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Contents: |
MONTHLY UPDATE:
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Our mission |
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MDH/ORHPC News |
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Changes to the guidelines for the J-1 visa waiver program will take effect October 1. The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) clarified requirements and added definitions and a section for Flex 5 waivers for facilities outside of designated shortage areas to the Web site. If you are an administrator looking for physician candidates on J-1 visas, contact Lorry Colaizy at (651) 201-3851 or lawrence.colaizy@state.mn.us. Whether you are already part of a designated trauma hospital or haven’t even considered designation—the Minnesota Trauma Manager seminar is for you. Over the two years that the Minnesota Statewide Trauma System has been helping hospitals become designated as trauma centers, we have learned about the common challenges that hospitals face and some great ways to overcome those challenges. We want to share those experiences with you. Meet experts from rural and urban trauma hospitals. Information on the seminar, being offered at six locations, is online. The Minnesota Department of Health launched the Minnesota Health Reform Initiative Web site to help health professionals, providers and consumers learn more about the health care reform legislation passed during the 2008 session. The site includes components of the health reform package, including the Statewide Health Improvement Program, health care homes, payment reform, insurance coverage and more. The Web site also includes information on the work groups created by the legislation, which will begin meeting this fall. The site will include meeting dates, agendas and working documents. The Rural Assistance Center Health Update highlighted two Minnesota success stories covered on the Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care Successful Models Web site. Read about Northeast Minnesota Area Health Education Center Iron Range Health Occupations Today and the Trauma Nursing Core Course, other successes, and add your own Minnesota success story online. A Minnesota Department of Health Web site will help health professionals, providers and consumers learn more about the electronic prescribing legislation passed during the 2008 session. The site will include information on the 2011 e-prescribing requirement, standards and the e-Prescribing workgroup, which will begin meeting this fall. For more information contact Mick Hawton at (651) 201-3598 or michael.hawton@state.mn.us or Anne Schloegel at (651) 201-3580 or anne.schloegel@state.mn.us. The Minnesota Department of Health is deleting the word “health” from all staff email addresses. Please change the ending of email addresses you use for Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care staff from @health.state.mn.us to @state.mn.us. |
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ORHPC staff NEWS |
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Kristen Tharaldson and Karen Welle, along with Mary Jo Chipendale, director of the Minnesota Department of Health Maternal and Child Health section, hosted three visitors from Vietnam under the U.S. Department of State Visitor Leadership Program. The delegation was particularly interested in rural issues and women's and children's issues. Craig Baarson, Doug Benson, Deb Jahnke, Mark Schoenbaum and Lee Schutz attended the Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers’ Minnesota Health Center Week: Celebrating Health Care Heroes reception and program in August. Last month ORHPC Flex Coordinator Judy Bergh toured Albany Area Hospital, Glacial Ridge Hospital (Glenwood Glencoe Regional Health Services, Perham Memorial Hospital and Sanford Canby Medical Center, Tri-County Hospital in Wadena) and discussed Critical Access Hospital issues. She also held a mock survey and quality improvement discussion with staff at Hendricks Community Hospital. Judy asks other Critical Access Hospitals to schedule a visit by contacting her at judith.bergh@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3843. Craig Baarson participated in the Minnesota Asian Health Disparities Forum in August at the Lao Cultural Center. |
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ORHPC Grants and loans |
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The Loan Forgiveness Program for health professionals fiscal year 2010 applications are online or contact Amy Vallery at amy.vallery@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3870. The 2009 e-Health Grant Program applications are due September 5. Eligible applicants include community e-health collaboratives, community clinics and regional or community-based health information exchange organizations. Funding is targeted to rural and medically underserved areas. Information is online or contact Anne Schloegel at (651) 201-3850 or anne.schloegel@state.mn.us. Rural Hospital Planning and Transition Grant applications are due September 15. The grants help small rural hospitals preserve access or respond to changing conditions. Hospitals have used transition grants to prepare strategic plans, implement new uses for hospital space and develop community services. Information is online or contact Doug Benson at (651) 201-3842 or doug.benson@state.mn.us. The Electronic Health Record Loan Program provides no-interest six-year loans to help finance the installation or support of interoperable health record systems. Funding is available to community clinics, rural hospitals, physician clinics in towns under 50,000, nursing facilities, and other health care providers. Information is online or contact Anne Schloegel at (651) 201-3850 or anne.schloegel@state.mn.us. The 2009 Community Clinic Grant Program pre-application is available. The program provides funding to plan, establish or operate services to improve the ongoing viability of Minnesota’s rural and urban clinic-based safety net providers. Grants help clinics serve people with low incomes, reduce current or future uncompensated care burdens, or improve care delivery infrastructure. Because of limited funding, applicants must submit pre-applications by 4 p.m. on October 3, 2008 and the strongest of these will be invited to submit a final application. The pre-application and final application guidance are available online or contact Deb Jahnke at debra.jahnke@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3845. Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant Program applications will be available online October 6 or contact Doug Benson at (651) 201-3842 or doug.benson@state.mn.us for more information. |
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Other grants and loans |
