Update from the CEO: Change in the New Year

2013 has kicked off full speed ahead and I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. With the cold weather outside it is hard to believe that the heat of the summer wasn’t that long ago. Change in the weather and change in the healthcare environment are on the horizon. While the fiscal cliff was averted at the end of the year, we still have opportunities and challenges facing us in 2013. The healthcare environment continues to evolve and is moving collaboration to a new level. Did you know that nationally Colorado is considered one of the most collaborative states? This means that we have a head start on implementing change in our rural communities. Recently, I heard of healthcare becoming a team sport that not only will be measured on individual performance, but team performance. How do we embrace this challenge and change? Teamwork and communication are key. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Culture of Patient Safety Surveys are focused on capturing and evaluating culture and teamwork in clinics through surveying. Recently CRHC used components of the AHRQ survey to assess the culture of the clinic including communication, teamwork, cooperation, efficiency, effectiveness, training and education. Results from the survey indicated that the majority of participants either agree or strongly agree with the statement “the practice emphasizes teamwork to take care of patients (81%) and staff and providers work well together” (85%). These results indicate rural providers are ready and willing to embrace change. With 53 certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and many other safety net clinics in rural Colorado you are an important component of the rural health care infrastructure and are poised to lead collaboration and change. In the upcoming months CRHC will be hosting a webinar entitled “When Teams Feel the Connection between Communication and Culture Change - Shift Happens.” Our presenter will be Michelle Rathman Batschke, President and CEO of Impact! Communications, Inc. located in St. Charles, Illinois. Many other exciting opportunities lie ahead and CRHC is here to help you along your journey

Attention: Registration for the Forum Opens Friday!

Don’t miss the 13th Annual Forum Conference April 3-5th, 2013! This is the fourth year in which CRHC has partnered with ClinicNET to put on the event. It serves as an essential educational, training, and networking event for all safety net clinics, members of the clinic team, and other interested parties.

On the fence? Follow our events blog and be notified of new sessions, exciting speakers, event exhibitors/sponsors and local happenings. Visit coruralevents.blogspot.com or scan the QR code below.

Get to know your fellow Members!

Click here for view the 2013 Membership List. We would like to give a special welcome to our NEW CRHC Investing Members: Burlington Family Dentistry, Button Family Practice, PC, Clear Creek Public & Environmental Health, First Street Family Health, HealthONE, Upper Pine River Fire Protection District, & our first student member, Lonnie Moch! Interested in becoming a CRHC Member? Click here to join!

Welcome 2013 CRHC Classic Sponsors!

CRHC Classic Sponsors will be featured in the Special Delivery. To learn more about their products and services, check out their websites listed below. CoBiz Insurance Visit their website Colorado Hospital Association Shared Services Visit their website COPIC Companies Visit their website Executive Health Resources Visit their website Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP Visit their website PrivaPlan Associates, Inc. Visit their website RxRemote Solutions Visit their website Interested in becoming a CRHC Classic Sponsor? As a CRHC Classic Sponsor, you will receive: •Your organization’s name and a link to your website posted on the Partners & Sponsors page of the CRHC website •$100 off exhibiting at any CRHC event •Discount to attend or sponsor CRHC events •Recognition in the CRHC annual report •Participation and sole sponsorship opportunities for webinars •Ability to place a feature article about your company in our e-newsletter •Opportunities for direct referrals* *Direct referrals are only made to Classic Sponsors who have been approved as preferred vendors. Click here to learn more! 

We would like to thank everyone who renewed their membership for 2013. You membership supports our ability to tackle rural health issues quickly, strengthen the rural health infrastructure, and to ensure that rural communities have access to quality healthcare services.

Rural Access to Emergency Devices (RAED) Training Funds

Colorado Rural Health Center has limited funding available through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s federal Office of Rural Health Policy RAED grant, to train first responders, as well as community members in CPR/AED courses. Entities eligible for this funding must be located in rural Colorado counties (contact Ron Seedorf for questions on eligibility) and courses must have been completed between 6/01/12 and 3/1/13. For more information, please follow this link: AED Training Funds For all questions regarding this funding contact: Ron Seedorf at 970-302-9021 or rs@coruralhealth.org

Need Help Writing a Proposal? CRHC Can Help!

GROW is a proposal writing service available to groups, organizations, and communities in Colorado through Colorado Rural Health Center. The program goal is to provide proposal writing resources to ensure that comprehensive, affordable, high quality healthcare services are available at the local level in the state of Colorado. For more information, please click here. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity please contact Kendra Brooks (kb@coruralhealth.org – 303.996.9698.

CPR at the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention!

Colorado Provider Recruitment will be attending the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention January 24-26, 2013 representing rural and underserved Colorado. If you would like to learn more about the convention, you can visit their website here. If you are attending the convention, make sure you stop by and say hello!