Education, Training & Events

Education:

 

A Profile of Medicaid Managed Care Programs in 2010: Findings From a 50-State Survey
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured; Health Management Associates
Gifford, Kathy; Julia Paradise; Vernon Smith; Dyke Snipes
Published: September 2011
Examines types of Medicaid managed care organizations and contracts by state, including managed care organizations and primary care case management programs; issues for measuring, monitoring, and improving quality; and implications of health reform.
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

Food Environments Near Home and School Related to Consumption of Soda and Fast Food
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Babey, Susan; Allison L. Diamant; Joelle Wolstein
Outlines how retail food environments affect adolescents' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food, including county-by-county variations. Discusses implications for health outcomes and policy recommendations improve food environments.
Published: July 2011
Funder(s): California Endowment

Establishing Health Insurance Exchanges: An Update on State Efforts
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Reviews state-by-state progress to date in creating health insurance exchanges. Examines status and purpose of latest state legislative or executive action, trends in exchange design, next steps, federal funding, and challenges. Includes case summaries.

Published: July 2011
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Does Use of EHRs Help Improve Quality?
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Summarizes a case study of an Aligning Forces for Quality initiative in the Greater Cleveland area to help local physicians leverage electronic health records to improve patient care for chronic conditions, medication reconciliation, and follow-up care.
Published: June 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Medicaid Works: A Review of How Public Insurance Protects the Health and Finances of Children and Other Vulnerable Populations
First Focus
Examines the extent to which Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs have secured and protected children's and adults' coverage, health, and family finances, while improving access to care and medications. Considers the impact of budget cuts.
Published: June 2011
Funder(s): Atlantic Philanthropies

National Health Center Week Is Only 60 Days Away! 
August 7-13, 2011 
 Celebrating America's Health Centers: Serving Locally, Leading Nationally 
60 days and counting until the kickoff of National Health Center Week 2011 (NHCW) and the event schedule is already building!  Health centers everywhere are already planning events to educate their communities about the value of health centers to the health care system and to their communities.  Events ranging from ribbon cuttings and open houses to staff appreciation days, BBQ's, community forums, voter registrations drives and more are being posted daily to the National Health Center Week website. If you're planning an event at your health center make sure to post the information on the NHCW website - the whole process takes less than three minutes and it's a great way to gain more visibility for your health center.

What Shapes Health-Related Behaviors? The Role of Social Factors
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Outlines how social factors such as education, income, and neighborhood conditions affect stress levels and access to healthy choices and medical care, in turn shaping health-related behaviors. Lists promising programs for creating healthier environments.
Published: March 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Lessons From High- and Low-Performing States for Raising Overall Health System Performance
Commonwealth Fund
Silow-Carroll, Sharon; Greg Moody

Examines socioeconomic, demographic, political, cultural, and marketplace factors that influence health system improvement in high- and low-ranking states in the State Scorecard on Health System Performance and outlines promising strategies.
Published: May 2011
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

Improving Access to Adult Primary Care in Medicaid: Exploring the Potential Role of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Provides an overview of the current supply, quality, and cost-effectiveness of nurse practitioners and physician assistants; new investments under the 2010 healthcare reform; and issues involved in their helping to meet demand for primary care providers.
Published: March 2011
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Health Affairs/RWJF Health Policy Brief: Improving Quality and Safety
Health Affairs

Summarizes the definition of quality health care as care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable; findings about quality improvement efforts; issues in measuring improvement; and challenges, including high reliability.
Published: April 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

A Profile of Health Insurance Exchange Enrollees
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Based on the 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, examines the demographic, health status, and healthcare utilization characteristics of the population expected to obtain coverage through state-run exchanges in 2019. Considers policy implications.
Published: March 2011
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Improving the Lives of Young Children: Meeting Parents' Health and Mental Health Needs Through Medicaid and CHIP So Children Can Thrive
Urban Institute
Golden, Olivia; Karina Fortuny

Outlines options for two-generational service delivery to help address parental health issues, especially depression, and minimize developmental or behavioral problems in their children, when the parents are ineligible for or not enrolled in Medicaid.
Published: March 2011
Funder(s): A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, Inc., Birth to Five Policy Alliance

Poverty Puts Struggling Readers, Minorities at Greater Risk of Dropping Out, Study Finds
The report found that 26 percent of students who were both poor and did not read proficiently in third grade did not graduate from high school on time, with the highest rates among African-American and Latino/Hispanic students.... More»

Investing in America's Health: A State-By-State Look at Public Health Funding and Key Health Facts 2011
Trust for America's Health

Examines state trends, variations, and rankings in key health indicators and federal, state, and local funding for public health programs. Outlines the 2010 reform's National Prevention Strategy and Prevention Fund and TFAH's recommendations.
Published: March 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health Rankings Highlight Healthiest and Least Healthy Counties
A set of reports from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation highlight the role factors such as education, income, and the environment play in how healthy people are as well as how long they live.... More»

Empowering Youth as Self-Management Coaches for Diabetic Family Members
Stanford University School of Medicine

Highlights findings and lessons learned from a school-based intervention program to train non-diabetic teenagers in communications and coaching skills so they can help family members manage their diabetes through goal-setting and better health behaviors.
Published: March 2011
Funder(s): California HealthCare Foundation

Two Kinds of Dental Shortages Fuel One Major Access Problem
Pew Center on the States

Calls for expanding the dental workforce to address the shortage of dentists in certain geographical areas and of dentists treating Medicaid patients required in meeting the needs of low-income children who will be eligible for dental insurance by 2014.
Published: February 2011
Funder(s): Pew Charitable Trusts

A Primer on Medicare Spending and Financing
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Provides an overview, including Medicare spending as a share of federal budget outlays and annual growth, contributing factors, effects of healthcare reform, financing mechanism, outlook for solvency, and the impact of rising costs on beneficiaries.
Published: February 2011
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Cross-Jurisdictional Relationships in Local Public Health: Preliminary Summary of an Environmental Scan
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Libbey, Patrick; Bruce Miyahara

Outlines issues involved in formal collaborative relationships between local health departments to enhance services across communities, including how stakeholders define them, structure, rationale, effectiveness, success and risk factors, and barriers.
Published: January 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Securing a Healthy Future: The Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard on Child Health System Performance, 2011
Commonwealth Fund
How, K. H.; Ashley-Kay Fryer; Douglas McCarthy; Cathy Schoen; Edward L. Schor

Ranks states on twenty indicators of healthcare access, affordability, prevention and treatment, potential for healthy lives, and health system equity for children. Examines the need for targeted initiatives and policy implications for better performance.
Published: February 2011
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

Governance Issues for Health Insurance Exchanges
National Academy of Social Insurance
Van de Water, Paul N.; Richard P. Nathan

