We Asked, You Answered!

How do our members prefer their trainings and education?

Every year we create a survey for our members to help us better understand their needs! This survey assists us in the planning of our yearly training schedule for all conferences, workshops and webinars.  We asked our members to let us know what they would like to learn more about or need assistance with and we will do our best to meet their needs. Below are results from this survey. The OACHC team will work diligently to give our members what they want! View our calendar with our current upcoming training events at www.ohiochc.org/calendar

What general learning topics would be the most impactful to your or your health center? 

Leadership/Management

What type of advocacy training would you most likely participate in?

Health Center Advocacy 101

Which dental focused topics would you like to learn more about?

Dental Financials & Billing

Which clinical focused topics would you like to learn more about? 

UDS Measures

Which finance focused topics would you like to learn more about?

Pay for Performance

 

Which operations and workforce focused topics would you like to learn more about? 

Retention

 

View The Full Survey with Results Here

OACHC Annual Impact 2016

OACHC is proud of the work that we were able to accomplish in 2016.  It is through dedication, vision, and great partnerships that 2016 can go down in the history books as a year of growth and expansion!  Please join us as we look back to celebrate this prosperous year.

In 2016 OACHC secured $3,867,300 in funding
to administer and implement health focused programs within
Community Health Centers across Ohio

New OACHC Staff!

•    Elizabeth Bradley was hired as the Executive Assistant
•    Tiffany Blair was hired as the Quality Improvement Coordinator
•    Jennifer Sharp was hired as the Accounting Coordinator
•    Ashley Ballard received her PCMH CCE from NCQA

 

Advocacy & Policy   

 

Advocacy

•    OACHC gained NACHC Advocacy of Excellence (ACE) status
•    Increased number of Ohio Health Center Advocates by 15%
o    Record number (8) Members of Congress signed the Health Center Appropriation Dear Colleague Letters circulated in March
•    National Health Center Week - Celebrations and events held at more than 35 of Ohio’s Community Health Center locations

 

Rules & Legislation

•    FQHC PPS Rule Package Enacted
•    Ohio became first state in the country to allow registered dietitian nutritionists and licensed dietitians practicing in non-institutional settings to submit claims to the Ohio Department of Medicaid independently (Rule 5160-8-41)
•    1115 “Healthy Ohio” Waiver DENIED 
•    HB 216 (APRN Modernization Bill) passes the Ohio General Assembly and is signed into law by Governor Kasich  
•    SB 332 was enacted providing support for FQHCs regarding birth spacing
•    HB 294 addresses infant mortality issues and provides support for FQHCs to promote proven interventions in birth spacing, safe sleep, and/or smoking cessation

 

Clinical Quality & Oral Health

•    Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) grant awarded to OACHC
•    Awarded 45 Clinical Focus Measure Awards to health centers
•    National Oral Health Innovation and Integration Network (NOHIIN) grant from DentaQuest Foundation & Oral Health grant from HealthPath Foundation
•    New Projects & Initiatives
o    Medication Therapy Management
o    FluFIT with Ohio Department of Health & American Cancer Society
o    Undiagnosed Hypertension and pre-Diabetes with ODH
o    HPV Vaccination Initiative with American Cancer Society
o    Progesterone (17-P) project with Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative
o    Partnership with Ohio Dental Association and the Ohio Dental Association Foundation for blood Pressure Screening in Ohio’s FQHC Dental Practices

 

Workforce – Ohio Primary Care Workforce Initiative

•    Completed year 1 of OPCWI with 35 FQHCs hosting 883 student clinical rotations from 50 schools/universities
•    Student evaluation of their FQHC clinical experience score was 4.8/5
•    OPWCI convened 122 representatives from both FQHCs and regional health professional programs during regional trainings
•    Presented at 7 professional conferences/meetings across the country on OPCWI

 

Training & Communications

•    New OACHC branding and logo
•    Grand Opening of new OACHC offices and launch of the state-of-the-art OACHC Training Room
•    Creation of the Training Archives
•    Significant growth in OACHC Conference attendees and exhibitors; addition of CHC 101 sessions and Quality Track
•    First ever statewide Dental Billing Training

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

It’s Not Flu: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Looks a Lot Like Other Illnesses

Headache, upset stomach, tired, dizzy --sounds like the flu, doesn’t it? But it could be carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when too much of this gas builds up in your body due to unsafe levels of CO in the air you breathe. Almost anything that burns fuel releases CO, including your furnace, water heater, gas stove, fireplace, charcoal grill, space heater, generator, and car. Carbon monoxide poisoning is more likely to happen during winter months and during storms or natural disasters because fuel-burning devices are commonly used then. Most of the time, CO is safely vented out of your home, but misusing or not maintaining these sources can lead to unsafe levels of CO gas in the air.

