The Primary Focus Vol. 1, No. 3 2012

The Primary Focus
Inside this Issue
Vol. 1, No. 3 2012
NACHC President and CEO Tom Van
Coverden Welcomes the
Announcement of $728
Million in Grants for
America’s Community
Health Centers under ACA
Four Mississippi CHCs
Receive Awards Totaling
More than $10 Million to
Expand Services and Improve Facilities
National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) President and
CEO, Tom Van Coverden, shown above, welcomed the announcement of $728
million in new capital improvement grants for Community Health Centers
(CHCs) awarded under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Included in the grant
awards are four Mississippi CHCs receiving more than $10 million in total grant
funds. Individual grants include: Access Family Health Services (Smithville, MS) $1.6 million; Delta Health Center (Mound Bayou, MS) - $5 million; Jefferson
Comprehensive Health Center (Fayette, MS) - $3,741,474; and Northeast
Mississippi Health Care (Byhalia, MS) - $500,000.
These grant awards are part of a series of capital investments that have been
made available to CHCs under ACA which has provided $9.5 billion to expand
services over five years and $1.5 billion to support major construction and
renovation projects at CHCs. The grants were announced on May 1, 2012, by
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Sec. Sebelius
commented, “President Obama’s healthcare law is making our Community
Health Centers stronger. For many Americans, Community Health Centers are
the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic
diseases. This investment will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to
millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the
country.”
Mr. Van Coverden noted that the awards will support two capital improvement
grant programs for CHCs resulting in 398 renovation and construction projects
that will boost health centers’ ability to care for additional patients and create
jobs. He added, “Every penny of this new investment will bring real benefits for
more Americans including more medical homes in the communities where
people live and work which means working families will have improved access
to an effective primary care model where the care is locally-directed and
patient driven.”
Continued on page 2
MS CHCs Receive $10 Million in ACA Grants – continued from page 1
The first capital improvement award known as a Building Capacity Grant will provide approximately $629 million to 171 existing
health centers across the country for longer-term projects to expand their facilities, improve existing services, and serve more
patients. This program will extend access to an additional 860,000 patients. Three Mississippi CHCs received Building
Capacity Grants and they all have big plans for the funds.
Access Family Health Services (AFHS) will use $1.6 million received for construction of a new 12,000 sq. ft. medical clinic to
replace the 4,800 sq. ft. facility destroyed by a tornado in April of 2011. The clinic will accommodate three medical providers with
nine exam rooms, procedure room and trauma room. The expanded clinic will provide for the addition of pharmacy and radiology
services as well as an expanded laboratory. Access also received funding through the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency for
construction of a saferoom/training room for people, as well an emergency generator for the saferoom and IT system. The clinic
was designed around the patient-centered medical home concept with exam rooms around the care team workspace/offices. The
administrative office will not move from its current location, but the clinic will house the billing and clinical support functions and an
executive boardroom. AFHS Executive Director, Marilyn Sumerford sees the new clinic as a very important part of Smithville’s
recovery from the tornados of 2011 and with construction set to start very soon, she recognized the importance of the clinic by
saying, “Many people who were displaced by the tornados have taken a “wait and see” attitude before moving back. The beginning of
construction on the medical clinic and the local school will provide a much needed impetus for community growth.”
Delta Health Center (DHC) will use its $5 million award for the design and construction of a state of the art new medical facility
to be built on the current site of its Mound Bayou center which was built 31 years ago and has stood for all those years as the oldest
rural health center in America. The new facility will offer primary care services including family medicine, internal medicine,
OB/GYN, pediatrics and related diagnostic services including radiology and laboratory services. The new and more efficient facility
will allow more patients to be seen and will provide an open and inviting environment highlighted by ample natural light. The facility
will be complete in approximately two years. DHC CEO, John Fairman noted, “This is just another step in bringing better health
care to the Mississippi Delta and following the primary mission of Delta Health Center to provide quality and comprehensive care to
everyone in our service area. We have recently increased our physician and nursing staff and opened a new location in Cleveland.
This grant is recognition of our role in the provision of primary care and urgent care to the region.”
Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center (JCHC) will use $3,741,474 for the construction of a new, 15,000 sq. ft. facility in
Fayette, MS that will house medical and dental services as well as the administrative offices. The center’s current building has been
leasing from the City of Fayette since 1974. JCHC Executive Director, Shirley Ellis-Stampley reported that they are in the
preliminary planning stage of development and are completing an environmental assessment as required by HRSA. She expects
construction to start soon and believes that the building should be completed by April of 2015, although she hopes for an earlier
completion date. The new state-of-the-art facility will offer the latest in medical equipment and technology. Five medical providers
including physicians and nurse practitioners will provide medical services to patients. Dental services will also be offered as the grant
provides for 1.5 FTE dentists and the center plans to employ a dental hygienist as well. Ms. Ellis-Stampley commented on the impact
of the planned facility, saying, “The board of directors, center staff and the community as a whole are very excited and proud of
what is about to happen in our community and I am very excited that we will be able to better provide health care services to the
populations that we serve.”
The second set of capital improvement awards known as Immediate Facility Improvement Grants will provide approximately $99.3
million to 227 existing health centers to address pressing facility and equipment needs. Northeast Mississippi Health Care
(NEMHC) received $500,000 and plans to use the funds to make improvements to its Byhalia Family Health Center site that was
constructed in 1980 and has been in need of a general modernization and improvements to bring the facility into compliance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). NEMHC Executive Director, Dr. Clifton Rodgers said that improvements will include:
the replacement of exam room doors and all flooring; the purchase of new equipment including a CBC, medical furniture and a
digital x-ray machine; painting of the entire building and repairing and repaving of the parking lot and drive; conversion of an existing
space into a tele-health area for VA patients; the construction of a larger handicap-accessible (unisex) restroom for patients;
correction of the angle of a handicap ramp at the building’s entrance; and improvements to the entrance of the building.
MPHCA Executive Director Robert Pugh, commented on the impact of these grants saying, “Our Community Health Centers are
very proud of what we have been able to accomplish under the Affordable Care Act and with continued investment and bipartisan
support, we stand ready to do more and to continue working with NACHC, our fellow Primary Care Associations, and America’s
Health Centers to leverage our leadership, experience and commitment to build a stronger primary care foundation in Mississippi
and across this country that delivers both excellence and lower health care costs.”
2
Delta Health Center to Establish H. Jack Geiger
Medical Center in Mound Bayou
On July 26, 2012 the Delta Health Center (DHC) Board of Directors voted unanimously to name the
new health center being built in Mound Bayou, Mississippi - the H. Jack Geiger Medical Center after
founder H. Jack Geiger, MD, shown at right. Construction of the new facility was made possible by a
$5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the Affordable
Care Act (ACA).
