Contents:

 

JANUARY 2010

 

 

 

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

Session PROPOSALS due January 22!

HEALTH REFORM
Physician clinic and hospital data reporting begins January 1 under the Minnesota Statewide Quality Reporting and Measurement System.

Comments on Baskets of Care rules are due January 5.

HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
MN e-Health Advisory Committee invites public comment on preliminary descriptions and recommendations for the Minnesota health information exchange framework and criteria for state-certification of health information organizations (HIOs). Comments must be submitted in writing to michael.hawton@state.mn.us by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 11.

ORHPC NEWS AND RESOURCES
Eight new designations in the Minnesota Statewide Trauma System:
     Level III: Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis); Rice Memorial Hospital (Willmar);
                     Ridgeview Medical Center (Waconia)
     Level IV: First Care Medical Services (Fosston); Johnson Memorial Health Services (Dawson);
                     Merit Care Thief River Falls Northwest Medical Center; North Country Regional
                     Hospital (Bemidji); River's Edge Hospital (St. Peter).

Experiences of e-Health grantees are captured in "Lessons Learned" fact sheets.

Cuyana Regional/Riverwood Health, Crosby; ELEAH Medical Center, Elbow Lake; Kittson Memorial Healthcare Center, Hallock; Johnson Memorial Health Services/Medi-Sota, Dawson; Madison Lutheran Home, Madison; Mercy Hospital and Health Care Center, Moose Lake; North Valley Health Center, Warren; Pine Medical Center, Sandstone; RiverView Health, Crookston; and St. Michael's Hospital, Sauk Centre received Rural Hospital Planning and Transition Grants.

One full-time primary care physician generates, on average, about $1.5 million in revenue, nearly $1 million in payroll, and creates or helps create 23 jobs. The physician’s economic contributions are direct and indirect. Contact Craig Baarson, at craig.baarson@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3840, for help showing the economic impact of health care in your area through Rural Health Works.

Snapshot: Minnesota Health Care Workforce in 2009
graph of LCSW in MN

Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) are classified as one of the six “core” mental health professions by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department Human Resources.

License data show a disproportionate concentration (87 percent) of LCSWs practicing in metropolitan areas of Minnesota. Although 25 percent of Minnesota’s population lives in a micropolitan or rural area, only 13 percent of the LCSW workforce practices in a region other than a metropolitan area.

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 participated in the grant review for the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Rural Health Clinic project.

Kristen Tharaldson received the Northern Lights Chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals' Rising Star award.

Amy Vallery presented Loan Forgiveness Program information during the Healthcare Alliance meeting at Pine Technical College. The Healthcare Alliance is a partnership among kindergarten through grade 12, higher education and health care providers and the workforce center system to ensure there are qualified health care professionals to meet the future needs of east central Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.

 

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ORHPC GRANTS AND LOANS

 

Rural Veterinarian Loan Forgiveness Program
Applications are due January 15. Contact Amy Vallery at amy.vallery@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3870 for more information.

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

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OTHER GRANTS AND LOANS

Beacon Community Program
Letters of intent are due January 8 for community projects to strengthen delivery of high quality health care and improve population health through HIT. Contact Priya Rajamani at priya.rajamani@state.mn.us or (651) 201-4119 about Minnesota participation.

Information Technology Professionals in Health Care: Curriculum Development Centers Program
Letters of intent are due January 4.

Community College Consortia to Educate Health Information Technology Professionals
Letters of intent are due January 6

The Stimulus Simplicity Program
Zero percent GE financing to accelerate EMR adoption.

IBM Global to finance loan programs for EHRs
Low interest funding will be available for devices made by Healthcare Management Systems, Lavender and Wyatt Systems Inc., SCC Soft Computer, and Siemens Healthcare.
 

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OPPORTUNITIES

ORHPC needs Rural Hospital Capital Improvement grant reviewers in January. 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.

Openings on state councils and boards posted in December:
      • Environmental Health Tracking and Biomonitoring Advisory Panel
      • State Advisory Council on Mental Health
      • Subcommittee on Children's Mental Health

Share your reflections on rural-urban connections.

EMS Agency Research Network for Quality and Safety Improvement project encourages participation.

Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS) Program seeking part-time executive director.

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NEWS OF OUR PARTNERS

 

Cedar Riverside People's Center received $2.1 million in federal stimulus funding from the Facilities Improvement Program.

Richard Mulder, M.D. will retire in February after 40 years of practice.

Mayo Clinic-Methodist Hospital and Mayo Clinic Saint Marys, both in Rochester and Regions Hospital in St Paul named 2009 top hospitals in Leapfrog Hospital Survey.
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NOW READ THIS

 

Articles
     • Heart Care in Rural Hospitals Matches Urban Ones
     • Rural Hospitals Struggle to Attract Patients and Remain Viable (PDF: 77KB/3 pgs)

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Rural Health Clinics and Federally qualified Health Centers Payment Rate Increases (PDF:67KB/2pgs)   

Tools
      • HIT Toolkit for Critical Access and Small Hospitals on Stratis Web site
      • EMS Response to Stroke

Workforce
      • Addressing the Primary Care Workforce Crisis for the Underserved
      • Training New Types of Dental Professionals to Improve Access to Oral Health Care
        (including Minnesota's dental therapy model)

Technology
      • Guidelines for Delivering Remote Mental Health Services Approved
      • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota piloting online care program
         with Fairview Health Service
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SAVE THE DATE

Financial management workshops through Nonprofits Assistance Fund.

University of Minnesota School of Public Health Education and Outreach courses.

Minnesota’s Birth-to-Three Conference: Engaging Fathers: Strengthening Families is January 13-15 in Alexandria.

Rural Health Policy Institute is January 25-27 in Washington, D.C.  

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.

Iron Range Resources Health Care Task Force Forum is February 19 in Mt. Iron. Contact Angie LaFlamme at the Rural Health Resource Center at alaflamme@ruralcenter.org or (218) 727-9390 ext. 222.

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

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

"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.

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.