Paul Clark

As community health leaders, we must stay focused on future goals to improve member health, but it's also important to celebrate the collective achievements of CBOs and MCOs. 🚀 Yesterday, Giuliana Grossi at AJMC - The American Journal of Managed Care covered our newly released 2024 Medicaid-Eligible Health Equity Index, highlighting the progress organizations have made in addressing health disparities. Our research shows that Medicaid-eligible New Englanders find these services essential, offering crucial support like mental health assistance, crisis intervention, and programs for pregnant women and young children. These services bridge healthcare gaps and promote better health outcomes. [Read the full story 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTPtAjyH]

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Read our monthly Advocacy report and learn how we are protecting the #FirstAmendment and #opengov in New England: https://conta.cc/4dRSFfM

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If you've been thinking, "Hey, I know our government can lead in tech and data, and I have some leadership and tech skills that could be useful...but what should I do???" Now is that moment. Check out these roles 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 and reach out if you are ready to step to the plate with amazing folks dedicated to making our country work for those who need it most. Just reach out if you have questions about working in gov.

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Online data dashboards have the power to make public health information more easily accessible and digestible. In the Public Health Post, Professors Brandon Marshall and Jesse Yedinak Gray of the People, Place and Health Collective Brown University discuss their development of Rhode Island's PreventOverdoseRI.org and outline their three-step approach to making powerful dashboards that are relevant, timely and inclusive.

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When discussing the lack of access to healthcare in rural America, behavioral healthcare is often left out. Rural communities face a disproportionate lack of access to healthcare. However, their patient population needs and deserves access to not only healthcare, but quality healthcare, that meets their needs. This includes behavioral healthcare. This is one great example of how to do it right. By providing quality behavioral healthcare in rural communities, and personalizing care to the needs of the patient population, we can ensure comprehensive care. Without offering this range of care, or curating healthcare opportunities to the needs of patients in the community, healthcare falls short of the quality the community needs. Do you agree? #RuralHealthcare #healthcare #BehavioralHealthcare

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ADVOCACY ALERT for Massachusetts! Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations (CSRO) needs your help asking Massachusetts lawmakers to support crucial drug pricing relief for patients in your state! H.4910 is a bill that would allow rebate dollars to be returned directly to patients. This change is essential for improving access to necessary medications at pharmacies and, ultimately, providing much-needed relief for patients facing high drug costs. With only two days left in the legislative session, your support is needed to urge elected officials to pass these measures! Click below to read more and convey your support TODAY. With just a few keystrokes, you can send our template message to your State Representatives and help make an impact. #patientadvocacy #legislation #healthcare #patientcosts

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Exciting news out of Boston to increase quality and reduce burden of work! From the B&W researchers: "Our findings show how LLM assistance might offer a so-called best of both worlds scenario, simultaneously reducing physician workload, improving consistency across physician responses, and enhancing the informativeness and educational value of responses. The quality of the additional LLM-generated content is noteworthy, because LLM drafts were generally acceptable and posed minimal risk of harm." https://lnkd.in/gyJ6abJZ

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Improving Rural Healthcare Access: A New York State Initiative On National Rural Health Day, New York State has announced significant investments to enhance physical and behavioral healthcare services in rural communities. These efforts aim to overcome barriers such as provider shortages, limited resources, and access challenges for the 3.4 million New Yorkers living in rural areas. Key initiatives include: Expanded mental health services: Increased funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and specialized programs to address mental health and addiction needs. Support for rural healthcare facilities: Grants for facility improvements, workforce training, and advanced health IT infrastructure. Addiction and harm reduction efforts: Mobile treatment units and distribution of critical harm reduction supplies statewide. Loan repayment programs: Support for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers to serve rural areas. At Zoobook Systems, we understand the unique challenges rural healthcare providers face. Our EHR solutions are designed to support behavioral health organizations by streamlining operations, improving care coordination, and ensuring compliance. Here's how we can help: Streamlined Patient Management: From scheduling to billing, our AI tools simplify workflows so your team can focus on delivering quality care. AI Data-Driven Insights: Harness reporting tools to make informed decisions tailored to your community’s needs. Customizable Solutions: Flexible features designed to meet the specific needs of rural and underserved populations. Let’s work together to transform rural healthcare. Visit us to learn more about how Zoobook Systems supports providers in making a difference: 0800 996 6997 or www.zoobooksystems.com or email [email protected] #RuralHealth #HealthcareInnovation #EHR #BehavioralHealth #ZoobookSystems

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📣 The Planning and Dissemination (P&D) Grants have launched! The P&D Grants are intended to provide support for planning and/or dissemination activities (either virtual or in-person). IHSPR is thrilled to support activities on the following prioritized topics: o Integration of care o Primary care and home, community, and long- term care. o Health workforce o Digital health solutions o Equitable, accessible, anti-ableist, anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, diverse and/or inclusive health care delivery systems and/or service delivery models o Advancing sustainable, climate-resilient and/or low-carbon health care systems, organizations, and service delivery models. o Advancing the theories, methods and approaches that underpin the science of HSPR Furthermore, two grants are reserved for pan-Canadian conferences that provides opportunity for the entire HSPR community to benefit from and engage in networking, research collaboration, and knowledge mobilization across a broad range of HSPR priorities. Application Deadline: August 7, 2024 Learn more: https://buff.ly/45kHj0n

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Another section of the #FinalRule has been released by #CMS aimed at enhancing #access to and #transparency of #Medicaid services, including #HCBS. This rule pairs with two other final rules published in April 2024 that focus on improving Medicaid #eligibility and access to Medicaid services. This rule is focused on an #FFS system, but the impact could involve changes to underlying FFS rates in base #data for #ratesetting and program #oversight in #MLTSS. Dianne Heffron and Meredith Mayer of Mercer US Government have conducted a review of the proposed and finalized rules. https://bit.ly/3QuGRXe

