Contents:

 

AUGUST 2010

 

 

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MDH & ORHPC NEWS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE HEALTH REFORM
Provider peer grouping initiative conference calls are the second Monday of each month, 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Health Care Homes
   • The federal government approved Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) proposed payment methodology for health care home services provided to fee-for-service enrollees in Minnesota Health Care Programs. Certified health care homes will now begin receiving care coordination payments from DHS.
   • Health Care Homes conference calls and webinars are every third Wednesday. These include an update on health care homes implementation and next steps, followed by a presentation on a certification-related theme. Questions are welcome.
   • Health Care Homes Education and Resources

HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ORHPC HIT UPDATE explains:
   • Recent release of final rule on meaningful use and Medicare/Medicaid incentive programs
   • EHR technology temporary certification rule
   • FCC request for public input on rural health care broadband program.

e-Health Public Meeting: Update on Final Meaningful Use Rule is August 5, 6-8 p.m. in the Mississippi Room at the Minnesota Department of Health Snelling Office Park location in St. Paul. The agenda and slides will be posted on Minnesota e-Health’s HITECH site prior to the meeting.

NEWS AND RESOURCES

SNAPSHOT of Minnesota Health Care Workforce

graph of public health nurses

As of 2008, of the registered nurses practicing in Minnesota, 6,022 were registered as public health nurses.

Responses to a 2007-2008 survey indicated most public health nurses in Minnesota were practicing in metropolitan areas compared to non-metropolitan areas of the state (See graph).

Fifty-one percent appeared to be within 12 years of retiring. The next generation (less than 45 years old) accounted for only 31 percent of the workforce.

According to the Office of Public Health Practice at the Minnesota Department of Health, local health departments employed 1/6 of the public health nurses in 2008. Over 1/3 of the local health departments had difficulty filling positions, meaning they were vacant for more than six months.

Financial incentives aimed at resolving the low number of health care professionals entering the health care workforce are a priority under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. These and other incentives may encourage more public health nurses to practice in non-metropolitan areas over next several years.

For more information and data on Minnesota's health workforce, visit the ORHPC Health Workforce Analysis Program site or contact Angie Sechler at angie.sechler@state.mn.us or 651-201-3862.

STAFF NEWS
Craig Baarson met with Patricia M. Hargrove, Ph.D., Minnesota State University Mankato, and Joan Lee, Minnesota Department of Health-Children With Special Health Needs, to discuss funding opportunities for development and behavior clinics in Austin and Mankato.

Craig met with billing and coding staff at Fairview Lakes Area Health Services in Wyoming to discuss trauma billing.

Judy Bergh, Mark Schoenbaum and Karen Welle attended the National Conference of State Flex Programs in Bloomington.

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) nominated NOSORH President Mark Schoenbaum to serve on the National Health Care Workforce Commission.

Karen Welle attended the first Minnesota Health IT Leadership Council at Normandale Community College to help develop new health information technology professional training programs.
 

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ORHPC GRANTS AND LOANS

 

Loan Forgiveness Programs to health care students or residents: Open for application through December 1.
    Tax benefits expanded for health professionals working in underserved areas

The Minnesota Primary Care Loan Fund: Ongoing.
 

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OTHER GRANTS AND LOANS

Scholarships and stipends are available to qualified students for HIT and related health care programs through University Partnership for Health Informatics (UP-HI) (PDF: 1MB/1pg).

Scholarships for nursing students seeking a baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degree.

Avon Breast Health Outreach Program provides funding to link medically underserved women to breast health education and screening.
 

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OPPORTUNITIES

Serve on one of these Minnesota councils/boards seeking members:
   • Board of Optometry
   • Board of Psychology
   • Minnesota Broadband Advisory Task Force
    • Small Group Health Insurance Market Working Group

Apply to become a Rural Health Fellow by August 31.

Submit abstracts for the 2011 Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health by September 23.

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NEWS OF OUR PARTNERS

 

Normandale Community College is preparing to launch several new health IT training programs as part of a 10-state Midwest Community College HIT Consortium.

Newly named director of the Rice Regional Dental Clinic is Linda Jackson, D.D.S. (PDF: 247KB/1pg).

Ross Matlack was named chief executive officer at RiverView Health in Crookston. Previous CEO Debra Boardman is president of Fairview Range Medical Center.

Sioux Falls-based Sanford Health and MeritCare, the largest not-for-profit rural health care system in the nation, are now collectively known as Sanford Health.

The revised membership for the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) negotiated rulemaking committee increased from 24 to 28 members, including Steve Holloway, director of the Colorado Primary Care Office; Alan Morgan, chief executive officer of the National Rural Health Association; and Charles Owens, director of the Georgia State Office of Rural Health.

The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a lease for a VA-staffed, community-based outpatient clinic in Ramsey.

Virginia Regional Medical Center is the focus of the MPR story Rural hospitals struggle with rapidly changing health care.

The first class of community paramedics in Prior Lake graduated and are filling this role in Scott County. Read Rolling out the community paramedic pilot program in Minnesota in ORHPC's summer 2009 Quarterly newsletter.
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NOW READ THIS

 

Health Reform
  • Is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) a fit for your community? The Affordable Care Act of 2010 established a five-year trust fund to support a massive expansion of FQHCs.
  • Challenges for Improving Health Care Access in Rural America

Hospitals
Handoffs Smoother in Rural Communities 

Telehealth
  • The Crossroads of Telehealth, Electronic Health Records & Health Information Exchange: Planning for Rural Communities (PDF: 743KB/12pgs)
  • Telemedicine: Advanced Technology Improves Access and Care (Great Plains Telehealth Resource Center)
  • Telephone-Based Care Management Program Helps Cancer Patients with Pain, Depression
  • Telehealth Helping Patients Sleep Better 
  • Electronic pill bottles might help medication adherence

Resources
  • Communicate health, emergency and safety information to low English populations through the nonprofit Emergency, Community, and Health Outreach (ECHO).
  • Minnesota Communities for a Lifetime offers information and assistance for people of all ages and abilities. 
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SAVE THE DATE

Sixth International Roundtable on Community Paramedicine and the annual National Rural EMS Summit August 9-13 in Vail, Colorado.

Agricultural Medicine: Occupational Environmental Health for Rural Health Professionals is in two parts: August 12-14 in Dickinson, North Dakota and September 23-25 in Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Community Health Conference is September 29-October 1 in Brainerd.

Many Faces of Community Health 2010 Conference is October 28-29 in St. Louis Park.
 

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View online all previous issues of the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care publications.

We invite you to forward this newsletter to your colleagues. Not already a subscriber? Subscribe to receive the Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care free Monthly and Quarterly e-newsletters.

Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
P. O. Box 64882
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0882
Phone 651-201-3838
Toll free in Minnesota 800-366-5424
Fax: 651-201-3830
TDD: 651-201-5797
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/orhpc/index.html

Email Mary Ann Radigan at maryann.radigan@state.mn.us or call 651-201-3855 with comments.

Our mission
to promote access to quality health care for rural and underserved urban Minnesotans. From our unique position within state government, we work as partners with communities, providers, policymakers and other organizations. Together, we develop innovative approaches and tailor our tools and resources to the diverse populations we serve.