The National Cooperative of Health Networks Association (NCHN) announced the 6^th national award winners during its 2014 Annual Educational Conference in St. Louis, Missouri last month. Coastal Carolinas Health Alliance (CCHA) was selected nationally as the 2014 Outstanding Health Network. The Outstanding Health Network award recognizes a network that has improved access to health services in its service area and has improved the coordination of resources for members using particularly innovative and comprehensive approaches. Award winners are nominated and chosen by their national peers.

Established in 1991, Coastal Carolinas Health Alliance (CCHA) has proven to be a sustainable and growing network of twelve hospitals throughout Southeastern North Carolina and Northeastern South Carolina.  Now more than ever, regional collaboration and community partnerships play a pivotal role in accomplishing the mission of CCHA, which is to improve the quality of healthcare while reducing costs. In 2013 alone, CCHA saved its member hospitals over 6.1 million dollars.

CCHA members remain on the cutting edge of healthcare training and technology. This year, CCHA’s Health Information Exchange (CCHIE) was honored with both a Member Achievement Award for Community Impact and Innovation from Amerinet and an Intel Health IT Award from NCHICA. CCHIE has gone above and beyond simply putting a dollar amount on the value they are bringing to North Carolinians statewide—they have captured “Stories From the Field” exploring the use of HIE resources among practices and hospital system.  These stories continue to capture the lasting impact on populations served.  The leadership, outreach, and education CCHIE brings to all levels of healthcare entities in their region are innovative and lasting.

“Coastal Carolinas Health Network is a model of a sustainable, innovative, and successful network,” said Rebecca Davis, Ph.D., Executive Director of NCHN. “From adapting to the changing context of healthcare delivery to saving members millions of dollars and improving patient care, CCHA illustrates the immense value that a well operated health network can have in its community.”

Yvonne Hughes, CEO, accepted the award on behalf of CCHA. “For over twenty years, CCHA’s mission has been excellence. Whether in providing cutting-edge educational opportunities, regional networking and collaboration, or cost-savings that directly impact the quality of patient care, we have worked hard to bring outstanding value to our members,” said Hughes. “Every success for the Alliance is a success for the patients within our communities.”

NCHN is a professional membership organization of health network leaders across the nation. Its mission is to support and strengthen health networks through collaboration, networking, leadership development and education. The Association has members in 31 states. By definition, health networks are formed when three or more health care providers formally come together to better meet the needs of patients in their service area. These providers often include hospitals, community health centers, critical access hospitals, physician practices, mental health providers, rural health clinics and other for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations. Networks strive to increase access to quality health care for local patients and streamline the cost of that care. For more information, please go to www.nchn.org

HRSA - Office of Rural Health Policy (Rockville, MD) – 2014 Friend of NCHN

The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP), a part of the Health Resources and Services Administration, was recognized as the 2014 Friend of NCHN, during the 6^th Annual National Cooperative of Health Networks (NCHN) Awards Luncheon in St. Louis, Missouri last month. The Friend of NCHN Award is given to recognize a program, institution, agency, or individual that has advocated for or provided extraordinary support to the Association. Award nominations are submitted by NCHN members and reviewed and voted upon by the Awards Committee, which is comprised of previous NCHN award winners.

Since its creation in 1987, ORHP has played a significant role in ensuring that rural communities have access to quality health care. “One of the many ways in which ORHP supports rural health is by providing grants to fund the planning, development, and implementation of health networks,” said Rebecca Davis, Ph.D., Executive Director of NCHN. “No other organization has been as vital to the success of the health network model as HRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy.”  

In 1997, ORHP implemented the Rural Health Network Development Grant Program and since that time, additional specialized network development programs have been developed, including HIT, Workforce, HIT Workforce, Delta, and Network Development Planning.  “I think our Network Development and Network Planning programs are stronger because of our work and collaboration with NCHN,” said Tom Morris, Administrator of ORHP.  In addition to providing grant funding for networks, numerous ORHP staff members have attended, presented, and assisted with NCHN Conferences and the NCHN Leadership Summit.