Outlines considerations for states in deciding how to structure a health insurance exchange, as well as issues of funding sources, operational flexibility, political independence and accountability, management structure, and sub-state dimensions.
Published: January 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

State of the States: Laying the Foundation for Health Reform
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Reviews 2010 trends in state healthcare policy and the impact of the recession and the healthcare reform law, including on insurance reform and regulation, delivery system reform, insurance exchanges, and Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs.
Published: February 2011
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

 

Holding Steady, Looking Ahead: Annual Findings of a 50-State Survey of Eligibility Rules, Enrollment and Renewal Procedures, and Cost Sharing Practices in Medicaid and CHIP, 2010-2011
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Heberlein, Martha; Samantha Artiga; Tricia Brooks; Jocelyn Guyer; Jessica Stephens

Analyzes findings on state trends in maintaining or expanding eligibility for public coverage and improving enrollment and renewal procedures. Highlights the challenges of developing the Web-based eligibility systems required under healthcare reform.
Published: January 2011
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

Cost-Sharing: Effects on Spending and Outcomes
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Swartz, Katherine

Reviews what is known and not known about the effects of consumer cost-sharing on distribution of and total spending, health outcomes, services, and prescription drugs and how responses to cost-sharing vary by socioeconomic factors and health status.
Published: December 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Who Are the Uninsured Eligible for Premium Subsidies in the Health Insurance Exchanges?
Center for Health System Change
Cunningham, Peter J.

Outlines characteristics of the uninsured who will be eligible for subsidies in insurance exchanges in 2014, including health, access to care, age, income, and attitudes about insurance. Explores policy implications for enrollment and adverse selection.
Published: December 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Strengthening Primary and Chronic Care: State Innovations to Transform and Link Small Practices
Commonwealth Fund
Takach, Mary; Anne K. Gauthier; Neva Kaye; Kristin Sims-Kastelein

Presents case studies of state policies for reorganizing and improving primary and chronic care delivery among small practices, including leadership and convening, payment incentives, infrastructure support, feedback and monitoring, and certification.
Published: December 2010
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

Healthy Steps at 15: The Past and Future of an Innovative Preventive Care Model for Young Children
Commonwealth Fund
Barth, Michael C.

Evaluates a model for preventive pediatric care for children up to age 3 that relies on mid-level specialists, including the program's spread, operating costs, funding, challenges, and potential effects of healthcare reform. Includes site profiles.
Published: December 2010
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

 

Rate Review: Spotlight on State Efforts to Make Health Insurance More Affordable
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Based on a survey of fifty state rate review statutes and interviews with insurance regulators, examines rate regulation in practice and the limitations of statutory authority, subjectivity, transparency, and capacity and resources and their implications.
Published: December 2010
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Catalyzing Change: The System Reform Costs of Universal Health Coverage
Rockefeller Foundation

Presents case studies of shifting a health system financed out of pocket to universal coverage, with a focus on the system reform and management capacity costs of establishing institutions and systems; feasibility; and impact; with implementation lessons.
Published: November 2010
Funder(s): Rockefeller Foundation

Health Insurance Exchanges: Key Issues for State Implementation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Carey, Robert

Explores considerations for state governments in planning infrastructure and policies for exchanges for individuals and small businesses, including interactions with state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs. Lists options and pros and cons.
Published: October 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Medicare Spending and Use of Medical Services for Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes and Other Long-Term Care Facilities
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Jacobson, Gretchen; Anthony Damico; Patricia Neuman

Analyzes Medicare spending on and utilization by beneficiaries in long-term care facilities for hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and skilled nursing facilities. Explores ways to reduce hospitalizations, save costs, and improve the quality of care.
Published: October 2010
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

Technology Target Studies: Technology Solutions to Make Patient Care Safer and More Efficient
American Academy of Nursing

Presents findings on technologies that could enhance care delivery, including patient records and medication processes; features and functionality nurses require, including tracking, interoperability, and hand-held capability; and best practices.
Published: October 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health Affairs/RWJF Health Policy Brief: Electronic Health Record Standards
Health Affairs

Outlines the issues involved in incentives to standardize and make "meaningful use" of electronic health records as stated in the 2010 healthcare reform, implementation costs, and effect on innovation.
Published: September 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

10TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE - ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITIES - “HEALTHY EATING”
With nationwide attention on escalating health disparities and chronic disease, especially in the state of Mississippi, the theme of this year’s conference is healthy eating as a lifestyle to end this epidemic. Click here for the registration brochure.

 

State Medicaid Agencies Prepare for Health Care Reform While Continuing to Face Challenges From the Recession
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Summarizes findings from interviews with state Medicaid directors on the recession's impact on Medicaid; their role in and concerns about implementing healthcare reform, including insurance exchanges; and interest in innovations such as payment reform.
Published: August 2010
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

How Will the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Affect Small, Medium, and Large Businesses?
Urban Institute
Blumberg, Linda J.

Outlines how the 2010 healthcare reform's insurance mandates, state exchanges, and tax credits will affect businesses in each category and according to whether they currently offer insurance, including new options and financial obligations or assistance.
Published: August 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

RWJF/Health Affairs Health Policy Brief: Extra Federal Support for Medicaid
Health Affairs

Summarizes the debate over extending additional federal funds for Medicaid, scheduled to expire at the end of 2010. Outlines arguments for supporting the safety net, for no extensions without offsetting costs, and alternatives, including phase-downs.
Published: July 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The following article has been posted to Philanthropy News Digest: Healthcare Reform Law to Benefit Tens of Millions of Women Over Next Decade, Report Finds
The Commonwealth Fund issue brief found that the law will subsidize health insurance for up to 15 million women who are currently uninsured and strengthen existing coverage for 14.5 million women who are underinsured.... More»

2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Annie E. Casey Foundation

Offers state-by-state data on ten indicators of children's health, education, and economic security; 2000-08 trends; and variations by race/ethnicity. Finds rising percentages of low-birthweight babies, children in poverty, and children of single parents.
Published: July 2010
Funder(s): Annie E. Casey Foundation

Competition Heats Up for Public Health Dollars as Tobacco Funds Shrink and Obesity Fight Intensifies
Anti-tobacco programs have lost out to anti-obesity efforts in the race for preventive health care dollars not only from foundations, but also from federal and state government coffers.... More»

Will the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 Improve Health Outcomes for Individuals and Families?
Urban Institute
Summarizes how healthcare reform provisions including coverage expansions, enhancements, and focus on prevention and safety, quality, and coordination of care will affect children and families. Considers supply limitations and implications for access.
Published: July 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Adult Obesity Rates Increased in Most States Last Year, Report Finds
The report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that more than two-thirds of states (thirty-eight) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent, whereas in 1991 no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.... More»

Medicaid Coverage and Spending in Health Reform: National and State-by-State Results for Adults at or Below 133% FPL
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Holahan, John; Irene Headen

Estimates state and national cost increases from the 2010 health reform law's expansion of Medicaid to adults under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line, in relation to enrollment increases under two outreach scenarios.
Published: May 2010
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health is offering a grant writing institute. With the assistance of Denise Denton, a former SORH staffer, NOSORH has designed this institute specifically with the needs of SORHs, community leaders and rural health partners in mind. In addition to offering basic grant writing skills, NOSORH hopes the institute will give participants a greater understanding of rural health issues and the resources available to address those concerns. The institute also encourages participants to share this information with other stakeholders, thereby increasing the capacity and visibility of SORHs and their partners. Please see the Brochure and Webinar Flyer for more information.

