March 2024 HCH Newsletter
The Connection
In this newsletter:
- Introducing New HCH Director - David Kurtzon
- Learning Days - May 16!
- CRMC's Innovative Approach to Addressing Social Determinants
- MN Primary Care's Best Kept Secret - HCH!
- MNCARES Update
- Learning Update
- Congratulations to Certified and Recertified HCH!
- Do you have a Health Equity Story?
- Noteworthy
Introducing New HCH Director - David Kurtzon
It’s been two months since I stepped into the role of Health Care Homes (HCH) Director and it has already been an exciting and rewarding experience. Having spent the last eight years working for HCH, first with learning and then as System Development Supervisor on certification, I’ve had the good fortune to become acquainted with the many key elements of the program. In my roles at HCH I have had the opportunity to work on planning HCH learning strategy, creating e-learning courses, the development of a new certification/recertification portal, and overseeing the work of practice improvement and integration specialists. This new opportunity, to lead a team of top tier professionals as Director, is a true honor and I am looking forward to the journey!
Looking ahead, what is in Health Care Homes’ future? The short answer is quite a lot. The program will continue to develop capacity to support the implementation of Level 2 and Level 3 certification. This includes the creation of new learning opportunities, expansion of knowledge of and access to social health related data, and a focus on enhancing health equity and reducing disparities. HCH will continue to grow as a champion of primary care, seeking to strengthen the system through partnerships, learning, and sharing of knowledge. Communication is another area of development as Health Care Homes works to raise awareness of the program among patients throughout the state, in particular those who can most benefit from the model’s care innovations.
As always, Health Care Homes is involved in a whirlwind of projects, initiatives, and activities, a few examples of which are:
- In response to feedback from clinic partners, staff have created certification and recertification checklists, tools that will provide support to healthcare organizations in working through the cert/recert process.
- The recent opening of Learning Days conference registration represents the culmination of a considerable amount of hard work. Please consider joining us for this year’s conference as an attendee, exhibitor, or sponsor!
- The HCH team continues to support clinics in initial certification and recertification, including progression to advanced certification levels. Numerous organizations are demonstrating their commitment to addressing social health needs, improving health equity, and strengthening population health through meeting Level 2 and 3 Standards.
All the Best,
~David
Learning Days - May 16!
Don't miss Learning Days, HCH's premiere learning event, on May 16 at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. Look forward to a full day of programming, including an opening panel, nine breakout sessions, an update on the MNCARES care coordination study, and an engaging networking session led by our own HCH practice improvement and integration specialists. Make sure to stop by the exhibit hall and take advantage of lunch and break times to network with your colleagues.
The day kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with updates from the new HCH program Director, David Kurtzon, a special videotaped message from MDH Commissioner, Brooke Cunningham, MD, and a keynote address on Providing Care: Shifting Toward an Appreciation for Rural-Urban Interdependence by Ellen Wolter from the University of Minnesota. Ellen will be joined by a panel of HCH representatives to weigh in on similarities, differences, and innovative practices for serving patients in urban and rural locations.
Registration is Open
Visit the HCH Learning Days webpage for information on registration.
Support Learning Days as a Sponsor or Exhibitor
Invest in the future of primary care by becoming a sponsor or exhibitor at Learning Days 2024! Connect with 200+ primary care clinic providers and partners who are working together to improve the quality, outcomes and value of care while advancing health equity in their clinics and communities. For more information, please review the Sponsor and Exhibitor information (PDF).
CRMC's Innovative Approach to Addressing Social Determinants
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (CRMC), located in Crosby, MN, identifies community stewardship as a pillar of good care. Certified as a Level 3 Health Care Home, the organization also recognizes that social determinants of health, or non-medical factors which influence health outcomes, have an important impact on health inequities. Acknowledging these realities, CRMC prioritizes connecting patients to the resources they need and finding creative ways to bridge the gap.
Through standardized workflows, Clinic Care Managers provide referrals to outside agencies, such as the warming shelter, county support services, and non-profit programs. Staff strongly encourage individuals who are homeless to consider the warming shelter and other support options so they can be safe and well during the cold winter months. Additionally, the organization looks for ways to help the community through stewardship of its own resources. In the past year, CRMC distributed food bags and pantry packs, tokens for the farmers market, and gift cards supporting unique diet needs to patients to address food insecurity.
Clinic Care Managers identified an opportunity to provide clothing and outerwear for patients in need of these basic items. Last summer the organization began a small clothing closet with donations from local retailers and staff. Patients with an immediate need for clothing who receive care in the clinic, are discharged from the hospital, or are treated in the emergency department now have access to various items in sizes XS to 4X. CRMC notes that storing these items is a bit of a challenge, but they have optimized their space to ensure availability of clothing for individuals served within their organization.
In December, CRMC identified similar needs within the community. The Care Management Department and Primary Care Clinic staff partnered with the City of Crosby to facilitate a “fence project” to offer hats, mittens, and scarves to individuals who needed them. Staff donated gently used items, which were cleaned, bagged to protect them from the elements, and hung on a fence in the City Park. Anyone within the community could select whatever they needed. In the first two months, 72 bags of items were taken from the fence in the park.
