Another Successful Invaluable Medical & Dental Assistant

Seminar! AACHC would like to give a big thank you to LabCorp, the event sponsor, and all of the staff, volunteers, speakers, exhibitors and attendees who helped make this year's seminar a big success! We could not have pulled it off without

you. We also want to express our appreciation to all of the health centers and

AACHC staff members who donated raffle prizes. We are looking forward to seeing you all again next year!

Pictured right: 2013 Medical Assistant of the Year Award Winner, Saby Galindo, El Rio Community Health Center

Pictured left: 2013 Dental Assistant of the Year Award Winner, Rocio Pasillas, Desert Mission Children's Dental Clinic

CLINIC RISK: Patient Satisfaction - More Than a Buzz Word By: Stephen A. Frew JD, VP Risk Consulting, Johnson Insurance

Patient satisfaction is the first line of defense against lawsuits and a key to provider and clinic survival, but for many providers and employees it is only one of the buzz words that come and go depending on the latest

conference that leadership has attended. The writing is on the wall with trends in other aspects of healthcare reimbursement, as well - your

reimbursement and provider paychecks will be tied to patient satisfaction as part of "pay for performance." While most healthcare workers and providers have attended classes or presentations on risk management and

quality that focus on avoiding clinical and documentation errors, few have been taught about the most common source of lawsuits - angry patients

and their families - and instead believe that attorney advertising and patient greed motivate most claims.

What the data reveals: Angry patients and families, frustrated with the

system or the negative impression given by the medical provider or the

staff, are the source of virtually all of the lawsuits, and it is reflected by the fact that most claims for malpractice fail on the medical issues. When verdicts are entered against providers, the size of the damage award is

often inflated by the jury's outrage over provider conduct more than provider technical errors. Medical research suggests that patients who

suffer actual, medically confirmed malpractice usually do not sue or bring claims, with fewer than 5% advancing formal claims. The remainder of the mountain of malpractice claims can in large part be attributed to patients

wanting to discover what actually happened in their case or to "make sure this doesn't happen to someone else" - in other words, dissatisfied patients

and families.

High risk providers: Research at Vanderbilt University demonstrated that

complaints and lawsuits are not evenly distributed among physicians, but clump around certain "high risk" individuals while other physicians have few

or no such complaints (excluding billing issues) or suits. More than a decade of practical experience has demonstrated that a focus on patient satisfaction can move physicians out of the high risk group in just

months. The same principle applies to clinic employees generally. Patient satisfaction is not a buzz word - it is the cutting edge of building and

maintaining a low-risk practice.

Stephen Frew, JD is Vice President - Risk & Compliance Consultant for Johnson Insurance Services. His background includes over 30 years of

legal practice and as well as many national speaking, training and risk consulting engagements. Steve's book, Practical Risk Management for

FQHCs (2011) is a comprehensive manual for health centers and includes

many checklists and sample forms. Johnson Insurance Services proudly supports the AACHC as an original corporate sponsor. Services and

training by Steve and Bil Bruno are provided without charge to their healthcare clients. Contact Steve at sfrew@johnsonins.com or Bil at

wbruno@johnsonins.com / 480.733.1933

El Rio Dental Director Receives NNOHA Outstanding

Leadership Award

Congratulations to Dr. Gregory La Chance for receiving this year's

Outstanding Leadership Award at the 2013 National Primary Oral Health Conference!

HHS Awards $1.9 Billion in Grants for HIV/AIDS Care and

Medications The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recently announced more than $1.9 billion in grants awarded to cities, states and local

community-based organizations. This funding will ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS continue to have access to critical health care services and medications. The fiscal year 2013 awards were funded through the Ryan

White HIV/AIDS Program. Congratulations to all of the organizations in Arizona that received funding, including the Arizona Department of Health

& Human Services - Maricopa County, El Rio Community Health Center, Maricopa County Special Health Care District and the University of Arizona.

HHS Awards $3,591,666 in Affordable Care Act Funds to

Arizona Health Centers to Expand Access to Care Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced $150 million in awards under the Affordable Care Act to support

236 new health center sites across the country. $3,591,666 of those funds went to new access points in Arizona. Nationwide, these investments will

help care for approximately 1.25 million additional patients. Congratulations to all of Arizona's health centers that received a new access point grant award:

Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health North Country Healthcare, Inc.