“There is a powerful synergy that is created when you have multiple organizations working to see the health network structure succeed and thrive,” said Dr. Davis. “The success of health networks is at the heart of the missions of both NCHN and ORHP. NCHN, our members, and rural communities are fortunate to have ORHP staff as a knowledge resource and ORHP as a supporter of rural health.”

NCHN is a professional membership organization of health network leaders across the nation. Its mission is to support and strengthen health networks through collaboration, networking, leadership development, and education. The Association has members in 31 states. By definition, health networks are formed when three or more health care providers formally come together to better meet the needs of patients in their service area. These providers often include hospitals, community health centers, critical access hospitals, physician practices, mental health providers, rural health clinics and other for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations. Networks strive to increase access to quality health care for local patients and streamline the cost of that care, as well.  For more information please go to www.nchn.org.

Darcy Czarnik Laurin (Midland, MI) -- 2014 Outstanding New and Emerging Health Network Leader

Darcy Czarnik Laurin, Network Director of Thumb Rural Health Network (TRHN), was recognized as the 2014 Outstanding New & Emerging Network Leader during the 6^th Annual National Cooperative of Health Networks Awards Luncheon held last month in St. Louis, Missouri. The National Cooperative of Health Networks (NCHN) is a membership organization comprised of health network leaders throughout the nation. The Outstanding New & Emerging Network Leader Award recognizes extraordinary leadership demonstrated by a health network leader who has held the position for less than 5 years. Award nominations are submitted by NCHN members and reviewed and voted upon by the Awards Committee, which is comprised of previous award winners.

Darcy Czarnik Laurin has nearly fifteen years of experience working with both federal and state grant-funded organizations. She began her non-profit career working as a watershed coordinator designing and implementing watershed and wetland restoration initiatives. Soon after, Darcy’s focus switched to rural health, and she dedicated her work to helping alleviate the health challenges and disparities found in rural communities.  She has served as the Network Director of TRHN since 2011. 

“Since starting in her role as Network Director, Darcy Czarnik Laurin has been very involved in NCHN activities, fostering both her own development as a leader and serving as a resource for other health networks,” said Rebecca Davis, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Cooperative of Health Networks. “She has actively participated in two NCHN Leadership Learning Communities, serves on multiple committees, chaired the 2014 Conference Planning Committee, and currently serves as NCHN President. Through all of this, her commitment to rural health and her desire to excel as a network leader are apparent.”

TRHN works to improve comprehensive health services in Michigan’s Thumb region by exploring and facilitating innovative approaches among the Network members. The TRHN membership consists of three county health departments, six critical access hospitals, and two tertiary-level hospitals. Services focus on population health management that include access to health care for the underserved population with an emphasis on primary care and dental services, as well as chronic disease management. Additional services are improved community health status, regional health behaviors data collection and utilization, community access to care, educational opportunities, and leadership development. Each TRHN member organization has a community-based mission and continually seeks and sustains meaningful relationships with other community organizations that increase viability, efficiency, and effectiveness through collaboration.

By definition, health networks are formed when three or more health care providers formally come together to better meet the needs of patients in their service area. These providers often include hospitals, community health centers, critical access hospitals, physician practices, mental health providers, rural health clinics and other for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations. Networks strive to increase access to quality health care for local patients and streamline the cost of that care, as well.

NCHN is a professional membership organization of health network leaders across the nation. Its mission is to support and strengthen health networks through collaboration, networking, leadership development and education. The Association has members in 31 states. For more information please go to www.nchn.org

For this electronic interview, we caught up with Jayne Berube, who recently began her work as Program Coordinator with ORHP. Given ORHP's strong support of health networks, we were excited to find out more about Jayne and about her thoughts on the role of networks, the direction of health care, and future opportunities for networks.

Q: You recently joined ORHP as Program Coordinator/Project Officer. Can you tell us a little about your background and the experiences that led to your current role?

