May 4th RHC Technical Assistance call – Emergency Preparedness and Foreign Language Nondiscrimination Rules

To:       RHC Community and friends

From:   Bill Finerfrock

Re:       May 4^th RHC Technical Assistance call – Emergency Preparedness and Foreign Language Nondiscrimination Rules

In late 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced finalization of new “Emergency Preparedness” rules for federally certified facilities, including Rural Health Clinics.  Enforcement of these rules was delayed until November, 2017.

ALL RHCs will be subject to these news rules and must be able to demonstrate that they have put an “Emergency Preparedness” plan in place and engaged in a variety of activities as part of these new requirements.

Additionally, as of November of 2016, RHCs are required to take additional steps to ensure nondiscrimination practices are fair for foreign language patients. These new rules will be reviewed to ensure that all RHCs are in compliance.

On May 4^th at 2:00pm Eastern, Nathan Baugh, NARHC Director of Government Affairs, will be conducting a webinar outlining these new rules for RHCs. In some instances, CMS has not yet provided all of the guidance necessary to determine specific actions the RHC must take in order to be in compliance. 

There is no cost to participate in this webinar and you do not need to sign-up in advance.  The link for the webinar is:  https://hrsaseminar.adobeconnect.com/rhc_tech_assistance/

The call-in number for this session is: 
Phone: 1-888-790-3056 
Code: 6905570

If you have a question you would like to submit in advance of this call, please send those via email to: info@narhc.org. Please put RHC TA Question in the subject line. 

There will also be time at the end of the presentation for participants to ask questions.

We look forward to your participation in this important event

Attestation Deadline April 30th -- limited Help Desk availability -- attest today or call for assistance!

Take advantage of the MU Help Desk -- the deadline is 4/30! View this email in your browser

Still working on your Meaningful Use attestation? Time is running out. Should you need any assistance, we’re happy to help. The Help Desk is open today and tomorrow 8:30am-5pm CST. The deadline to attest for Meaningful Use is this Sunday, April 30. If you have any questions, please contact the Help Desk:

ILHITREC News Update: April 24, 2017

At the Forefront of Healthcare Transformation!  April 24, 2017 Medicaid Attestation Deadline 4/30/17 - No Anticipated Extensions ILHITREC encourages Providers to log-in to the IMPACT system now to make sure you can access the Electronic Health Record Medicaid Incentive Payment Program (eMIPP) in advance of the April 30, 2017 deadline set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This will allow you time to resolve any possible problems. At this time, no extensions to the April 30 deadline are anticipated. Providers can review the eMIPP Attestation Guide for step-by-step screenshots to assist you in the process. It takes 5 minutes per provider. If you need assistance, please contact us at info@ILHITREC.org.   Documentation Vital as Attestation Deadline Approaches ILHITREC reminds all qualifying providers to prepare yourselves with the proper supporting documents to avoid rejection as the April 30 deadline approaches for attesting for the Illinois Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program for the 2016 program year. Supporting documents that must be added to the Upload Document section of eMIPP to avoid rejection include: Those supporting active engagement with public health registries selected in Objective 10;  Those supporting Medicaid patient encounter volume entered in the eligibility section; and Those showing proof of acquisition of a certified EHR (required ONLY for AIU attestations). If you need assistance from ILHITREC, please contact us at  info@ILHITREC.org.   FY2018 Medicare Hospital and Long Term Acute Care Hospital Prospective Payment Systems Proposed Rule and Request for Information On April 14, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update 2018 Medicare payment and policies when patients are admitted into hospitals.  The agency also released a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit ideas for regulatory, policy, practice and procedural changes to better achieve transparency, flexibility, program simplification and innovation. The following resources offer more details: Complete Story on ILHITREC Website  CMS Fact Sheet on Proposed Rule  Federal Register Document Webinar May 4 on 2017 Medicaid Meaningful Use Requirements Please register now for ILHITREC's Webinar about "2017 Medicaid Meaningful Use Requirements." It will be held Thursday, May 4, 2017, from Noon-1 PM (CDT).  Register here.    The focus of this webinar is on 2017 Reporting Requirements for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program for Eligible Providers. More details about specific Measures explained during the Webinar will be included in upcoming editions of ILHITREC's Weekly News Update (see below). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you need assistance from ILHITREC, please contact us at info@ILHITREC.org.   ILHITREC Spotlight:  Focus on Meaningful Use Measures    [NOTE: This ILHITREC feature will regularly spotlight different Meaningful Use and other Measures] The Measure: Clinical Decision Support Objective of the Measure: Use clinical decision support to improve performance on high-priority health conditions. Attestation: Answer Yes or No or claim an Exclusion Measure Requirements: 1. MEASURE 1: EPs must attest YES to implementing five clinical decision support interventions related to four or more clinical quality measures at a relevant point in patient care for the entire EHR reporting period.     2. MEASURE 2: EPs must attest YES to enabling and implementing the functionality for drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks for the entire EHR reporting period.  Benefits of Clinical Decision Support: Improve Patient Safety Improve Quality of Care Identify drug-drug interactions Identify drug allergies Increase patient compliance Improve patient self-care Meet Meaningful use Tips and Resources: *Exclusion is available for Measure 2 if you prescribe less than 100 medications during the reporting period * Make sure 4 of the Quality measures you use for attestation are related to your clinical support interventions. An example would be if a provider reports their performance on A1C testing for their Diabetic patients then they would have an alert in their EMR that reminds them a patient is due for this test. *Drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction alerts are separate from the 5 clinical decision support interventions and do not count toward the 5 required for this first measure.   *A follow up audit would expect screen shots of this functionality in your EHR during the reporting period *Link to CMS Specification sheet for this measure    Reporting Period for Clinical Quality Measures is 365 Days for 2017 The Meaningful Use (MU) reporting period for 2017 is 90 contiguous days for the 10 functional measure objectives. The reporting period for Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) is the full year (365 days). Most Eligible Professionals (EPs) will not attest until 2018 for 2017. The only exception is for EPs reporting on the MU measures for the first time, usually the first year after adopt, implement and upgrade (AIU). EPs at that status will report any continuous 90-day period for their CQMs. The date range can be the same 90 days as the MU reporting period or a different 90 days, as long as it occurs during 2017.    ILHITREC's Clinical Informatics Specialists advise the best practice is to monitor Meaningful Use and CQMs throughout the year. When you find a 90-day period in which the EP meets all functional measures, capture that data in your Electronic Health Record (EHR) or as a dated copy of the dashboard. You will then be ready to attest with full-year data on clinical quality measures when the year is complete. If you need assistance, please contact us at info@ILHITREC.org.

