We hope you find this an efficient, useful tool and we welcome your feedback and comments. --Elizabeth Swain, CEO
If your health center has a training or technical assistance that you'd like to share with others around the state, or would like to subscribe others at your health center to Your CHCANYS please email the pertinent information to Libby Post at lpost@commservices.net. Thank you.
CHCANYS UPDATES--NEW H1N1 Update Questions and concerns related to Emergency Preparedness for Community Health Centers can be directed to CHCANYS' EP Team. For upstate sites, contact Suzanne Delaney at sdelaney@CHCANYS.org and for NYC sites, contact Matthew Ziemer at mziemer@CHCANYS.org.
This past week, Governor Patterson issued an executive order, declaring a disaster emergency in New York State related to H1N1. Click here to read the Executive Order. Click here to read the Q&A on the Executive Order. This past week, NYS Health Commissioner Richard Daines also issued a waiver letter on Thimerosal Regulation. Click here to read it.
For NYC Health Centers, there will be an Influenza Working Group Conference Call on Thursday, November 5 from 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Call in information is: Participant Call-in Code: 1-866-504-8504 Participant Access Code: 8086175
Provider Information Letter from DOHMH: Dr. Jane Zucker, Assistant Commissioner of the NYC DOHMH Bureau of Immunization, has released a provider information letter with an update on the H1N1 vaccine available by clicking here.
Update Information on H1N1 Vaccine for Upstate Health Centers: The following information refers to unfilled vaccine orders: IF YOU ALREADY PLACED AN ORDER LAST WEEK, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO ORDER VACCINE AGAIN THIS COMING WEEK. Orders will be placed in backorder and will be filled when vaccine supply improves. For example, if a vaccine provider has ordered 500 doses of vaccine and only receives 200 based upon the amount currently available to NYSDOH, the remainder of the order will be saved and will be filled when vaccine supply improves. It may take several weeks before vaccine supplies are sufficient to complete all orders.
For Instructions for Ordering 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine, click here. For the H1N1 Screening and Consent Form, click here.
NY State Department of Health Releases Special Edition on H1N1 Vaccines: The Office of Health Insurance Programs of New York State Department of Health has sent out the October 2009 Medicaid Update Special Edition on Immunizations. This explains the New York State initiative for seasonal flu, pneumococcal and H1N1 vaccines as well as Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Care, and Family Health Plus coverage and reimbursement policies of the administration of these vaccines. For this update, click here.
Uniform Data System (UDS) Training - Register Today! Online registration and an agenda for UDS Trainings on December 1st in New York City or December 4th in Brockport are available at www.chcanys.org. This year's training will provide a clear description of the differences between the UDS and the BPHC's new ARRA reporting (the HCQR). This will not however, be an ARRA training program. The UDS training is aimed at those who are responsible for gathering and reporting the data elements included in the UDS report, as well as for management staff who need to understand the definitions and concepts used. For further information about the UDS, click here. For questions, please contact rwynn@chcanys.org or mailto:rherreros@chcanys.org at (212) 279-9686.
CHCANYS UDS Database Update In addition to filing your 2009 UDS report with the Bureau of Primary Health Care, please submit to CHCANYS. Please follow the instructions below to submit your report to us:
Open your center's EHB site page where you can print out your UDS report.
On that page, there is an option that allows you to download the submitted UDS data as an XML data file.
Choose this option and save the file locally on your computer. (Please use your UDS number and health center to name the file. For example, the file name for 2008 UDS data for a health center called "Community Development Health Center," with a UDS number 9121 would have a file name: H9121_Community Devel.xml).
If you have technical questions, feel free to contact John Blackman at CHCANYS at mailto:jblackman@chcanys.org or (212) 710-3813.
NHSC Announces Simplified Loan Repayment Program for NHSC Clinicians The National Health Services Corp recently announced changes to the application process for the NHSC Loan Repayment Application. Changes include fewer documents required, easy instructions and checklist, fillable forms, and easier access to eligibility and contract requirements online. For details, click here.
Hudson Headwaters Docs to Earn More for Reaching Care Targets Hudson Headwaters is among several North Country primary care providers participating in a groundbreaking initiative with major health insurers designed to reward their doctors while at the same time improving the delivery of care to its patients. If the pilot project is successful, providers will receive extra payments for adopting electronic records and setting targets for improving the health of their patients, while hospitalizations and the overall cost of health care in the Adirondacks will decrease.. To read the entire Times Union article, click here.
Ryan White Act Reauthorized On October 30, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. In New York, more than 100,000 New Yorkers are living with diagnosed HIV/AIDS. Community health centers are essential providers for persons living with HIV/AIDS, delivering the lifesaving primary care, medications, and other supportive services that are funded through the Ryan White program. New Yorkers should be proud that our voices were heard and our entire New York Congressional delegation supported the reauthorization unanimously. The support of the President and the bipartisan action by Congress to reauthorize this vital program underscores its important role in providing critical services to low-income people living with HIV and AIDS. For more details, please contact Darryl Ng at (212) 710-3814.
