September is National Preparedness Month
Led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and sponsored by the Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen’s Corp, National Preparedness Month is an annual campaign to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies and disasters. For more information, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Children & Disasters Web page to link to resources on specific types of natural disasters. Additionally, for more information on the importance of disaster preparedness in the medical home, visit the NCMHI Child Health Issues and Medical Home page.
September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
The White House has announced that September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, which aims to promote healthy eating and physical activity in children. For more information on the importance of obesity prevention in the medical home, visit the NCMHI Obesity and Medical Home page.
Spanish-Language Medication Safety Booklet
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released a revised Spanish-language medication safety booklet, Su medicamento: Infórmese. Evite riesgos (Your Medicine: Be Smart. Be Safe.) to help Spanish-speaking patients learn more about how to take medicines safely. The booklet includes a detachable, wallet-size card that can help patients keep track of medicines they are taking, including vitamins and herbal and other dietary supplements.
New Promising Practices in MCH—Partnering to Promote Healthy Babies
The Promising Practices in Maternal and Child Health fact sheet, published by the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation, highlights how health plans and health plan foundations support text4baby and suggests partnership strategies with state and local governments and community organizations to further promote the service.
Incorporating Patient- and Family-Centered Care into Resident Education: Approaches, Benefits, and Challenges
This article, published in the June 2011 Journal of Graduate Medical Education, addresses the importance of patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) in the medical education of residents. It explores the status of PFCC in participating programs, barriers to PFCC graduate medical education, simple and far-reaching approaches to actively engage residents in PFCC, and suggestions for incorporating PFCC into residency curricula, teaching, and assessment.
Think Cultural Health Relaunches
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health has announced the relaunch of the Think Cultural Health Web site. The relaunch of this site provides a new look, a new set of features, and more cultural and linguistic competency resources. A section of the Web site is now dedicated to the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS Standards).
New Tutorial on Quality Measures
The National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC) has released an online Tutorial on Quality Measures. This tutorial provides an introduction to the field of quality measurement and how to best use NQMC. Collecting data on practice performance, sharing these data with clinicians, staff and families and being transparent with patients and families will help drive medical home improvement.
Field-Based Outreach Workers Facilitate Access to Health Care in Rural Areas
From the AHRQ Innovations ExchangeVideo Series Frontline Innovators Making a Difference, an integrated network of field-based workers is highlighted for its work in facilitating health care access, care coordination, outreach and education, and medical interpreting for Hispanic migrant workers in nine largely rural counties in central Indiana. For more information, click here.
AAP Community Pediatrics Monthly Funding Alert
The AAP Community Pediatrics Monthly Funding Alert provides information on funding opportunities from the AAP and other organizations, as well as links to key programs and agencies.
For a more detailed listing of funding opportunities, click here.
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Webinar—A Collaborative Approach to Promoting Social Emotional Well-Being for Children, Youth, and Families in the Child Welfare System
September 15, 2011—1pm (ET)
The National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health at the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development has launched a free monthly series of topical webinars. The calls cover trends in the mental health field and will also provide participants with a broad array of collaborative strategies that can improve social emotional well being for children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system.
2011 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Annual Conference
September 18-21, 2011—Bethesda, MD
The 2011 AHRQ Annual Conference—AHRQ: Leading Through Innovation & Collaboration—will emphasize how AHRQ is addressing today's challenges in improving access to care and its quality and cost, as well as partnering with others at the forefront of these issues.
National Medical Home Summit West
September 20-22, 2011—San Francisco, CA
The Medical Home Summit West will focus on four major medical home themes including information technology (IT), care coordination, patient engagement, and the medical home workforce. Attendees will see how the medical home model is working in a variety of different settings serving Medicare, Medicaid, commercially insured, and uninsured patients. Plenary sessions will also examine the employer interest in medical homes, transformation lessons from the field, legal issues, the state of medical home research, patient-centered design, new payment and delivery models, and family- and well as patient-centeredness.