Design and construction of the H. Jack Geiger Medical Center has begun and the new state of the art
medical facility will be built on the current site of Delta Health Center’s Mound Bayou clinic which was
built 31 years ago and has stood for all those years as the oldest rural health center in America. The
new facility will offer primary care services including family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics and related diagnostic
services including radiology and laboratory services. The new and more efficient facility will allow more patients to be seen and will
provide an open and inviting environment highlighted by ample natural light. The facility will be complete in approximately two years.
In 1964, during Freedom Summer, Dr. H. Jack Geiger, then on the faculty of Tufts University where he served as project director
along with Director of Community Health Action and Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine Dr. John Hatch, traveled to
Mississippi as a field coordinator for the Medical Committee for Human Rights. He saw firsthand that the poverty of many black
residents in the state had a dramatic impact on their health. Before coming to the state, Dr. Geiger had spent time in South Africa as
a medical student studying a model of community health care and decided that developing a similar model in the United States could
be very beneficial to the poor and underserved. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act, a
cornerstone of his “War on Poverty” and Dr. Geiger received $1.2 million under the Act and used the funds to establish two
Community Health Centers (CHCs) - the first urban CHC in Boston, Massachusetts and the first rural CHC in Mound Bayou.
In 1967, Delta Health Center was formally established in Mound Bayou and Dr. Geiger remained dedicated to the success of the
center. To ensure that the community served by the center could participate in decisions about their health and the future of the
area, local people served on the board and many joined the clinic’s staff. In addition to medical care, DHC staff focused on the social
problems that undermined health in the region, such as hunger and unemployment. The clinic provided some much-needed jobs for
people in the community and those opportunities grew as the clinic served more people in need. Because malnutrition was such a
major cause of poor health in Mound Bayou, DHC staff encouraged families to grow their own vegetables. Interest was so high that
the community formed a farm cooperative where local workers could grow their own food. Instead of picking cotton for farm
owners in the area, cooperative members grew tons of potatoes and beans to share. With most of the residents in the area having
no access to clean water and living with poor sanitation putting them at risk of diarrheal diseases with the children being especially
vulnerable, DHC staff dug wells and installed water pumps to bring a safe water supply to the area.
The work around health and social equity begun at Delta Health Center continues today and has inspired a nationwide network of
clinics known today as Community Health Centers (CHCs). The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
reports that today, more than 1200 health centers operating more than 8,100 delivery sites located in all 50 states, the district of
Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories provide comprehensive primary health care services to over 20 million people in need.
John Fairman, CEO of Delta Health Center, sees the establishment of the new center in Mound Bayou as the latest accomplishment
in ensuring access to care for all citizens in the community. He stressed, “This is just another step in bringing better health care to
the Mississippi Delta and following the primary mission of Delta Health Center to provide quality and comprehensive care to
everyone in our service area. We have recently increased our physician and nurse provider staff and opened a new location in
Cleveland, Mississippi. The $5 million grant from HRSA to build the H. Jack Geiger Medical Center in Mound Bayou is recognition of
Delta Health Center’s role in the provision of primary care and urgent care to the region.”
Currently, Delta Health Center provides primary and preventive health services via four locations: centers in Mound Bayou and
Cleveland serve the residents of Bolivar County; the Greenville center serves Washington County; and the Moorhead center serves
Sunflower County. Along with Delta State University, Baxter and Bolivar County Medical Center, Delta Health Center is one of the
largest employers in the area. DHC currently provides care to over half of the population living below poverty level in the
Mississippi Delta - evolving from a simple center in a church parsonage in 1965 to the current four-site health center that it is today.
3
MPHCA and Mississippi Community
Health Centers Celebrate National
Health Center Week
August 5-11, the staff of the Mississippi Primary Health Care
Association (MPHCA), shown at left, and many of its member
Community Health Centers (CHCs) will join the nation in
celebrating National Health Center Week (NHCW). This year’s
theme: “Celebrating America’s Health Centers: Powering Healthier
Communities” showcases the multitude of ways in which America’s
Health Centers are “powering” and “empowering” healthier
communities.
As healthcare providers, Health Centers deliver high quality, cost-effective, accessible care, keeping communities healthy
and productive. As local community owned and operated businesses, Health Centers employ hundreds of thousands of
individuals at more than 8,100 delivery sites across the nation and serve as critical economic engines helping to power
local economies.
In 2011, Twenty-one Mississippi Community Health Centers, operating more than 165 delivery sites, provided
comprehensive medical services to more than 314,000 patients, accounting for almost 1 million visits. More than 43% of
those patients were uninsured and 33% of them were Medicaid recipients. In addition to providing a medical home for
some of Mississippi’s most vulnerable populations regardless of insurance status or income, Mississippi’s CHCs also
contribute to the economic well-being of the state. In addition to savings generated through reduced emergency room
utilization, CHCs directly employ over 1500 FTEs (including over 100 physicians) and generate over $197 million in
statewide economic benefits annually according to the Bureau of Primary Health Care, Uniform Clinical Data Set 2010.
In addition to their long history as health care homes to millions, Health Centers are also proud to maintain a more than
45 year record of being ranked among the highest quality and cost-effective care providers in the nation. Health Centers
provide their services to all people, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. Today, Health Centers serve
over 20 million people at more than 8,100 delivery sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S.
territories.
This year, we invite you to join us in celebrating National Health Center Week 2012, August 5-11 to recognize the
contributions of America’s Health Centers each day as they work toward the goal of ensuring everyone has access to a
health care home. Mississippi CHCs have planned health screenings and fairs, open houses, health information displays,
staff and patient appreciation days, voter education and registration drives, and many, more activities during the special
week. For a list of events being conducted by MPHCA and its member CHCs, visit www.healthcenterweek.org and click
on the “Find an Event” tab at the top of the page and choose “MS” from the drop down list to view a list of events.
4
MPHCA, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan,
Magnolia Health Plan & Hanging Moss Road
Church of Christ Sponsor 2nd Annual Back to
School Bash and Community Health Fair in
Jackson
In recognition of National Health Center Week, the Mississippi Primary
Health Care Association (MPHCA) has partnered with the Hanging Moss
Road Church of Christ to bring the 2nd Annual Back to School Bash and
Community Health Fair to the Metro Jackson and Surrounding Area with
the support of major event sponsors, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Magnolia Health Plan and other sponsors
and supporters. The event will be held on Saturday, August 4, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the church located at
5225 Hanging Moss Road in Jackson, MS.
The Back to School Bash and Community Health Fair is a free event for children and their family members and is open
to the public. The event will provide eye exams and dental screenings, health screenings and education, tobacco
screening and education, diabetes education, a blood drive and healthy snacks. Attendees completing the screenings will
receive free book bags and school supplies and there will be great door prizes including bicycles for children and adults,
electronics such as a laptop computer, gaming systems, e-tablets, and more. There will be a special Kids’ Zone with
safety finger printing and fun activities including games, inflatable jumpers, face painting and Let’s Move dancing. Seniors
will enjoy performances by the Silver Sneakers and many exhibitors will be onsite to share information about a variety of
health and safety issues.
