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GRHA Newsletter  Week of August 2, 2013    www.grhainfo.org    [email protected]    478-552-3620

Georgia Rural Health Association (GRHA) is the oldest state rural health association in the country. Founded in 1981, this nonprofit network of healthcare providers, educators, and individuals is united in its commitment to improve the health and healthcare services of rural Georgians. Join now!

FY 2013 GRHA Board of Directors

President

Denise Kornegay

Immediate Past President

Sallie Barker

President Elect

Ann Addison

Vice- President

Shelly Spires

Treasurer

Sheila Freeman

Secretary

Laura Bland Gillman

Board Members

Carla Belcher

Tim Trottier

Mary Mathis

Sue Nieman

Charles Owens

Chris Parker

Chuck Adams

Paula Guy

Monty M. Veazey

Joseph Barrow

Robert J. Briscione

Matt Caseman 

 

Meet our Board of Directors

 

GRHA Corporate Members

 

Platinum Corporate Sponsor PPHS

 

 

Peach State Health Plan 

  

 

GACH   

 

 

 

Blue Cross Blue Shield 

 

Coca Cola 


   

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gaphc  

 

 

 

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Al-GA Rural Health Clinic Conference Free Webinar Series: 
Rural Health Clinic Compliance and Regulations  

  

Aug 20, 2013 at 10:00 AM CDT and 11:00 AM EDT

 

Registration


Robin M. VeltKamp of Health Services Associates will present information for Rural Health Clinics addressing the following objectives: 

- RHC certification/recertification 
- Clinic survey readiness/J Tags defined 
- Staff involvement during an onsite survey 
- Items not specified in J Tags that you need to be aware of 
- Variables within Georgia and Alabama 
- Local/State guidelines 
- Independent and Provider Based 
- Tools for use in clinic preparedness  

- Follow up after survey  

- Understanding the Plan of Correction  

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Free GRHA archived webinars are available for viewing:




11/14/2012 
  
2013 County Health Rankings


RAC 

Funding And Opportunties

August Health Observances




For those who want to stay up to date through social networks, please like the Georgia Rural Health Association Facebook page and follow us on Twitter! 

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GRHA circulates state and national news as an information service only. Inclusion of information is not intended as an endorsement.

Please join us for the 
2013 GRHA Annual Conference 
in Savannah!

Keynote Speakers


Georgia Department of Community Health Commissioner 
Clyde L. Reese III, Esq


James A. Hotz, M.D., M.A.C.P.
Dr. Hotz was an inspiration for the novel (and subsequent movie) Doc Hollywood.

Desoto Hilton, Savannah
October 21-23
1-912-232-9000
Conference room rate is $140.00. Please use the group code GRH to make your reservation.
 


Ga insurance commish approves Obamacare premiums 

By 
MORRIS NEWS SERVICE - published Thursday, August 1, 2013

ATLANTA - Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens announced Thursday that he approved the premiums submitted by five health insurers for inclusion in the state's federally-run health insurance exchange, even though he considered them too high.

 

Hudgens had sought an emergency extension on Wednesday's deadline from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, but she refused.

 

"Yesterday, after not receiving a response to my request for a 30-day delay from the secretary of Health and Human Services, I was left with no viable option but to accept the filings for the federally-facilitated Georgia exchange. Although not surprised, I am disappointed in the unresponsiveness of the Obama administration," said Hudgens, a Republican who was elected on a platform opposing the Affordable Care Act, a federal health reform law also known as Obamacare.


Can critical access hospitals properly treat seriously ill patients

Emmet Pierce

Using Medicare data for more than 10 million patients, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health recently found that beneficiaries with certain acute conditions at rural critical access hospitals -- facilities with limited medical services -- experienced higher death rates than patients in urban hospitals.

 

The study used data from Medicare fee-for-service patients admitted for heart attacks, congestive heart failure and pneumonia between 2002 and 2010. It concluded that those patients may not be getting the level of care they need in order to recover.

 

Researchers say health care workers at small, critical access hospitals (CAHs) should work more closely with specialists in urban centers and establish better plans for collaborating and coordinating care.

 
Consumer Reports study looks at surgery mortality, complication rates
 
"Teaching hospitals on average did not do any better than other hospitals included in the rankings, and rural hospitals did better than other hospitals."
 
By 

MICHELLE CASTILLO /

CBS NEWS/ July 31, 2013, 2:00 PM 
 

A Consumer Reports study shows that some well-known hospitals may not do better or as well as smaller hospitals when it comes to surgery.

  

For the first time, Consumer Reports ranked U.S. hospitals based on how patients do during and after surgery. The organization looked at 27 categories for scheduled surgeries and individual ratings for five specific procedure types: back surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement, angioplasty (widening narrows or obstructed arteries) and carotid artery surgery.

  

The data was based on an analysis of billing claims that hospitals submitted to Medicare from 2009 to 2011. The patients were 65 and older, and 2,463 hospitals were included across the country. The rankings were based on mortality rates after surgery and extended periods of hospital stay because of surgical complications.

  

Read more

 
Obama Administration Launches One-Stop-Shop Website to Educate Business Owners About the Affordable Care Act

http://business.usa.gov/healthcare
Mark Your Calendar

   

 

 

2nd Annual Medical Recruitment Fair

Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals

August 23-25, 2013

Lake Lanier Islands Resort

Buford, Georgia

Registration

 

30th Annual Georgia Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates Conference:

September 20-22, 2013
Evergreen Marriott Resort
Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083
4021 Lakeview Drive 

1st Annual Wound Care Conference
River City Wound and Ostomny Group
October 30, 2013
Columbus Regional Conference Center
710 Center Street
Columbus, GA 31901
More Information

Matt Caseman 
GRHA