ICAAP-lets Update - April 19, 2017

 

April 19, 2017 Home  |   About  |   E-learning  |   Projects  |   Advocacy Subscribe  |   Archive  |   Advertise

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TOP NEWS   Upcoming Open Forums for Tools to Empower Adolescent Moms (TEAM) Project ICAAP TEAM is a collaborative effort to promote effective service delivery for adolescent moms and their children. Currently, this initiative is hosting open forums with a goal of gathering feedback from the community about how they can positively impact teen moms' ability to raise developmentally healthy children. Please view the flyer for more information and register for an open forum. If you have any questions or need help registering, please do not hesitate to contact Nirja Shah at nshah@illinoisaap.com or 312/733-1026 x216.    NEWS PROVIDED BY ICAAP   Upcoming Focus Group by the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH) on April 27, 2017 ICAAP and ICAH Do you work directly with pregnant and/or parenting young people? Are you familiar with the term Birth Justice? ICAH and the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) are hosting a focus group to learn more about your experiences providing care to pregnant or parenting young people and your familiarity of Birth Justice. View the flyer and register here to participate in the focus group that will be hosted at ICAAP. New Toolkit for Food Insecurity AAP and Food Research & Action Center The AAP and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) jointly released the toolkit, "Addressing Food Insecurity: A Toolkit for Pediatricians," a comprehensive resource on how to identify and address childhood food insecurity. Food insecurity — the limited or uncertain access to enough food — is detrimental to child health and well-being. The toolkit provides specific information on how to: Screen patients for food insecurity Address the topic in a sensitive manner Make the appropriate interventions, most commonly by referring patients and their families to the federal nutrition programs Advocate for greater food security and improved overall health of children and their families   Webinar Series Recording: Zzz's to A's: Supporting Sleep for Better-Functioning Adolescents Ohio AAP In fall 2016, the Ohio Chapter of the AAP, Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership, and Start School Later hosted a three-part webinar series on how providers can support sleep practices for healthier and better-functioning adolescents. The webinar recordings are now available to view online: What you don't know about teen sleep, but should How to intervene in clinical and community settings Understanding the role of school start times   Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Resources AAP The AAP EHDI program has a list of resources available to primary care providers on EHDI screening and follow-up. The resources are available on the AAP EHDI webpage and include: 1-3-6 checklist helps ensure that all steps are taken in the care of an infant who does not pass newborn hearing screening EHDI algorithm helps reduce loss to follow up/documentation related to newborn hearing screening Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Patient Checklist for Pediatric Medical Home Providers Appropriate Referrals Form for Pediatric Medical Home Providers Guidelines for Rescreening in the Medical Home Following a 'Do Not Pass' Newborn Hearing Screening Dr. Daniel Morra serves as the Illinois EHDI Chapter Champion and can be contacted at doc@drmorra.com with any questions related to newborn hearing screening and follow-up. Pediatric/Adolescent SANE Training The Office of the Attorney General Illinois The Office of the Attorney General Illinois SANE Program is hosting a 40-hour Pediatric/Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training designed to educate registered nurses, mid-level providers, and physicians performing sexual assault medical forensic examinations. The Pediatric/Adolescent SANE Training will be held May 23-25, 2017 from 8am-5:30pm at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest. If you are interested in attending, please review the materials below and submit a completed application along with your resume via email to sane@atg.state.il.us or via fax to 312-814-7105 by April 20, 2017. Pediatric/Adolescent SANE training May 23-25, 2017 Hazel Crest invitation letter Pediatric/Adolescent SANE training application form If you have any questions regarding this training, please contact Jaclyn Rodriguez at sane@atg.state.il.us or 312/814-6267. Influenza Vaccine Effective Against Pediatric Deaths Pediatrics Each year many people will get the flu shot to help protect them, but many people do not. Parents sometimes will pass on getting their children vaccinated, believing that the flu is not that serious. In actuality, it can be very serious and lead to death in some tragic cases. A new study conducted by the CDC highlights the importance of vaccinating children against the flu. Many pediatric deaths can be avoided by providing kids with proper protection against this illness.     