Many of the screenings offered will be provided by three of MPHCA’s member Community Health Centers located in
and serving patients in the Metro Jackson and Surrounding Area – Central Mississippi Health Services, Jackson-Hinds
Comprehensive Health Center, and Family Health Care Clinic. MPHCA thanks our members for their participation and
support of this important community event celebrating National Health Center Week.
On behalf of all of the sponsors and supporters, MPHCA invites you to come out on
Saturday, August 4th as we celebrate National Health Center Week and join in the
healthy fun at the Back to School Bash and Community Health Fair.
We hope you will join us for the 2nd Annual
Back to School Bash and Community Health Fair!
5
MPHCA Welcomes More than 200
Attendees to 2012 Clinical Conference Held
April 2-4 at the Lake Terrace Convention
Center in Hattiesburg
Mississippi Primary Health Care Association (MPHCA) President Aurelia
Jones-Taylor, MBA, shown at left, welcomed more than 200 attendees to
the 2012 Clinical Conference held April 2-4 at the Lake Terrace
Convention Center located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The conference
theme, “Transforming Primary Health Care by Improving Access, Retention and Outcomes” reflected the pressing
need for Community Health Centers (CHCs) and other providers to become proactive in ensuring that patients receive
optimal service across the complete health care continuum. The conference highlighted the importance of working to
achieve the kind of comprehensive health care transformation that will result in patients receiving quality patient care
and necessary interventions and systematic follow-up resulting in enhanced access to care, patient retention, and
improved health outcomes.
The Clinical Conference attracted attendees from MPHCA’s 21-member Community Health Centers and partnering
organizations as well as presenters from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Bureau of Primary
Health Care, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Mississippi Department of Health,
Mississippi Department of Mental Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and representatives from many other
educational, human resources, legal/regulatory, and health-related organizations. Also, more than 20 sponsors and
exhibitors shared their products and services with conference attendees and MPHCA extends a very special thank you
to the major level sponsors for the conference including Sapphire Sponsor Magnolia Health Plan, Platinum Sponsor
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Gold Sponsor Henry Schein Medical, and Supporting Sponsor the Mississippi Office of
Rural Health and Primary Care. MPHCA also expresses appreciation to all the exhibitors and advertisers for supporting
the conference.
The Conference got underway on Monday, April 2nd with several pre-conference workshops addressing Patient Centered
Medical Home, Achieving Excellence in Type 2 Diabetes Care, Smoking Cessation for Special Patient Populations, Dental Coding,
OSHA Compliance and CLIA Laboratory Inspections. The day’s workshops concluded by 4:30 p.m. and an evening of good
food, great fellowship and outrageous fun began at 5:00 p.m. and continued until 7:30 p.m. with a Dinner Reception and
the “Let’s Move” Line Dancing Contest. Attendees showed off their dance moves and competed for trophies.
The Conference continued on Tuesday, April 3rd with the convening of the Opening General Session with a keynote
address from Dr. Ronald Charles, Vice President of Medical Affairs for Buckeye Community Health Plan/Centene
Corporation. After the conclusion of the Opening General Session, a representative from Magnolia Health
Plan/Centene Corp conducted a workshop focused on Primary Health Care Home & Pay for Performance. The day
continued with a Special Session by Ronald D. Wilcox, MD, FAAP, on National HIV/AIDS Strategies: Primary Care
Applications and Routine HIV Testing: Lessons Learned. The day continued with a full afternoon of workshops addressing,
HIV/AIDS Stigma and Special Populations, HRSA Program Requirements, Mississippi’s Epidemic of HIV and STIs, and
Credentialing, Privileging and FTCA for CHCs.
The day concluded with a Special Called MPHCA Board of Directors Meeting from 5:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. featuring a
special presentation from Michael W. Brooks, MD, MBA who serves as the President and CEO of West End Medical
Centers located in Atlanta. Dr. Brooks delivered his address entitled: Bridging the Gap between Clinical Services and Health
Center Operations and it was very well-received by the board members and clinical/medical directors and staff present for
the address.
Continued on page 7
6
MPHCA Welcomes More Than 200 – continued from page 6
The final day of the Conference began on Wednesday, April 4th with a Plenary Session entitled The Community Health
Center Continuum presented by Wilson J. Washington, Jr., BSBA, MSM, PhD, who serves a the Senior Program Manager
and Public Health Analyst for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration or SAMHSA. The day continued with educational sessions addressing Workforce Recruitment and
Retention, HIPAA Compliance, Battling Mississippi’s Bulge – Adolescent Diabesity, Substance Abuse Disorders, Sickle
Cell Anemia, Infant Mortality, Chronic Disease Action Plans, Immunizations and Vaccines, Screening Children for Autistic
Spectrum Disorders, MS’s Doctorate of Nursing Consortium, and Suicide Intervention.
After a full day of workshops, attendees were invited to join in some relaxing exercise and fun during the MPHCA
Fitness Walk (or run) and Prize Egg Hunt around the grounds of the beautiful Lake Terrace property. Participants
hunted for prize eggs containing winning tickets and redeemed them at the closing of the conference at 3:00 p.m. for a
variety of great prizes including laptops, e-readers, gift baskets, and gift cards. MPHCA extended a very special thank
you to all the sponsors, exhibitors and CHCs that contributed prizes in support of the conference and wished everyone
safe travels home.
Scenes from Clinical Conference 2012
7
More Scenes from Clinical Conference 2012
8
CHC Leaders Featured in
2nd Edition of Who’s Who in
Black Mississippi
The Mississippi Primary Health Care Association
(MPHCA) with support from partner Magnolia Health
Plan, was able to work with publisher Juanita Doty to
secure three pages in the 2nd Edition of Who’s Who in
Black Mississippi to showcase Mississippi’s Community
Health Centers (CHCs). MPHCA’s pages included a CHC
site map, a list of CHC directors with their contact
information and a congratulatory letter to honorees from
MPHCA Executive Director Robert M. Pugh, MPH.
Shown above are Mississippi Congressman Bennie G. Thompson and Ms. Doty unveiling the cover of the 2nd Edition
during a reception and unveiling ceremony held on June 23, 2012 at the Jackson Convention Complex. Mr. Pugh,
MPHCA staff members and Magnolia Health Plan representatives attended the reception and reported that the
publication was very well-received and celebrated by all in attendance.
MPHCA congratulates the publisher and all the honorees featured in this important publication including Dr. Robert
Smith, Director of Central MS Health Services (Jackson, MS) who was prominently featured and also CHC leaders
Aurelia Jones-Taylor, CEO of Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center (Clarksdale, MS), Dr. Margaret A.
Gray, President/CEO of Family Health Care Clinic (Pearl, MS); and Stellanda Davis-Cornelius, CEO of Mallory
Community Health Center (Lexington, MS) – for a job well done. Mr. Pugh encourages MPHCA members to purchase
copies of the edition for their board and staff members to share in their communities.
