A Note from MHBE regarding CAC

As you know Maryland Health Connection is a new system this year.

The paper applications that were used last year to accommodate a less than desirable system, are obsolete and should be destroyed. 

The new process for the new paper applications are reserved for the extreme cases and the steps are as follows; 

• blank form is sent to the requester
• consumer information is entered on the form
• the form is returned to the vendor
• the vendor enters this same information into a system 
• the form is assigned a bar code
• the form is processed 

As you may think, this takes about two weeks. This is not recommended if at all possible.

Therefore the most expedient way to assist the consumer is to enter the information on-line through the Maryland Health Connection. 

We are still getting last year's paper applications, please get this information out as soon as possible.

Contact: Jody Hartzell

Application Counselor Sponsoring Entity, Program Manager

t-410-547-8158

jody.hartzell@maryland.gov

Maryland--Call Center Note:

Direct Line for Navigators and CAC to MHBE Call Center--Regarding the Call Center # 844-224-6762 It should be noted that: If you need customer assistance from the call center, CAC's should call this number.

 Federal Surplus Personal Property Program 

AHRQ's Health Care Innovations Exchange Focuses on Advancing Patient- and Family-Centered Care in Hospitals

Health Center Staffing Patterns a Model?

A study published in Health Affairs reveals how non-physician staff can contribute to productivity.  Researchers examined medical staffing patterns and how staff contribute to productivity at Community Health Centers across the United States. They identified four different staffing patterns: typical, high advanced-practice staff, high nursing staff, and high other medical staff. Overall, they found that in terms of productivity per staff everyone was at the same level. Productivity can affect a lot at a health care organization in terms of personnel costs and patient visits, and overall efficiency. But researchers concluded that while physicians make the greatest contributions to productivity, advanced-practice staff, nurses, and other medical staff also contribute. Interestingly, the study underscores the value of team based care.  

Studies Find Primary Care Health Risk Assessment Tool Lacks Patients' Support and Increases Visit Times

Two AHRQ-funded studies that examined the use of a health risk assessment tool in primary care found that the tool may be able to identify behavioral and psychological health risks and lead to improved counseling and behavioral change, and that assessments could be implemented in routine care. However, the studies also found that patients were generally unwilling to discuss their risk factors and that counseling by clinicians would require an additional 28 minutes per patient visit as well as additional staff time. The first study measured patients' readiness for behavior change to improve their health, desire to discuss their health risks and perceived importance of 13 health risk factors identified in the assessment, known as the My Own Health Report. The second study evaluated whether primary care practices could implement My Own Health Report, typically electronically, as part of providing routine care. The study and abstract titled Frequency and Prioritization of Patient Health Risks from a Structured Health Risk Assessment and the study and abstract titled "Adoption, Reach, Implementation and Maintenance of a Behavioral and Mental Health Assessment in Primary Care" appeared in the November/December 2014 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Easy-to-Understand Medicine Instructions Available From AHRQ in Six Languages 

Register Now: January 28 AHRQ Webinar on Meeting Stage 3 Meaningful Use Objectives

AHRQ is hosting a webinar January 28 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. ET on meeting Stage 3 Meaningful Use Objectives. This presentation will outline findings from research on Meaningful Use of clinical decision support, care coordination and electronic health records in pediatric primary care settings. Determination of continuing medical education credit with the American Academy of Family Physicians is pending. Registration is open.