 

Bridging the Evidence Gap in Obesity Prevention: A Framework to Inform Decision Making
Institute of Medicine
Provides an overview of the L.E.A.D. framework (Locate evidence, Evaluate it, Assemble it, and inform Decisions) for using evidence in decision making about obesity prevention policies and programs as well as for generating new, relevant evidence.
Published: April 2010
Funder(s): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kaiser Permanente, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

SUMMARY OF NEW HEALTH REFORM LAW
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed comprehensive health reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, into law. The following summary of the new law, and changes made to the law by subsequent legislation, focuses on provisions to expand coverage, control health care costs, and improve health care delivery system. Click here to read the summary.

 

The Effects of Large Premium Increases on Individuals, Families, and Small Businesses
Urban Institute
Buettgens, Matthew; A. Bowen Garrett; John Holahan

Estimates the impact of rising insurance premiums on coverage, costs, adverse selection, public spending, and small employers' offers of insurance under three scenarios. Compares projections for loss of coverage by age, income, and type of insurance.
Published: March 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Measuring the Quality of Developmental Services for Young Children: A New Approach
Commonwealth Fund
Halfon, Neal; Helen DuPlessis; Lisa Stanley

Outlines performance measures for Medicaid and other agencies' assessment of services including screening, identifying, and referring children with or at risk for developmental disabilities; interventions; and guidance for parents. Explores barriers.
Published: April 2010
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

Worker shortage coming as population ages: report
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- With millions of unemployed people across the country struggling to find work, it may seem unbelievable that there could be more jobs than workers to fill them in coming years, but a new report predicts exactly that. Click here for full article.

 

Primary Care and Prescription Drugs: Coverage, Cost-Sharing, and Financial Protection in Six European Countries
Commonwealth Fund
Thomson, Sarah; Elias Mossialos

Examines health coverage, innovations in cost-sharing design, and affordability of primary care and prescription drugs in Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Explores lessons for U.S. reforms and insurance design.
Published: March 2010
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

Chronic Care: Making the Case for Ongoing Care
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Updates RWJF's 2002 chart book with 2010 data on and projections for the prevalence of chronic conditions, by condition, demographics, and insurance type; their impact on individuals and caregivers; their costs; and implications for the healthcare system.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM COVER MISSOURI
Health care reform is one step closer to becoming law and increasing coverage to 32 million Americans, including over 400,000 uninsured Missourians.

Sunday night the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the Senate bill passed on Christmas Eve, and President Obama will sign this into law today. The House also passed a reconciliation bill, making changes to the Senate bill to remove special deals and incorporate some of the President’s proposals. The Senate is expected to begin working on the reconciliation bill this week.
 
Many reforms will be implemented over the next 4 years.  However, there are several provisions that will begin this year, including:
·         children with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage, and
·         young adults will be allowed to stay on their parents’ insurance up to age 26.
 
You can read more about the timeline for reforms to take effect here<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124999058> or here<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/your-money/health-insurance/22consumer.html>.  A summary of the benefits of health care reform are available by Congressional district here <http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1924:benefits-of-health-care-reform-district-by-district-impact&catid=169:legislation&Itemid=55>.
 
Cover Missouri will continue to provide information about health care coverage, affordability, and quality. In the coming months, we plan to hold educational meetings about the health care system and what health care reform means in Missouri. If you are interested in having a meeting in your community, please contact us at covermissouri@mffh.org<mailto:covermissouri@mffh.org>.
 
Cover Missouri is a project of the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) to promote quality, affordable health coverage for every Missourian

 

Accountable Care Organizations: Implications for Antitrust Policy
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Outlines the accountable care organizations concept of financial and clinical integration in health care, proposals to formalize ACOs as a Medicare and Medicaid provider class subject to special payment rules, and implications for antitrust policy.
Published: March 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Middle Class Hardest Hit by Insurance Crisis, Report Finds
According to a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the number of uninsured middle-class individuals in the U.S. increased by more than 2 million, to 12.9 million, between 2000 and 2008.... More»

K2 Synthetic Marijuana Use Among Teenagers and Young Adults in Missouri - Click to read article.
Health care providers should be aware of serious signs and symptoms reported among some users of “K2” synthetic marijuana product, which is legal and readily obtainable in Missouri.

 

Geographic Variations in Public Health Spending: Correlates and Consequences
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Summarizes research linking economic, political, bureaucratic, and other factors with geographic variations in public health spending, and higher public health spending on preventive programs with lower healthcare spending. Outlines policy implications.
Published: October 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Shortchanging America's Health: A State-by-State Look at How Public Health Dollars Are Spent
Trust for America's Health

Examines state trends, variations, and rankings in key health indicators and federal, state, and local funding for public health programs. Outlines the recession's impact, proposed funding reforms, and recommendations for promoting health and wellness.
Published: March 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Using Professionally Trained Interpreters to Increase Patient/Provider Satisfaction: Does It Work?
Mathematica Policy Research
Bagchi, Ann D.; Sky Andrecheck; Stacy Dale; Natalya Verbitsky-Savitz

Examines the need for trained medical interpreters by comparing the satisfaction of emergency room patients, doctors, and triage and discharge nurses when provided with interpreters and when provided only with telephone language lines or ad hoc services.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Expanding Medicaid: Coverage for Low-Income Adults Under Health Reform
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Examines the characteristics of those who would become eligible for Medicaid under proposals to extend coverage to all individuals at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty line, including income and health status. Considers policy implications.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

The Cost of Delay: State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children
Pew Charitable Trusts

Assesses American children's dental health and coverage, offers policy solutions, and grades states on the implementation of sealant programs, water fluoridation, care for Medicaid enrollees, dental workforce models, data tracking, and other benchmarks.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Pew Charitable Trusts

The winter edition of the “Missouri Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention” (HDSP) News E-Bulletin is now available under “What’s New?” on the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) website at (http://www.dhss.mo.gov/HeartDisease/WhatsNew.html or http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Stroke/WhatsNew.html). This edition reviews the highlights of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director’s presentation at the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care (MACHC) annual meeting, news of interest to Medicare beneficiaries, Missouri HDSP Program and WISEWOMAN Program news, national and Missouri news pertaining to heart disease and stroke, data developments, conferences/trainings, interventions for Cardiovascular risk reduction, risk factor news, models for quality improvement efforts, resources and tools, and finally medication news.