AAP Pediatric Coding Webinars
(Available for a fee at registration)
The AAP Coding Webinar series feature pediatric-specific strategies from today’s leading coding experts. These sessions will provide answers to some complex coding and billing challenges. Click on the event below for more information or to register.
Webinar—Health Information Technology (HIT) and the PCMH Model for Indian Health
September 22, 2011—1 to 2:30pm (ET)
The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC) is offering this free webinar featuring Dr Aneel Advani, Associate Director of Informatics, Indian Health Service and Dr Howard Hays, Chief Information Officer (Acting) and Director, Office of Information Technology, Indian Health Service. Speakers will discuss the Indian Health Service Improving Patient Care (IPC) program to address the high rates of illness, disability and death from chronic and preventable diseases in American Indians and Alaskan Native people.
2011 AAP National Conference & Exhibition
October 15-18—Boston, MA
The AAP National Conference and Exhibition (NCE) is the most comprehensive pediatric meeting in the world and represents the full spectrum of pediatric medical professionals and decision-makers, including pediatricians in general practice and subspecialties, young physicians, pediatric residents, and allied health professionals. Participation at this meeting offers opportunities to be present among other leaders in the health care industry.
- AAP Pediatric Office of the Future Exhibit
Visit the AAP Pediatric Office of the Future at the 2011 AAP NCE for a first glimpse at some of the newest technology to enhance pediatric medical care. An AAP Council on Clinical Information Technology (COCIT) task force is putting a new spin on the exhibit by tying National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) requirements for the patient-centered medical home into four core areas of relevant functionality (ARRA/HITECH/Meaningful Use; Patient Engagement; Practice Management and Design; and Connectivity/HIE). The exhibit will also highlight National Center for Medical Home Implementation tools, resources, and information.
Care Coordination Summit—Advancing the Delivery of Care
October 21—Washington, DC
The Care Coordination Summit, presented by Dorland Health, is designed for those professionals responsible for coordinating care across the continuum. Dorland Health, an Access Intelligence, LLC Company, is a leading integrated media publisher in the healthcare business information industry. The Summit aims to deliver solutions to the complex issues in today’s care delivery system and will focus on the insights, trends, and analysis from industry leaders that care coordinators need to keep pace with our changing healthcare environment.
23rd Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care
December 4-7—Orlando, FL
Storyboard Proposal Deadline: September 30
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is now accepting storyboard proposals for its Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care . For additional information, to view the storyboard handbook, or to access the storyboard application, click here.
Third National Medical Home Summit
February 27-29, 2012—Philadelphia, PA
A call for proposals will be issued soon for the Third National Medical Home Summit, which will be co-located with the Eleventh National Population Health and Care Coordination Colloquium.
11th Annual Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Conference
March 5-6, 2012—St Louis, MO
Abstract Submission Deadline: September 14 at Midnight (Eastern Standard Time)
Abstract submission for the 2012 Annual National EHDI Conference is now open! The National EHDI Conference has provides key stakeholders who aim to improve early hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention systems for infants/young children and their families with an opportunity to identify areas of concern, promote collaboration, and share best practices. To view guidelines for abstract submission, click here.
For a full listing of Upcoming Conferences and Events, click here
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AAP Receives Funding to Increase Provision of Genetic Medicine
The AAP is pleased to announce it has been awarded the Genetics in Primary Care Institute (GPCI) cooperative agreement, a 3-year award from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The overarching vision of the GPCI is to increase primary care providers' knowledge and skills in providing genetic-based services. Through the GPCI, the Academy will work with primary care providers to enhance understanding of basic genetic principles, collection and interpretation of family history, education regarding new and emerging technologies and tests, navigation of ethical considerations regarding genetics-related issues, and integration of genetic medicine into health information technology. To learn more about the GPCI including how to become involved, contact Michelle Esquivel, MPH, Director, AAP Division of Children with Special Needs, at mesquivel@aap.org.
Call for Public Input on Reducing HIT Disparities
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology is asking for public input on a draft federal plan to bring HIT resources to underserved areas. Interested parties may comment on the proposal through the ONC HealthIT Buzz Blog page.
