All-Programs Recording Available, Comment on Proposed UDS Changes, and More! HRSA PHC Digest

HRSA BPHC Primary Health Care Digest

October 2, 2018

All-Programs

Watch the Recording of the September 25 All-Programs Webcast
Missed the recent All-Programs webcast? Watch it now for important Health Center Program updates. HRSA encourages health centers to visit the Program Requirements section of our website, especially the resources, which address questions received during the webcast:

Following are links to additional resources mentioned during the webcast:


Proposed Changes to the Calendar Year 2019 Uniform Data System: Comments Due by October 9
HRSA seeks comments on proposed changes to the 2019 Uniform Data System (UDS), which Health Center Program grantees and look-alikes will be required to report on in February 2020. The deadline for comments on proposed changes is noon on Tuesday, October 9.


What's New

SAC Deadline Reminder
SAC applications for service areas with an April 1, 2019, project period start date (HRSA-19-014) are due in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 17. Technical assistance materials are available on the SAC technical assistance website.


Hurricane Florence Reporting
For the 2018 hurricane season, HRSA asked Primary Care Associations (PCAs) to take the lead on gathering critical health center information and reporting impact data back to us on the operational status of delivery sites. For health centers in areas impacted by Hurricane Florence (i.e., North Carolina and South Carolina), please report site-level operational status to your PCA. Read the recent bulletin for more information.


Quarterly 340B Program Registration
Quarterly 340B Program site registration is open until October 15. Health centers are still able to register a site that has been verified as implemented and with a site status reflected as “active” in EHBs Form 5B through November 23, after which the system will close to prepare for the January 1, 2019, start. You will need to provide the following information when calling:

  • Health center name,
  • Site/clinic name,
  • Site IDs for all sites,
  • HRSA/BPHC grant number,
  • Contact name and email address, and
  • Authorizing official name and email address.

The authorizing official will receive an email message that the account is unlocked and a registration may be submitted. Email the 340B call center or call 888-340-2787 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET).


Health Center Program Support

New! Contact Health Center Program Support
The BPHC Helpline is now Health Center Program Support. You can reach us at a new toll-free number, 877-464-4772. You may also submit your inquiry online.


SUD-MH Minor A/R Activities Technical Assistance Webinar
HRSA will host a technical assistance webinar for recipients that requested use of the one-time funding for their FY 2018 Expanding Access to Quality Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services (SUD-MH) award (HRSA-18-118) for minor alteration/renovation (A/R) activities. We will address your questions and cover the process of obtaining HRSA’s prior approval for proposed minor A/R activities.

Friday, October 12
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 800-369-1856
Passcode: 4790581


HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau launches Remote Pregnancy Monitoring Challenge
HRSA launched a Remote Pregnancy Monitoring Challenge, with submissions for Phase 1 accepted through Tuesday, November 27.

Many women who are low-income in both rural and urban communities face personal barriers (e.g., work, childcare, transportation, education, culture, and language), health system barriers (e.g., hours of operation and lack of services), and environmental barriers (e.g., location and connectivity or cell phone coverage) in accessing prenatal care. This challenge will award up to $375,000 over three phases for innovative solutions that increase remote and virtual access to quality care for low-income pregnant women. Such innovations may include alleviating barriers to quality. 


Call for National Advisory Committee Nominations
HRSA seeks nominations for new members to serve on its Health Workforce National Advisory Committees. The five committees advise the HHS Secretary and Congress on health workforce policies and programs. HRSA accepts nominations on a continuous basis and consider them as vacancies occur on each committee. You may nominate yourself or others. Professional associations and organizations may also nominate qualified candidates. Learn more in a bulletin HRSA recently sent.


Did You Take the Health Center Training and Technical Assistance Needs Assessment Yet?
HRSA has requested the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded National Cooperative Agreement (NCA), to conduct a national health center needs assessment in collaboration with the other 19 HRSA-funded NCA organizations. Health center responses to the needs assessment will inform the NCAs’ development of operational training and technical assistance.

The survey is available now and we encourage all health center staff members to complete it. For more information, please contact KaRon Campbell.


UDS Technical Assistance Webinar Series
HRSA presents three technical assistance webinars to help you work with the UDS. Please see the Technical Assistance & Training section for webinar details.

  • Using UDS Data and Reports for Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement
    Participants will learn how to identify and access standard UDS reports, interpret the data in the reports, and use the data for tracking performance and quality improvement efforts.

  • Preparing for and Understanding Your UDS Submission
    Participants will learn about the importance of UDS submission, the processes and systems requirements of UDS submissions, and UDS table specific considerations.