 

Medicaid's Continuing Crunch in a Recession: A Mid-Year Update for State FY 2010 and Preview for FY 2011
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Presents results of a state-by-state survey on Medicaid enrollment, spending, and cutbacks halfway through fiscal year 2010; prospects for revenues next year; and implications of healthcare reform and an end to increased federal Medicaid matching rates.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Tobacco Taxes: A Win-Win-Win for Cash-Strapped States
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Argues for raising tobacco taxes by $1 a pack as a win for state budgets, public health, and voter satisfaction. Presents projected benefits by state, including decrease in youth smoking and savings in health care, and poll results showing voter support.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives
Trust for America's Health

Examines vaccination rates for tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough; shingles; HPV; seasonal flu; and pneumococcal disease. Reviews contributing factors and calls for expanding awareness, federal campaigns and programs, private coverage, and research.
Published: February 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

The State of the States
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Reviews 2009 trends in healthcare costs and coverage and state policy highlights in Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs, insurance reform, and delivery system and payment reform. Explores the recession's impact and prospects for 2010.
Published: January 2010
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health Care Leader Action Guide to Reduce Avoidable Readmissions
Health Research & Educational Trust

Outlines a four-step approach to reducing avoidable hospital readmissions. Suggests interventions during hospitalization, at discharge, and post-discharge, including patient and caregiver education, multidisciplinary care coordination, and home visits.
Published: January 2010
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund, John A. Hartford Foundation

Store-and-Forward Teledermatology Applications
California HealthCare Foundation
Armstrong, April W.; Aron D. Farbstein; Steven W. Lin; Fu-Tong Liu; Thomas S. Nesbitt; Christopher Sanders; George Z. Wu

Provides an overview of store-and-forward teledermatology, which allows physicians to assess patients' skin conditions using communications technology. Outlines criteria for evaluating applications and compares four programs and feedback from their users.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): California HealthCare Foundation

Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health From Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, 2009
Trust for America's Health

Based on ten indicators, assesses progress in the readiness of states, federal government, and hospitals to respond to public health emergencies, with a focus on the H1N1 flu. Outlines improvements and concerns in funding, accountability, and other areas.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Training New Dental Health Providers in the U.S.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Edelstein, Burton L.

Outlines movements to establish mid-level dental care providers to increase access to care for underserved populations. Considers training issues in the contexts of scope, supervision, and placement. Compares international and U.S. training programs.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Potential Impacts of Alternative Health Care Reform Proposals for Children With Medicaid and CHIP Coverage
Urban Institute
Kenney, Genevieve M.; Allison Cook

Explores how children enrolled in public coverage would be affected by proposed reform provisions, including being moved from Children's Health Insurance Programs into Medicaid or new insurance exchanges. Considers risks of children becoming uninsured.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): David and Lucile Packard Foundation

 

Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Covered Persons
Rural Policy Research Institute
McBride, Timothy D.

Estimates how proposed reforms would affect health insurance coverage rates in each state and what percentage of the newly covered would benefit from provisions for Medicaid, subsidies, mandates, and children. Compares rural and urban areas.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Kids' Share: An Analysis of Federal Expenditures on Children Through 2008
Urban Institute
Isaacs, Julia B.; Adam Kent; Jennifer Macomber; Tracy Vericker

Examines 2008 data and historic trends in federal spending and tax expenditures on children — such as food stamps, tax credits, and Head Start — compared with other priorities and within the children's share. Assesses projections through 2019.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): Annie E. Casey Foundation, First Focus

 

County and City Health Departments: The Need for Sustainable Funding and the Potential Effect of Health Care Reform on Their Operations
Health Management Associates
Meyer, Jack; Lori Weiselberg

Outlines the role of local health departments, the impact of funding cuts on staff, programs, and services, and the implications for public health. Recommends securing dedicated funding sources and a central role in national healthcare reform.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): National Association of County & City Health Officials, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health Insurance Coverage for Older Adults: Implications of a Medicare Buy-In
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Jacobson, Gretchen; Tricia Neuman; Karyn Schwartz

Examines the health insurance status of adults ages 55 to 64, characteristics of the uninsured, their health status, and barriers to affordable coverage. Reviews key features of past Medicare buy-in proposals and their implications for improving coverage.
Published: December 2009
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Progress Enrolling Children in Medicaid/CHIP: Who Is Left and What Are the Prospects for Covering More Children?
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Kenney, Genevieve M.; Allison Cook; Lisa Dubay

Outlines the resources and tools in the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 for data-driven enrollment and retention processes in Medicaid and CHIP, remaining barriers, and the need to tailor outreach efforts to specific needs.
Published: November 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Secrets of Massachusetts' Success: Why 97 Percent of State Residents Have Health Coverage
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Dorn, Stan; Ian Hill; Sara Hogan

Analyzes the policies that helped expand coverage, including a data-driven eligibility system serving multiple programs, online applications via providers and community groups, and intensive public education. Considers national and state implications.
Published: November 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Click here for the link to the Excerpts from American Hospital Association’s November 16, 2009, “Summary of House Health Care Reform Bill”
Prepared by the Association for Community Health Improvement (PDF file)

 

Click here for the link to the Excerpts from American Hospital Association’s November 24, 2009, “Summary of the Senate Health Care Reform Bill”
Prepared by the Association for Community Health Improvement (PDF file)

 

Assuring Health Coverage for Rural People Through Health Reform
Rural Policy Research Institute

Compares uninsurance rates and insurance deductibles in urban and rural areas. Outlines the healthcare reforms needed to ensure coverage for the rural population, including the creation of health insurance exchanges, and their estimated impact.
Published: October 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health Affairs/RWJF Policy Brief: Health Insurance Reforms
Health Affairs

Summarizes proposals to broaden federal regulation of private health insurance to prevent rescission and discrimination based on health status or preexisting conditions. Outlines arguments for and against them as well as oversight and enforcement issues.
Published: October 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

On the Cusp of Change: Health Information Technology in the United States, 2009
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
DesRoches, Catherine M.; Ashish K. Jha

Examines the state of electronic health records (EHR) adoption in U.S. hospitals generally and in safety-net hospitals, changes in state and federal policies, links between EHR adoption and quality metrics, and implications for healthcare disparities.
Published: October 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Shaping a Healthier Generation: Successful State Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity
NGA Center for Best Practices

