Contents:

 

DECEMBER 2011

 

 

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HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Minnesota e-Health Connectivity Grant Program for Health Information Exchange FAQs are online. Applications are being accepted through December 31.

MDH is requesting proposals for the following three distinct parts of Minnesota's health information exchange design by January 5:
    • Part A: Statewide Shared Services Collaborative for Health Information Exchange
    • Part B: State-Designated Provider of Statewide Shared Health Information Exchange Services and Core Health Information Exchange Services
    • Part C: Connectivity Programs and Performance-Based Connectivity Incentives for State-Certified Health Information Exchange Service Providers.

Upper Midwest Health Information Exchange tools for exchanging patient health information across state borders are online.

HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE SNAPSHOT

Physician assistants (PAs) first appeared in the 1960s to meet the growing need for more primary care providers, especially in rural and underserved areas. Nationally, studies indicate more physician assistants are choosing a specialty over primary care.

In Minnesota, most physician assistants reported working in either a clinic, long term care facility, urgent care or retail/walk-in clinic (72 percent). These are all common venues for delivering primary care, unlike hospitals (25 percent) where acute care delivery occurs. 

PAs in MN

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

STAFF NEWS
Chris Ballard helped with Minnesota statewide trauma designation site visits at Appleton Area Health Services, Swift County-Benson Hospital (Benson) and Regina Medical Center (Hastings).

Judy Bergh attended the Stratis Health Just Culture for Critical Access Hospitals Workshop, part of the Rural Patient Safety Culture Project.

Debra Jahnke, Mary Ann Radigan and Anne Schloegel toured the medical and dental facilities in the North American Community Clinic with NACC's executive director Lydia Caros, D.O.

Debra Jahnke and Lee Schutz attended the Primary Care Office annual meeting with federal staff and federal grantor agency: the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Paul Jansen discussed the Health Status of Rural Minnesotans (PDF:91pgs/2.5MB) report during the Minnesota Rural Health Association webinar celebrating National Rural Health Day.

Karen Welle participated in the National Rural Health Association Health Information Technology Task Force Meeting in Washington, D.C.

STAFF CHANGES
     Amy Vallery is leaving her position as loan forgiveness administrator with ORHPC to accept a promotion in the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Statewide Health Improvement Initiatives. Amy has brought a sophisticated level of organization to the Minnesota Loan Forgiveness Program.

    Karen Welle is accepting a mobility assignment as assistant division director for the Minnesota Department of Health Division of Health Policy, the organizational home of the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. Karen will continue to support the programs of ORHPC along with her new responsibilities.

    Tim Held, statewide trauma system coordinator, has been appointed to replace Karen in the role of deputy director of ORHPC.

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ORHPC GRANTS AND LOANS

 

Minnesota's Loan Forgiveness applications are due December 1.

Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant applications are due December 16.

The Community Clinics Grant Program revised final application due date is January 13.

Be an ORHPC grant reviewer. 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.

 

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OTHER GRANTS AND LOANS

Minnesota e-Health Connectivity Grant Program for Health Information Exchange applications are being accepted through December 31.

RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholars applications are due February 7.

 

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OPPORTUNITIES

The Secretary of State's November press release includes over 50 pages of vacancies, including openings on the Rural Health Advisory Committee (page 39) and the State Trauma Advisory Council (page 44).

Do you know rural health professionals who deserve recognition for going "above and beyond?" Nominations for the 2012 Minnesota Rural Health Awards are due April 20. One individual and one team will be honored at the Minnesota Rural Health Conference June 25-26 in Duluth.

Membership is open to volunteers from rural and critical access hospital communities on the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Panel (formerly the Advisory Panel on Ambulatory Payment Groups). Apply by December 27.

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NEWS OF OUR PARTNERS

 

Maureen Ideker, Essentia Health director of telehealth, named to state broadband task force.

Virginia Regional Medical Center explores partnership.

Avera E-emergency service is in over 50 hospitals in six midwestern states.

Veterans Administration clinic opens in Ramsey.

The Northwestern Mental Health Center in Crookston is featured on the National Health Service Corps site.

The Ortonville Area Health Services and Northside Medical Clinic National Rural Health Day celebration even included caduceus-shaped cookies!

mnHEALTHnet, National Rural Health Resource Center, Northern Lakes Health Consortium, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative and SISU are presenting Leadership Education and Development Series for new and experienced health care managers in December, March, June and September.

Mille Lacs Health System (Onamia) attests to meaningful use of health information technology.

Summit Academy is graduating a class of Community Health Workers December 13.

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NOW READ THIS

 

  • Medicare expands coverage of cardiovascular disease prevention services
  • Medicare Shared Savings Program and Rural Providers fact sheet
  • Rural Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update
  • Keeping kids in school through school-based health centers
  • Volunteering decreases drug use in rural teens
  • The 2011 Kids Count Data Book (PDF: 9MB/88pgs)

Primary Care
  • Report identifies community health centers as America’s “first responders” in fighting obesity
  • Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Variation and Prospects Under Reform

Mental/Behavioral Health
  • Telephone-based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Latino Patients Living in Rural Areas
  • Telehealth and mental health treatment in rural American Indian communities

Medical Home
  • Patient-Centered Medical Homes Services in 29 Primary Care Practices

Hospitals
  • Rural Community Health Act of 2013: The critical access health complex (Look What's Coming editorial)
  • Lower rehospitalization rates among rural Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes
  • More outpatients seeing only allied health workers
  • The current Rural Monitor focuses on small hospital quality
  • Developing Regional STEMI Systems of Care: A Review of the Evidence and the Role of the Flex Program (PDF: 345KB/47pgs)

Health Information Technology
  • Minneapolis VA Health Care System will set up an online behavioral health practice
  • "Darryl's Story" is a simple explanation for patients of the telestroke process.
  • How Leona Helmsley is revolutionizing health care in the midwest
  • IT stakeholders react to clinical informatics becoming certified subspecialty
  • New steps to encourage doctors and hospitals to use HIT to lower costs, improve quality, create jobs

Workforce
  • Get out of IT, get into health care IT
  • Alaska Dental Health Aide Therapist Training Program: A PBS NewsHour broadcast.

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SAVE THE DATE

Affordable Care Act webinar: An update from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services is December 2 at 2 p.m.

The Rural Health Advisory Committee is meeting December 8 in Bloomington.

The Rural Hospital Flexibility Committee webinar meeting is RESCHEDULED for January 10, 2012, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. from December 8, 2011.

Pediatric Trauma Simulation Training is April 14 in Marshall and April 28 in Thief River Falls.

The 2012 Minnesota Rural Health Conference is June 25-26.
 

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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.