Who’s Who in Black Mississippi is a publication recognizing many of the African-American pioneers, as well as, current
leaders in the healthcare, political, education and business fields who have worked tirelessly to improve communities
across Mississippi. A copy of the 2nd Edition of Who’s Who in Black Mississippi is available at MPHCA’s offices for viewing.
G. A. Carmichael Family Health Center CEO, Dr. Janice
Bacon Appointed to MQHC Advisory Council by State
Health Officer, Dr. Mary Currier
Janice Bacon, MD, CEO of G. A. Carmichael Family Health Center (Canton, MS) has
been appointed by State Health Officer Mary Currier, MD to serve on the Mississippi
Qualified Health Center (MQHC) Advisory Council.
Dr. Bacon’s term on the council will run from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2014.
On behalf of the board, Mississippi Primary Health Care Association Executive Director
Robert M. Pugh, MPH, extends congratulations to Dr. Bacon on her appointment and is
confident that she will represent Mississippi’s Community Health Centers very well
while serving on the MQHC Advisory Council.
9
Delta Health Center Holds Grand
Opening and Dedication for the
Searcy Medical Center in Cleveland
On May 4, 2012 Delta Health Center (DHC) held an official
Grand Opening and Dedication for its newly opened facility
located at 548 Rosemary Road in Cleveland, MS.
Named in honor of two legendary Bolivar County physicians,
shown at left in portraiture, the late Dr. Rupert Searcy and
his late son, Dr. Edwin Searcy, the Searcy Medical Center will
be open from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., Monday through
Saturday with future plans to open the clinic for a half-day on
Sundays. The center will service both urgent care patients and those with appointments and will offer complete primary
health care services. The portraits of Drs. Rupert and Edwin Searcy will be displayed in the center for all to appreciate.
Delta Health Center CEO John Fairman welcomed a host of dignitaries to the opening including Cleveland Mayor Billy
Nowell and Bolivar County Supervisor James McBride who
addressed the crowd. A prayer was offered by Mitchell
Williams, Chair of DHC’s Finance Committee and was
followed by a special performance from the Delta Health
Center Choir that set the tone for a joyous celebration
featuring very impactful comments and tributes from Searcy
Medical staffers Julian Jesubatham, MD and Jenny Kurts, FNP
who both reflected on the influence and impact of the
Searcy’s on their personal lives and professional careers.
DHC Board Chairman James Hodges offered remarks and
praised Mr. Fairman for his leadership and accomplishment in
bringing the Searcy Medical Center, shown at right, from
vision to reality. Following remarks from Eleanor Searcy on behalf of the Searcy family, Mr. Fairman led the cutting of the
official ribbon and DHC CNO/COO Neuaviska Stidhum opened the doors and invited all the guests in for a tour of the
Searcy Medical Center.
After the tour, guests were treated by DHC staff to
refreshments including hamburgers and hotdogs with all the
trimmings. The day wound down with door prize drawings and
guests visiting a host of exhibitors from the Mississippi State
Department of Health, area health care agencies, hospitals,
academic institutions and service agencies who provided
information and give-aways including the most popular one of
the day – the hand-held, cardboard fan. Everyone wanted one
of those fans because the ceremonies were blessed with a
mercifully breezy but still very hot day in the Mississippi Delta.
The board and staff of the Mississippi Primary Health Care
Association extend our congratulations to the Mr. Fairman and
the board and staff of Delta Health Center upon the opening of the Searcy Medical Center.
10
Scenes from Searcy Medical Center Opening and Dedication
11
NACHC Responds to U. S. Supreme
Court’s Decision to Uphold Health Reform
Statement of Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of NACHC
On June 28, the U. S. Supreme Court announced its decision on the Affordable Care Act
(ACA). By upholding the constitutionality of the health care laws, the Court has assured
that millions of currently-uninsured Americans will have the opportunity to gain insurance
coverage over the next few years and consumers will have vital protections and benefits under the law.
The ruling will allow most of the ACA to proceed to full implementation. We are especially pleased that the Court’s decision
reaffirms support for expanding access to health care through the nationwide network of Community Health Centers to more
people in more communities across America. This means that in the years ahead, millions of newly insured people, and
communities identified as medical shortage areas, will gain access to doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals, and the
quality, cost-effective primary and preventive services our health centers provide.
The only disappointment in the ruling for health centers and the patients they serve is the weakening of the Medicaid expansion.
This potentially leaves some of the 16 million eligible low-income people with no affordable coverage alternative, and it possibly
denies many of these hard-working Americans the security of having insurance for their health care needs, no matter how complex
or serious they may be.
Nevertheless, now it is time to prepare for the full implementation of the health reform law. Most of the 16 million people who
hopefully will gain coverage under Medicaid expansion in 2014 and many of the additional 16 million people who will be able to
purchase coverage through the new State Health Insurance Exchanges, lived and work in the same communities that health
centers serve. As health care advocates, Community Health Centers will have a major role in creating public awareness and
understanding of the law’s benefits and protections, and in helping community residents who qualify to enroll with their Medicaid
agencies or the Exchanges so that they are able to gain access to health care that people need and deserve.
Understanding the Court’s Decision
When President Obama’s landmark health care reform was narrowly passed its final test paving the way for a complete
overhaul in how Americans access and pay for medical insurance. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision allows nearly
all the Affordable Care Act to stands, as conservative Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the court’s liberal ranks.
The ruling includes:
MANDATE - The court upheld the law’s controversial individual mandate that requires uninsured Americans to
purchase health care coverage. Instead of a penalty, uninsured citizens who don’t obtain health insurance before the
2014 deadline will owe additional taxes to the IRS.
MEDICAID - The act’s provision that would require states to expand Medicaid coverage or risk losing federal funding
was limited by the court. The court ruled that states could choose whether to participate in the expansion and won’t
face repercussions if they opt out.
ADDITIONAL REVISIONS - Some of the more popular aspects of the health care law remained intact, including the
provision allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ insurance through the age of 26, as well as prescription
discounts being offered to senior citizens. Provisions barring insurance companies from refusing coverage based on
pre-existing health conditions, age or gender also remained untouched during the court’s review, meaning those go into
effect in 2014. Justices declined to look at part of the law that bans the health care coverage to illegal immigrants.
Continued on page 13
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What the Court’s Decision Means for You – continued from page 12
INDIVIDUALS - Uninsured citizens will face an additional 1 percent income tax if they do not obtain health care
coverage by 2014. That tax rate will more than double to 2.5 percent by 2016. The law creates health care exchanges
that offer cheaper health care options for low-income families. Around 2.5 million young adults, ages 19-25, will be
allowed to remain on their parents’ insurance plans. Individuals with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage
or given limited benefits. The federal government will have to use tax dollars to subsidize plans for those who cannot
afford coverage.
MISSISSIPPI - More than 330,000 uninsured Mississippians could qualify for Medicaid coverage if the state decides to
participate in the law’s expansion of the program for lower-income families. In Mississippi, the federal government would
pay for 100 percent of expanded Medicaid enrollees for three years. After that, the federal government would pay for
90 percent. If the state opts in the expansion, Mississippi families making 133 percent of the federal poverty level could
qualify. With roughly 21 percent of the population without health insurance, or about 618,000 residents, Mississippi
could see a reduction in the uninsured.