A: Most of the work I have been doing over past several years has been around nutrition and public health. I worked for three years as a Registered Dietitian in a clinical setting, where I learned the systems of care within inpatient and outpatient settings. Prior to moving to the Office of Rural Health Policy at HRSA, I worked as a Public Health Nutritionist for the Indian Health Service in Chinle, AZ. In this role, I worked on diabetes prevention programs that included promoting breastfeeding, school wellness policies, and taxation of sugar sweetened beverages. As with any position in a rural setting, much of the success of these programs was dependent upon creating partnerships with community members and other important stakeholders.

Q: What are your plans for working with the new Network Development grantees?

A: Our focus with this new cohort of grantees will be to demonstrate outcomes, and position networks to be successful and sustainable in the current healthcare landscape. 

Q: What role do you believe experienced network leaders will have in assisting with the continuing implementation of the ACA?

A: Network members and leaders play a key role in getting the word out about the Affordable Care Act and the benefits of enrollment. They also play an important role in encouraging staff to become a Certified Application Counselor  (CAC) as a means of helping qualified members of the community obtain health insurance through the exchange.

Q: In light of the unique structure and diverse function of networks, do you foresee expanded opportunities for networks?

A: Yes, I think the changing healthcare landscape has made it imperative to create networks that not only collaborate to achieve efficiencies for the administration and financing of care, but can also be innovators of solutions that meet the unique health care needs of their communities despite limited financial and staffing resources. 

Q: What areas of focus do you believe are most ripe for health networks currently?

A: There are many areas of focus that are relevant to networks today, particularly within the delivery of healthcare. The goal of the Network Development program is to increase access and quality of health care within rural areas through network collaboration. To achieve this, the areas of network focus that we have identified as being the most important are the integration of health care services and delivery, expansion of access and quality of healthcare services, and utilizing networks to implement evidence based approaches to address and strengthen the health care system

Q: And, finally, we can’t miss the opportunity to ask you a few personal questions! Where are you from and what are your special interests and hobbies?

A: Of course! I grew up in Kennebunkport, Maine and went to school in Washington, DC and New York for my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I currently live in Washington, DC and enjoy many of the great cultural and outdoor events and opportunities that the city offers. I enjoy traveling when I can and often spend my weekends with family and friends.

Q: What is the best way to contact you?

A: I can best be reached by phone: 301-443-4281 or email JBerube@HRSA.gov

We are now in St. Louis for the 2014 NCHN Annual Educational Conference.  It is an exciting time for NCHN members!  We are kicking off a new fiscal year (May 1) and I welcome the opportunity to give the membership an overview of the accomplishments of your Association for 2013 and peek at some plans for 2014.  Without the continued support of our dedicated members these activities and projects would not have been possible.  Thanks to each member that stepped forth during 2013 to serve on committees, participate on Coffee/Tea Chats, respond to list serve questions, answer emails and generously provide support to your peers.

The Board of Directors and Officers continually seek feedback from you and meet on a regular basis to discuss and explore programming that meets the needs of our diverse membership.

During 2013-2014, NCHN provided the following programming and services that were designed to support health network leaders and network organizations:

• 2013 Membership Summary: We ended 2013 with 52 network members, which resulted in a retention rate of 78% of 2012-2013 membership (46/59).  We welcomed five (5) new members during 2013. The membership represented twenty-nine (29) states. In the Associate Member Category we had four (4) individual Associate Members and four (4) organizational Associate Members. The NCHN total membership as of April 30, 2014 was sixty (60) members across all categories.
• Leadership Development: The 2013 Leadership Summit was held in October in Austin, TX with ten (10) very dedicated network leaders, representing nine (9) states! The group formed the 2013 Leadership Learning Community and have been meeting by conference call since October.  They will have their final face-to-face meeting here at the 2014 Conference.
• Executive Coaching Program continued with a team of NCHN members available to provide Executive Coaching to both NCHN members and to the HRSA Rural Health Network Development Grantees.  
• Informational & Technical Assistance Calls were provided on a regular basis, addressing such topics Rural Veterans in NCHN Communities; Updates from NRHA; National Rural ACO; and Understanding the New Health Insurance Marketplace and What They Mean for Providers and Patients.  We are always open to topics for these calls. 
• Coffee/Tea Chats were held monthly. The one-hour, once a month call is the opportunity for network leaders to connect with their peers to discuss whatever is on their minds.
• Listserv: Twelve (12) questions/requests were posed to the Listserv. Forty-three (43) responses were received for the posting; along with fifteen (15) documents shared.
• Electronic Presence: Twenty-five (25) eNews were developed and distributed to both NCHN membership and a Friend/Associate List.  The membership average open rate for the year was 32.5%; and the friend’s list average open rate was 25.9%. Social Media efforts included 44 tweets on Twitter; 65 followers. Facebook does not have yearly data available, but we have 105 likes! The NCHN website received 5,181 unique visits with a total of 24,438 page views. The website had 43.2% returning visitors and 56.8% new visitors.
• 2014 Network Leader Salary & Benefit Survey was conducted in April – May and the final report is being prepared.  Forty-four networks responded.  This was an increase of six (6) participants over the 2012 survey. The final report will be distributed later this month to those members that participated.
• Business Partners Program is under transformation.  NCHN contracted with Larry Bedell to assume management of our program.  Larry’s target is to secure ten (10) Platinum Level Sponsors.  Please check the website for our continuing Business Partners and support their program and services, while watching for updates on the new Platinum Level Sponsors.  Thanks to EMTS for their continued partnership and attendance at the conference.

The Officers, Directors and NCHN staff encourage you to take advantage of your membership benefits in 2014 - 2015 and look forward to working with you to support your leadership development and the success of your network!  Some of the upcoming events and activities in 2014-2015 include – continuation of the sharing that starts with the Innovation Circles at the conference; 2015 Leadership  Summit, release of NCHN’s Core Elements of Successful Networks, continued electronic presence, monthly Coffee/Tea Chats, listserv option for posting questions and sharing information; new website with tools and strategies for successful networks, and in September 2015, a co-located conference with NOSORH and 3RNet in Portland, OR. 

   

May is the month of graduations!  I’m sure most of us have at least one graduation on our schedule this month!  We are fortunate to have two high school graduates this year, a nephew in Illinois and a great niece in Kentucky!  The 2013 Leadership Learning Community held their final community call on Friday and ended their conference call sessions on the topic of “Annoying Conversations & Conversations of Curiosity.”  Community members revisited values they had defined in an earlier session and discussed what they looked like in action, particularly during conversations.  The 2013 Leadership Learning Community will have a final face-to-face meeting on Friday, June 20^th in St. Louis, kind of like a graduation for this group of network leaders!   If you are interested in joining a future Leadership Learning Community, please let me know. 

 

In addition to the upcoming Annual Educational Conference – “Your Gateway to Innovation, Leadership, and Collaboration” we are busy completing some other NCHN projects.  First of all, if you haven’t registered for the conference and made your hotel reservations, please do so today – our deadline for the conference rate at the hotel of $109/night ends on May 26.  This year’s conference will prove to be one of the best!  We are looking forward to meeting with approximately 100 health network leaders and networks supporters from across the nation!  As of today we have registrants from over 50% of the states!  The Conference Planning Committee is including lots of fun networking activities, so be prepared to meet and get to know your peers from across the country.

 

Other activities that we are finishing up this month includes the 2014 NCHN Network Leader Salary and Benefit Survey.  We conduct this survey every two years and it is the only one of its kind that deals exclusively with network leaders.  Thanks so much to the 80% of the membership that has completed it to date.  Come on, we need the other 20% to participate.  You should have received an email this week with the final deadline date and link!  If you have questions about whether or not you need to complete it, please contact Christy.

 

And lastly, each year at the Conference, we recognize network leaders and network organizations.  The 6^th Annual NCHN Awards Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, June 18 in St. Louis.  Recognition by one’s peers is one of the greatest compliments a person can receive during their professional career.  I encourage you to review the NCHN Awards Program and nominate a deserving peer today!  Deadline is Thursday, May 29. 

