April newsletter: Healthier Washington roundup

Washington State Health Care Authority sent this bulletin at 04/19/2018 01:22 PM PDT

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New resources prepare behavioral health providers for integration

Behavioral health providers preparing for integrated managed care have new resources to assist them in their transition.

A new report, Best Practices and Lessons Learned in Preparing Behavioral Health Providers for Integrated Managed Care, is a compilation of learnings from behavioral health providers in the Southwest Washington and North Central regions. It also contains guidance from a billing and information technology contractor that provided technical assistance to both regions as they moved to integrated physical and behavioral health.

Additionally, a new toolkit is available on the Practice Transformation Support Hub web portal to support providers with billing and information technology. The toolkit offers information on performing an IT and billing assessment, identifying gaps in processes and workflows, and completing a readiness checklist.

Map shows nurse degree programs in Washington

Healthier Washington has created a map that shows Washington State's nursing degree programs within the Accountable Community of Health (ACH) regions.

The map was created in coordination with the Washington Center for Nursing. It displays Licensed Practical Nursing programs, Registered Nurse Associate Degree programs, Registered Nurse Baccalaureate Degree programs, and graduate RN to BSN programs.

Download the map here.

Indian Health Care Providers receive transformation funds

This month, Washington reached a major Medicaid Transformation milestone as Indian Health Care Providers received approximately $626,000 for tribal-specific health improvement projects.

This payment is the first of a total $5.4 million authorized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for tribal partners participating in the five-year Healthier Washington Medicaid Transformation.

Projects include culturally tailored behavioral and physical health integration, community health aid programs, and population health improvement. 

Video: Evidence in the health care delivery system

What can we do to ensure the care we give is value-based, not just from a cost perspective, but also from an evidence-informed one?

In a new Healthier Washington video, Dr. Charissa Fotinos, HCA's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, provides insights on the importance and value of evidence-based care in the health delivery system.

"We talk a lot about value in terms of cost, but if we're not providing good quality along with controlling cost, we lose the biggest piece of value," she says.

Video the video here.

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Upcoming events

Webinar: Medicaid transformation: a review of 2017 and a look ahead.

  • Host: HCA
  • Date: Friday, April 20
  • Time: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Register

Webinar: Transformation Talk: Foundational Public Health Shared Services Projects

  • Host: Department of Health
  • Date: Wednesday, April 25
  • Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Register

Webinar: Real Estate and Design as Public Health Practice

  • Host: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice, UW
  • Date: Wednesday, April 25
  • Time: 12 to 1 p.m.
  • Register