BUSINESSES – Companies with 50 full-time employees (or the equivalent) will have to provide health insurance
deemed affordable for employees or face fines. Two employees each working part-time will constitute the equivalent of
one full-time employee. Health insurance will be considered affordable if it pays for 60 percent or more of covered
health care expenses and if employees are not required to pay more than 9.5 percent of their family income for
coverage. The amount of each fine is based on a formula, with fines starting at $2,000 per employee. The first 30
employees are excluded.
NACHC’s Dan Hawkins Responds to House LHHS
Appropriations Subcomittee Action on 2013 Spending Bill –
Future Health Center Funding Still to be Decided
On July 18, 2012 the Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education Appropriations
Subcommittee passed their LHHS Appropriations spending bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. The
legislation, should it become law, maintains the current funding level of $2.8 billion for health centers. The
draft legislation would rescind the $300 million in funding for health centers under the Affordable Care Act for
FY 13, which would have the effect of precluding any expansion of the Health Centers program in the
upcoming year. As a result, communities in need throughout the country will continue to wait for approval of
new health center site and expanded services applications.
“In this extremely difficult fiscal environment, we appreciate the fact that health centers will be able to
maintain current operations under Subcommittee legislation, but the absence of funding for expansion of the
program means many communities will continue to grapple with significant unmet need for health care and
health center services,” said Dan Hawkins, Senior Vice President for Public Policy at the National Association
of Community Health Centers (NACHC). “We look forward to working with the House and with the Senate
as they move forward with the appropriations process to reconcile the differences between the two versions
of the legislation to ensure expansion funding for health centers is included in the final FY 13 Appropriations
bill. We also look forward to working with House and Senate leaders to resolve the Health Centers
program’s discretionary base funding issue in order to ensure the stability of health centers in future years.”
13
Mississippi Health Center Supporters Converge on Washington, DC
during NACHC’s Policy and Issues Forum
In March of 2012, more than 35 representatives from the Mississippi Primary Health Care Association and 12 of its 21member Community Health Centers (CHCs) joined supporters from across the country for the National Association of
Community Health Centers’ (NACHC) Policy and Issues Forum (P&I) which is the largest gathering of health center
clinicians, executive directors, State and Regional Primary Care partners, board members and advocates on record.
This annual event focuses on the latest in state and federal government policies affecting Community Health Centers and
health care for millions of Americans and on March 22 saw supporters from Mississippi converge on Capitol Hill to visit
with and share their legislative priorities with their Congressmen. This year, the message being shared by CHC
supporters from Mississippi and nationwide was clear – health centers are an essential component of the nation’s health
care system and gains made under health reform must be preserved.
During the Hill visits, NACHC recognized Members of Congress who have championed Community Health Centers
with special awards. MPHCA congratulates the three members of Mississippi’s Congressional Delegation
receiving NACHC awards.
2012 Distinguished
Health Defender Award
2012 Distinguished
Health Advocate Award
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran
2012 Distinguished
Health Advocate Award
U.S. Representative
Alan Nunnelee
U. S. Representative Gregg Harper Surprises MPHCA and CHC Staff and Board
Members with a Private Tour during Visit on Capitol Hill
14
Drs. Aaron Shirley, Robert Smith and James Anderson Honored as
Living Legends during Banquet at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Biloxi
The Region III National Medical Association and Mississippi Medical and Surgical Society honored Drs. Aaron Shirley,
Robert Smith and James Anderson, shown above with Congressman Bennie Thompson, as Mississippi living legends and
giants in the field of medicine during a banquet on May 4th that was part of their 2012 Annual Meeting held May 3-6,
2012 at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, MS.
The theme for the Annual Meeting, “Battling Disparities in the Gulf Coast: Learning from Legends, Closing the Gaps,
Separated Yet Together” reflected the opportunity to celebrate their legacy and to learn from Drs. Shirley, Smith and
Anderson about the personal and professional trials and triumphs in their shared efforts to reduce health disparities and
ensure access to comprehensive, quality health care services for all in need.
Mississippi Primary Health Care Association (MPHCA) Executive Director Robert M. Pugh, MPH, applauded the
honoring of Drs. Shirley, Smith and Anderson, saying, “It is very fitting that these great doctors and great Mississippians
be honored by their peers and colleagues for their great courage, indomitable spirit and legendary contributions in the
fight for health equity in Mississippi and across the nation.” Mr. Pugh and members of the MPHCA staff and board of
directors made the trip to Biloxi to join in the celebration and to honor the legacy of three of the pioneers of the
Community Health Center Movement.
SAVE THE DATES
2012 Regional Patient Centered Customer Service Training Workshops
Topics: Cultural Competency, Avoiding Bias & Stereotypes, Extreme Makeover – Attitude Edition,
The Customer-Friendly “No”, and Making a Great First Impression
CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
September 21 9 AM-1 PM
Location to be Announced
NORTH MISSISSIPPI
October 5
9 AM-1 PM
Oxford Conference Center
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI
October 19
8:30 AM -12:30 PM
Laurel, MS Train Depot
Note: Dates and Locations are subject to change. Registration opening soon.
15
Mississippians Complete KU Medical Center’s CHC Executive
Fellowship Program
Four executives from Mississippi Community Health
Centers (CHCs) were among 12 fellows completing the
University of Kansas (KU) Medical Center’s 2011-2012
Community Health Center Executive Fellowship Program.
They were part of a select group of Health Center
executives chosen from across the U. S. for the intense
year-long course of study designed to provide education
and skill development in key areas of management
competency and executive leadership, as well as, assisting
existing Health Centers with succession planning.
Mississippi’s Newest CHC Executive Fellows include:
Clinton Mayes, Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer
for Family Health Care Clinic in Pearl, MS; Ron Henry,
RPH, Pharmacy Director for Family Health Center in
Shown from left, with their certificates of completion from the CHC Laurel, MS; Katherine Hill, CFO, for Coastal Family Health
Executive Fellowship Program are Katherine Hill, Clinton Mayes, Stacy
Center in Biloxi, MS; and Stacy McGrew, Director of
McGrew, and Ron Henry.
Accounts Receivable for Family Health Center in Laurel,
MS. In addition to Mississippi’s four participants, there were eight others representing Primary Care Associations and
CHCs from Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Indiana and four family members of PCA/CHC participants including
the college-bound daughter of Katherine Hill, Ashley.
On behalf of the board and staff, Mississippi Primary Health Care Association, Executive Director Robert M. Pugh, MPH,
applauded all the participants for their successful completion of the CHC Executive Fellowship Program, saying
“Expansion of Community Health Centers requires leaders who are prepared to meet the demands of change and we
are very fortunate that four of our member Community Health Centers will have the new graduates to help them be
more successful in the future.”
