Great American Smokeout - Stop Smoking for good

Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States

The Great American Smokeout happens every year on November 17th and is promoted by the American Cancer Society. Did you know that smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths every year, which is about 1 in 5 deaths. Not only that, but more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease. Many Americans that still smoke come from all walks of life but it is more prevalent in specific groups of people due to different circumstances. It is important that we all come together and support those who want to quit smoking for good. Long term affects from smoking are:

• constant coughing (smokers cough) 
• heart disease
• high cholesterol
• yellow fingers & fingernails
• loss of appetite
• wrinkly skin
• anxiety & irritability
• higher risk of lung cancer

Smoking causes more deaths each year than HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, and firearm-related incidents combined. This statistic is alarming considering the amount of people in the US who still smoke has significantly gone down over the past few decades. 

If you are ready to quit, there are lots of resources online to assist you! There is even an app you can download too to help you and several phone numbers you can call if you want to talk to someone straight away. For more information on the Great American Smokeout, smoking statistics and information/help on how to quit go to:
Great American Smokeout Information
Tips from Former Smokers
Tobacco Usage Statistics
Smokefree.gov

Don't FALL for it

As the weather has changed so has the season and that means the best season of all is here, FALL!! Chunky boots, hats and scarfs, apple cider and PUMPKIN SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE! With all these amazing things to make the chilly weather just a little bit more tolerable, its important to still stay safe especially with outdoor activities! 

Many sports start back up in the fall, such as soccer, football and basketball. With sports come can come injuries or even asthma attacks. Its important to know the signs of an asthma attack and how to handle injuries. If someone has a known case of asthma, know where their inhaler is and stay calm. If they do not have an inhaler and it seems to be a severe asthmatic attack, call 911. You should always know the signs and symptoms of an attack and have a plan of action just in case an incident occurs. 

Bumps and bruises are also part of the game too. If someone falls awkwardly and has a sprain or a break, you should be careful to secure the limb and then get the person to a doctor as soon as possible. Most minor scratches and bruises can be treated with first aid kits. It it appears to be a break or sprain, have a medical professional take a look.

Lastly, knowing the signs of a concussion is also good information to have! Warning signs that a person might need medical attention are:

• Headache that gets worse and does not go away.
• Weakness, numbness or decreased coordination.
• Repeated vomiting or nausea.
• Slurred speech.

For more information on how to prevent sports related injuries, visit:

• www.kidshealth.org
• www.aap.org (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• www.aafa.org (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America)

Trick or Treat Safety!

Leaves are falling, the weather is getting chillier and your neighbors will be passing out all sorts of yummy treats soon! 

Did you know that Americans spend nearly $4 billion each year on Halloween candy!?! This alarming amount of money is often times spent on things that are not the healthiest options for children and can possibly leave you with a trip to the dentist instead. If you are looking to still satisfy your little ghouls but still leave them with treats, some healthier options instead of candy include:

• Raisins
• Pretzels
• Juice boxes
• Mini water bottles 
• Plain cookies (graham crackers, Teddy Grahams, vanilla wafers, etc.)
• Baked chips, baked tortilla chips
• Popcorn
• Lowfat granola or cereal bars
• Sugar-free gum

Candy isn't your only threat this Halloween. Choosing the best costume can also leave you with some scary feelings too! When picking out costumes, make sure that they are fire resistant. Also, you want to be sure that your child is able to

see through any masks or hoods they might be wearing. If your child is trick-or-treating out in the dark, double check that they have glow sticks or reflective tape so that oncoming traffic and others can see them. Any make-up you apply shouldn't cause an allergic reaction and it should be non-toxic. 

Lastly, if you are not passing out treats nor are you looking for them with a child, still be on the look-out for those that are. Be sure to keep an eye out for people walking in and around road-ways and be alert of those who may be dressed up since it is Halloween. Stay safe!

Halloween Safety Tips

Healthy Halloween Treats

Fun Halloween Facts

Fall Operations Conference Recap!