How often does this actually happen? Well, every year, more than 400 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and thousands more are treated in emergency departments. Because children process CO differently, they get sick faster than adults do, which means your kids will likely show symptoms before you do.

Carbon monoxide can’t be seen, smelled, or heard, so how can you protect you and your family? An alarm is the only way to know if there is carbon monoxide in your home. If you don’t have CO alarms, install them today.
•    Carbon monoxide alarms are not the same as smoke alarms. You need to have both CO and smoke alarms in your home.
•    Put a CO alarm on every level in your home and near every sleeping area.
•    Choose an alarm that plugs into an electrical outlet and has a battery back-up. Install the battery in every alarm.
•    Test your alarms monthly to make sure they work. Replace the batteries every year.
•    Never ignore a beeping CO alarm. Teach your children how to respond if the alarm goes off: get out of the house right away and call 911.


For more info visit: http://www.preventchildinjury.org/toolkits//carbon-monoxide-safety

Cervical Health

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and OACHC wants you to know that there’s a lot you can do to prevent cervical cancer.

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a very common infection that spreads through sexual activity. About 79 million Americans currently have HPV, but many people with HPV don’t know they are infected.

HPV is also a major cause of cervical cancer. Each year, more than 11,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer.

The good news?

The HPV vaccine (shot) can prevent HPV. Cervical cancer can often be prevented with regular screening tests (called Pap tests) and follow-up care.
 
In honor of National Cervical Health Awareness Month, OACHC encourages:

• Women to start getting regular Pap tests at age 21
• Parents to make sure pre-teens get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12
• Teens and young adults also need to get the HPV vaccine if they didn’t get it as pre-teens. Women up to age 26 and men up to age 21 can still get the vaccine.
  

Taking small steps can help keep you safe and healthy.

More Info

• Cervical Health Awareness Month Proclamation 
• 10 Things to Know About HPV and Cervical Cancer 
• Cervical Cancer Overview 
• Cervical Cancer Prevention and Early Detection  
• HPV Vaccines 
• Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer  
• Treating cervical cancer

Holiday Fire Hazards

Fire Escape Plans: Could Your Family Get Out in Two Minutes?

Fire drills. You’ve probably done these at work; your kids do these at school. But data show that we’re more likely to encounter a fire at home than at work or school, yet only about 1 out of 3 adults say they have created AND practiced a home fire escape plan. Why don’t we practice our fire escape plans at home like we do at work or school?
 
The holidays pose many fire hazards so it’s the perfect time to get serious about your home fire escape plan.

Why is practice so important? Years ago, people had more time to get out of burning buildings, but with changes to the way homes are built and what’s inside them, houses burn much more quickly than they used to. Experts recommend that every person in the house be able to exit in two minutes or less. That’s not a lot of time. In the event of a real fire, your child will likely be scared and confused, so practicing helps your child remember what to do when emotions are running high. Practice will help everyone in the family for the same reason.

Here are some tips to remember:

• Decide on a plan. The National Fire Protection Association, the Red Cross, and Make Safe Happen all have resources to help you design a plan. 
• Before your drill, walk through the plan with your family. Show them the routes out of each room. Make a note of any equipment you need to buy, such as smoke alarms or fire escape ladders. Test windows and doors to make sure they open.  
• Start with untimed drills during the day. As your family becomes more comfortable with their escape routes, try practicing at different times during the day and at night. 
• Pretend it’s a real fire: stay low by crouching or crawling, test doors for heat with the back of your hand, and set up fire escape ladders if needed. 
• Aim to get everyone to the meeting spot outside the house in two minutes or less.

More tips

• Fire Escape Plans 
• 7 Holiday Fire Hazards  
• Red Cross Facts and Tips About Holiday Home Fires 
• Avoid the 12 Dangers of Christmas
• Safety Tips For Managing Holiday Fire Hazards