This Week in CHCACTion
April 9, 2018
This Week in CHCACTivities
Kelly Halkyard
Clinical Excellence Quality Improvement Advisor
Last Thursday, April 5th, the Connecticut Practice Transformation Network (PTN) held its quarterly Quality Forum. This event, attended by sixty people from 16 health centers, focused on Care Coordination at the health centers: who is doing it, what exactly they are doing, and the sustainability of such activities in the future. We were very lucky to hear from Dr. Karen Funk, CMS Faculty and Vice President of Clinical Services from Clinica Family Health. Dr. Funk gave the audience a national perspective on care management and discussed her own strategies at Clinica Family Health, a health center located in Colorado. Later in the day, she also presented on strategies to implement Return on Investment (ROI) calculations related to care coordination. Research has demonstrated that implementing care coordination distributes the workload – improving joy in the workplace and reducing turnover. For every MD that does not turn over in a year, $1 Million is saved – money that can be pumped back into care coordination efforts (IHI Joy in Medicine White Paper, 2017).
The CHCACT PTN Team was grateful to have a panel of health center staff discuss their robust care coordination programs. Nelly Angah (Optimus Health Care), Pam Fox (Cornell Scott-Hill Health) Judith Gaudet (Generations Family Health Center) and Colleen Rankine (First Choice) shared their experiences implementing care coordination. Their programs are different, but all strive to connect the patient to necessary services.
This Quality Forum event is one of many that works to establish and foster relationships between staff from health centers across the state. One of the strongest assets we have in Connecticut is utilizing the knowledge and experience of our peers, especially when it comes to Transitioning to Value Based Care as a health center. Below is a photo from the forum.
Our next Quality Forum will be in June 2018. Feel free to get in touch for more information!
This Week in Social Media
Happy National Service Recognition Day! CHCACT is proud of our three @AmeriCorps alumni, who continue to #MakeADifference through their work with our state's community health centers! #NationalServiceWorks @NationalService@CTHealthCenters) April 3, 2018.
This Week in Funding Opportunities
| Opportunity | Due Date | Link |
|---|---|---|
| HRSA Oral Health Infrastructure
The Oral Health Infrastructure supplemental funding will support one-time infrastructure enhancements that enhance new or existing high quality, integrated oral health services in health centers. |
5/21/2019 | Details |
| Connecticut Healthy Communities Project
The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health is seeking proposals to implement community-wide health promotion activities for the Connecticut Healthy Communities Project (CT HCP). Selected applicants will facilitate implementation of food service guidelines (FSGs) in community settings and worksites to increase the availability of healthier foods and coordinate with DPH to promote breastfeeding. |
5/29/2019 | Details |
| Youth Engagement in Sports: Collaboration to Improve Adolescent Physical Activity and Nutrition (YES Initiative)
The YES Initiative seeks to support projects that address the HHS priority to expand youth participation in sports and encourage regular physical activity, especially for youth populations with lower rates of sports participation and communities with limited access to athletic facilities or recreational areas. |
5/31/2019 | Details |
| Centering Healthcare Institute Implementation Awards
The Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) looks to expand access to the Centering model of group healthcare in communities where group care can have the greatest impact. With this expansion, CHI has developed a program offering implementation support and facilitation training to 130 eligible sites – primarily in FQHCs and community health centers – eliminating the financial barrier to those in resource-limited communities. CenteringParenting is the focus of this initiative. Please note that this is not a monetary award, but the granting of in-kind services. |
5/31/2019 | Details |
This Week in Health Policy News
Here is a sampling of health policy news from around the state. If you see something in your local newspaper that you would like featured here in future weeks, please contact Deb Polun at dpolun@chcact.org. Check out all the Health Policy News from the past month here!
4.4.18 Hartford Business Journal — Wheeler Clinic Gets $100K for Children’s Dental Health
4.6.18 Fairfield County Business Journal — St. Vincent’s, CT Children’s Pair Up for Neonatal ICU Services
4.6.18 CT Health Notes Blog — Smart CT Medicaid Smoking Cessation Coverage
4.5.18 New Haven Register — Crowd Turns Out to Slam New Haven Mayor’s Tax Hike Plan
4.4.18 CT NewsJunkie — Obamacare Enrollment Nationwide Holds Steady, Poll Shows Majority Will Buy in 2019
4.8.18 USA Today — Warning – Vaping Teens Becoming New Generation of Nicotine Addicts
4.7.18 NY Times — The Disappearing Doctor: How Mega-Mergers Are Changing the Business of Medical Care
4.7.18 NY Times — Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit
4.5.18 New Haven Independent — East Shore Sounds Off on Prescription Costs
4.4.18 CT Viewpoints — Now is the Time for Addiction Treatment Solutions That Work
4.4.18 Kaiser Health News — Older Americans Are Hooked on Vitamins Despite Scarce Evidence They Work
4.3.18 Stat — Custom Meals Could Help Curb Hospital Stays for People with Chronic Disease