  • Introduction to Clinical Measures
    HRSA will review UDS Tables 6A, 6B, and 7 clinical measures. Participants will learn about strategies for evaluating reporting data and how to identify benchmarks for assessing quality.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Update
The USPSTF recently released a final recommendation on behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults. The Task Force found that intensive behavioral interventions are beneficial for patients with obesity. Read the recommendation and background research.


AHRQ’s Updated State Snapshots Identify Variations in Health Care Quality
Drawn from the most recently available data from AHRQ’s 2017 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report, State Snapshots show how each state fared according to access to care; type of care; setting of care; prevalence of diseases and conditions; health status of priority populations; and insurance status. The interactive resource evaluates states based on more than 250 performance measures of health care quality and access.


Resources

Violence as a Public Health Issue
HRSA’s Office of Regional Operations presents this fourth session of their public health webinar series, featuring speakers from HRSA, CDC, and more. Topics include:

  • HRSA strategy to address intimate partner violence
  • CDC public health approach to violence prevention
  • Community-based approach for violence prevention

Wednesday, October 3
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here


CDC Flu Vaccines

CDC Report on Flu Vaccine Among Health Care Personnel
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends annual influenza vaccination for health care personnel to reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Read about coverage during the past flu season.

As a reminder, ACIP recently issued its recommendations for the 2018-19 flu season


CDC Guide to Infection Prevention for Health Centers
HRSA invites you to join the CDC National Center for Emerging & Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, for a discussion of the significance of infection prevention and control in health centers. Presenters will review core infection prevention and control practices and discuss opportunities to apply them in primary care settings. Attendees will also learn and have the opportunity to share about challenges and barriers to implementing core infection prevention and control practices in primary care settings.

Wednesday, October 3
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the webinar the day of the session
Call-in: 888-989-4721
Passcode: 1039201


Learning Collaboratives from National Center for Equitable Care for Elders
The National Center for Equitable Care for Elders, a HRSA-funded NCA, is hosting two learning collaboratives, which will run from October to December.

  • Addiction and Older Adults - Addressing Substance Use Disorders (SUD) in the Older Adult Health Center Patient
    Research suggests that substance use (illicit drug use, use of alcohol in combination with other substances, or nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals, e.g., prescription medications, OTC remedies) is an emerging public health issue among our nation's older adults. This learning collaborative will explore the issues and causes of addictions in older adults (including opioid use/abuse), how SUD uniquely affects older adults, evidence-based strategies, and available local resources.

  • Improving the Quality of End-of-Life Care for Older Adults in Health Centers
    Health centers face many challenges to providing patients with optimal end-of-life care. Primary care is typically fragmented across specialty, palliative, and hospice care. This learning collaborative will address end-of-life care, including advance directives, end-of-life decisions, palliative care, hospice, and caregiver/family support. 

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Technical Assistance & Training

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Visit the training calendar to learn details about or register for events.

UPCOMING

Using UDS Data and Reports for Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement
Hosted by HRSA
Tuesday, October 2
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-989-4721
Passcode: 1039201

SUD-MH Post-Award Technical Assistance Webinar
Hosted by HRSA
Tuesday, October 2
3:30-4:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 800-779-8728
Passcode: 1204172

Violence as a Public Health Issue
Hosted by HRSA
Wednesday, October 3
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here

CDC Guide to Infection Prevention for Health Centers
Hosted by HRSA
Wednesday, October 3
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the webinar the day of the session
Call-in: 888-989-4721
Passcode: 1039201

Workforce Grand Rounds Webinar Series: Integrating Opioid Use Disorder Treatment into Health Workforce Training
Hosted by HRSA
Tuesday, October 9
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Register here


JUST ANNOUNCED

Tribal Grants Webinar Series: Successful HRSA Tribal Grantees: A Discussion on Best Practices, Lesson Learned in Managing HRSA Grants
Hosted by HRSA
Wednesday, October 10
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Register here

Infection and Prevention Control for Dental Programs
Hosted by The National Network for Oral Health Access, a HRSA-funded NCA
Wednesday, October 10
3:00-4:00 pm. ET
Register here
(1.0) Continuing Dental Education (CDE) credit is available

Preparing for and Understanding Your UDS Submission
Hosted by HRSA
Thursday, October 11
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-989-4721
Passcode: 1039201

SUD-MH Minor A/R Activities Technical Assistance Webinar
Hosted by HRSA
Friday, October 12
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 800-369-1856
Passcode: 4790581

HRSA Behavioral Health Virtual Job Fair
Wednesday, October 17
6:45-10:15 p.m. ET
Job seekers may register until the event

Introduction to Clinical Measures
Hosted by HRSA
Thursday, October 18
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-989-4721
Passcode: 1039201

Financial and Operational Benchmarking Trends and Techniques
Hosted by Capital Link, a HRSA-funded NCA
Wednesday, October 31
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here