Provides an overview of the socioeconomic and environmental risk factors and costs of childhood obesity. Presents examples of state policies to prevent the epidemic by promoting healthy behaviors in child care, school, community, and healthcare settings.
Published: September 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Babey, Susan; Harold Goldstein; Malia Jones; Hongjian Yu

Based on 2005 California Health Interview Survey data, looks at the link between soda consumption and overweight and obesity in adults and children, geographical differences in consumption, and the social and environmental factors that affect consumption.
Published: September 2009
Funder(s): California Endowment

Employer Health Benefits 2009 Annual Survey
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Presents annual survey data on the health plans employers offer, including offer rates, plan types, premiums, coverage, eligibility, enrollment, employee cost-sharing, prescription drug benefits, retiree benefits, wellness programs, and employer opinions.
Published: September 2009
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

DECREASE THE INCREASE IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE WEBINAR – October 28, November 5, and November 17
Mark your calendars for the upcoming “Decrease the Increase in Chronic Kidney Disease” free educational webinar jointly provided by the Missouri Nurses Association and Primaris.  It will be offered on three dates for you to choose from:
Wednesday, October 28 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.  
Thursday, November 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, November 17 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
See the attached flyer for more details.  To register for the webinar, please visit:  http://tiny.cc/registration844.  Participants can receive a maximum of 1.0 contact hour for attending this activity.  For questions, contact Jennifer Reed, 573-817-8300, extension 182 or by e-mail at:  jreed@primaris.org.

H1N1 Challenges Ahead
Trust for America's Health

Examines capacities and challenges in preparing for and responding to an H1N1 flu pandemic, including vaccine issues, confusion with seasonal flu, strain on the medical system, and the erosion of public health infrastructure. Makes recommendations.
Published: October 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Role of Federal Government in Health Care
Health Affairs

Summarizes the debate over the potential impact of reform on the role of the federal government in health care, the growth of Medicare spending, and provisions for advance planning for end-of-life care. Outlines the status quo and possible changes.
Published: August 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Evaluation of West Virginia's Mountain Health Choices: Implementation, Challenges, and Recommendations
West Virginia University Institute for Health Policy Research
Hendryx, Michael; Johnna S. Beane; Carol Irvin; James Mulligan; Sally Richardson; Margo Rosenbach

Assesses the implementation of the enhanced Medicaid program for low-income families that rewards personal responsibility. Examines enrollment, education and outreach, services and benefit structure, provider understanding and participation, and outcomes.
Published: August 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health Affairs/RWJF Policy Brief: Shared Responsibility
Health Affairs

Provides an overview of proposals for a mandate requiring employers to contribute to health insurance coverage for employees, outlines the arguments for and against an employer mandate, and discusses implications.
Published: August 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Forgotten Fifth: Child Poverty in Rural America
Carsey Institute
O'Hare, William P.

Analyzes demographic trends among the one-fifth of poor children who live in rural areas and compares child poverty rates in rural and urban areas. Explores the roles of family structure, employment, and education and the effects of government assistance.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Annie E. Casey Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

For many rural Missourians, you just can't get to health care from here - Article from St. Louis Beacon
Every Monday morning, primary health care arrives on a bus in Oran, a town of 1,264 in southeast Missouri that hasn't had a doctor for at least 15 years, or maybe 30, depending on who you ask.... MORE

 

Reducing Obesity: Policy Strategies From the Tobacco War
Urban Institute
Engelhard, Carolyn L.; Stan Dorn; Arthur Garson, Jr.

Outlines the impact of obesity on health, healthcare costs, and productivity. Reviews successful policy interventions to reduce tobacco use and considers whether excise or sales tax, labeling requirements, and advertising bans could lower obesity rates.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): WellPoint Foundation

 

KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief: Increasing the Percentage of Children Whose Parents Have Stable Employment
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Shore, Rima; Barbara Shore

Outlines how living without a parent working full-time year-round can affect children's development. Details workforce development strategies such as comprehensive employment and educational services for low-skill workers and expanding childcare options.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Annie E. Casey Foundation

Number of Uninsured Grew, Poverty Rate Hit Eleven-Year High in 2008, Report Finds
The U.S. Census Bureau report found that the number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year, while the poverty rate hit 13.2 percent — the highest level since 1997, when the rate stood at 13.3 percent.... More»

 

KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief: Reducing the Teen Birth Rate
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Shore, Rima; Barbara Shore

Examines U.S. trends in births among 15- to 19-year-olds compared with other industrialized nations. Explores contributing factors, implications, and strategies to reduce teen pregnancies, including broadening education and prevention efforts.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Annie E. Casey Foundation

 

Health Care and the Middle Class: More Costs and Less Coverage
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Rowland, Diane; Catherine Hoffman; Molly McGinn-Shapiro

Examines the availability, affordability, and stability of health insurance coverage for middle-income families; trends contributing to their growing medical cost burden and percentage among the newly uninsured; and implications.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief: Reducing Infant Mortality
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Shore, Rima; Barbara Shore

Examines U.S. infant mortality trends by race/ethnicity and among industrialized nations. Outlines strategies to improve women's health, ensure timely prenatal care, address racial/ethnic disparities, and continue prevention efforts past the first month.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Annie E. Casey Foundation

Policy Experts Offer Strategic Plan for Healthcare Reform
The recommendations from healthcare policy experts convened by the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, focus on how to contain costs and improve the quality of health care in the United States.... More»

Alliance for a Healthier Generation Designates September 'Go Healthy Month'
Throughout the month, young people will be encouraged to join the empowerME movement, now more than one million strong, and attend or organize a Go Healthy Month event in their community.... More»

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes and Public Health
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Chaloupka, Frank J.

Outlines research linking consumption of sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Explores the effectiveness of taxing such beverages to generate revenue, reduce consumption among at-risk groups, and promote public health.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Medicaid and CHIP Strategies for Improving Child Health
Commonwealth Fund
Smith, Vernon K.; Jennifer N. Edwards; Esther Reagan; Dennis Roberts

Explains state programs' need for child health measures that focus on outcomes; are standardized across programs, agencies, and states; and reward performance through provider reimbursement. Points out opportunities for foundation and government support.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

Expanding Performance Measurement to Include Patients' Experience of Self-Management Support
California HealthCare Foundation

Summarizes findings from a survey of chronically ill patients on the self-management support provided by medical groups. Analyzes results by condition and suggests integrating self-management support into primary care services and performance measurement.
Published: July 2009
Funder(s): California HealthCare Foundation

 

New Resources to Advance Quality and Safety in Nursing Care 

Two publications on safety and quality have just been released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of their "Charting Nursing's Future" series. One report, titled "Addressing the Quality and Safety Gap--Part I: Case Studies in Transforming Hospital Nursing and Building Cultures of Safety," explores the five tenets of highly reliable organizations and includes an expert commentary by AHRQ's Kerm Henriksen, Ph.D., human factors adviser for patient safety, and highlights AHRQ’s Innovations Exchange. The report also provides five case studies of hospital systems and a state government all pursuing greater reliability with very different quality improvement approaches, together with a series of policy recommendations. The second report, titled "Addressing the Quality and Safety Gap--Part II: How Nurses are Shaping, and Being Shaped by, Health Information Technologies," provides promising models of nursing-related health information technologies in several categories: electronic health records, telenursing, and bar code medication administration (BCMA), including mention of AHRQ’s support of BCMA projects. The report also offers news about current educational efforts to bring nursing faculty online and build awareness about how to engage practicing nurses in shaping policy.