ILLINOIS NEWS   Dramatic STD Spike in DuPage County Wheaton Patch Over the past 15 years, there has been a dramatic increase in sexually transmitted diseases reported in DuPage County according to the DuPage County Health Department. The report showed that cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia have risen sharply between 2000 and 2015.  READ MORE These 38 Illinois Hospitals Are Among the Nation's Safest Crain's Chicago Business Thirty-eight Illinois​ hospitals rank as nationwide tops in safety and quality in the latest Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Grade. Of the 113 Illinois hospitals included in the survey, 38 earned an A ranking and none an F. Eleven Illinois hospitals have earned straight A's since the survey began in 2012, including West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. The 226-bed hospital serves the Oak Park, River Forest and Austin communities and is among a handful of facilities in the area that have taken on the role of a pseudo trauma center.  READ MORE    NATIONAL NEWS   Choice of Needle Size When Vaccinating Children Contemporary Pediatrics Efforts worldwide to immunize children against a host of preventable diseases depend on adherence to recommended immunization schedules. If adhered to, most vaccines will be administered to children by the age of 6 years, and children can receive multiple injections in a single office visit. By the age of 2 years, for example, children in the U.S. can receive up to 24 injections and up to 5 in a single office visit. Among concerns with administering these multiple and frequent immunizations in young children are the potential pain and adverse effects associated with injections.  READ MORE Rates of New Diagnosed Cases of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise Among Children, Teens Medical News Today Rates of new diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing among youth in the United States, according to a report, Incidence Trends of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes among Youths, 2002-2012, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the U.S., 29.1 million people are living with diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes, and about 208,000 people younger than 20 years are living with diagnosed diabetes.  READ MORE    MISSED AN ISSUE OF ICAAP-LETS UPDATE? VISIT AND SEARCH THE ARCHIVE TODAY.   Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders According to Period of Prenatal Antidepressant Exposure JAMA Pediatrics This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests an association between increased autism spectrum disorder risk and maternal use of antidepressants during pregnancy; however, it appears to be more consistent during the preconception period than during each trimester. The association was weaker when controlled for past maternal mental illness.  READ MORE Worldwide Survey Finds 16 Percent Rate of Acute Neurological Conditions in Critically Ill Children Medical Xpress Sixteen percent of children in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) have acute neurological conditions with brain damage due to cardiac arrest, traumatic brain injury, or other causes, reports an international survey study in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. "Children with acute neurologic insults are common in ICUs and are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates and prolonged ICU stays, posing significant challenges to public, family, and individual health," according to the report by the PANGEA Investigators, led by Ericka L. Fink, MD, MS, of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. The findings underscore the need for "transformational ideas" to improve outcomes for this large group of critically ill children at high risk of adverse clinical outcomes.  READ MORE Epilepsy: Another Potential Zika Threat to Babies HealthDay News Beyond its known links to birth defects and other problems, the Zika virus may also trigger cases of epilepsy in infants, warn experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among 48 babies from Brazil with probable congenital Zika infection, "50 percent reportedly had clinical seizures," said Dr. Daniel Pastula, Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp and Rosemarie Kobau. All three have studied Zika at the CDC, and co-wrote an essay on the Zika-epilepsy connection, published online April 17 in JAMA Neurology.  READ MORE    TRENDING ARTICLES Missed last week's issue? See which articles your colleagues read most. Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect (COCAN) Meeting: April 18 (ICAAP) Researchers Find Overprescribing of Oral Corticosteroids in Children With Asthma (Medical Xpress) 'Video Feedback' Program Might Help Treat Autism in Babies (HealthDay News) Don't be left behind. Click here to see what else you missed.