The organization is committed to delivering exceptional care and compassion by dedicating itself to the well-being of patients every day. Team members take actions to improve health equity and health outcomes for both patients and community members, embodying the organization’s mission.
The HCH program thanks CRMC for sharing their experiences and insight, and for the work they continue to do to improve health equity in Minnesota.
MN Primary Care's Best Kept Secret - HCH!
It's been more than 10 years since the Health Care Homes (HCH) program was established and nearly two-thirds of Minnesota primary care clinics are now certified. Yet understanding of the HCH program remains low. The HCH team is hoping to change that by working with our stakeholders to spread the word about what HCH clinics are, and why they are a good choice not only for patient care, but for employment.
In 2018, HCH began issuing window clings to certified clinics to help identify them. For the past two years, HCH worked with SEGIP, the state employment group insurance program, to raise public awareness of the program by flagging HCH clinics during fall open enrollment. Last fall, program staff created a patient information page on its website. In the near future, HCH will test a concept for a patient-oriented communications toolkit that would roll out in certified clinics. We plan to test components of the toolkit at the upcoming Learning Days conference, and any public messages will also be tested with patients. If everything goes as planned, a fall rollout is anticipated. Stay tuned for details!
MNCARES Update
We are entering the final stretch of the Minnesota Care Coordination Effectiveness Study (MNCARES). We plan to continue sharing what we have learned in the spring and summer of 2024. We appreciate all your support over these past 4 years!
Here are some recent highlights:
- We are planning webinars with a variety of stakeholders this spring. In these webinars, we will provide study findings and learn what they mean and how they can be used by care systems, health insurers, clinicians, care coordinators, and patients.
- A new paper from the study was published in the January issue of the Journal of Nursing Care Quality. This paper revealed that most patients greatly appreciate the support care coordination provides and report that care coordinators are an important touch point for facilitating access, medical care, and health self-sufficiency. The team will continue to keep working on papers through the spring.
For more information, please go to the HCH MNCARES webpage. Questions? Email the study team at mncares@healthpartners.com.
Learning Update
In response to stakeholder input, Health Care Homes launched a series of webinars in 2024 to address care coordinator challenges in working with patients with chronic diseases. Diabetes and colorectal cancer screening and patient engagement were the topics of two webinars in February and March. Planned for later this year are webinars on asthma and depression screening and patient engagement.
Online peer to peer networking will continue this year with two events planned. The next one is on June 6 at noon. Details will follow in the LEARN bulletin.
Is there something you need help with? Please reach out! We are here to help! Drop us a line at: Health.HealthCareHomes@state.mn.us.
Congratulations to Certified and Recertified HCH!
Clinics certifying and recertifying January - March 2024 are listed below. Congratulations to these and other certified clinics working every day to provide better health and better care at lower costs!
For more information regarding HCH certification levels, please go to the Level Progression webpage.
For a complete list of HCH certified clinics, please go to the Find Certified Health Care Homes webpage.
Certification
Cham Clinic
- Foundational Level - one clinic
Recertification
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
- Level 3 - one clinic
Dakota Child and Family Clinic
- Level 3 - one clinic
Meeker Memorial Hospital & Clinics
- Level 3 - two clinics
Spread Clinic
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
- Level 3 - four clinics
Madelia Health
- Foundational Level - one clinic
Meeker Memorial Hospital & Clinics
- Level 3 - one clinic
Do you have a Health Equity Story?
Certified Health Care Homes -
Do you have a Health Equity Story that you would like highlighted in the HCH newsletter?
Download the Health Equity Story Form (PDF) and follow instructions for submission.
Noteworthy
- Read the 2023 HCH Year End Report, which highlights the great work done by the HCH program and partners.
- The American Lung Association is pleased to share two on demand resources for Minnesota’s nurses: Asthma Basics and Asthma Management Guidelines: A review for healthcare professionals training. These free one-hour courses provide the latest information on asthma diagnosis, treatment, and management including SMART therapy and severe asthma. Completers will earn one CEU for each module. Each Minnesota nurse who completes both Asthma Basics and Asthma Management Guidelines between now and April 15, 2024 will earn an asthma teaching model and a placebo metered dose inhaler and valved-holding chamber for education use with their patients and students. Simply click on the training links above. After you complete both courses, the Lung Association will send the educational tools to the address you included in your registration.
- Scholarship applications for the Fall 2024 Community Health Worker Training will open May 1. To learn more, go to www.mnchwalliance.org.
- The 2nd Annual Pediatric to Adult Health Care Transition (HCT) Summit will be held in St. Cloud on Thursday, June 13th. This will be an all-day event to transform the pediatric to adult HCT experience in Minnesota and beyond. Register to attend in person or virtually before May 30.
- The 2024 MN Rural Health Conference will be held June 17-18 in Duluth, MN.
- The YMCA will hold a camp for kids with asthma June 23-28 at Loretto, MN. For more information, see the YMCA website.
- The Alzheimer's Association, in partnership with the UCLA ADC program, is offering "Expand Your Dementia Care Expertise with the Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Echo Program", a series of twelve biweekly sessions every other Wednesday, 11:00am - noon PST starting May 1. Participants may earn up to 12 free CMEs upon program completion. Information may be found on the series flyer.
