Contents:

 

FEBRUARY 2010

 

 

 

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MDH & ORHPC NEWS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!

Leading Change for Rural Health
MINNESOTA RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
June 28-29, 2010

 

HEALTH REFORM
The Health Care Home team hosts conference calls and webinars every third Wednesday. A brief presentation on a certification-related theme follows an update on health care homes implementation and next steps.

Health Care Homes Adopted Rule published.

New reports on health reform
      •Health Care Homes: Annual Report on Implementation
      •Strategies to Engage Consumers on Health Care Cost and Quality
      •Essential Benefit Set Work Group Recommendations 
      •Quality Incentive Payment System

ORHPC NEWS AND RESOURCES
ORHPC Health Information Technology site for Minnesota's rural and safety net providers links tools, funding, telehealth, broadband, e-Health and other resources!

Minnesota Physician Assistants Facts and Data 2009 now online.

Grant Awards
Bridges Medical Center (Ada), Glacial Ridge Health System (Glenwood), Graceville Health Center (Graceville), Johnson Memorial Health Services (Dawson), Mille Lacs Health System (Onamia), New Ulm Medical Center (New Ulm), North Valley Health Center (Warren), Ortonville Area Health Services (Ortonville), Saint Elizabeth’s Medical Center (Wabasha), Sanford Jackson Medical Center (Jackson), Sanford Tracy Medical Center (Tracy), Thief River Falls Area Ambulance (Thief River Falls), and Tri-County Hospital (Wadena) received Flex Program awards. Congress created Flex to improve access and quality and relieve some of the financial pressures on rural hospitals and emergency medical services.

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (Nett Lake), the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Cloquet), Indian Health Board of Minneapolis (Minneapolis), American Indian Community Development (Minneapolis), and Native American Community Clinic (Minneapolis) received two-year Indian Health Grants. The Grants support services to American Indians who are not living on reservations.

Migrant Health Services, Inc. received a two-year Migrant Health Grant. This program helps support clinics that provide health services to migrant agricultural workers and their families.

map of PAs by cty in mn Snapshot: Minnesota Health Care Workforce

Health workforce policy and research examine the adequacy of supply and distribution of providers in terms of health care access.

The per capita measurement of physician assistant-to-population ratio is one approach to estimating the distribution of the physician assistant workforce. Ratios can be used to make comparisons among counties that differ in population size.

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 Minnesota State University-Mankato about Development and Behavior Clinics and future planning. Craig went to Walker to discuss the potential Critical Access Hospital with the chair of the Cass County Critical Access Hospital Task Force. He visited with the Health Division of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe on the clinical services they provide.

Judy Bergh, Anne Schloegel and Amy Valley shared information about Flex and Small Rural Hospital Improvement programs, electronic medical records, and the value of the loan forgiveness program as a recruiting tool, while touring and learning about New River Medical Center in Monticello.

Judy Bergh and Mark Schoenbaum traveled to Northfield Hospital where they met with the steering committee of a community-wide group implementing a project to reduce the use of opiates.

As 2010 president of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, Mark Schoenbaum presented the organization’s Legislator of the Year Award to U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa during the National Rural Health Association Policy Institute January 26 in Washington, D.C. Mark also presented a Special Recognition Award to former Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Director Marcia Brand, now deputy director of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal interviewed Kristen Tharaldson for Meeting for our Health.

Kristen Tharaldson judged the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) midwinter competition for Creative Problem Solving. The statewide competition April 28-29 in St. Cloud will determine which students move on to the national competition.

Karen Welle attended the Greater Minnesota Telehealth Broadband Initiative (GMTBI) Steering Committee meeting, hosted by chairwoman Maureen Ideker in Willmar. The GMTBI includes representatives of five health care consortia: Medi-sota, Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs, Minnesota Telehealth Network, North Region Health Alliance and SISU Medical Systems. ORHPC provides support to the GMTBI, Minnesota’s FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Project.

 

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ORHPC GRANTS AND LOANS

 

The Minnesota Primary Care Loan Fund
Loans to clinics, hospitals, networks and others for equipment, working capital, expansion, startup and other needs.
 

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OTHER GRANTS AND LOANS

The 2010 Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program
Application cycle is February 2 to March 4.

Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program—Broadband Initiatives Program
Grant applications accepted February 16-March 10. Application workshop is February 4 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant
Applications are due March 15.
 

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OPPORTUNITIES

ORHPC needs grant reviewers. Please contact Doug Benson at doug.benson@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3842 or Cindy LaMere at cindy.lamere@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3852 with your name, profession, place of employment and contact information.

Openings on Minnesota state councils and boardsposted on the Secretary of State Web site in January:
      • Council on Disability
      • State Advisory Council on Mental Health
      • Subcommittee on Children's Mental Health.  

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NEWS OF OUR PARTNERS

 

The College of St. Scholastica’s Health Care Informatics and Information program featured in Health Workforce News.

Mayo researchers, collaborating with the University of Iowa, University of Connecticut and New York University, discovered a molecular mechanism that controls energy expenditure in muscles and helps determine body weight. Researchers say this could lead to a new medical approach in treating obesity.

Dental professionals volunteer their time to provide free dental care February 5-6 during Give Kids a Smile.

Outcomes and recommendations of the National Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Summit are on the Rural Health Resource Center Web site.
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NOW READ THIS

 

Articles
     • Health center, family medicine residency pairing is 'Match Made in Heaven'
     • In rural areas, abuse and neglect more often due to stress and finances than in cities (PDF: 353KB/1pg)
     • Detoxification services in rural areas

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
     • Regulations proposing a definition of Meaningful Use of HIT issued and public comment encouraged  

Tools
      • Use County Profiles to advance implementation of the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards.
      • Community benefit reporting toolkit for Critical Access Hospitals (PDF: 340KB/57pgs)

Workforce
      • The development of varying physician assistant roles in the United States
      • Nurse practitioners in primary care (PDF: 164KB/23pgs)
      • Rural areas taking steps to address shortage of mental health professionals
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SAVE THE DATE

Big National Conference for Leaders of Little and Medium EMS Agencies is February 1-5 in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Wipfli-sponsored Annual Critical Access Hospital Workshop and Rural Health Clinic Forum is February 2-4 in Bloomington.

ARRA Broadband Initiative application process workshop is February 4 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

FCC Rural Health Care Program monthly outreach conference call is February 11 at 1 p.m.

Northeast Minnesota Health Care Forum is February 19 in Mountain Iron. Contact Kim Nordin at the Rural Health Resource Center at knordin@ruralcenter.org or (218) 727-9390 ext. 237.

Minnesota Rural Palliative Care Initiative Outcomes Congress is April 8 in St. Cloud.

Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health: Health Care in Transition is April 13-15 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Register by March 19.

Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Spring Refresher is April 15-16 in St. Louis Park.

Symposium on Small Towns Finding Solutions and Redefining Communities is June 9-10 in Morris.

"Leading Change for Rural Health" Minnesota Rural Health Conference is June 28-29 in Duluth.
 

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

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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.