The White House Wants Your Ideas!
White House staff who work on disability-related policies host monthly public conference calls to keep the public better informed about important developments on many different disability issues, such as accessibility, employment, education, technology, emergency preparedness, transportation, healthcare, and the federal budget. The White House is now offering the opportunity for you to suggest topics that you would like discussed during these calls, as well as the federal officials you would like to hear from on these subjects. For additional information, click here.
HHS Issues Contest for Facebook Personal Preparedness Apps
The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has issued the ASPR Lifeline Facebook Application Developer Challenge , which is a call to all developers, entrepreneurs, and public health communities to develop a Facebook application that would let people establish their Facebook "friends" as emergency contacts who are able to post information on their well-being and check in on them during emergency situations.
Medical Home for Kids Affected by Violence—Your Feedback Needed
Deadline: November 1, 2011
Supported by a grant from the US Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, the AAP will be developing resources to help pediatricians and other professionals strengthen the medical home for children and youth exposed to or victimized by violence. The grant's project advisory committee (PAC) is currently seeking feedback from those serving children exposed to violence to determine what type of information is most needed and wanted. In addition, the PAC is also interested in hearing what types of educational models are most accessible and effective for practicing healthcare professionals and their colleagues. To submit your feedback, click here. Contact AAP staff, Heather Fitzpatrick, with questions or comments (hfitzpatrick@aap.org or 847/434-7642).
HRSA Awards $28.3 Million to Improve the Health of Children with Special Health Care Needs
HRSA has awarded $28.3 million to 43 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) programs to help improve the health of infants, children, adolescents and young adults with neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders. LEND programs prepare trainees from a wide variety of professional disciplines to assume leadership roles, ensure high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence, and enhance the ability of clinicians to diagnose, treat, and manage complex disabilities in youth and adolescents. For more information, click here.
HHS Awards $40 Million in Grants to Sign Children Up for Health Coverage
HHS has announced the award of $40 million in grants to 23 states for efforts to identify and enroll children eligible for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The grants will focus on 5 areas including use of technology, retaining eligible children, engaging schools, reaching children who are most likely to experience gaps in coverage, and ensuring eligible teens are enrolled and stay covered. To learn more about CHIPRA grants and the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge, click here.
Federal Funding Supports HIT in Rural Areas
Funded through HRSA, rural health networks across the nation will receive more than $11.9 million to support their adoption of HIT and certified Electronic Health Records (EHRs). Each of 40 grantee organizations will receive about $300,000 to purchase equipment, install broadband networks and provide training for staff. The pilot program was developed as a result of the President's Rural Health Initiative. For more information, click here.
For additional information on National Initiatives, click here
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Visit the New and Improved Data Resource Center Web Site!
The Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC) has a redesigned Web site! The same point-and-click access to data findings from the National Survey of Children's Health and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs can now be found in one integrated browsing and search tool. Some exciting highlights about the new Web site include:
- Better Ways to Frowse for Data—The new Web site lets users browse the data by survey, by topic, by state and several other options based on interests and data needs. Start browsing!
- State At-A-Glance Data Snapshots—Downloadable state-level data profiles are now accessible with one easy click, great for presentations, reports or grants.
- Video Tour—Take a short video tour of the new DRC Web site.
New and Improved Chartbook on Financing Care of CYSHCN
The Catalyst Center has enhanced and updated its Web-based state data chartbook on coverage and financing of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) for each state, DC, and Puerto Rico. The chartbook combines data from more than 15 respected sources and provides the capability to compare data from two states and the nation in a single, printable table, as well as get access to tips for interpreting specific data.
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Spotlight on the Medical Home State Pages
Find out what’s going on around the country and in your state related to medical home implementation by visiting the State Pages section of the NCMHI Web site. This section includes information on state pediatric medical home initiatives, key contacts, partners, and related grant activities and initiatives. Submission of new state resources or initiatives related to medical home implementation may be made by filling out the Contact Us form.
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