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| Near Riggins, ID (Idaho County) Photo By Chris Murphy |
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS (NHSC) RETENTION PROJECT
The NHSC Retention Project is funded through the Idaho State Office of Rural Health & Primary Care and managed by Mountain States Group. The purpose of the project is to provide retention support for clinicians who participated in the National Health Services Corps programs. The project will run from January 15, 2012 through September 29, 2013.
There are several activities planned throughout this project. The first will be a survey of all NHSC clinicians to assess the strengths and challenges they experience in their communities. The NHSC Clinician Retention Survey can be accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TQ6SJRC
Once the survey has been completed, the results will be used to develop and implement retention tools focused on ARRA-funded NHSC participants. These might include continuing education events, peer mentoring, or networking opportunities.
Another activity includes developing and implementing a survey of ARRA-funded NHSC practice locations to assess retention efforts and challenges. The results of this effort will help identify common retention challenges and develop strategies to address the identified challenges. A web-based Retention Toolkit will be developed and distributed to practice locations.
Other activities include hosting retention 3 retention workshops for NHSC practice locations and conducting 5 on-site visits to provide technical assistance to ARRA-funded practice locations.
Please check back often for new resources and information on this project or contact:
Linda Powell, MS, CPT
NHSC Retention Project Director
Mountain States Group, Inc.
1607 West Jefferson Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
(208) 336-5533 ext. 235
lindapowell@mtnstatesgroup.org
Monday, January 23, 2012
What is ACMEC?
The Ada County Medical Education Consortium (ACMEC) was formed in 1971 to deliver accredited continuing medical education (CME) in the Treasure Valley. Their mission statement is: "To provide quality CME to Treasure Valley physicians in an effort to increase the quality of patient care." The original partners included Saint Alphonsus RMC, St Luke's RMC and the Ada County Medical Society. The first year, some 38 hours of CME were recorded.
Today, ACMEC has been expanded to include full membership to the VA Medical Center and to St. Alphonsus in Nampa. The latter resulted in a name change to Ada Canyon Medical Education Consortium, Inc.
While ACMEC sponsors some statewide programming in cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, anesthesiology, et al, the focus of ACMEC continues to be education of primary care providers in the Treasure Valley. Four weekly grand rounds and four weekly tumor boards are offered between representative institutions. In 2010 ACMEC sponsored or co-sponsored 1,000 hours of Category 1 CME, recording over 10,000 physician hours.
Obtaining continuing medical education has always been a challenge for Idaho physicians; cost of the courses, lost practice time, travel expenses and long distances have made CME expensive, and for some practitioner's impossible. Videotapes, journals, and the Internet have helped. Each year, the utilization of the Internet for CME rises dramatically. While webinars and other similar resource help meet the need, ACMEC's surveys of the 1200-plus physicians maintained on the database indicate preference is still for a live presentation that allows for personal interaction. ACMEC's long-range planning includes both maintenance of weekly rounds and he availability of electronically delivered CME.
A bi-anual needs assessment establishes a curriculum for physician's CME. ACMEC prioritizes identified physician top requests through sub-specialty input and match needs with speakers that are academically qualified to present. A library of accredited programming is maintained on the ACMEC Web site.
ACMEC is governed by a physician board appointment by the chief of staff of member institutions and the Ada County Medical Society Board. ACMEC reorganized in 1997 into a nonprofit corporation. William Bourquard, MD, a Boise pediatrician was elected as president. John Mohr, M.D., serves as physician adviser. David Mueller is the director of ACMEC and Marie Chester the administrative assistant. Mr. Mueller and Ms Chester have spent the last 23 years on enhancing program design and geographic expansion.
The Ada County Medical Education Consortium (ACMEC) was formed in 1971 to deliver accredited continuing medical education (CME) in the Treasure Valley. Their mission statement is: "To provide quality CME to Treasure Valley physicians in an effort to increase the quality of patient care." The original partners included Saint Alphonsus RMC, St Luke's RMC and the Ada County Medical Society. The first year, some 38 hours of CME were recorded.