 

I will close with some Missouri Facts & Trivia:

• Missouri is known as the “Show Me State” – there will be a lot of showing of the great work networks are doing in June!
• The first successful parachute jump to be made from a moving airplane was made by Captain Berry at St. Louis, in 1912.  One hundred and two years later – network leaders will be making all kinds of leaps in moving their networks forward!
• Missouri ties with Tennessee as the most neighborly state in the union, bordered by 8 states.  I took a look, and we have conference registrants from 7 of those adjoining state!
• The state animal is the Mule.  I think at some point in time, network leaders are seen as being stubborn as a mule!  Don’t we have to be to get things done? 
• State insect: the honey bee (designated July 3, 1985).  We are going to have a buzzing good time!  So, see you in St. Louis!

   

 

For this feature, we interviewed Susan Kaderle, Executive Director of MI-Connect, who recently rejoined NCHN.  MI-Connect is a collaborative resource partnership to expand access to high quality healthcare services for the at-risk residents of Northern Michigan. It has 5 members and its programs include Physician and Mid-Level Recruitment and Retention, Mental/Dental Integration, Rural Health Outreach, and Community Health Worker focus. MI-Connect is one of the recipients of the recently announced Network Development grants, so we were excited to ask a few questions about their project.

Q: Congratulations on your receipt of the Rural Health Network Development grant. The abstract says that you will be expanding the Integrated Behavioral Health and School-Based Oral Health programs. Can you tell us a little about the specifics of the project (e.g., what you have in place currently and how the programs will be expanded)?

MI-Connect was a recipient of the 2011 Rural Health Network Development grant and our area of focus was integrated behavioral health services across our Network membership. Our service area included a five county area located in the northeastern part of lower Michigan. Since 2011 we have expanded our Network to include a larger geographical area that includes northwest Michigan and a total of 13 counties. With our new funding, we will be expanding behavioral health to the west side of the state as well as continue to expand integration on the east side. School based oral health integration is the second focus for us and will be integrating among all Network partners.

Q: This grant follows a Rural Health Outreach grant that focused on recruitment and retention. Did that grant provide you with a solid foundation of providers on which to base this new initiative?

The Rural Health Outreach grant funding for the recruitment and retention of primary care providers ended in 2012. The project became fully sustainable through financial support from additional partnerships throughout rural Michigan. This successful project provided the foundation to explore potential areas of collaboration which lead to a 2011 Network Development grant with an integrated behavioral health focus and also lead to another Rural Health Outreach grant in 2012 with a Community Health Worker focused program.

Q: What brought you back to NCHN and what do you look for from NCHN and other members to best support your work?

MI-Connect recently re-joined NCHN, we originally became involved in 2011, we needed to take time to focus on our programs and now feel that our Network is a very appropriate addition to NCHN, I look forward to participating in the many services that are offered.

 

Welcome to almost Spring!  I think many of us across the country thought spring was here as I heard weather reports  last week from members serving on committees of 60 – 80s temperatures!  Sunday, we had rain that quickly turned to snow. I  saw some of the biggest, fattest snowflakes of my life!  They looked like huge cotton balls floating around!  So, hopefully this last blast of winter will end soon and we can stop dreaming about all the wonderful spring activities we like to do and start doing them! 

 

Spring also brings about NCHN’s new fiscal year. This is the last official eNews edition of 2013!  NCHN’s new year starts May 1^st.  This year we start off with our Annual Educational Conference in June, instead of ending the year with the conference.  This will be an exciting beginning to 2014!  I hope you are planning to be with us in St. Louis for the 2014 NCHN Annual Educational Conference, “Your Gateway to Innovation, Leadership, and Collaboration!”  Please take a few minutes today to register and make your room reservations. 

 

Also with the beginning of a new fiscal year, we  have some annual tasks to take care of, such as 2014 Dues Assessments; the bi-annual Network Leader Salary and Benefit Survey; and election of Directors.  You should have already received your notice for dues assessment and the Salary Survey.  I encourage you to complete both this week and check that off your list!   If you have not received, please let Christy know.