The CHC Executive Fellowship Program was developed in conjunction with the Kansas Association for the Medically
Underserved and the Greater Midwest Association of Primary Health Care and is a member of the National Association
of Community Health Center’s (NACHC) Leadership Development Institutes.
During the course of the program which started in July 0f 2011, participants completed six modules of study covering
the spectrum of Community Health Center management, including: The Health Care System; Health Center
Management and Leadership; Finance and Reimbursement for Community Health Centers; Human Resources
Management; Planning and Outcomes Analysis; and Clinic-based Information Systems.
The program concluded in Washington, DC on May 20, 2012 with the participants completing the Capstone Experience.
Highlights of the Capstone included: networking with colleagues, classmates and presenters; attending presentations
from NACHC’s Dan Hawkins, Jaime Hirschfeld, and Gerrard Jolly; a visit to HRSA for meetings with Gina Capra, Lynn
Spector, Melissa Howard, Andy Jordon, and Steve Young; a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with legislative staffers from
Kansas, Louisiana and Sarah Lloyd Allred with Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker’s office; a private tour of the Capitol
and House Gallery; and a graduation ceremony including the presentation of certificates and the new CHC Executive
Fellow lapel pin.
16
Mississippi CHCs Host Scholars of the GE-NMF Primary Care
Leadership Program
MPHCA Executive Director Robert M. Pugh and staffers
Mitch Morris, Myrtis Small, and Kim Hancock enjoyed
meeting with four scholars placed at Jackson-Hinds
Comprehensive Health Center as part of the GE-NMF
Primary Care Leadership Program. MPHCA staffers met
with the students and shared the advantages of working
at CHCs and information about the NHSC and loan
repayment programs. They also stressed the crucial need
for primary care providers in Mississippi and were pleased
when the students expressed an interest in working at a
MS CHC in the future.
Pictured from left, are Myrtis Small, Carolita Heritage,
Kristie Alvarez, Hal Flowers, Caroline Price and Mitch
Morris.
Eight scholars from medical, nursing and physician assistant programs from across the country gained hands-on
experience at two Mississippi Community Health Centers (CHCs) as part of a GE Foundation grant to increase access
to quality health care via their participation in the GE-NMF Primary Care Leadership Program (PCLP).
The PCLP resulted from a $2.3 million grant from the GE Foundation to the National Medical Fellowship (NMF) to
provide future healthcare professionals with the opportunity to experience primary care practice in Community Health
Centers across the U.S. in the hopes of drawing them into primary care while building the capacity of CHCs.
“With an alarming shortage of primary care professionals anticipated in the years to come, PCLP enlists talented and
motivated students to be part of the solution. We hope to ignite these students’ passion for a future career in medically
underserved communities,” said Bob Corcoran, Vice President, GE Corporate Citizenship, and President and Chair, GE
Foundation.
In Mississippi, the eight students spent almost three months at Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center and Central
Mississippi Health Services, both headquartered in and serving a combined total of 340,000 patients in Jackson and the
surrounding areas, including many in the uninsured and low-income populations. Three of the students attend the
University of Mississippi Medical Center and the other five are from out-of-state schools.
Nationally, 38 PCLP scholars enrolled in medical, nursing and physician assistant programs across the country were
selected and assigned to Community Health Centers located in primary care shortage areas in Los Angeles, Phoenix,
Nashville and Jackson, MS. Participants were charged with completing 200 service learning hours that included a
leadership development component, mentorship from academic institutions and program advisors, and networking
opportunities with NMF alumni.
“These selective scholars will undergo intense exposure to the challenges facing Community Health Centers: newly
eligible populations, transitioning to electronic medical records, and a shortage of primary care providers. At this early
stage of their careers, this hands-on experience will provide them with clinical skills and help them recognize their
potential to make a significant and positive impact on hundreds, if not thousands of lives,” said Esther R. Dyer, President
and CEO, NMF.
Continued on page 18
17
Mississippi CHCs Host Scholars – continued from page 17
Dr. Jasmin Chapman, CEO of Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center, said that the students in the pilot program
worked with management, shadowed directors and others to get a first-hand experience of how a health center
operates. She commented, “We enjoyed having the students. We know the importance of getting them into the pipeline
and we have given them good training to prepare them for their futures as successful health care providers and GE is to
be commended for providing the training grant. It is always good when businesses and business leaders work together to
try to improve communities.”
Dr. Robert Smith, Director of Central Mississippi Health Services also applauded the training opportunity, saying, “We
are tickled pink that the National Medical Fellowship has partnered with GE in this effort to increase access to health
services.”
New York-based Dr. H. Jack Geiger, a NMF Board Member and leader of the Community Health Center Movement of
more than 50 years, helped start the movement in the Mississippi Delta with the establishment of the nation’s first rural
Community Health Center in Mound Bayou.
In a phone interview about the PCLP scholars, he said, “Community Health Centers serve populations that are forgotten
and left behind by other healthcare providers. These students will receive a unique experience not afforded to their
peers. They will have a chance to dramatically change the lives of those in the local community by changing the way care
is organized and delivered to patients. In the coming decades, there will be a looming shortage of 30,000 to 40,000
primary care physicians in this country and the problem will be magnified in a state like Mississippi due to higher
incidence of obesity and diabetes. The need will be great and that is why the pipeline training program is so critical.”
Mississippi Primary Health Care Association Executive Director Robert M. Pugh, MPH, corroborated Dr. Geiger’s
comments adding, “We welcome opportunities like the Primary Care Leadership Program that allow our member
Community Health Centers to host talented and motivated students who could help solve the dire shortage of primary
care providers interested in and committed to caring for the underserved in Mississippi. We enjoyed meeting several of
the scholars serving at our CHCs and will work to encourage them to return to our state and help achieve our mission
of eliminating health disparities and providing a quality, comprehensive healthcare home for all Mississippians in need.”
About the GE Foundation
The GE Foundation works to solve some of the world’s
most difficult problems. In coordination with its partners,
it supports U.S. and international education, developing
health globally, the environment, public policy, human
rights and disaster relief. To learn more about the GE
Foundation, visit www.gefoundation.com.
About the National Medical Fellowship
The National Medical Fellowship was established in
Chicago in 1946 to address the racial barriers that
prevented minorities, particularly African-Americans,
from attending medical school. NMF remains the only
nonprofit solely dedicated to changing the face of
medicine and increasing the number of health
professionals who can provide culturally and linguistically-appropriate quality healthcare. To learn more about NMF, visit
www.nmfonline.org.
18
2011 UDS Report has New and Revised Clinical Performance Measures around
Immunizations Including the Rotavirus Vaccine
The 2011 UDS report has new and revised clinical performance measures. One of the revised performance measures is the
“Percentage of children with 2nd birthday during the measurement year with appropriate immunizations.” On the surface this doesn’t
appear changed, but the numerator description now reads, “Number of children who received all of the following: 4DTP/DTaP, 3
IPV, 1 MMR, 3 Hib, 3HepB, 1 VZV (Varicella, 4 Pneumococcal conjugate, 2 HepA, 2or 3 RV (rotavirus), and 2 influenza vaccines
prior to or on their 2nd birthday whose second birthday occurred during the measurement year, among those children included in
the denominator.”