Annie E. Casey Foundation Releases 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book
According to the twentieth-annual KIDS COUNT Data Book, key indicators of child well-being show slight improvements in six areas since 2000, but 2007 data suggest that conditions have worsened since the beginning of the recession.... More»

Disaster Relief Assistance Available
More than $2 million in federal disaster assistance has been approved for individuals and households in Missouri since President Obama issued a major disaster declaration three weeks ago. The declaration is a result of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding May 8 – 16. Individual assistance is available in the following counties: Adair, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Greene, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Madison, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Shannon, Texas, Washington, and Webster counties. The following documents contain additional information:
NR-08-DRC to open in Adair County (PDF)
NR-12 FEMA Community Relations teams go knocking door to door (PDF)
NR-14 More than $2 M Approved in MO Disaster Assistance (PDF)
NR11 Free Legal Services Available (PDF)

Bill Clinton Calls for More Rural Philanthropy
Speaking at the recently concluded Council on Foundations conference on rural philanthropy, Clinton argued that foundation activity in rural America has been "woefully inadequate".... More»

 

Covering Kids & Families Evaluation: Synthesis of 10 Case Studies: Exploring Medicaid and SCHIP Enrollment Trends and Their Links to Policy and Practice
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Wooldridge, Judith; Angela Gerolamo; Chris Trenholm

Highlights thematic findings from case studies in ten states of RWJF's 1999-2006 initiative to increase enrollment in Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs through outreach, simplified procedures, and collaboration with state agencies.
Published: June 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Your Disease Risk
Welcome to Your Disease Risk, the source on prevention. Here, you can find out your risk of developing five of the most important diseases in the United States and get personalized tips for preventing them. Developed over the past ten years by world-renowned experts, Your Disease Risk collects the latest scientific evidence on disease risk factors into one easy-to-use tool.
http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/

 

Pandemic Flu Preparedness: Lessons From the Frontlines
Trust for America's Health

Outlines early lessons from the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak and recommendations for strengthening the U.S. core public health capacity, including vaccine stockpile and development, planning and coordination, infrastructure, and surge capacity and care.
Published: June 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Institute of Medicine Launch 'Future of Nursing' Initiative
As part of the initiative, a committee of experts led by former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala will work to review innovative models of nursing care and education while putting together a report on the future of nursing.... (click on article title for more information)

 

Help Wanted: A Policy Maker's Guide to New Dental Providers
Pew Center on the States
Based on a literature review and interviews, details for policy makers a new dental care model in which dental therapists, community dental health coordinators, and advanced dental hygiene practitioners help provide care to underserved populations.
Published: May 2009
Funder(s): W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Health Reform: The Cost of Failure
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Holahan, John; A. Bowen Garrett; Irene Headen; Aaron Lucas

Estimates the intermediate and long-term implications of not enacting healthcare reform. Simulates the effects on employer-sponsored insurance, private non-group coverage, and Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs under three scenarios.
Published: May 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Quality of Child Health: Expanding the Scope and Flexibility of Measurement Approaches
Commonwealth Fund
Scholle, Sarah H.; Natalie E. P. Davis; Sarah L. Sampsel; Edward L. Schor

Proposes a measurement framework to make data collection on the quality of children's health care more efficient and comprehensive. Considerations include focusing on measures with the greatest potential impact and adding new content or methods.
Published: May 2009
Funder(s): Commonwealth Fund

 

Diabetes Care Quality Improvement
A Resource Guide for State Action
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has developed Diabetes Care Quality Improvement: A Resource Guide for State Action and its companion workbook, Diabetes Care Quality Improvement: A Workbook for State Action. This Resource Guide was designed in partnership with the Council of State Governments to help States assess the quality of diabetes care and create quality improvement strategies.

This report was prepared for AHRQ by The Medstat Group, Inc. and The Council of State Governments under Contract No. 290-00-0004.

 

Diabetes Care Quality Improvement

A Workbook for State Action

This workbook is the companion of Diabetes Care Quality Improvement: A Resource Guide for State Action. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) developed both resources to help States assess the quality of diabetes care and create quality improvement strategies.

 

Hospitals Will Fight Legislation Requiring Charity Care Standards
The American Hospital Association is preparing to launch a lobbying campaign aimed at preventing Congress from including more stringent hospital charity care requirements in healthcare reform legislation.... More»

 

Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007
Urban Institute

Estimates how much the federal government spends on children under age three, on which programs and purposes, and in what form. Compares findings with research on the most effective investments, including Early Head Start and childcare assistance.
Published: April 2009
Funder(s): Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Irving Harris Foundation

Without Federal Reform, Number of Uninsured Could Expand Sharply Over Next Decade, Report Finds
The report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that if substantive healthcare reform is not enacted, the number of uninsured Americans could reach 65.7 million by 2019, with middle-income families hit hardest.... More»

Balance: 2008 Mid-Year Report: A Report on State Action to Promote Nutrition, Increase Physical Activity and Prevent Obesity
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Reviews state legislative efforts in January-June 2008 to prevent obesity by increasing access to nutritious foods and opportunities for safe physical activity for children and communities and by tightening restrictions on the food and beverage industry.
Published: March 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Department of Health and Human Services Flu-related Prevention Materials - Click for more information

 

Reaching America's Health Potential: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Compares the self-reported health of adults by race/ethnicity, education, and income level, nationally, within states, and as measured against a national benchmark, with state snapshots. Highlights links between educational attainment and health status.
Published: May 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Outlines recommendations for governments, schools, healthcare providers, philanthropies, and others to collaborate on implementing feasible, evidence-based interventions that create healthier communities and address the needs of those most at risk.
Published: April 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Community Health Centers in an Era of Health System Reform and Economic Downturn: Prospects and Challenges
Kaiser Commission for Medicaid and the Uninsured
Rosenbaum, Sara; Brad Finnegan; Peter Shin

Reviews 2008 legislation reauthorizing community health centers and the factors affecting their role as providers for the uninsured, publicly insured, and underinsured. Outlines health centers' patient mix, quality of care, revenues, and challenges.
Published: March 2009

New Report on Using Health IT Technologies for Managing Chronic Illnesses
AHRQ’s National Resource Center for Health Information Technology has released a new report on Innovations in Using Health IT for Chronic Disease Management. The report provides an overview of challenges faced by AHRQ health IT grantees when implementing or evaluating health IT systems to support care processes for the chronically ill. The approaches used by the various projects include: clinical-decision support systems, health information exchange and disease registries, telehealth, and hospital information systems. Select to access the report.