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Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program applications are due October 16. This program encourages public and nonprofit entities to develop new and innovative health care delivery systems in rural communities that lack essential care services. The program emphasizes service delivery through collaboration, requiring the grantee to form a consortium with at least two additional partners. Traditional Community Clinic Grant applications are due September 12 for the Healthier Minnesota Community Clinic Fund. The funding of projects up to three years is for initiatives that demonstrate the ability to ensure access and improve the quality of primary health care. Contact Kristen Gloege at (612) 599-1921 for more information. |
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snapshot |
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Age of Active Minnesota Registered Nurses More than one of five (23 percent) active Minnesota registered nurses (RN) are 55 or older, but the largest group is aged 45 to 54. The percentage of RNs under age 35 was 21 percent in 2007, compared to 19 percent two years earlier, possibly reflecting expansion of nursing education programs. Not all older nurses are ready to retire; 61 percent of RNs aged 55 to 64 said they expect to work at least five more years. More information is on the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care Workforce site or contact Jay Fonkert at (651) 201-3846 or jay.fonkert@state.mn.us. |
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opportunities |
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The Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy is seeking one public member, one licensed professional counselor and two licensed alcohol and drug counselors. The Health Information Technology and Infrastructure Advisory Committee is seeking one pharmacist representative and one health plan representative member. The Rehabilitation Review Panel of the Department of Labor and Industry is seeking one employer-alternate in the workers’ compensation system. Information is on the Minnesota Secretary of State Web site. Applications for the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Caregiving Scholarship are due September 15. Information on the $2,000 scholarship is online. The deadline is October 22 for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research program. |
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News from our partners |
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Lawrence (Lorry) J. Massa will leave his position as chief executive officer of Rice Memorial Hospital to be president and chief executive officer of the Minnesota Hospital Association in mid-October. Glencoe Regional Health Services received a Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Minnesota Council on Foundations offers a variety of seminars for nonprofits. At the Minnesota Rural Health Conference, Chaplain (Major) John Morris explained that TRICARE is a health care program for active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families and survivors. Complete provider information is online. The National Rural Health Association is offering free quarterly calls for critical access hospitals and rural health clinics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched CDC-TV, an online health, safety and preparedness video resource. The first segment, “Break the Silence: Stop the Violence,” addresses teen dating violence. The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review the state of health care in rural areas and the role of federal programs in addressing rural health care needs. The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on Aging in Rural America. Testimony is online. |
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Now ReAD THIS |
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The non-partisan think tank Minnesota 2020 recently focused on rural health care. Practitioners of Change: Regional Case Studies in State Health Care Reform and Cost Containment is the Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference report (PDF: 3MG/34pgs). The July issue of Stateline Midwest explores recently approved major health reforms (PDF:3MG/12pgs). Despite a more vulnerable patient mix, community health centers out perform other primary care providers in the use of preventive care, by both Medicaid and uninsured patients, according to a study from the George Washington University Medical Center’s School of Public Health and Health Services (PDF: 200KB/16pgs). Access Transformed reports that community health centers have a shortage of more than 3,200 primary care providers and nurses, with larger shortages in areas that are rural and low-income. The report is online (PDF: 4MB/40pgs). HealthLeaders Media asks What’s Holding Telemedicine Back? Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology is online (PDF: 1MB/46pgs). Preventing Youth Suicide in Rural America: Recommendations to States is online (PDF: 450 KB/26 pgs). The AARP Public Policy Institute’s Quick Health Facts 2008 compiles selected state data (PDF: 67pgs/425KB). Inside Higher Ed explores the lack of qualified pharmacists. EMS Workforce for the 21st Century is online (PDF:4MB/163pgs). A series of Rural Health Research and Policy Center Findings Briefs are online, including Rural-Urban Differences in Characteristics of Local EMS Agencies, Challenges for Rural Emergency Medical Services, and Issues in Staffing EMS: A National Survey of Local Rural and Urban EMS Directors. The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services 2008 Report to the Secretary: Rural Health and Human Service Issues is online. The Rural Health Clinic Fact Sheet provides information about services, Medicare certification, payments, cost reports and annual reconciliation (PDF:416KB/4pgs). |
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SAVE THE DATE |
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The Rural Affinity Group of the 5M Lives Campaign is sponsoring a free teleconference series for all small and rural hospitals, including those not enrolled in the 5M Lives Campaign. The 2008 Annual Community Mental Health Conference is September 17-19 in Duluth. The Sixth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations is September 21-24 at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center Hotel. The Rural Health Advisory Committee meeting is September 23. The Northern Plains Conference on Aging and Disability is September 23-25 in Fargo, North Dakota. Information is online. The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Services meeting September 24-26 in Brainerd is open to the public. The Fifth Annual National Telehealth Conference is September 25-27 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Hilton Hotel. The Minnesota Health Care Roundtable is the afternoon of October 24 at the Minneapolis Hilton and Towers. The Many Faces of Community Health 2008 Conference: Prevention & Treatment of Diabetes at the Community Level is October 30-31 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Road MAPS to Patient Safety: Accelerating for Change is November 13-14 in Minneapolis at the Northland Inn. |
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View online all previous issues of the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care publications. |
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