The Spokane Area Development Workforce Council, Greater Spokane Incorporated, Spokane Community College & Bellevue College co-sponsor this event.
Background
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology is funding Bellevue College and Spokane Community College to provide health IT training for regional employers, to support adoption of electronic medical records. Locally, these classes will be offered by Spokane Community College. Federally developed health IT courses require localization, to meet Spokane area workforce needs. Training is targeted to assist healthcare providers find new and retrain existing employees, to meet federal deadlines for electronic medical record implementation. Local training will begin in Fall, 2010.
Goal
Convene Spokane area healthcare employers for a work session with regional workforce development and community college leaders, to define our region's near-term training needs.
When
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Where
Doubletree Hotel Spokane-City Center, Spokane Falls Ballroom
322 North Spokane Falls Court
Parking and refreshment provided
Please RSVP to Helen Andries Clarke (helen.clarke@bellevuecollege.edu or 425.564.3331).
FREE CME Course for Rural Physicians Who Wish to Treat Patients Addicted to Opioids: Saturday, October 30, 2010 in Seattle
Roger A Rosenblatt MD, MPH – Vice Chair, Department of Family Medicine
Opioid misuse and addiction has reached epidemic proportions in Washington State. The problem of opioid-seeking patients in primary care practices and emergency rooms is a source of enormous frustration for many physicians. Many patients have become addicted to opioids, frequently inadvertently after taking medications that have been prescribed for them to treat pain, both acute and chronic.
Unfortunately, once a person becomes addicted to opioids, it is very difficult and at times impossible for them to withdraw without long-term treatment. Methadone, the most common current treatment for opioid addiction, is unavailable in rural areas. Rural physicians until recently had very few tools to help their patients escape addiction.
Introducing Project ROAM (Rural Opiate Addiction Management Collaborative) and Project ECHO for rural physicians
There is a viable alternative for rural physicians. In 2000, the federal government allowed the outpatient use of buprenorphine (Suboxone or Subutex) to manage opioid addiction. Despite the potential advantages of the use of Suboxone as opioid replacement therapy for addicted patients, very few physicians have taken the 8-hour course that allows them to legally prescribe this medication for the treatment of addiction. As of 2010, only 32 rural doctors in Washington State had received the federal waiver that allows them to prescribe Suboxone.
On October 30, Washington State University and the University of Washington – supported by a grant from the Life Sciences Discovery Fund - will present a free CME course in Seattle that will teach rural physicians and a member of their practice staff how to use Suboxone for addiction. This course will allow physicians to receive legal permission to prescribe the medication.
Anyone who signs up now for Project ROAM's training is eligible to participate in Project ECHO, a bi-weekly case consultation and clinical update via video-conferencing for buprenorphine providers and their clinical team (ARNP, PA, RN, MA, or patient care coordinator). Benefits include (1) personalized access to an interdisciplinary addictions team comprised of a psychiatrist, psychologist, and addictions specialist (2) clinical updates on the evolving science of addictions treatment (3) free CME credit per hour of participation (4) a free webcam and speakerphone to connect to Project ECHO videoconferences. Please indicate your interest in Project ECHO when signing up for Project ROAM's training.
A second resource will be the buprenorphine course instructors themselves. Each rural physician who attends the course and is certified to prescribe buprenorphine will be paired with an expert mentor who is one of the faculty in the course. These experts will be available by phone or e-mail so rural physicians can receive timely consultations on management of individual patients, or any other matter related to the use of buprenorphine.
Third, Project ROAM will make available practice management consultation to help rural physicians train staff, devise forms, and shape clinical protocols for the efficient use of this medication in specific real world settings. The consultant will also assist the newly trained physicians with billing issues, so that the practices are appropriately reimbursed for services provided.
The first course will take place in Seattle on Saturday, October 30th. Project ROAM will cover the cost of the course, and provide CME credits. If you are interested in participating or have any questions about the treatment of opioid addiction with buprenorphine, please send me an e-mail at rosenb@u.washington.edu, or give me a call at 206-685-1361. Space is limited to 25 physicians in this inaugural course. Each physician is encouraged to bring another member of their clinical support team (ARNP, PA, RN, MA, or patient care coordinator) to the training who will be involved in supporting patients undergoing outpatient use of buprenorphine.
WRHA Partners with At Health to Provide Reduced-Cost Mental Health Education to WRHA Members
As a WRHA member, you have the opportunity to provide an exceptional educational opportunity to the healthcare providers in your organization. WRHA has agreed to work with At Health in providing online mental health education at a reduced rate.
