November 2021 Newsletter
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New UMTRC Program Director
It is a pleasure to meet you all! My name is Cameron Hilt and I now serve as the new Program Director for the Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center. I look forward to connecting with you to answer any telehealth questions you have and continue the work of advancing telehealth in the Midwest. I had the privilege of working closely with Becky over the past year and I’m very thankful for her contributions and the foundation she has laid for the UMTRC over the past 10 years. I wanted to take the time to provide more information about myself through the UMTRC’s blog so you all can get to know me better. Please click the link to the blog post below.
My contact information is as follows:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 317-508-2605
LinkedIn: Cameron Hilt, MPH | LinkedIn
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News From CMS
CMS Physician Payment Rule Promotes Greater Access to Telehealth Services, Diabetes Prevention Programs
Final Rule Advances Health Equity, Person-Centered Care
On November 2, CMS is announcing actions that will advance its strategic commitment to drive innovation to support health equity and high quality, person-centered care. CMS’ Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule will promote greater use of telehealth and other telecommunications technologies for providing behavioral health care services, encourage growth in the diabetes prevention program, and boost payment rates for vaccine administration. The final rule also advances programs to improve the quality of care for people with Medicare by incentivizing clinicians to deliver improved outcomes.
“Promoting health equity, ensuring more people have access to comprehensive care, and providing innovative solutions to address our health system challenges are at the core of what we do at CMS,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “The Physician Fee Schedule final rule advances all these strategic priorities and helps build a better Medicare program for the future.”
Expanding Use of Telehealth and Other Telecommunications Technologies for Behavioral Health Care
The final rule makes significant strides in expanding access to behavioral health care – especially for traditionally underserved communities – by harnessing telehealth and other telecommunications technologies. In line with legislation enacted last year, CMS is eliminating geographic barriers and allowing patients in their homes to access telehealth services for diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of mental health disorders.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the gaps in our current health care system and the need for new solutions to bring treatments to patients, wherever they are,” said Brooks-LaSure. “This is especially true for people who need behavioral health services, and the improvements we are enacting will give people greater access to telehealth and other care delivery options.”
CMS is bringing care directly into patients’ homes by providing certain mental and behavioral health services via audio-only telephone calls. This means counseling and therapy services, including treatment of substance use disorders and services provided through Opioid Treatment Programs, will be more readily available to individuals, especially in areas with poor broadband infrastructure.
In addition, for the first time outside of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Medicare will pay for mental health visits furnished by Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers via telecommunications technology, including audio-only telephone calls, expanding access for rural and other vulnerable populations.
Click here for the direct link to article from CMS.
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Upcoming Webinars
The UMTRC partners have several webinars planned for the month. We hope that you can join them and welcome your requests for additional topics for future webinars.
"Integrated Virtual Primary Care and Behavioral Health"
Date: November 4, 2021
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm Eastern
Presenter(s): Cameron Hilt, Program Director for the UMTRC and Crossroads Partnership for Telehealth
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic, telehealth regulations at the federal and state levels have become more flexible. This has allowed for multiple rural and urban healthcare facilities to adopt and develop a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) telehealth model in order to accommodate the targeted patient populations. In this presentation, the Crossroads Partnership for Telehealth project team will present strategies on implementing an integrated DTC telehealth platform, reimbursing for services, following ever-changing policy alterations, constructing an effective infrastructure, and sustaining an efficient care model for behavioral health and primary care services.
Watch the replay HERE
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"Community Paramedicine: Bridging the OB Gap"
Date: December 1, 2021
Time: 12:00pm Eastern
Presenter(s): Nicole Watkins, MPH, CRHCP, IRHA Rural Health Clinic Network Director
Explore utilizing the innovative model of community paramedicine for prenatal and postpartum women and infants. Learn about the current expansion program lead by IRHA that seeks to replicate the model currently in Crawfordsville to other areas of the state – both rural and urban.
RSVP HERE
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Virtual Office Hours
Similar to webinars, our Virtual Office Hours are offered virtually. They are more informal, more interactive, and typically only last 30 minutes, instead of an hour.
Our November Virtual Office Hours will be an open Q&A session with new UMTRC Program Director, Cam Hilt, and telehealth expert, Luke Wortley . Bring a beverage and your questions. We've got answers:
November 11th (1-1:30 Eastern)
November 30th (1-1:30 Eastern)
RSVP on the website!
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Upcoming In-Person Conferences & Virtual Events
As state Public Health Emergencies (PHEs) start to sunset throughout the region, there are a mix of virtual and in-person conferences available. As we learn about regional and national conferences, we will post them on our website in the Events section of the UMTRC website.
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There's still time to register for the IRHA Fall Forum
Registration is open until November 12th for the IRHA Virtual Fall Forum. This event will be held virtually on November 18, 2021 and will have a focus on Critical Access Hospital solutions.
IRHA welcomes national motivational leadership keynote speaker, Billy Riggs, who will speak twice during the one-day virtual event on “The Magic of Serving” and “How to Become a Born Leader.” You won’t want to miss it!
We will also host two fantastic panel discussions featuring many of our hospital member representatives.
View the full agenda HERE
Attendee Registration fees are $50/person for members and $150/person for non-members.
