National Symposium on Child Abuse in Hunstville, Ala.
Karen and I spent this week in Huntsville, Ala., attending the 24th National Symposium on
Child Abuse hosted by the National Children’s Advocacy Center. The conference offered more
than 130 workshops presented by nationally renowned experts. Karen attended the clinical
workshops while I attended the workshops geared toward administrators such as “Effective
Governance Structure for Umbrella Organizations.” We also had the opportunity to network
with other child advocacy center staff.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cessation program revised
Our Cessation Center’s medical provider performance improvement program is officially rolled-
out as a program that will continue to be used by the state’s cessation centers. Patrick O’
Connell, STHCS’ Smoking Cessation Center Coordinator, developed the program with staff at
the University of Buffalo. A pilot roll-out of the program was held last year from June to
December.
The performance improvement program is based on the implementation of the Public Health
Service Clinical Practice Guideline for Tobacco Use and Dependence. The program is
designed to be completed in three stages and participants need to complete an evaluation for
each stage of the program. Participants have to supply data on the number of patient office
visits, number of tobacco users identified and whether they were given a brief intervention.
The program will serve as a primary tool for the state’s cessation centers to engage
physicians in order to adopt the guidelines.
For this program, the cessation centers are asking physicians, physician assistants and nurse
practitioners to utilize the ask, advise and assist/refer intervention model during their patient
interactions. The collection of chart audit data will be utilized by both the cessation centers
and the providers for performance improvement feedback and analysis.
Pat said they have responded to feedback from those involved in the pilot program and made
some format changes. The changes have made it easier for the providers and the cessation
centers. The revised program has reduced the number of data collections. Additionally,
providers can now take six months to a year to complete the program. Pat said the cessation
centers have also increased the educational component for the providers because it was
identified that provider education was lacking.
Physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are able to collect 20 AMA PRA
category 1 credits for participating in the performance improvement program. Those providers
that are members of the American Academy of Family Practitioners will receive 20 prescribed
AAFP credits for their participation in the same program. There is no cost for enrollment in this
program. For more information, contact Pat at 716-372-0614.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rebecca Anthony joins STHCS
Rebecca Anthony has joined the STHCS staff on a part-time, temporary basis. She is doing
clerical work for the facilitated enrollment program and will fill-in as an enroller while one of our
enrollers is on maternity leave. Rebecca was employed as an enrollment specialist for Child
Health Plus and Medicaid at Health Now/Community Blue in Binghamton for seven years
before moving into the area. We are excited to welcome Rebecca to our TEAM....
Karen and I spent this week in Huntsville, Ala., attending the 24th National Symposium on
Child Abuse hosted by the National Children’s Advocacy Center. The conference offered more
than 130 workshops presented by nationally renowned experts. Karen attended the clinical
workshops while I attended the workshops geared toward administrators such as “Effective
Governance Structure for Umbrella Organizations.” We also had the opportunity to network
with other child advocacy center staff.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cessation program revised
Our Cessation Center’s medical provider performance improvement program is officially rolled-
out as a program that will continue to be used by the state’s cessation centers. Patrick O’
Connell, STHCS’ Smoking Cessation Center Coordinator, developed the program with staff at
the University of Buffalo. A pilot roll-out of the program was held last year from June to
December.
The performance improvement program is based on the implementation of the Public Health
Service Clinical Practice Guideline for Tobacco Use and Dependence. The program is
designed to be completed in three stages and participants need to complete an evaluation for
each stage of the program. Participants have to supply data on the number of patient office
visits, number of tobacco users identified and whether they were given a brief intervention.
The program will serve as a primary tool for the state’s cessation centers to engage
physicians in order to adopt the guidelines.
For this program, the cessation centers are asking physicians, physician assistants and nurse
practitioners to utilize the ask, advise and assist/refer intervention model during their patient
interactions. The collection of chart audit data will be utilized by both the cessation centers
and the providers for performance improvement feedback and analysis.
Pat said they have responded to feedback from those involved in the pilot program and made
some format changes. The changes have made it easier for the providers and the cessation
centers. The revised program has reduced the number of data collections. Additionally,
providers can now take six months to a year to complete the program. Pat said the cessation
centers have also increased the educational component for the providers because it was
identified that provider education was lacking.
Physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are able to collect 20 AMA PRA
category 1 credits for participating in the performance improvement program. Those providers
that are members of the American Academy of Family Practitioners will receive 20 prescribed
AAFP credits for their participation in the same program. There is no cost for enrollment in this
program. For more information, contact Pat at 716-372-0614.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rebecca Anthony joins STHCS
Rebecca Anthony has joined the STHCS staff on a part-time, temporary basis. She is doing
clerical work for the facilitated enrollment program and will fill-in as an enroller while one of our
enrollers is on maternity leave. Rebecca was employed as an enrollment specialist for Child
Health Plus and Medicaid at Health Now/Community Blue in Binghamton for seven years
before moving into the area. We are excited to welcome Rebecca to our TEAM....
CEO Update March 14th
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