SMMHC, Inc. (Mountain Health & Wellness) Sun Life Family Health Center

Click here to read the full press release.

Secretary Sebelius Visits Wesley Health Center

Three Arizona Health Center Dental Directors Selected as

National Oral Health Learning Institute Scholars NNOHA's National Oral Health Learning Institute (NOHLI) is now in its

second year, offering in-person and online trainings in leadership and practice management skills to health center dental directors and dental

program managers who have been in their positions for five years or less. Congratulations to the three health center dental directors from Arizona that have been selected to participate in this wonderful learning

opportunity: Dr. Julie Angellotti, Marana Health Center

Dr. James Millward, Canyonlands Healthcare Dr. Moira Sinnott, United Community Health Center

Are you a member and would like one of your events in the AACHC newsletter? Contact Da-Nell Rogers at danellr@aachc.org or (602)

288-7548!

Children's Action Alliance Leadership Academy

Children's Action Alliance (CAA) is currently accepting applications for their 2014 Leadership Academy, a program for people interested in learning

how to be effective advocates for children and families in their community and around the state. Applications are due Friday, December 6th. Click

here for more information.

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes: A Two-Way Street to

Health Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration This free CE credit course, offered through Colgate (pre-registration

required), reviews the systemic consequences of periodontal disease relating to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other diseases, and presents strategies for providers to screen patients for both periodontal

disease and diabetes. Click here for more information and to register.

It's Here! DSM-V 101 for SBHC Providers Webinar - November 20, 2013 The most recent revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders (DSM) has many changes for children and adolescents. Join this webinar on November 20th at 2 p.m. ET to get an introductory overview of

the DSM-V and learn about changes to the diagnostic and coding process. Click here for more information and to register.

Finding Funding for Capital Projects Webinar - November

21, 2013 This webinar, hosted by CD Publications, will take place on November 21st

from 2-3:15 p.m. EDT. Learn how to navigate the maze of public and private funders to find -- and win -- funding to support your capital projects.

Grants experts Ray Sweeney and Frank Klimko will present practical information to help you gain the edge you need in winning funding from a wide range of sources (including federal, state, foundation and corporate)

for that critical new building initiative. Click here for more information and to register.

Practice Guidelines for Telemedicine Webinar -

November 21, 2013 The National Network of Telehealth Resource Centers will be conducting this webinar on November 21st at 12 p.m. EST. Click here to join the

webinar.

Who's Leading the Leading Health Indicators? Webinar on

Tobacco - November 21, 2013

Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of premature death and disease worldwide. In the United States, an estimated 45.3 million people - about

one in five adults - currently smoke, and an estimated 443,000 people die prematurely from diseases caused by smoking or secondhand smoke

exposure. Join this webinar on Thursday, November 21st at 12 p.m. ET to learn about the California Tobacco Control Program's efforts to improve the health of individuals by reducing illness and premature death attributable

to the use of tobacco products. Click here for more information and to register.

Diabetes and the Older Adult: A Review of the American

Diabetes Association (ADA) Consensus Statement

Webinar - November 21, 2013 The Health Services Advisory Group, Inc. will be conducting this webinar on November 21st from 1-2 p.m. Arizona time. Click here for more information and to register.

Beyond the Right Thing to Do: The Legal Case for CLAS

Implementation Webinar - December 3, 2013 This webinar, co-sponsored by the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, the Culture-Quality-Collaborative, and Federal Compliance LLC,

will take place on December 3rd from 1-2:30 p.m. Arizona time. Click here for more information and to register.

NACHC TeleForum - December 3, 2013

The next NACHC TeleForum will take place on December 3rd at 2 p.m. ET. Join this free call to receive the latest updates on the health center policy and advocacy agenda and learn what to expect from Congress and

the Administration in early 2014. To sign up to receive the call, click here.

Understanding Medicare CEU Webinar - December 3 and

4, 2013 The CMS National Training Program is pleased to announce the next

Understanding Medicare CEU webinar will be held on December 3 and 4, 2013, from 1-3 p.m. ET. Click here for more information and to register.