The revision includes the 2 or 3 RV vaccine. This may cause a particular challenge because f the limited time frame the vaccine series
can be started and completed. The final dose (Whether it is the 2 dose vaccine or the 3 dose vaccine) must be given no later to an
infant that is 8 months 0 days old. For those children that present for the first time to a health center after they are 8 months old
and have no immunization record, they cannot be “caught-up” on the rotavirus vaccine. According to the Summary of
Recommendations for Child/Teen Immunizations there are two vaccine products (both approved by the Vaccines for Children
(VFC) program), Rotarix (RV1) and RotaTeq (RV5). The schedule for the rotavirus vaccine is as follows:
Rotarix (RV1) give at age 2 months, 4 months.
Give final dose no later than age 8 months 0 days.
RotaTeq (RV5) give at age 2 months, 4 months, 6 months.
Do not begin series in infants older than age 14 weeks 6 days.
May give 1st dose as early as 6 weeks.
Interval between doses may be as short as 4 weeks.
If prior vaccination included use of different or unknown brand(s), a total of 3 doses should be given.
Tdap Immunization Requirement for 7th Grande Entry for 2012-2013 School Year
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) will require the Tdap vaccination for all students entering 7 th grade beginning
with the coming school year (2012-2013). Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has increased in frequency across the county in
recent years, as protection from the childhood pertussis vaccine has become weaker over time in the adolescent population. “By
vaccinating our adolescents, we can decrease illness in this group and reduce exposure and illness in infants,” said State Health
Officer Dr. Mary Currier. “Pertussis can be particularly deadly for newborns, and it is essential to limit their exposure to the disease
since they are too young to receive a vaccine against it.”
Additional recommended vaccinations for preteens include those against meningococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV), and a
second dose of varicella vaccine for those who have not received one at an earlier age. “We strongly recommend the Tdap vaccine
for adolescents, however it is only required for those entering seventh grade,” said Dr. Currier.
For information on required vaccinations for school entry and recommended vaccinations for all ages, visit the MSDH website at
HealthyMS.com or call 1-866-HLTHY4U (I-866-459-4948). Follow MSDH by email and social media at HealthyMS.com/connect.
CDC Now Recommends Hepatitis B Vaccination for Adults with Diabetes
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends Hepatitis B vaccination for appropriate adults with
diabetes. On the basis of available information about HBV risk, morbidity and mortality, available vaccines, age at diagnosis of
diabetes and cost effectiveness, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (AVIP) recommends the following:
Hepatitis B vaccination should be administered to unvaccinated adults with diabetes mellitus who are aged 19 through 59 years
(recommendation category A; evidence type 2).
Hepatitis B vaccination may be administered at the discretion of the treating clinician to unvaccinated adults with diabetes mellitus
who are aged >60 years (recommendation category B; evidence type 2).
For
more
information,
visit
MMWR.
Volume
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtm/mm6050a4.htm.
60.
Number
50.
December
23,
2011
19
at
MPHCA Hosts a Compliance Training
Focused on RAC, OIG, HEAT & CERT
at Jackson Office
On Wednesday, June 20, the Mississippi Primary Health Care
Association (MPHCA) welcomed 24 attendees from 13 member
Community Health Centers (CHCs) to MPHCA’s offices in Jackson
for a 4-hour training - RAC, OIG, HEAT, CERT: What Do They Mean
and Are You in Compliance?
The training was designed for members of MPHCA’s Finance
Directors Network and other CHC staff responsible for RAC, OIG,
HEAT, and CERT compliance.
Rebekah S. Wallace, CMPE, CPC, MCS-P, a Managing Consultant with BKD, LLP, was the presenter for the training and
she received compliments from attendees about how informative her presentation was and how she made the
information easy to comprehend. Overall, the training was very well-received and the evaluations were very positive
with one respondent stating, “This is one of the best workshops I have attended on audits.” MPHCA thanks all the
health center directors, board members and staff who attended for their participation.
Mississippians Join PCA/CHC
Colleagues in Atlanta for the
Region IV Finance and
Operations Training
On April 23-24, 2012 representatives from the
Mississippi Primary Health Care Association and its
member Community Health Centers (CHCs)
traveled to Atlanta for the Region IV Training entitled
The Practical Art of CHC Finance & Operations. The
training was planned and sponsored by the CEOs and
Executive Directors of the eight State Primary Care
Associations in Region IV that comprise the
Southeast Health Care Consortium (SEHCC) in
association with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and its highly successful Financial,
Operational Management and Information Technology (FOM/IT) Conferences.
With the many challenges facing CHCs in today’s health care climate that directly affect finances, operations and
management, this training was offered to help centers successfully maneuver through the decline in revenues, budget
limitations, and the challenges of complying with the measures in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Attendees including health center managers and decision makers, clinicians, practice managers, billing and coding staff
and others were treated to an excellent program with core offerings focused on improving financial viability, outcomes
reporting and operations efficiency while fostering a culture of collaboration and the creation of effective problem
solving methods to address challenges and uncertainties resulting in attendees becoming agents of change at their
respective CHCs.
20
MPHCA Joins Million Hearts Initiative
About the Million Hearts Initiative - Heart disease and stroke are two of
the leading causes of death in the United States. Million Hearts™ brings
together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies,
and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and
stroke.
MPHCA Conducts a Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement
Retreat as Part 1 of a 2-Part Million Hearts Initiative Training Series
The Mississippi Primary Health Care Association (MPHCA), in conjunction with the Mississippi State Department of
Health, conducted a Quality Assurance and Performance Retreat as part of the Million Hearts Initiative, June 13-15, 2012
at the City of Biloxi Visitors Center in Biloxi, MS.
The retreat was very successful and MPHCA was pleased to have 17 of its 21-member Community Health Centers
(CHCs) represented. Attendees included CHC CEOs and Executive Directors, Medical/Clinical Directors, Compliance
Officers, CFOs, COOs, and other members of CHCs’ Quality Improvement Teams. Speakers for the retreat included
Ms. Jane Jumbelick, RN-CPHQ who is an independent Clinical Quality & Improvement Specialist and “back by popular
demand” Mr. Joe Liszak, MBA, who is the CEO of Community Health Services.
Topics addressed during the retreat included: Making Your Quality Plan Mirror Your Health; Writing and Implementing
Your Quality Plan; Gathering Information for the QI Process; Documenting Quality Improvement Meeting Minutes;
Resolution of Quality Performance Issues; Dealing with No Show Patients; and Passing the Fiscal Area of the
Operational Assessment. Presentations from the retreat are available on the MPHCA website. In addition to the
individual topics addressed, MPHCA also offered an opportunity for member CHCs to have one-on-one sessions with
Clinical Q&I Specialist Ms. Jumbelick who reviewed their quality improvement plans. Ms. Jumbelick identified Coastal
Family Health Center’s (CFHC) quality plan as exemplary and CFHC CEO Angel Greer has graciously agreed to share
the plan with other MPHCA member CHCs.