This year, our Fall Operations Conference was our largest! With nearly 300 attendees, 40 exhibit booths and sponsors and tons of breakout sessions with informative speakers, our event was a huge success!

We added a few new things this year, including new scan-able badges!

There was fun to be had at our reception.

Networking time!

Awards!

And best of all, the the informational sessions!

You can't spell successful without a couple "u's" so a big THANK YOU to everyone who made this Fall Operations Conference amazing! Save the date for our Annual Conference, March 4-6 2019 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Every October, people worldwide shed a light on Breast Cancer Awareness. Breast cancer occurs when malignant tumors develop in the breast. These cells can spread by breaking away from the original tumor and entering blood vessels or lymph vessels, which branch into tissues throughout the body. At least 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Some facts about

breast cancer include:

• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women.
• Each year it is estimated that over 252,710 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,500 will die.
• Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,470 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 460 will die each year.
• On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and 1 woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes.
• Over 3.3 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today.

There are some risk factors that come into play with breast cancers, specifically genetic factors. You may be more at risk simply based on your age, race, family history personal health history, early menstruation, and late menopause.

However, there are some avoidable risk factors as well. Improving your physical activity, your diet and lessening your consumption alcohol can lower your risk. 

Once a month, women are encouraged to do self exams. These can be done in the shower, while lying down or in front of the mirror. For guidelines on self exams exams go to  https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam

Women 40 and over should start getting annual mammograms too!

There are lots of events happening throughout the month of October to help spread awareness for Breast Cancer. To learn more about these events and organizations, visit: 

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-support

https://www.cancer.org/

https://ww5.komen.org/

For more information and facts about breast cancer, visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/index.htm

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-risk-factors

2018 Fall Operations Conference, Who's Ready?!

The weather is cooling down, the leaves are changing colors and best of all the FALL OPERATIONS CONFERENCE is in less than ONE WEEK!

This year, we will have 2 amazing keynote sessions! Our opening keynote panel, Steve Buehrer, Kelly Carey, Julie DiRossi-King, and Jennifer Taylor, will feature policy updates from both the State and National levels.

And, our closing keynote speaker, Gary LeRoy MD FAAFP,  will share with us some of the experiences that have challenged him, motivated him, surprised him, and helped shape his personal growth and development. From this, it is hoped that you will be better able to help your own providers successfully experience greater meaning and purpose in your home FQHC.

What should you know before attending the conference?

LOCATION 
Marriott University Area, 3100 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, Ohio US 43202

TRACKS
Finance, Clinical, Outreach, Quality Improvement and Workforce. Check out the full agenda! You can also make your own schedule too!

CONTINUING EDUCATION
OACHC offers 3 types of continuing education for this conference, CME, CPE and Behavioral Health. We can also provide a certificate of attendance for all the session you attended too. In order to receive credit, you must have your badge scanned in the session you attend.  Your CEU credits will be automatically applied once you have been scanned for the session you have attended. At the conclusion of the conference, you can email a transcript to yourself and this will serve as your certificate. 

CONFERENCE APP

Our app can be used a number of ways! You can use download it in your Apple or Android store by just typing in "OACHC." Or, you can visit the app's website at www.ohiochc.org/app 

Interested in exhibiting? Email us at events@ohiochc.org We will add you to our listserv for our upcoming events. For more information, visit our website: www.ohiochc.org/exhibit 

Welcome Alta Partners!

Introducing our new Corporate Partner!

AltaPartners
Alta Partners provides clients with information needed to operate a more profitable practice. Their attention to physician billing starts before charges are entered into the system to ensure collections are maximized. 

Their team draws on its extensive experience in billing and collections to provide customers with a level of efficient service. They regularly work with multiple industry-standard platforms, including Allscripts PM, Allscripts (Misys) Vision, Sunrise Financial Manager, Meditech, LSS, Thera-Office, Tiger, and Office Practicum, as well as with custom IT configurations.

To learn more, visit www.altapartnersllc.com or contact Stanley Kasmarcak, CPA at sjk@altapartnersllc.com.