Creating Optimal Environments for Primary Care Teams

Webinar - December 4, 2013 This webinar, hosted by Capital Link, will take place from 2-3 p.m. EDT on December 4th. Click here for more information and to register.

Introduction to Family Planning

December 4, 2013 - Phoenix, Arizona The Arizona Family Health Partnership with be hosting this one-day training on the fundamentals of family planning from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in

Phoenix. Contact Dania Garcia at dgarcia@arizonafamilyhealth.org to register.

¡Pláticas de Salud! Prioritizing Health in the Latino

Community Webinar - December 4, 2013 The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) has completed its Fall round of Pláticas, or conversations, in seven California regions with large Latino populations. This round of Pláticas focused on two pressing issues

- sugar sweetened beverages, obesity and diabetes in the Latino community, and Covered California/Affordable Care Act and Latinos.

During the Web Forum presenters will provide a brief overview of the two central issues and will share themes and lessons learned from the participants at each of the seven meetings. Click here for more information

and to register.

MOLAR Coalition Meeting

December 6, 2013 - Phoenix, Arizona The Maricopa County Oral Health Leaders, Advocates & Resources

(MOLAR) coalition will be having a meeting on December 6th in Phoenix. Click here for more information and to register.

Social Entrepreneurship Institute

December 6, 2013 - New Haven, Connecticut Presented by Unite For Sight, the Social Entrepreneurship Institute provides mentoring, guidance, and successful strategies for participants to apply to their work in global health, social entrepreneurship, and

international development. In addition to unique interactive sessions by leaders in global health and social entrepreneurship, the Institute also

includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner networking receptions with the speakers. Click here for more information and to register.

Free Diabetes Health Fair

December 7, 2013 - Mesa, Arizona The American Diabetes Association will be hosting a free diabetes health fair on December 7th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Mesa Convention Center. There will be free diabetes education sessions, health screenings

and vendors. Attendees will also be able to speak with Certified Diabetes Educators free of charge. Education session tracks will include Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Spanish Education (Interpreters will be

available). Click here for more information.

Transgender Medical Care: Advanced Case Discussion

Webinar - December 10, 2013 Dr. Tim Cavanaugh, Medical Director of Fenway Health's Transgender Health Program, will be leading a case-based discussion on several of the medical risks, benefits, and complications encountered when providing

hormones and/or surgical interventions to transgender patients. This advanced webinar is geared towards providers of transgender medical

care and therefore assumes that participants will have, at minimum, a baseline understanding of transgender medical terms and care guidelines. Click here for more information and to register.

Growth Planning: Tools and Techniques to Win the Growth

Race Webinar - December 11, 2013 This Capital Link webinar will take place on December 11th from 2-3 p.m. EDT. Click here for more information and to register.

OSAP Training: Infection Control Boot Camp

January 6-8, 2014 - Tampa, Florida The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) Infection

Control Boot Camp covers the basics in infection prevention and safety. This training is intended for infection control coordinators, risk managers and those who teach or consult on this topic. Click here for more

information and to register for this training.

Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs Annual

Conference

January 25-28, 2014 - Washington, DC Join this conference to learn from and network with maternal and child health leaders nationwide. Sessions will cover workforce and leadership

development, advocacy, cultural competency, and more. Click here for more information and to register.

1st International Quintessence Symposium on Oral Health:

The Oral-Systemic Connection February 7, 2014 - San Diego, California This symposium, sponsored by the Institute for Oral Health, provides an

opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest scientific information on the associations between oral diseases and overall health. Click here for

more information and to register.

Adolescence and the Social Determinants of Health This study reviews existing data on the effects of social determinants on health in adolescence, and present findings from country-level ecological

analyses on the health of young people aged 10-24 years. Click here to learn more.

Access Your 2012 PQRS Feedback Report Today

Feedback reports are now available for providers who submitted Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) data from Medicare Part B Physician

Fee Schedule claims received with dates of service between January 1 and December 31, 2012. Click here to access the feedback report user guide. For further instructions on how to access this information, visit

http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/PQRS/index.html.

Call for Nominations - Outstanding Child Advocate Children's Action Alliance is accepting nominations for Outstanding Child

Advocate, to be honored at next year's Through the Eyes of a Child awards luncheon. Click here for more information.