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Becker's Clinical Leadership: Health disparities across states - 6 new findings As a former resident and healthcare professional in New Hampshire, I find the latest Commonwealth Fund report on racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare particularly thought-provoking. The report's identification of states like Massachusetts, Hawaii, and New Hampshire as top performers for Hispanic individuals raises important questions about the intersection of population size and demographics with healthcare outcomes. Living and working in New Hampshire, where the population is nearly 87% white and only around 4.5% Hispanic, I understand the unique context in which these findings must be interpreted. It's crucial to consider how the demographics of a state influence access to healthcare and health outcomes for minority populations. This report underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing disparities in healthcare access and quality across different racial and ethnic groups, even in states with predominantly white populations like New Hampshire. As healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community leaders, we must work together to ensure equitable healthcare for all individuals, regardless of race or ethnicity. #HealthEquity #HealthcareDisparities #NewHampshire #RacialEquity #HealthcareOutcomes

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The U.S. organ procurement system is overdue for reform. Though it has saved many lives, it still faces inefficiencies and significant organ wastage, leaving thousands of patients in need. To maximize the number of organs available for transplant, we need transformative changes that ensure every viable organ reaches a patient. 1. Increase OPO Accountability and Transparency Organ Procurement Organizations manage organ recovery but have operated with minimal accountability. Recent measures by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) require OPOs to meet specific performance standards, yet stronger transparency is needed. Public reporting of OPO metrics would reveal gaps and highlight best practices 2. Improve Logistics for Organ Recovery and Transport Transport inefficiencies, delays, and logistical issues cause thousands of organs to be wasted. A national system using advanced technology could streamline organ transport, reducing time and coordination issues. Expanding AI-driven programs that optimize transport logistics could significantly reduce preventable losses and increase available organs. 3. Integrate Advanced Matching and Preservation Technologies New technologies can improve organ matching and preservation. Machine learning algorithms can enhance donor-recipient matches, improving transplant success rates. Preservation technologies like normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) can extend the life of organs outside the body, allowing more transplants. 4. Expand Donor Registration and Awareness Public awareness about organ donation is limited, leading to under-registration. Investing in educational campaigns that reach younger audiences and underrepresented communities can broaden the donor pool. Studies show that targeted, culturally sensitive messaging improves registration rates and creates a more diverse donor system. Get rid of monopolies like Donate Life America 5. Support Living Donations Through Policy Incentives Living donations are underutilized but can relieve strain on the system. Policies to encourage living donations, such as tax incentives, paid leave, and post-donation support, could increase transplant rates and reduce waitlists. 6. Strengthen Federal Oversight and Coordination Meaningful reform will require collaboration among HHS, HRSA, CMS, and Congress. Unified policy and oversight can ensure that OPOs, hospitals, and transplant centers are held accountable to national standards. Why These Reforms Are Essential Each organ wasted is a missed chance to save a life. With thousands of patients on waiting lists, we need a system that maximizes every opportunity for transplants. Patients, families, and advocates should push for reforms that improve organ procurement’s efficiency, equity, and transparency. A system that values each organ’s potential can save lives, reduce waiting times, and build a more patient-centered organ donation network.

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Health care journalists interesting in reporting on the rising costs of health care will want to attend this AHCJ webinar on hospital consolidations. More information here: https://lnkd.in/eDdpJtzH

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Solicitation UHAA 2024000066 Request for Information - Social Health Information Exchange Regional Hubs 🟢DEADLINE: May 31, 2024, 11:59 PM MT🟢 Submit a response ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gZ8JZ3_i Later in 2024, the Colorado Office of eHealth Innovation (OeHI) will be launching a Request for Applications (RFA) grants process for Regional SHIE Hubs. The RFA grant opportunity aims to fund groups of organizations seeking to share data through the SHIE Architecture to improve the delivery of coordinated care. To learn more about OeHI’s approach for Regional SHIE hubs, visit https://lnkd.in/g8W42Un9 This RFI will help OeHI gauge community interest in the upcoming RFA process for internal planning purposes. Participation in the RFI does not advantage or influence any future RFA submissions, and is not a requirement of funding. This Google Form should take less than 15 minutes to complete. All fields of this RFI are required. Please note that this posting is not a traditional RFI, formally defined and managed within the VSS system. To submit a response, do not use VSS services or email the mentioned Procurement Contact. Instead, please fill out the form linked above. Please submit your information by 11:59 pm MT on May 31, 2024. If you have questions about this RFI, email [email protected]. #OeHI #SHIE #RegionalHubs #RFI #SocialHealth #Innovation #Community #Colorado

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Read our monthly Advocacy report and learn how we are protecting the #FirstAmendment and #opengov in New England: https://conta.cc/3VZALB1

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Seamless data is essential for communities to effectively address public health disparities. The past three years have shown us just how important data is to addressing needs in a timely manner, and the lack of data needed to respond to continuous public health threats has shown us why an updated data infrastructure is long overdue. In their recently updated Public Health Data Strategy for 2024-2025 and a companion 2023 Lookback Report, CDC Foundation shares how they intend to continue improving data modernization across all levels of public health. More here: https://ow.ly/uJGo50Rmezh #PublicHealthData #DataQuality

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Check out this new Mathematica blog on improving postpartum care in Medicaid and CHIP. Very timely and actionable. #Medicaid, #CHIP, #maternalhealth, #Mathematica

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