Today, ACMEC has been expanded to include full membership to the VA Medical Center and to St. Alphonsus in Nampa. The latter resulted in a name change to Ada Canyon Medical Education Consortium, Inc.
While ACMEC sponsors some statewide programming in cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, anesthesiology, et al, the focus of ACMEC continues to be education of primary care providers in the Treasure Valley. Four weekly grand rounds and four weekly tumor boards are offered between representative institutions. In 2010 ACMEC sponsored or co-sponsored 1,000 hours of Category 1 CME, recording over 10,000 physician hours.
Obtaining continuing medical education has always been a challenge for Idaho physicians; cost of the courses, lost practice time, travel expenses and long distances have made CME expensive, and for some practitioner's impossible. Videotapes, journals, and the Internet have helped. Each year, the utilization of the Internet for CME rises dramatically. While webinars and other similar resource help meet the need, ACMEC's surveys of the 1200-plus physicians maintained on the database indicate preference is still for a live presentation that allows for personal interaction. ACMEC's long-range planning includes both maintenance of weekly rounds and he availability of electronically delivered CME.
A bi-anual needs assessment establishes a curriculum for physician's CME. ACMEC prioritizes identified physician top requests through sub-specialty input and match needs with speakers that are academically qualified to present. A library of accredited programming is maintained on the ACMEC Web site.
ACMEC is governed by a physician board appointment by the chief of staff of member institutions and the Ada County Medical Society Board. ACMEC reorganized in 1997 into a nonprofit corporation. William Bourquard, MD, a Boise pediatrician was elected as president. John Mohr, M.D., serves as physician adviser. David Mueller is the director of ACMEC and Marie Chester the administrative assistant. Mr. Mueller and Ms Chester have spent the last 23 years on enhancing program design and geographic expansion.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The January issue of Frontier Footnotes, the Newsletter for ID-AHEC is now available. It may be accessed by clicking HERE. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for this newsletter please contact the director at lbennett@mtnstatesgroup.org
64th Annual Conference of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians May 18-19, 2012
Applications for exhibit space are currently being taken for the 64th Annual Conference of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians to be held at Shore Lodge in McCall, Id on May 18-19, 2012. The conference agenda is still in the planning process so an official agenda is not available at this time. Approximately 90 family physicians and primary care providers are expected to attend this conference.
The exhibit fee for a 6' draped table, chairs and electricity is $550. Tabletop displays are recommended. Payment must be made at least 30 days prior to the conference. For further information please contact:
Sam Summers, MD Neva Santos, CAE
Program Chair or Executive Director, IAFP
(208) 459-3621 (208)-323-1156
Idahoafp@aol.com
Applications for exhibit space are currently being taken for the 64th Annual Conference of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians to be held at Shore Lodge in McCall, Id on May 18-19, 2012. The conference agenda is still in the planning process so an official agenda is not available at this time. Approximately 90 family physicians and primary care providers are expected to attend this conference.
The exhibit fee for a 6' draped table, chairs and electricity is $550. Tabletop displays are recommended. Payment must be made at least 30 days prior to the conference. For further information please contact:
Sam Summers, MD Neva Santos, CAE
Program Chair or Executive Director, IAFP
(208) 459-3621 (208)-323-1156
Idahoafp@aol.com
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Expanding Broadband Access in Idaho
Idaho is working to improve its broadband access and uptake through an initiative called LinkIDAHO. Broadband helps health care providers better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information. Broadband is particularly important to health care in rural communities where they have less access to health care specialists.
Idaho is working to improve its broadband access and uptake through an initiative called LinkIDAHO. Broadband helps health care providers better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information. Broadband is particularly important to health care in rural communities where they have less access to health care specialists.
LinkIDAHO
is working with the State of Idaho Office of the CIO to administer a
statewide broadband mapping and planning grant from the National
Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA).
A main goal of the grant is to identify broadband availability, needs and opportunities through mapping and planning activities which include:
·
An assessment of the current availability, adoption and use of broadband communications infrastructure throughout the state.
·
The development of specific strategies to fill current gaps in broadband access.
·
The development of plans to expand the adoption of deployed broadband.