 

Directors are usually elected  at the Annual Membership Meeting in April.  But, as the Annual Membership Meeting will be in June this year, we will be holding the elections electronically.  Watch your email boxes at the end of the week for your ballot and voting instructions! 

 

Also, we will be seeking members to serve on 2014 Committees, so watch for that call.  Serving on a committee is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your peers, keep up with the weather across the nation, and serve your Association! 

 

As, NCHN’s 2013 fiscal year comes to an end, we thank you for your commitment to your Association, for the sharing of your expertise, talents and time!  We looking forward to continuing our work in 2014 and having each one of you become more active in your Association!     

The Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) is pleased to announce that it, along with four member hospital partners, has received a Development Award through the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program. “A Collaborative Response to Reduce Binge Drinking in Rural Wisconsin Communities” was one of nine projects awarded funding during this, the 9th annual cycle.

RWHC and the academic partners from the Medical College of Wisconsin will work with Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital & Clinics (Boscobel), Moundview Memorial Hospital & Clinics (Friendship), The Monroe Clinic (Monroe), and Southwest Health Center (Platteville) to develop and implement a program aimed at reducing binge drinking in rural Wisconsin Communities. This project is funded (in part or in whole) by the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program, a component of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

One example of how the program will function is through a screening process for patients as they visit a hospital and/or clinic setting.  The patient will answer a set of questions from the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) screening tool.  Those answers will then be scored by clinic staff, and if the result is a score that identifies risky drinking behavior, the patient is offered the opportunity to meet with a Health Educator to learn more about binge drinking, and what local resources may be available to assist in changing existing drinking behaviors.  In the event the Health Educator is not available, the patient can have a virtual meeting with the Health Educator at one of the other participating hospitals through the use of a tele-health modality. 

Wisconsin ranks highest in the nation in the percentage of adults who binge drink.  Binge drinking is often classified as “five or more drinks for a male, and four or more drinks for a female on one occasion”.  It is hoped that the through the work of this grant project, adults of legal drinking age in the participating communities will learn more about how binge drinking can lead to chronic health problems, and change their behaviors accordingly.   

The 9th Request for Proposals (RFP) generated responses from over 200 community and Medical College of Wisconsin partners submitting 62 Letters of Intent intended to impact residents throughout Wisconsin communities. Of those, 30 projects were invited to submit a full proposal. Twenty-seven (27) submitted and met technical eligibility requirements and underwent competitive review by a National Merit Panel and the MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health. Eight projects received Development Awards, and one project received an Impact Award. For more information, please contact Dave Johnson; 608-643-2343 or djohnson@rwhc.com

We received the following email from Bill Finerfrock at the National Association of Rural Health Clinics

March 31, 2014

To:          RHC Community and Friends

From:    Bill Finerfrock and Matt Reiter

Re:         SGR Patch/ICD-10 Delay

The United States Senate has joined the House of Representatives and passed legislation to prevent a 24% cut in physician fee schedule payments from occurring tomorrow (4/1) as previously scheduled.  Instead, Medicare physician fee schedule payments will continue to be paid as they have been for the past 3 months.   Although the legislation must be signed by the President in order to become effective, the President has indicated that he will sign this legislation once it reaches his desk. 

In addition to preventing the SGR related reduction, Congress approved language extending various other Medicare provisions slated to expire at Midnight tonight.  These include: 

• Extends Medicare work Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) floor for 1 year
• Extends Medicare therapy cap exception process for 1 year
• Extends Medicare ambulance add-on payments for 1 year
• Extends Medicare adjustment for Low-Volume hospitals for 1 year
• Extends Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program for 1 year

In addition to these “extenders” Congress also approved a one-year delay in the effective date of the ICD-10 transition.  As you know, ICD-10 has been scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2014.  Due to Congressional intervention, the new effective date will be October 1, 2015. 

Bill Finerfrock
202-544-1880
bf@capitolassociates.com