MPHCA joins with Mississippi State Department of Health and IQH to
Host Part 2 of Million Hearts Initiative Training Series
The Mississippi Primary Health Care Association in conjunction with the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Bureau of
the Mississippi State Department of Health’s (MSDH) and the Learning Action Network of Information and Quality
Healthcare (IQH) conducted a Million Hearts Initiative workshop June 28-29, 2012 at Table 100 Conference Center in
Flowood, MS.
Day one of the workshop focused on promoting quality improvement via patient centered disease management.
LaTonya Hardy, Epidemiologist for the MSDH discussed the statistics for cardiovascular disease in Mississippi and Jason
Dees, MD, Medical Director for Magnolia Health Plan discussed the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model
including the “nuts and bolts” of the model, the importance of team empanelment, and how PCMH benefits both
patients and medical practices. Dr. Dees’ presentation is available on the MPHCA website.
Day two of the workshop focused on effective coding and revenue management. Presenter Barb Oviatt with Complete
Practice Resources, discussed ICD-10 coding and the importance of mastering the chart review. Attendees were
challenged to make sure they are up to date with recent changes in medical coding and that their QI teams have a solid
foundation in ICD-10-CM, HCPS and CPT coding. The morning session concluded with a comprehensive overview of
the CHC and private practice reimbursements that may be affected by upcoming changes in coding and billing. The
afternoon session focused on effective coding for cardiology and was led by Kathy Pride of Complete Practice
Resources.
21
Family Health Care Clinic Director of Operations,
Dock Graves Earns the Graduate Certificate of CHC
Management from the Geiger Gipson Program in
Community Health Policy at GWU
In July, Dock Graves, Director of Operations at Family Health Care Clinic, Pearl, MS,
received the Graduate Certificate of Community Health Center (CHC) Management from
the prestigious Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy at George Washington
University which is affiliated with the National Association of Community Health Centers.
Mr. Graves completed the intense learning program designed to develop leaders with the skills and knowledge to
successfully serve in executive positions in the unique environment of CHCs. He completed 18 academic credits in
courses covering a full range of identified CHC competencies offered over three semesters to allow participants to
remain full-time on the job. Modalities of the program included two onsite group sessions at GWU, individual online
sessions and weekly conference calls. The courses were taught by faculty with management experience in CHCs or
comparable health systems.
Mr. Graves has been at FHCC for almost 5 years and already holds a Masters Degree in Public Health and a BS in Health
Care Administration from Jackson State University.
MPHCA Executive Director Robert M. Pugh, MPH, applauded Mr. Graves’ accomplishment, saying, “The MPHCA board
and staff join me in congratulating Mr. Graves and wishing him our very best in all of his future endeavors. We certainly
hope that he will continue to use his exemplary management and leadership skills to serve the board, staff and especially
the patients of Family Health Care Clinic.”
To learn more about the Graduate Certificate of CHC Management and the Geiger Gipson Program in Community
Health Policy at GWU, visit http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/ggprogram/.
NACHC’s Assistant Director of State Affairs Travels to Mississippi to
Lead a Discussion on ACA and CHCs
On May 3, 2012 National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Assistant Director for State Affairs
Robert Kidney traveled to Jackson, MS to the Old Capitol Inn at the request of the Coalition to Implement the
Affordable Care Act in Mississippi to lead a discussion on ACA and its potential impact on the role of Community
Health Centers as safety-net providers for some of the
nation’s most vulnerable populations.
Mr. Kidney’s presentation was very well-received and
attendees thanked him for sharing his expertise and
insight on ACA and its potential impact on CHCs
Mississippi.
From left, Robert Kidney poses for a snapshot after his
presentation with MPHCA Executive Director Robert
Pugh, Central MS Health Services’ Ron Munden and
local social activist Rims Barber.
22
MPHCA 2012 - 2014 Board Officers
PRESIDENT
Aurelia Jones-Taylor,
Chief Executive Officer
Aaron E. Henry Community Health
Services Center - Clarksdale, MS
PRESIDENT-ELECT
John Fairman,
Chief Executive Officer
Delta Health Center
Mound Bayou, MS
MPHCA Board of Directors (*Executive Committee)
*Aurelia Jones-Taylor, CEO (President)
Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center, Clarksdale, MS
Marilyn Sumerford, Executive Director
ACCESS Family Health Services - Smithville, MS
*Pam T. Poole, Executive Director (Member-at-Large)
Amite County Medical Services - Liberty, MS
Robert Smith, MD, Director
Central Mississippi Health Services - Jackson, MS
James E. Oliver, CEO
Claiborne County Family Health Center - Port Gibson, MS
Angel Greer, CEO
Coastal Family Health Center – Biloxi, MS
Greene Area Medical Extenders – Leakesville, MS
EX-OFFICIO
Dr. Margaret A. Gray,
CEO & President
Family Health Care Clinic
Pearl, MS
*John Fairman, CEO (President-Elect)
Delta Health Center - Mound Bayou, MS
*Jill Bishop, CEO (Secretary)
East Central Mississippi Health Care – Sebastopol, MS
*Dr. Margaret A. Gray, President & CEO (Ex-Officio)
Family Health Care Clinic - Pearl, MS
SECRETARY
Jill Bishop,
Chief Executive Officer
East Central MS Health Care
Sebastopol, MS
Rashad N. Ali, MD, Executive Director
Family Health Center - Laurel, MS
Janice Bacon, MD, Executive Director
G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center - Canton, MS
*Wilbert L. Jones, CEO (Treasurer)
Greater Meridian Health Clinic - Meridian, MS
TREASURER
Wilbert L. Jones,
Chief Executive Officer
Greater Meridian Health Clinic
Meridian, MS
Jasmin Chapman, DDS, CEO
Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center - Jackson, MS
*Shirley Ellis Stampley, Executive Director (Member-at-Large)
Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center - Fayette, MS
Stellanda Davis-Cornelius, CEO
Mallory (Arenia C.) Community Health Center - Lexington, MS
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Shirley Ellis-Stampley,
Executive Director
Jefferson Comprehensive
Health Center
Fayette, MS
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Pam T. Poole,
Executive Director
Amite County Medical Services
Liberty, MS
Missy Sheffield, CEO
Mantachie Rural Health Care - Mantachie, MS
James D. Nunnally, Executive Director
North Mississippi Primary Health Care - Benton, MS
Clifton Rodgers, MD, Executive Director
Northeast Mississippi Health Care - Byhalia, MS
Sabrina Howze, CEO
Outreach Health Services – Shubuta, MS
Geroldean Dyse, CEO
Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative – Hattiesburg, MS
Henry Granger – Chair, Consumer Advisory Council
John Patterson, DDS – Chair, Clinical Advisory Task Force
23