A
broadband demand survey was just released to gather information about
the broadband needs in communities and for health care providers. Health
care providers can let their broadband needs be
known through filling out the survey at http://www.idahodashboard.org/healthdemandintro.
The
data from the Broadband Demand Survey will be used to create a demand
map that will show areas of need, areas being served and demonstrate
strategic areas of investment. Project staff has
already gathered a substantial amount of mapping and planning data to
support this work, which can be found at
www.linkidaho.org.
A
module designed to educate stakeholders about the benefits of health
information technology has also been developed and is available at
http://www.idahodashboard.org/node/376.
Idaho Rural Partnership (IRP) is leading planning activities in the state. For more information about LinkIDAHO visit
www.linkidaho.org
or contact Mike Field, LinkIDAHO Statewide Broadband Coordinator at
Mike.Field@irp.idaho.gov or 208-332-8699.
Idaho Statewide Trauma Network to meet
in Nampa January 26
The Idaho Statewide Trauma Network (ISTN) collects data needed to analyze the incidence, severity, causes, costs and outcomes of trauma in Idaho. This information will be seful for emergency medical system improvements, preventon programming and research, as well as for prioritizing health resource allocations.
The Idaho Trauma Registry offers periodic trauma registry-related trainings, in-hospital training to hospital registrars entering cases, and presentations to groups interested in learning more about the state registry.
in Nampa January 26
The Idaho Statewide Trauma Network (ISTN) collects data needed to analyze the incidence, severity, causes, costs and outcomes of trauma in Idaho. This information will be seful for emergency medical system improvements, preventon programming and research, as well as for prioritizing health resource allocations.
The Idaho Trauma Registry offers periodic trauma registry-related trainings, in-hospital training to hospital registrars entering cases, and presentations to groups interested in learning more about the state registry.
The Tri-Annual Meeting of the ISTN will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Nampa, ID.
There will be a simulation center demonstration and presentations focusing on concussion and mild brain injuries, ICD 10 overview, pedataric orthopedics, ATLS update and an EMS update.
For further information or to register to attend please contact:
Ginger Floerchinger Franks, DrPH
Director, Idaho Trauma Registry
Phone: (208) 489-1391
Fax: (208) 344-0180
There will be a simulation center demonstration and presentations focusing on concussion and mild brain injuries, ICD 10 overview, pedataric orthopedics, ATLS update and an EMS update.
For further information or to register to attend please contact:
Ginger Floerchinger Franks, DrPH
Director, Idaho Trauma Registry
Phone: (208) 489-1391
Fax: (208) 344-0180
| gfranks@teamiha.org |
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
New Employee Retention Tool introduced to Community Health Centers
Employees Know © is a process for improving wellbeing in the workplace that is managed by the employees of a company with little or no influence from external consultants. It is an inside-out approach that starts with the company’s greatest resource – its current employees and provides them with the structure to design and vet ideas for improving employee wellbeing that work within the culture and uniqueness of each organization.
Employees Know © is a process for improving wellbeing in the workplace that is managed by the employees of a company with little or no influence from external consultants. It is an inside-out approach that starts with the company’s greatest resource – its current employees and provides them with the structure to design and vet ideas for improving employee wellbeing that work within the culture and uniqueness of each organization.
The Employees Know Process, based on the most current
theories of Wellbeing, positive psychology and group decision-making,
allows employees to participate from anywhere using electronic
brainstorming software via the Internet. It is both
easy to use and effective regardless of the current level of wellbeing
within the company.
The process revolves around employees answering one
question, “What ideas do you have to improve your wellbeing in your
workplace?” Employees then work to select and prioritize the best of
these to management for their consideration. Management
is able to move forward on ideas that already have the support of
employees, many of which involve a minimum of financial investment.
“Encouraging employee wellbeing and engagement is
perhaps the most critical innovation we can embrace at the time,” EKP
Founder Dr. Gerald Wagner said. Gallup research shows that nearly two
thirds of American workers are “not engaged or actively
disengaged,” in their work.