Children's Dental Health Project Survey Results As millions of families shop for medical and dental coverage on new state insurance marketplaces, a new survey reveals America's significant, unmet

need for dental care. One out of three adults say that either they or a family member have a toothache or some other problem with their teeth or gums "that needs to be addressed." Click here to access the full results. You can

also download an infographic on this subject by visiting http://cdhp.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/delaying-dental-care.jpg.

Community Health Workers Reduce Disparities A recent immigrant in Kansas City, Missouri was using the ER regularly for routine care. He didn't understand that there were health clinic options

available until a Community Health Worker from KC Care Clinic helped him find a doctor to replace his ER visits. In an article titled Community Health Workers - A Local Solution to a Global Problem, published in The New

England Journal of Medicine, Drs. Prabhjot Singh, M.D., Ph.D., and Dave A. Chokshi, M.D. state that, "We believe that scaling up the community

health workforce in the United States could improve health outcomes, reduce health care costs, and create jobs." Click here to learn more.

How to Avoid the 2015 Payment Adjustments for PQRS Providers considered eligible and able to participate in the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) may be subject to payment adjustments

beginning in 2015. Eligible professionals (EPs) and group practices that fail to satisfactorily report data on quality measures during the 2013 program year will be subject to a 1.5% payment adjustment of their Physician Fee

Schedule (PFS) charges beginning in 2015. Click here for more information.

How Medicaid Expansions and Future Community Health

Center Funding Will Shape Capacity to Meet the Nation's

Primary Care Needs This new policy brief from the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative examines the impact of federal and state policy decisions on community health centers (CHCs) and their ability

to continue providing primary care to the nation's poorest residents. Click here to access the full report.

ICD-10 Compliance Date - October 1, 2014 Have you implemented a plan to prepare you for the Oct 1st ICD-10

compliance date? Do you need tips on developing a project plan? Visit http://cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/ProviderResources.html to access provider resources. Click here for additional information on this topic.

IOM Committee on Social and Behavioral Domains for

EHR Seeking Public Comments The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has established a Committee on Social and Behavioral Domains and Measures for Electronic Health Records (EHR) to

make recommendations as to which domains and measures of social and behavioral factors relevant to health and health care should be included in

EHR, including in Stage 3 Meaningful Use. The committee welcomes input from interested providers, researchers, and patients regarding their views and experiences in screening for social and behavioral information and

incorporating it into EHRs, particularly stories and concrete examples that could help prioritize which domains have the greatest potential for

improved clinical care and population health if included in EHRs. There are two ways to provide public comments:

Send written comments to the committee through their web portal - Click here to provide feedback and for more information.

Attend a public meeting with an open comment session on November 25 from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. in San Francisco - Click here

to register and for more details.

National Rural Health Day - November 21, 2013 National Rural Health Day gives the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, State Offices of Rural Health and partners a chance to showcase Rural America and highlight the efforts of NOSORH, SORHs

and others in addressing the unique healthcare needs of rural communities. Visit the website to learn how you can "Celebrate the Power

of Rural" at your Health Center or safety-net clinic! Join a series of webinars on topics such as the Affordable Care Act, recruitment, and telehealth.

New Edition of Child Health USA Child Health USA 2013 focuses on perinatal health and health care access in the United States. The report, produced by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau, provides

graphical and textual summaries of relevant data and addresses long-term indicators where applicable and feasible. Topics include perinatal health

status indicators, perinatal risk factors and behaviors, health services use, and programs and policies. Click here to access the report.

New Kaiser Analysis Estimates How Many People By State

Are Eligible for Tax Credits If They Buy Health Coverage Through New Insurance Marketplaces A new Kaiser Family Foundation state-by-state analysis estimates that 17

million people nationally will be eligible for tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) next year if they purchase coverage through new health

insurance marketplaces. This includes 2 million in Texas, 1.9 million in California and 1.6 million in Florida, the three states with the largest number of residents eligible for tax credits. The new state-by-state estimates

provide a glimpse into the potential reach of the law's tax credits, which are designed to help low- and moderate-income people buy private health

insurance. Each state's numbers reflect key demographic information about its residents, such as how many lack insurance or buy their own coverage now and their income levels, as well as whether or not the state

is expanding its Medicaid program in 2014 as envisioned under the Affordable Care Act. Click here for more info.

