MEMBER NEWS | PARTNER NEWS | NATIONAL NEWS | LEADERSHIP | UPCOMING EVENTS

• Beyond New Year’s Resolutions: Building on Your Leadership Success (Jan. 1, 2013, Lead Change Group)
• RWHC's Leadership Insights: "Inspire Someone" (Dec. 15, 2012, RWHC)

• Telehealth Network Grant Program (HRSA/ORHP, due 2/13/13)
• Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant (Rural Quality) Program (HRSA/ORHP, due 1/30/13)
  

• Hotel Reservations for the 2013 Conference: Join us in New Orleans for NCHN's 19th Annual Conference (April 16-19). Reservations have opened at the discounted conference rate and a limited number of double-double bed rooms are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Save the Date: Monday, January 14, 2013 @ 2:00 PM ET  – Special Topic Call with Heman Marshall on Anti-Trust Laws and Issues Relevant to Health Networks 

NCHN NEWS

2013 Conference Keynote Speaker Fundraising Program
In December, Chris Hopkins, Chair of the 2013 Conference Planning Committee, sent an email annoucning the 2013 Annual Conference Keynote Speaker Program. This Program will be used to help NCHN in reaching a new level of potential speakers for the Conference. Special thanks to the following networks for getting the donations off to a good start with a $200 commitment from each:

• Partners in Health Network (Bob Whitler - Charleston, WV)
• Santa Cruz Adolescent Wellness Network (Cassalyn David - Nogales, AZ)
• Tennessee Rural Partnership (Cindy Siler, Nashville, TN)
• Montana Health Network (Chris Hopkins, Miles City, MT)

For more information about the program, contact Christy at csullenberger@nchn.org

Conference Planning Committee Call
Tuesday, Jan. 8 @ 2:00 PM ET

Special Topics: Call with Heman Marshall on Anti-Trust Laws and Issues Relevant to Health Networks
Monday, January 14, 2013 @ 2:00 PM ET  

Program Development Committee Call
Tuesday, Jan. 15 @ 1:00 PM ET

January Coffee/Tea Chat
Wednesday, Jan. 16 @ 10:30 AM ET

Business Partners Committee Call
Wednesday, Jan. 16 @ 1:30 PM ET

NCHN Board of Directors Call
Monday, Jan. 21 @ 2:00 PM ET

2013 Conference Planning Committee Call
Tuesday, Jan. 22 @ 2:00 PM ET

» VIEW THE NCHN CALENDAR

MEMBER NEWS

• HCC of Rural Missouri's first newsletter of the year is online here.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Rural Fiscal Cliff Averted (Jan. 2, 2013, Rural Health Voices)
Hundreds of millions of dollars in rural health cuts were prevented by Congress as part of the last-minute “fiscal cliff” legislation passed late in the night on New Year’s Day. While many were watching an underwhelming Orange Bowl, the President signed-into law legislation that reinstates critical Medicare reimbursement payments to over 850 rural hospitals, as well as prevented cuts to rural primary care physicians and rural ambulance providers.

Comment Now On FAR Definition (Dec. 28, 2012, Daily Yonder)
The federal government is considering new definitions for what would be a "frontier and remote area." You have until January 4 to comment on the proposed definitions. Read, study and comment. These definitions matter.

5 Health Care Reform Changes Coming in 2013 (Dec. 28, 2012, The Fiscal Times)
Health care reform in the coming year will go on a kind of shakedown cruise to test the seaworthiness of America's evolving health care system as it becomes more cost-conscious and quality-focused under the Affordable Care Act.

Smaller hospitals fare well on CMS quality measures (Dec. 25, 2012, FierceHealthFinance)
Rural facilities receive payment bumps over urban academic medical centers

HHS Health IT Safety Plan open for public comment (Dec. 21, 2012, HHS News Release)
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Health IT Patient Safety Action and Surveillance Plan. Health Information Technology can eliminate medical errors, improve the quality of care, protect patients and make the health care system more efficient.

Medicare Discloses Hospitals' Bonuses, Penalties Based On Quality (Dec. 20, 2012, Kaiser Health News)
Medicare on Thursday disclosed bonuses and penalties for nearly 3,000 hospitals as it ties almost $1 billion in payments to the quality of care provided to patients. The revised payments, which will begin in January, mark the federal government’s most extensive effort yet to hold hospitals financially accountable for what happens to patients.

FCC Creates an Annual $400 Million Healthcare Connect Fund for Broadband Services and Infrastructure (Dec. 29, 2012, JD Supra Law News)
On Dec. 21, the FCC released its long-awaited Report and Order reforming its funding mechanisms for rural health care by creating a Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) of $400 million annually. The purpose of the HCF is to expand broadband access to health care providers and to encourage state and regional broadband networks for health care.

Filling the primary care gap in rural, low-income clinics (Dec. 21, 2012, The Clinical Advisor)
Rural medicine “can be one of the most rewarding things any health care professional can do,” says Ann Davis, PA-C, Director of State Government Affairs at the American Academy of Physician Assistants. But it is important for clinicians to carefully weigh the upsides, like incentives, against the challenges.

“Salsafying” Rural Health Care (Jan. 2, 2013, NRHRC)
I have a friend* who is a former rural health network director in the great state of Georgia who is really good about coming up with visual representations or activities for the concepts she is trying to communicate. A couple of years ago she introduced me to a fantastic activity that she did with her Board—they made salsa.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2013-15 ORHP Rural Funding Opportunities (Jan. 7, 2013 @ 10:00 AM GMT, Center for Rural Health)

9th Annual 340B Coalition Winter Conference (Jan. 23 - 25, 2013, San Francisco, CA, The 340B Coalition)

Rural Health Policy Institute (Feb. 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C., NRHA)