Register here: https://www.indianaruralhealth.org/FallForum
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Institute for Healthcare Improvement
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is hosting their virtual Forum on December 5-8, 2021. This forum will give health care professionals a platform to learn and contribute to a shared vision of quality, equitable care for all.
Click here to register
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PEW Charitable Trusts offered a webinar on November 4, 2021 “A Conversation on Race and Research.” The virtual event included experts featured in Pew's latest "After the Fact" podcast season discussing the challenges and opportunities for data-based research in a changing America.
Click here for more info.
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The Council on Foundations held a virtual Public Policy Summit November 4, 2021. The Council will equip foundation leaders and staff with the tools they need to leverage public policy to pursue equity, strengthen the sector, and advance the greater good.
Click here for more info.
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There is still time to register and virtually join the SEARCH 2021 – The National Telehealth Research Symposium, which will connect health researchers, academicians, and visionaries in telehealth and telemedicine to share findings and foster research partnerships. The three-day conference, which will begin the afternoon of November 8th and conclude on the afternoon of November 10th, will continue upon the initiatives set by the Society for Education and the Advancement of Research in Connected Health (SEARCH).
Register here
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Rural Health Research Gateway will host a webinar at 1:00 PM EST, Tuesday, November 9, 2021, to discuss the critical role of family physicians in rural America, how they're trained, their rural distribution, and differences in scope of practice in rural vs. urban family doctors.
Click here for more information and to register.
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Aspen CSG will offer a webinar November 10, 2021 at 2:00 PM ET to help participants learn how providers are learning cultural competency to better connect with and understand the worldview of the immigrant families they serve. The conversation will explore gender norms, trauma-informed care, immigrant and refugee mental health, and financial literacy.
Click here to register.
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HRSA Webinar: Federal Efforts to Achieve Health Equity in Rural Communities
Nov 18, 2021, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Learn about federal efforts to achieve health equity in rural America. Panelists will present on strategies the Administration is taking to prioritize health equity and eliminate disparities in health access, policy, and practice. Panelists from the White House Domestic Policy Council, CMS Office of Minority Health, and Indian Health Service (IHS) will join FORHP for this discussion.
Click here to register.
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Addressing Health Disparities in Rural Communities: FORHP Grantee Highlights
Nov 18, 2021, 3 – 4 p.m. ET
Learn about projects funded through FORHP grants. Hear from FORHP grantees as they share their work and best practices to create equitable access to health care in their communities.
Click here to register.
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Save the Date for the 4th Annual UMTRC Conference
The UMTRC staff are excited to announce that the 4th UMTRC Annual Conference will be back in South Bend, Indiana on September 13-14, 2022, at the Gillespie Conference Center.
We look forward to seeing everyone in person again next year!
Based on survey results from this year’s conference, some attendees said they had a very hard time choosing which session to attend this year. In response, several of our speakers from this year’s conference have agreed to reprise their presentations in webinars over the next couple of months. Be sure to check out our webinars schedule here.
Check out our website for the pictures from the 2021 conference.
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Information and Other Resources
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies has published a report examining broadband access in African American communities in the rural South, highlighting economic, healthcare, and educational opportunities that accompany broadband access.
Click here to get a copy of the report.
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Aspen CSG tracks new and expanded resources coming out of the American Rescue Plan and other federal action and legislation. They also collect rural-relevant analysis and resources on a regularly updated webpage.
Visit the webpage by clicking here.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have published a guide “Strategies for Reaching People with Limited Access to COVID-19 Vaccines,” which addresses strategies related to appointment scheduling, transportation, help for caregivers, help for those who are homebound or isolated, and more.
Get the guide by clicking here.
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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has sent a Report to Congress on the State Opioid Response Grants (SOR). The report highlights demographic breakdown of people served by SOR programs and discusses key accomplishments by state/territory, and includes rural references throughout.
Get the report by clicking here.
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UMTRC Podcast: A Virtual View
A Virtual View is a bi-monthly podcast hosted by the UMTRC. We welcome guests from different aspects of the telehealth and healthcare industry to share their knowledge and experience to help listeners in their telehealth journey from development to sustaining a successful telehealth program.
You can access our podcasts through our website or subscribe to them on your favorite podcast platform! New episodes are typically released on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month. If you have a suggestion for a future topic, or would like us to interview you, please complete the form at Podcast Inquiry.
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Photo Contest!
The Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA) is hosting a rural photo contest in celebration of National Rural Health Day!
Get your camera out and capture your best rural Indiana photo! Submit your rural photo to us for a chance to win a complimentary registration for the 2022 IRHA Annual Conference. Deadline is November 12th.
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Educational Opportunities
Through the WhiteBark Health Academy, the IRHA provides educational offerings through an online platform that focus on training and continuing education (CE) for health professionals, as well as courses for healthcare facility administrators and staff. We encourage you to review the site and take advantage of this educational opportunity, which include several related to Telehealth: https://whitebarkhealth.academy.reliaslearning.com/
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Social and Subscribe
Be sure to connect with the UMTRC on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for information on where to find us at training sessions, conferences, and the like.
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UMTRC c/o IRHA
2901 Ohio Boulevard, Suite 240
Terre Haute, IN 47803
855-283-3734 extension 238
[email protected]
This newsletter was made possible by grant number U1UTH42522 from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources and Services Administration, DHHS.