November is National Diabetes Month! It's not too late to get involved in National Diabetes Month! Click here to learn more.

Population Health Implications of the Affordable Care

Act: Workshop Summary

This publication summarizes a workshop convened in June 2013 by the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Population Health Improvement to

explore the likely impact on population health improvement of various provisions within the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Click here to access this publication today.

Public Health Reports Special Edition on Social

Determinants of Health The latest Public Health Reports special edition explores social determinants of health and why the concept is critical to public health

research and program design. The articles featured provide perspective on the application of social determinants of health, and describe experiences

integrating and implementing it into public health programs and research. Click here to learn more.

Readiness for Meaningful Use of Health Information

Technology and Patient Centered Medical Home

Recognition Survey Results CMS recently released the results of a survey that was conducted to identify the factors that impact HIT use and MU readiness for community health centers. Click here to access the full results.

Rural Oral Health Toolkit Developed by the Rural Assistance Center and National Opinion Research

Center (NORC), Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, this toolkit aims to help rural communities improve access to oral health care. It contains resources to help communities develop oral health programs by building

on promising practices of successful oral health program models. Click here to access the toolkit today.

Rural Research Alert: Perinatal Outcomes This series of briefs, developed by the Rural Health Policy & Research Centers, examine perinatal outcomes in rural areas across the United

States in 2005. Low birth weight, a key indicator of the health of the U.S. population, and adequacy of prenatal care, a critical indicator of access and quality of health care, are explored to discover how they are related to

rural or urban location, race, and ethnicity. Click here to learn more.

SBHCs Address Students' Mental Health Needs School-based health centers (SBHCs) provide essential mental and

behavioral health services that meet the needs of adolescents. The standard barriers faced in traditional mental health settings, such as

stigma, non-compliance, and inadequate access are eliminated at SBHCs. Many SBHCs have primary and mental health staff that work side-by-side to address the physical and mental needs of students. The proximity of

mental health care staff to students and their ability to provide mental health care in a safe, private, and confidential environment allows for the

development of positive behavioral change. Click here to learn more.

Strategies to Improve Dental Benefits for the Medicaid

Expansion Population This new brief from the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), made

possible by the DentaQuest Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, summarizes state decisions regarding the inclusion of dental benefits for the Medicaid expansion population. Through a national scan of

states, CHCS found that 20 Medicaid-expansion states intend to offer at least a minimal dental benefit to newly eligible populations. Of these states,

13 will offer comprehensive benefits. Click here to learn how these states are ensuring access to dental care among the newly covered.

Study Shows That Patients Might Benefit From Health

Literacy Tests Doctors often assume they are explaining things in a way patients understand. When patients are confused, doctors do not always realize it.

A new study shows patients might benefit from having their "health literacy" tested. Researchers at a large Arizona healthcare center looked at how a

short health literacy test would affect the way patients felt about their treatment. They found it did no harm and may have helped to improve patient satisfaction. Click here to learn more.

The Aging of the Rural Primary Care Physician Workforce:

Will Some Locations be Affected More than Others? As the aging primary care provider population retires, rural provider shortages will be further exacerbated. Identifying states and counties that

are at particularly high risk for primary care physician (PCP) attrition through retirement can help inform policy and planning decisions in an

effort to avoid PCP shortages in these vulnerable locations. This study identified rural locations with high proportions of generalist physicians nearing retirement age using data from the American Medical Association

and American Osteopathic Association 2005 Masterfiles. Click here to learn more.

Think Teeth Oral Health Webinar Now Online Did you miss the September 26th webinar - Think Teeth: New Developments in Medicaid and Children's Oral Health? The hour-long

webinar is now available online. Visit the webinar page on InsureKidsNow.gov to view this and other past Campaign webinars. During the webinar, the new Think Teeth oral health materials aimed at educating

pregnant women and parents of young children on the best oral health practices were introduced. These materials can be ordered free of

charge from CMS' Product Ordering website. Ordering instructions are posted here. Sign up to receive the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Notes directly.

AACHC posts grant opportunities online. These listings are updated

regularly and include links to the funding agencies. Please visit AACHC's

website at http://www.aachc.org/grant-opportunities-and-resources to see available grant opportunities.

www.aachc.org