Those are scary numbers, especially critical in the
health care industry where employees have a huge impact on patient
wellbeing and thereby community wellbeing every day. That’s why Wagner,
who is also the founder of the Employee Wellbeing
Institute at Bellevue University and an award-winning innovator, is
focused on implementing the program in 500 community health care centers
across the country in just five years at little or no cost to the
centers.
For more information see
www.employeesknow.org. To move forward with EKP, contact Dr. Gerald Wagner at
wagnergeraldr@gmail.com
.
WWAMI supports AHEC programs in 5 States
WWAMI is a regional medical education program that takes its name from the first letter of each of the five states who work in partnership with the University of Washington School of Medicine: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. The UW WWAMI collaboration has been sponsoring regional AHEC programs since 1985.
Today, the regional WWAMI AHEC network includes the following:
Washington AHEC has 2 regional centers, reflecting the fact that the state is divided by the Cascade Mountains with very different resources and needs in east and west.
Western Washington AHEC offices are in Seattle.
Eastern Washington AHEC offices are in Spokane.
Wyoming AHEC operates statewide programs from an office in Laramie.
Alaska AHEC has regional centers in each of the following areas:
1) Yukon Kuskokwim AHEC (hosted by Yukon
Kuskokwim Health Corporation)
2) Interior Alaska AHEC (hosted by Fairbanks Memorial
Hospital)
3) South Central AHEC (hosted by Providence Health
& Services Alaska)
4) Southeast Alaska AHEC (hosted by SouthEast
Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC)
5) Northwest AHEC (hosted by Ilisagvik College)
(The 2011 Annual Report for Alaska AHEC activities can be found HERE).
Montana has program centers in four areas:
Western Montana AHEC is in Missoula.
Eastern Montana AHEC is in Billings.
North Central Montana AHEC is in Fairfield.
South Central Montana AHEC is in Dillon.
Idaho AHEC operates programs statewide from offices in Boise.
Each AHEC is incorporated as a non-profit organizations and has locally representative boards of directors or advisory committees. Leadership from the various centers meet as a group from time to time, convened by the AHEC program office in the UW Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine.
The WWAMI AHEC centers are among some 150 AHECs across the United States that comprise a national network which is in place to address emerging health care concerns, ranging from the need for a primary care workforce to the need for expanded training in bioterrorism defense.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Rural Health Clinics play a key role in serving the needs of Idaho residents. To qualify as a Rural Health Clinic (RHC), the clinic must be located in a non-urbanized area and a designated medically underserved area or designated population group or geographic health professions shortage area.
The Idaho Rural Physician Incentive Program was established to encourage primary care physicians
to practice in medically under served areas of Idaho.
Funded through fees assessed to medical students enrolled in the University of Washington Medical School WWAMI program and the University of Utah Medical School, program benefits allow payment of up to $50,000 in total toward qualified educational loans of participating health professionals over a one to five year period of service in a location of physician need.
Applications are made jointly by a physician and an organization or institution (i.e., a hospital or clinic) located in the rural community in which the physician wishes to practice. Applications are reviewed for program eligibility by an advisory committee appointed by the State Board of Education and prioritized for participation based on community physician needs and availability of funds. Applications recommended for program participation are submitted to the State Board of Education for final approval. Funding priority is given to Idaho WWAMI or University of Utah graduates who have paid into the Idaho Rural Physician Incentive Program.
Deadline for this year's application is March 1, 2012. Click HERE for more information.
Funded through fees assessed to medical students enrolled in the University of Washington Medical School WWAMI program and the University of Utah Medical School, program benefits allow payment of up to $50,000 in total toward qualified educational loans of participating health professionals over a one to five year period of service in a location of physician need.
Applications are made jointly by a physician and an organization or institution (i.e., a hospital or clinic) located in the rural community in which the physician wishes to practice. Applications are reviewed for program eligibility by an advisory committee appointed by the State Board of Education and prioritized for participation based on community physician needs and availability of funds. Applications recommended for program participation are submitted to the State Board of Education for final approval. Funding priority is given to Idaho WWAMI or University of Utah graduates who have paid into the Idaho Rural Physician Incentive Program.
Deadline for this year's application is March 1, 2012. Click HERE for more information.
Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program
There are a number of loan repayment programs which provide incentives for health care professionals to work in rural or under served areas.
On Friday, January 20, 1 to 3 pm ET. there will be a webinar to explain the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. Applications for that funding will be accepted through February 15. Click HERE for more information
There are a number of loan repayment programs which provide incentives for health care professionals to work in rural or under served areas.
On Friday, January 20, 1 to 3 pm ET. there will be a webinar to explain the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. Applications for that funding will be accepted through February 15. Click HERE for more information
One way of increasing the primary care workforce in rural areas is to recruit and retain current medical professionals, influencing them to want to live and practice in small towns. Another method is to encourage people already living in rural areas to consider entering into primary health care fields. One of the key activities that AHEC does comes under the heading of "Pipeline Programs". We work with middle schools in rural areas throughout the state to introduce young students to information about a variety of health care careers, including public health. This is a long-range "grow your own workforce" initiative. Our "Orientation to Health Care Careers" program has been successfully piloted in Mountain Home and in Weiser.
With support from the Idaho Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, ID-AHEC is now prepared to take this program to additional communities throughout Idaho. To accomplish this goal we will partner with the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA).
HOSA currently has a strong infrastructure of leadership programs in high schools throughout Idaho. By working with HOSA advisers and students in rural communities we will be able to team together to create programs that are planned and carried out by local people who know the needs and the resources of their communities. ID-AHEC will provide key program elements and funding, along with technical assistance. The HOSA advisers and students will set up and carry out the programs, offering after-school sessions to groups of sixth graders.
We look forward to partnering with HOSA to bring this key pipeline program into new regions throughout Idaho. For further information, contact Idaho AHEC.
Idaho AHEC Advisory Board
Idaho AHEC programs and activities are guided by the input of an impressive group who serve on our Advisory Board:
Jim Girvan, PHD, MPH
ID AHEC Board Chair
Boise State University (Ret.)
Boise ID
Suzanne Allen, MD,MPH
Vice Dean for Regional Affairs
Clinical Associate Professor,
UW Department of FamilyMedicine
Boise, ID
Denise Chuckovich, MA
Executive Director
Idaho Primary Care Association
Boise, ID
Russell Duke
Director
Central District Health Department
Bosie ID
Ted Epperly, MD
Program Director
Family Medicine Residency of Idaho
Boise, ID
Bessie Katsilometes
Dean of Academic Programs
Idaho State University-Meridian Health Science Center
Meridian, ID
Steve Schneider, MD
Chief Medical Officer (RET)
Contractor Healthwise, Inc.
Boise, ID
Carol Taylor, MSW
Above & Beyond Consulting
Victor, ID
Andrew L. Turner Ph.D.,
Director
University of Idaho/Washington State University Medical Education Program
Moscow, Idaho
Mimi Hartman-Cunningham, MA, RD, CDE
Bureau of Community & Environmental Health Idaho Department of Health &Welfare
Boise, ID
Idaho AHEC programs and activities are guided by the input of an impressive group who serve on our Advisory Board:
Jim Girvan, PHD, MPH
ID AHEC Board Chair
Boise State University (Ret.)
Boise ID
Suzanne Allen, MD,MPH
Vice Dean for Regional Affairs
Clinical Associate Professor,
UW Department of FamilyMedicine
Boise, ID
Denise Chuckovich, MA
Executive Director
Idaho Primary Care Association
Boise, ID
Russell Duke
Director
Central District Health Department
Bosie ID
Ted Epperly, MD
Program Director
Family Medicine Residency of Idaho
Boise, ID
Bessie Katsilometes
Dean of Academic Programs
Idaho State University-Meridian Health Science Center
Meridian, ID
Steve Schneider, MD
Chief Medical Officer (RET)
Contractor Healthwise, Inc.
Boise, ID
Carol Taylor, MSW
Above & Beyond Consulting
Victor, ID
Andrew L. Turner Ph.D.,
Director
University of Idaho/Washington State University Medical Education Program
Moscow, Idaho
Mimi Hartman-Cunningham, MA, RD, CDE
Bureau of Community & Environmental Health Idaho Department of Health &Welfare
Boise, ID
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