New Billing Guidelines Coming for Medicare Crossover Process New York Medicaid will be implementing new billing guidelines for the Medicare Crossover process on December 3, 2009. Click here for the October 2009 Medicaid Update containing an article that provides an overview and billing guidelines for the Medicare Crossover process. Additional information is also available at www.emedny.org, including a Frequently Asked Questions Section that is updated regularly.
Half the Care Campaign The New York State Diabetes Campaign's has launched their inaugural social marketing effort, "Half the Care." In tandem with the ads, the Campaign unveils a new microsite--FullDiabetesCare.org. The site offers providers specific tools and resources, as well as complements the Campaign’s overall website - nysdiabetescampaign.org. Click here to read thepress release with details on this advertising initiative, launching today in medical journals and on the web.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND TRAININGS--NEW NACHC Presents Novel H1N1 Influenza Update Tomorrow On Tuesday, November 3, NACHC will present a 1-1/2 hour webinar featuring speakers from the CDC, HRSA and the Bureau of Primary Health Care that will include HRSA guidance for grantees, FTCA coverage and the latest information on H1N1. For more information, please click here.
DOHMH Holds Risk Communications Workshop (for NYC Only) The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene of NYC is holding a risk communications workshop on assisting clinicians with message delivery for audiences that may have concerns about H1N1. Hurry now to secure your place at one of the workshops, as space is still available. Information can be found by clicking here.
National Center for Health in Public Housing Regional Conference Announced On Thursday, November 19, the National Center for Health in Public Housing will present its first regional day-long conference for health care professionals located at the Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th Street, New York City. This conference will provide training and technical assistance on clinical and administrative best practices and an orientation on the specialized needs of residents of public housing. For details and registration information, please click here.
NACHC Presents Free Workforce Webinar On Thursday, November 19, health center and PCA Senior Leadership are invited to a free webinar focused on reviewing national health center data that impacts recruitment and retention of health center staff and how to improve your own retention efforts. For more information, please click here.
NACHC UPDATES--NEW NACHC Launches Interim CHC CEO Service NACHC, in conjunction with Ray and Associates, LLC, offers a new service to NACHC members. The Interim CEO Service will provide health centers with access to experienced, qualified, and talented individuals who have all served as CEOs of health centers throughout the country. NACHC will also seek to match your specific problem area and demographics with a specific individual who meets those criteria. Combining more than 125 years of direct hands-on executive health center leadership, these individuals provide immediate assistance to health centers facing:
Executive leadership transition for any reason, including retirement, illness, leave of absence; or
The need for experienced leadership and mentoring for an inexperienced CEO;
Reorganization or stabilization issues;
Recruitment assistance for a new CEO as well as interim management services during the recruitment process;
A need for another pair of experienced executive hands during expansion of facilities or services, merger and acquisition projects, or a complete corporate reorganization.
Contracts may be short or long term and are negotiable on an individualized basis, based on the specific needs and objectives of the health center. John Silva, Senior Consultant at Ray and Associates, is the Director of the Interim CEO Service. John has 30 years of high-level executive experience in health centers, many as a turn-around specialist for troubled health centers.
To learn more about this service or to request assistance, please contact John at 518-441-4509, Sheila Ray at 480-636-8600, or Dave Taylor at NACHC (mailto:dtaylor@nachc.com or 301-347-0400).
NACHC Teams Up with MD & DDS Resources, Inc. to Meet Health Center Recruitment Needs NACHC and MD & DDS Resources, Inc., a nationwide physician and dental recruiting agency, are collaborating to provide Community Health Centers with a resource for locating career-minded physicians and dentists. For more information on the resources they provide, please go to www.mdr-inc.com and www.ddsresources.com
Temporary Physician Coverage Available through Staff Care If your health center needs temporary physicians and CRNAs on an interim basis, Staff Care, the nation's leading locum tenens staffing firm, can help. The service team at Staff Care will help to obtain medical licensure in other states as well as malpractice insurance for the duration of your assignment. For more information, click here.
Volunteers Available to Help Facilitate and Support ARRA Capital and IT investments United Health Foundation, Capital Link, and Volunteer Match are partnering to help health centers access volunteers from UnitedHealth Group and other organizations to help facilitate and support the capital and IT investments underway as a result of the Recovery Act. These volunteers could assist with:
Technology assessment and implementation
Furnishing and equipment planning
Fundraising
Event planning
Transition Assistance
Marketing and Promotions
Board or Committee Service
To find out how your center can create a free basic account with Volunteer Match to access a large pool of skilled volunteers, please click here.
HRSA UPDATES--NEW FQHC Look-Alike Guidelines PIN Temporarily Removed from HRSA Web Site PIN 2009-06, Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike Guidelines and Application, has been temporarily taken down from HRSA’s web site and will be reposted around November 9 along with technical assistance materials to assist organizations in understanding it. In the interim, organizations that will be submitting FQHC Look-Alike applications prior to October 2010 can follow the application requirements conveyed in PIN 2003-21 and the accompanying amendments to PIN 2003-21.