At Health is a leading online provider of mental health information and services for healthcare practitioners and those they serve. Their online professional community consists of more than 30,000 psychiatrists, pediatricians, family practitioners, psychologists, nurses, marriage and family therapists, social workers, counselors, medical researchers, educators, schools psychologists, caregivers, and others who meet the diverse needs of those with mental health concerns.
The company, founded by a physician in 1996, provides online mental health information, tools, and training that enhance the ability of healthcare providers to furnish high quality, personalized care to patients and their families. The Athealth.com Web site has received numerous awards recognizing the quality of its content, and relevance to the health care community, including the Global Information Infrastructure (GII) Semi-Finalist Award, Health Category.
At Health Products/Services
In 2000, the company launched At Health's e-Campus http://www.athealthce.com, the premier source for high quality, online continuing education programs for mental health practitioners and other health care providers. To date, more than 34,000 courses have been completed by clinicians.
The company offers more than 100 online courses including a wide variety of subjects such as PTSD, depression, suicide prevention, grief, domestic violence, substance abuse, anxiety, couples therapy, anger management, family counseling, cultural competence, ethics, personality disorders, childhood disorders, brief therapy, HIPAA compliance, aging, psychopharmacology, and supervision.
At Health is committed to the men and women who serve in the military and have are added deployment-related courses to help clinicians to increase their awareness of veterans and their family members' mental health needs.
Most Requested Online Courses
Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychotherapy
Risk Management Basics: The Application of Law and Ethics to Risk Management
Ethics: Spiritual Issues in Clinical Practice
Domestic Violence: Intimate Partner Abuse
Supervision: Issues in Clinical Supervision
Ethics, Money, and the Therapeutic Relationship
Family Counseling: Family Involvement, Assessment, Closure, and Ethical Issues in Family Work
To look at their course catalog and view the CE approvals for courses visit http://www.athealthce.com.
Nurses, physicians, physician assistants, therapists can all benefit with the on-line educational programs.
Being a member of WRHA will provide you with a 30% discount on all classes. WRHA members can access the discount code and other information regarding the courses and certificates at: http://www.athealthce.com/info/WRHAregistration.html.
Your membership in WRHA is providing you with an excellent opportunity to enhance your expertise in providing behavioral health services to your community.
Washington and Idaho Regional Extension Center Enrollment
The Washington & Idaho Regional Extension Center for Health Information Technology (WIREC) is now accepting applications from healthcare providers across the two states. The WIREC provides technical assistance services to help primary care providers successfully attain "meaningful use" of their electronic health record (EHR) systems. Participation fees vary. However, it is important to note that during the 2010-2011 project year, primary care practices with 10 or fewer providers qualify to receive WIREC services at no charge, thanks to Recovery Act funding awarded to WIREC from the US Department of Health and Human Services. There is a limited number of slots available to the Recovery Act-funded participants, so please do not delay in signing up for this opportunity.
You can also download an invitation to participate in the WIREC program at www.wirecQH.org/upload/Invite.pdf. If you have any questions about WIREC's services or application process, please contact Christine Isaacson at christinei@qualishealth.org.
Health Reform Links
Washington State Hospital Association -- New Health Care Reform Materials
In the wake of the new federal health care reform law, the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) has developed the first in a series of materials:
A powerpoint presentation, with speaking notes, highlighting the law's major provisions to use during board or community presentations. The powerpoint can also be shortened as necessary.
A summary of major provisions with budgetary projections for Washington State. This summary is about 20 pages in length.
For those interested in more detail, the American Hospital Association (AHA) has a health care reform website, including a powerpoint for use with community groups and a summary of the law. (Must be a member of AHA to access these documents.)
WSHA continues to look at modeling the budgetary impacts of the health care reform law. As information becomes available, the Health Information Program will be sending you hospital specific information. The first in a series of reports will be available in the next several weeks.
WSHA staff are also available to make a presentation on the law at your hospital's board or management meetings.
For more information on the law, please contact Chelene Whiteaker, Director, Advocacy and Policy, at chelenew@wsha.org or 206-216-2545.
Rural nursing in Washington State embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. Systems of care that utilize nurse expertise include Community Access Hospitals, school districts, public health programs, and homeless shelters, to name only a few. Nurses have many roles – from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher – and serve those roles with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient wellness and safety.
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing (click here for more on Florence Nightingale).
In honor of the NationalNurses Week WRHA asked rural nurses across Washington State to share their professional day. WRHA received an overwhelming number of wonderful contributions from rural nurses and would like to feature each contribution. Click here and you will find stories that demonstrate the power of human touch, an empathetic ear, and evidence based technical skills shared by passionate rural nurses.
Washington Rural Health Association Resource Links