues ranging from possibly inaccurate insurance payments, to e-commerce basics. Burwell will have to act quickly to head off more insurance chaos this fall.

 

SENATE SCHEDULES LABOR, HHS SPENDING BILL

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS and Education has scheduled consideration of the the FY15 spending bill for next Tuesday, June 10th, 2:30 p.m., in 124 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The audio of the markup will be live streamed at that time.

 

WAKEFIELD TESTIFIES BEFORE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS

Once HHS Secretary Sebelius announced her departure, HHS opted to send several agency heads to testify on the FY15 budget request instead of the departing secretary. Among the group was HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield who reiterated the Administration's support for the continuation and expansion of the National Health Service Corps program. Several senators expressed concern about not hearing from Secretary Sebelius herself, but that argument is over now that Burwell has been confirmed.

 

FDA PROPOSED RULE ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a "deeming" rule to bring more tobacco products under its authority at the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) in an effort to improve public health. (deadline, July 9th)

 

FDA PROPOSES NEW NUTRITION LABELING
The FDA has proposed to update the nutrition facts and serving sizes labeling for packaged foods to reflect the latest scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. (deadline extended until August 1st)
 
Clinical News & Resources

CARBON RULES COULD CUT ASTHMA COSTS

The Obama administration's plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants could help poor and minority communities that disproportionately suffer the health consequences of exposure to air pollutants.  Read more here.

 

TELEMEDICINE DETECTS EYE PROBLEMS, BUT DOCTORS MUST PREPARE FOR MORE PATIENTS

Setting up a telemedicine screening option for patients in primary care clinics can catch many potential eye problems early on. Read more here.

 

PROVIDER SHORTAGE CITED IN DELAYS AT VA HOSPITALS

In Washington, the number of lawmakers in Congress calling for the resignation of Eric Shinseki, the Veterans Affairs secretary, grew by late Thursday to nearly 100 - including almost a dozen Democrats - as President Obama prepared to receive an internal audit on Friday from Mr. Shinseki assessing the breadth of misconduct at veterans hospitals. Read more here.

 

WHEN HOSPITAL WORKERS GET VACCINES, COMMUNITY FLU RATES FALL, STUDY SHOWS

For every 15 healthcare providers who receive the influenza vaccination, one fewer person in the community will contract an influenza-like illness, according to a study using California public health data. Read more here.

 

HISPANICS CUT MEDICATION ADHERENCE GAP AFTER MEDICARE PART D LAUNCH 

After the 2006 launch of Medicare's prescription drug benefit, Hispanics reduced the gap for taking prescribed heart medicines by more than 15 percentage points. Hispanics, African-Americans and white Medicare participants all improved medication adherence after Part D, with whites continuing to have the highest adherence rate. African-Americans in Medicare appear to have fallen further behind in medication adherence. Read more here.

 

CHICAGO SUES OVER OPIOD RISKS

The City of Chicago sued several pharmaceutical companies for "misrepresenting the benefits of opioids, a class of highly addictive narcotic painkillers, and concealing the serious health risks associated with these drugs. This deception has led to an increase in prescription painkiller abuse, addiction and overdose that plagues communities in Chicago and in other cities across the country."  Click here for a copy of the City's news release.  This follows the filing of a similar lawsuit by Orange and Santa Clara (CA) counties in May.

 

LATEST CMS DATA DROP SHOWS REGIONAL VARIATION IN SPENDING ON INPATIENT, POST-ACUTE CARE

The CMS' release of per capita spending for Medicare beneficiaries shows that some states, particularly in the South, Midwest and mid-Atlantic, are spending significantly more on inpatient and post-acute care than Northern and Western states. Read more here.

Member's Updates

MAY JOURNAL NOW AVAILABLE! 

The May 2014 issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved is now available in print and online! This silver issue opens with a fascinating reflection on health care delivery in the U.S., including the impact of Disparities in Contraceptive Care, an ACU provided column that discusses health disparities in reproductive health and its history. In the article the researches aim to investigate the social, economic, and cultural influences that affect reproductive health and the role of providers in helping patients overcome barriers. Use this link to see the table of contents for the issue. Or, you can download the column to read more: "Disparities in Contraceptive Care."

 

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: ACU SEEKING JOURNAL ARTICLES

journal

In each issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, ACU publishes a column from the field on timely issues in the delivery of health care for the underserved. If you ever wanted an opportunity to publish your work in a nationally-recognized journal, now is your time to act!

 

Please send your abstract of your proposed article to [email protected] by June 20.  Abstracts should be 250 words or less, with the full article (if selected) to be closer to 2,500 words. Priority will be given to those reflecting the general theme of the November Journal edition: Women's Health. 

 

Careers

ACU Career Center

Apply for 1,336 Jobs from 819 Employers hiring today in the ACU Career Center, including these:

There are many opportunities for primary care physicians in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and more. Search the ACU Career Center today.  

Conferences and Webinars
This is a partial listing of upcoming conferences and webinars. For a more complete list, visit the ACU website.

  

June 5 - Beneficial Practices for Improving Biosurveillance: Prioritizing your Biosurveillance Enhancements, webinar Sponsored by UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health 

 

June 6 - First Friday Google+ Hangout - 2014 Health Datapalooza, Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 

 

June 6 - The Value of Health Screening, Sponsored by Healthcare Leadership Council

 

June 11One-on-One with Mitch Zeller, Director of the Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco ProductsSponsored by Legacy  

 

June 17Mapping and Matching with the New Vulnerable & At-Risk Populations Resource Guide, Sponsored by the North Carolina Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  
 
June 18Health Beyond Health CareSponsored by The Washington Post 
 
June 25-27Delivery Quality Care for the UnderservedAnnual Meeting of the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved 

 

{Save the Date}

July 15 - Faces of Austerity: How Budget Cuts Compromise America's Health, Sponsored by the Coalition for Health Funding (ACU speaker on panel)

 

PARTNER CONFERENCE - National Network on Oral Health Access (NNOHA)

Registration is now open for the National Primary Oral Health Conference"Building the Oral Health Foundation for Primary Care". The conference is August 17-20, 2014 at the Coronado Springs Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The conference is the best opportunity to share and learn quality improvement best practices, obtain clinical and administrative continuing education credits, and attend sessions on emerging oral health issues. View the draft agenda here.

 

Register today and we'll see you at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort this summer.

 

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