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DECEMBER 2012 |
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DECEMBER 2012 |
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MDH & ORHPC NEWS |
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HEALTH REFORM WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY To coordinate Minnesota's response to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC)'s request for comment on Meaningful Use Stage 3, the MDH Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT) is holding an informational conference call and accepting comments through December 31. More information, including a tool for submitting comments, is available on the OHIT website. Email Kari.Guida@state.mn.us with questions.
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ORHPC GRANTS AND LOANS |
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Application materials for the Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant Program are available on the ORHPC Grants and Loans page. Pre-applications are due December 17 and final applications (if invited) will be due March 18, 2013. Application materials for the Minnesota Loan Forgiveness Program, which supports recruitment and retention of health care professionals in communities experiencing a shortage of primary health care providers, are now available on the ORHPC Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Programs page. Applications due by January 2, 2013. The 2012 Minnesota e-Health Connectivity Grant Program for Health Information Exchange (HIE) is accepting applications on a first-come, first-serve basis. Eligible applicants include community HIE Partners (two or more health organizations collaborating to implement HIE for meaningful use transactions) or pharmacies not able to accept electronic prescriptions. Visit the Minnesota e- Health Connectivity Grant for Health Information Exchange page for more information on this new funding opportunity. Contact Anne Schloegel at anne.schloegel@state.mn.us with questions. Be an ORHPC grant reviewer! Please contact 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 |
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The federal Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) has released a FY 2013 Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement (Rural Quality) Grant Program funding annoucement. The program supports rural primary care providers in implementing quality improvement activities that help develop an evidence-based culture and the delivery of coordinated care. A technical assistance call will take place December 18. Applications due January 30. The E-3 -- Effectiveness, Efficiency and Excellence in Health Care -- Grant Program is accepting applications for projects that focus on medication safety and operating room safety. Applications due December 7. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation's Access to Coverage program seeks proposals for increasing health care coverage for low-income Minnesotans who are eligible for coverage but not currently enrolled. The foundation will fund each of the state's six regions and encourages the development of regional coalitions of community partners who can identify and effectively reach out to all low-income individuals in their area. Applications due January 14. The American Academy of Pediatrics' Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) program is seeking applications from pediatricians and pediatric residents in the planning or initial implementation stage of a community-based child health initiative. The program is designed to help increase children’s access to a medical home or specific health services not otherwise available. Applications due January 31. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) forecasts a New Access Points grant opportunity to support new full-time Community Health Center sites. Estimated application due date is February 2. The Institute for Rural America is offering Seize the Moment Grants. These small (maximum $250) awards are intended to assist nonprofit organizations needing to take quick action on issues that arise or to send staff to training programs. The application deadline is rolling. |
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OPPORTUNITIES |
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The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeks public comment on a possible new methodology for designating frontier and remote areas. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is hosting a free webinar on the methodology on December 10. John Cromartie and Gary Hart, coauthors of the methodology, will explain how new codes could be used in policy and research and discuss implications for frontier communities. The Minnesota Rural Health Association will host a free cyber conference, "Preparing to meet the latest Electronic Medical Record requirements," on December 17 from noon to 1:00 p.m. The conference will feature presenter Dr. Paul Kleeberg of Stratis Health. Email Judy Neppel to register. The Regional Extension Assistance Center for HIT for Minnesota and North Dakota (REACH) will offer a half-day boot camp on January 7 to help staff from clinics and hospitals understand Stage 2 Meaningful Use and its implications. More information and registration is on the REACH website. Two statewide conferences invite proposals for sessions:
The Disparities Leadership Program is a year-long executive education program designed for leaders from hospitals, health plans and other health care organizations who want to a) develop a strategic plan or b) advance a project to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care, particularly through quality improvement. Partial scholarships available. Applications due February 8. |
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NEWS OF OUR PARTNERS |
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The Department of Social Work at the University of Minnesota Duluth received a federal grant of $440,000 over three years to expand the number of clinical social workers serving high-need populations in the Arrowhead region of northern Minnesota. The program was one of only 20 grantees nationally to receive a Mental and Behavioral Health Education Training Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) celebrated the 25th anniversary of the federal Offfice of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) in November. Created in 1987 under the Social Security Act, ORHP advises the Secretary on HHS policies affecting rural health and works with state and local partners to enhance delivery of services to 62 million residents living in rural communities. The University of Minnesota's School of Dentistry's efforts to increase access to dental care in underserved communities was featured in "Sinking teeth into rural Minnesota," an article in the online UM News. |
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SAVE THE DATE |
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The Rural Multiracial and Multicultural Health Conference will be held December 4-6 in Asheville, NC. The Rural Health Policy Institute will be held February 4-6 in Washington, D.C. The Oral Health Summit 2013 will take place on February 22 in West St. Paul. The 2013 Minnesota e-Health Summit will be held June 12-13 in Bloomington. The 2013 Age and Disabilities Odyssey Conference will take place June 17-18 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC). The 2013 Minnesota Rural Health Conference will be held June 24-25, 2013 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 |
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Our mission |
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