 

Patient Safety Organizations Fast Facts Now Available
Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) are designed to improve patient safety and quality by encouraging health care providers to voluntarily submit adverse event and other clinical information for analysis. Such information is intended to help health care providers understand the underlying causes of patient harm so that risk to patients can be reduced. Clinicians, patient safety experts, risk managers, and health care leaders now have access to a list of more than 30 Fast Facts to help them better understand PSOs and the crucial role that PSOs have in fostering a culture of patient safety and quality. The Fast Facts are now available online. This information addresses key questions, including:

Who can seek listing as a PSO?
How does an entity apply to become a PSO?
Do PSOs receive Federal funding?
What are the benefits to health care providers who work with a PSO?

The Fast Facts also help explain the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Final Rule (Patient Safety Rule), which became effective on January 19, 2009. The Patient Safety Rule establishes a framework by which hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers may voluntarily provide information to PSOs, on a privileged and confidential basis, for the aggregation and analysis of data regarding the quality and safety of patient care. AHRQ has listed 57 entities as PSOs as of April 15 that represent 25 States and the District of Columbia. Contact information for listed PSOs can be viewed through geographic and alphabetical directories on AHRQ’s PSO Web site.

 

Teen Births: Examining the Recent Increase
Child Trends
Moore, Kristin Anderson

Explores whether a rise in teen births in 2005-06 reflect an anomaly or a long-term reversal in the declining trend. Analyzes 1991-2006 data and potential factors, including shifts in teens' sexual behavior and demographic, social, and economic changes.
Published: March 2009
Funder(s): National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

 

Repeat C-Sections Climb by More Than 40 Percent in 10 Years

The percentage of pregnant women undergoing a repeat Cesarean section (C-section) delivery jumped from 65 percent to 90 percent between 1997 and 2006, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). C-sections are performed for medical reasons and they can be elective. Medical reasons include a previous C-section, malposition of the baby in the uterus, the mother having active genital herpes, the baby's head being too large to pass through the mother's pelvis, or problems with the umbilical cord.

AHRQ also found that:

Nearly one-third of the 4.3 million childbirths in 2006 were delivered via C-section, compared with one-fifth in 1997.

C-sections are more costly than vaginal deliveries, $4,500 versus $2,600 in deliveries without complications, and $6,100 versus $3,500 in deliveries with complications.

Therefore, although C-sections account for 31 percent of all deliveries, they account for 45 percent of all costs associated with delivery.

C-sections account for 34 percent of all deliveries by women who are privately insured but only 25 percent of deliveries by women who are uninsured.

This AHRQ News and Numbers is based on data in Hospitalizations Related to Childbirth, 2006. The report uses statistics from the 2006 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a database of hospital inpatient stays that is nationally representative of inpatient stays in all short-term, non-Federal hospitals. The data are drawn from hospitals that comprise 90 percent of all discharges in the United States and include all patients, regardless of insurance type, as well as the uninsured. For other information, or to speak with an AHRQ data expert, please contact Bob Isquith at Bob.Isquith@ahrq.hhs.gov or call (301) 427-1539.

 

Counseling and Interventions to Prevent Tobacco Use and Tobacco-Caused Disease in Adults and Pregnant Women

This recommendation reaffirms the Task Force's 2003 recommendation on Counseling to Prevent Tobacco Use and Tobacco-Caused Disease, with respect to counseling of adults and pregnant women. in 2003, the Task Force found the evidence insufficient to recommend for or against counseling of children and adolescents. An updated recommendation on this topic is being prepared. Go to http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspstbac.htm to view the 2003 recommendation.

 

 

THE MISSOURI CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION PROGRAM’S FISCAL YEAR 2008 ANNUAL REPORT IS NOW AVAILABLE
The Missouri Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program’s Fiscal Year 2008 Annual Report is available at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/ChildhoodLead/Reports.html.  The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) is proud to announce that the number of Missouri’s children, less than six years old, who have been tested for lead exposure has increased from 50,362 in 2000 to 90,149 in 2008.  Of the number of children tested, the percentage found to have elevated blood lead levels has declined from 11.1 percent in 2000 to 1.3 percent in 2008.  This decrease mirrors a nationwide decrease in children’s blood lead levels.  In 2008, of the 90,149 children in Missouri who received a blood lead test, 1,175 (1.3 percent) had a blood lead level of 10 μg/dL or greater.  For more information on the CLPPP, contact the staff at 573-751-6102 or 866-628-9891.

 

2009 LEAD TESTING AREA MAPS
Each year, the DHSS Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) reevaluates the state for areas where children may be at higher risk of lead poisoning.  CLPPP determines risk by county, and in some areas, by zip code to provide a more accurate depiction of children’s risk.  These areas are designated as either Universal (High Risk) or Targeted (Non-High Risk) Testing Areas, and are displayed in five maps, one for each of the following areas:  statewide, southeast Missouri, St. Louis County, Jackson County, and Kansas City.  This year Lafayette County along with Kansas City zip codes 64106, 64123, 64126, and 64128, 65131, have been changed from Universal (High Risk) to Targeted (Non-High Risk) screening areas.  Congratulations to these areas.  The new maps can be viewed at the following website: http://www.dhss.mo.gov/ChildhoodLead/Maps.html.  If you would like additional information regarding lead poisoning, please contact Christy Inskip at 573-751-6102 or Christy.Inskip@dhss.mo.gov.

Trends in Child Health 1997-2006: Assessing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Low Birthweight
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Leigh, Wilhelmina A.; Anna L. Wheatley

Examines the prevalence of low birthweight among African-American, Latino/Hispanic, and white children born in 1997-2006 and whether insurance status or type, region, family type, or parents' education, marital status, employment, or poverty are factors.
Published: April 2009
Funder(s): W.K. Kellogg Foundation

 

California's Safety-Net Clinics: A Primer
California HealthCare Foundation
Saviano, Elizabeth C.

Provides an overview of the state's public hospitals, community health centers and clinics, and other providers of free or discounted care. Discusses topics including licensure, services provided, patient demographics, reimbursements, and challenges.
Published: March 2009
Funder(s): California HealthCare Foundation

Health Care Costs: A Primer 2009: Key Information on Health Care Costs and Their Impact
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Outlines trends in U.S. healthcare spending, compared with other countries and per capita; what it pays for; who pays; and how healthcare costs affect families and employers. Examines why healthcare costs outpace economic growth and how to address it.
Published: March 2009
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

Integration of Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Primary Care - Downloadable Report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, US Dept of Health and Human Services

 

Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule --- United States, 2009
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) annually reviews the recommended Adult Immunization Schedule to ensure that the schedule reflects current recommendations for the licensed vaccines. No new vaccines were added to the schedule. However, several indications were added to the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine footnote; clarifications were made to the footnotes for human papillomavirus, varicella, and meningococcal vaccines; and schedule information was added to the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine footnotes.

 

At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured: A State-by-State Analysis
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Provides the number and percentage of uninsured in each state in 2006 by age group, gender, work status, and insurance type, as well as average employee premiums for employer-sponsored coverage and median income. Includes comparisons with 1996 data.
Published: March 2009
Funder(s): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Reducing Enrollee Churning in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and Family Health Plus
New York State Health Foundation
Perry, Michael

Examines the reasons a high percentage of beneficiaries of the state's public health insurance programs do not complete the annual recertification process and the consequences of their loss of coverage. Suggests improvements for simplifying the process.
Published: February 2009
Funder(s): New York State Health Foundation

Snapshots From the Kitchen Table: Family Budgets and Health Care
Kaiser Commission for Medicaid and the Uninsured

Based on interviews, explores the financial and health concerns of low- and middle-income families with and without coverage. Examines the impact of the recession, high out-of-pocket costs, and medical debt on household budgets and access to health care.
Published: February 2009
Funder(s): Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

 

Senior Health Matters

Currently, 13.5% of Missouri’s population is aged 65 and older. This will increase to 20% by 2030. Not only will there be more seniors but they will be living longer. Aging is an individual issue but it is also a community issue. Our aging population will have a major impact on Missouri’s communities affecting health and human services, transportation, housing, volunteer efforts, employment, and the local economy. Communities need to plan if they are going to be prepared to meet the needs of this growing population. And, policy makers at all levels – local, state, and national need to make critical decisions that will support caregivers and communities.

Senior Health Matters was written by the Missouri Rural Health Association’s Senior Health Task Force. This task force was formed as a result of a two-year grant project funded by the National Library of Medicine. The grant was written by the Mid-Missouri Area Health Education Center (Mid-MO AHEC) in collaboration with the Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA). While this report might be of interest to state policy makers and mental health professionals, it was written with community leaders and local mental health advocates in mind. Senior Health Matters consists of a series of short fact sheets. The Welcome provides a summary of the paper. Individuals can read all the fact sheets or only those of most interest. They can also read them in any order.

Rural Mental Health Matters

Having a mental illness can be tough no matter where you live but it can be worse for those living in rural Missouri. The 1.5 million rural Missourians have the same kinds of mental health disorders and needs for services as Missourians living in urban centers. However, they are less likely to seek treatment or to have access to needed services. As a result rural individuals with mental illness enter care later in their illness, have more serious and disabling symptoms, and require treatment that is more long-term and expensive.1

Rural Mental Health Matters was written by the Rural Mental Health Task Force; one of three such work groups formed as a result of a two-year grant project funded by National Library of Medicine. The grant was written by the Mid-Missouri Area Health Education Center (Mid-MO AHEC) in collaboration with the Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA). While this report might be of interest to state policy makers and mental health professionals, it was written with community leaders and local mental health advocates in mind. The briefing paper provides a quick overview of the issue. Rural Mental Health Matters consists of a series of short fact sheets. Individuals can read all the fact sheets or only those of most interest. They can also read them in any order.

Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Internet - a powerpoint presentation to help you evaluate the information you are finding.

 

PubMed® a service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 14 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. These citations are from MEDLINE® and additional life science journals.

 

MedlinePlus® - MEDLINEplus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MEDLINEplus brings together, by health topic, authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), other government, non-profit and other health-related organizations. It also provides you with a database of full-text drug information and an illustrated medical encyclopedia.

 

MEDLINEplus® Espanol (Spanish)le dirigirá a información que ayuda a responder preguntas de salud. Catalogada por tema de salud, MEDLINEplus® reúne información oficial de NLM, Institutos Nacionales de la Salud (NIH, por su sigla en inglés), y otras organizaciones de gobierno y sin fines de lucro relacionadas con la salud. También le proporciona una enciclopedia médica ilustrada y programas interactivos de instrucción de salud.

 

Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) and Mid-MO AHEC are collaborating on a two year National Library of Medicine grant funded project that will bring together rural residents and social services/health care professionals in a variety of ways.

Three white papers focusing on mental, dental and elder health issues facing rural Missourians are being developed as a result of this project. Each of these topics was identified as critical at regional MRHA meetings held through out the state. Online communities are being used to bring together experts to generate solutions for access to care and integration of services problems by promoting cooperation among local and state health and social service professionals. The white papers will be a starting point to begin community dialog on the health issues impacting rural residents.

 

Oral Health White Paper

 

Mental Health White Paper

 

Elder Health White Paper

 

Training & Events

 

CURRENT ADOLESCENT HEALTH ISSUES - 2009 TRAINING - May 7
Conference speakers will address Adolescent Brain Development; Cutting/Self-Mutilation Behaviors; Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Resources; Best Practices for Reducing Teen Pregnancy, STDs, and HIV; Contraception and STDs; and Adolescent Immunizations.  Co-sponsors include the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Missouri Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and The Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (DAEOC).

The training will be held at the Delta Center, 147 State Highway T, Portageville, Missouri on May 7.  The training is free, but pre-registration is required.  The training is posted at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/AdolescentHealth/AHTraining.html and includes a link to the online registration.  For more information, contact the Adolescent Health Program at 573-751-6210.

 

MOALPHA TO SPONSOR MAY MEDICAID AND MEDICARE BILLING WORKSHOPS
Learn how to maximize your LPHA’s funding by billing for all allowable services.  Presenters will include representatives from the MO HealthNet Division and the health plans for MoHealthNet clients.  Workshops (co-sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur) will be held in May in five locations:  Shelbyville, Cameron, Rolla, Springfield, and Poplar Bluff.  The agenda and registration form are attached.

 A Rural Hospital Performance Improvement Workshop Exploring Frameworks: Balanced Scorecard, Lean Systems, Studer Pillars

2009 Missouri Clinical and Quality Conference

May 28-30, 2009

Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, MO

Click here for more information!