December 2007

LAST CHANCE TO ATTEND AN AMAZING LOCAL CONFERENCE!! Quality Counts 5 Takes Place this Friday!

Quality Counts, Part 5 - Aligning Partners for Quality, will take place on Friday, December 7th at the Augusta Civic Center. So much is changing in the healthcare world and this is a wonderful opportunity to learn from local and national experts about this revolution and how to thrive within it. There will be opportunities to learn from and network with many colleagues. If you are not yet convinced yet—check out the attached agenda and list of 18 breakout sessions from which to choose.

Please note that all communications for this year's conference are online (no paper brochure being mailed) - you can sign up online by clicking here. An agenda and list of breakout sessions are also available on the website.

A special discount is being offered to office teams. It is suggested that practices send a team of at least two people to cover the many breakout sessions -there are sessions for both clinical and administrative staff. Don't delay - seating is limited and people have been turned away in the past.

Save the Date for PRISM 4

Topics will include:

• Planned Care Model: A Framework for Quality Care
• Evaluating Health Information on the Internet
• Legal and Ethical Issues of Sharing Patient Information
• NCQA Recognition Programs: Getting Started
• Patient Self-Management Support: Goal setting and Action planning
• Implementing the New Preventive Care Guidelines
• Basic Clinical Competencies at an Office Visit: Brush up on your Skills!
• Tobacco Cessation: How to Support your Patients

NEW TO THIS PRISM: A Pediatric Care Track
You have asked and we have answered! New to this PRISM is a track of presentations geared to pediatricians, but open to all who provide care for this audience. Sessions may include:

• Understanding and Implementing the NEW Healthy Weight Guidelines
• The Care Coordination Initiative (presented by Richard Antonelli, MD, nationally-renowned physician champion)
• Using Current Technology to Connect with Youth
• Tackling Difficult Topics: Childhood Mental Health protocols and resources

Look for the official agenda and registration brochure in the mail in mid-December! Come with as many members of your practice team as possible.

Reserve your space in advance by emailing mhlc@mmc.org or call 207-541-7558. When doing so, include your name, practice, address, phone number and email address.

We hope to see you there!

"Learning About Diabetes Self-Management" to air in December on Healthviews

The program features patients from across the MaineHealth System telling their story of having diabetes and their road to managing their disease successfully. It also highlights the importance of Diabetes Self-Management Programs, and of course, there are several familiar faces including:

• Julie Barnes, RD, CDE
• Kathy Beers, RN, BSN, CDE
• Faith Thibodeau, MS, RD, CDE

You can see the program on CTN4 through December on Tuesdays at 3AM, 9AM, 3PM, and 9PM.

Many thanks go to the professionals and patients who appeared in the video and to those at CTN4 who did the taping and editing of what we think you'll agree is a wonderful show on an important topic.

Diabetes Month = Free Materials!

To highlight this, CMS has published a new provider brochure entitled Diabetes-Related Services. This tri-fold brochure provides health care professionals with an overview of Medicare's coverage of diabetes screening tests, diabetes self-management training, medical nutrition therapy, and supplies and other services for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes. You may download, view and print this new brochure by visiting the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) on the CMS website. Print copies of the brochure may be ordered, free of charge, from the MLN Product Ordering Page by visiting the CMS website.

For more information about Medicare's coverage of preventive services and screenings for people with diabetes, including the diabetes screening services, diabetes self management training, medical nutrition therapy, diabetes supplies, initial preventive physical examination, cardiovascular screening blood tests, influenza and pneumococcal immunizations, and glaucoma screening services, please visit the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Preventive Services Educational Products web page.

For literature to share with your Medicare patients, please visit the Medicare website.

For more information about this article or MaineHealth Clinical Integration's award-winning TARGET Diabetes program, please contact:
Kristina Scrutchfield
TARGET Diabetes Program Manager
Maine Health, Clinical Integration
465 Congress St. Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 207-541-7534
E-mail: scrutk@mmc.org

Hot off the Press: A book that helps your patients understand their asthma

You Can Control Your Asthma is a spiral-bound, oversize book that is perfect for your waiting room or reception area because it makes it easy to get the asthma message out to everyone. It was created with beautifully illustrated pictures for a multicultural audience with easy-to-read words for people of all ages. The book was developed based on the evidence reported by health literacy experts that patient education materials should target people with low literacy skills and those for whom English is a second language.

This high quality book, written by Patti Roderick, Asthma Educator and Lizzy Rockwell who also created the illustrations, can be purchased for $ 50.00 plus shipping and handling charges.

It's easy to order. Just click here for an order form. If you are new to this process, please contact Elizabeth Lambert at 541-7533 or by email lambee@mmc.org to sign up for access to this system!

If you have any questions in regards to ordering, please contact Joel Richard, Administrative Associate for the AH! Asthma Program.

Order a copy today!

For more information about this topic or to find out more about MaineHealth Clinical Integration's Award Winning AH! (Asthma Health) Program, please contact:

Donna Levi, MS
AH! (Asthma Health) Program Manager
Maine Health, Clinical Integration
465 Congress St. Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 207-541-7566
E-mail: levid@mmc.org

New Patient Education Booklet for Cardiovascular Disease now Available!

MaineHealth, in collaboration with the Maine Heart Center, is pleased to announce a new patient education booklet titled Cardiovascular Disease Information for Patients and Families: A Guide to Understanding Heart Disease, Peripheral Vascular Disease and Stroke. This booklet was developed in partnership with patients and healthcare professionals from across the health system who generously shared their time and expertise. We gratefully acknowledge the thoughtful contributions of primary care providers, cardiologists, vascular surgeons, nurses and other clinicians including exercise physiologists and registered dieticians.

This booklet was created for adults who have heart and/or circulation disease. It provides useful and practical information on understanding cardiovascular disease (CVD) and what patients can do about it. Designed to be highly customizable the healthcare provider can recommend patient specific topics including information on reducing risk and improving self management skills. This may be accomplished by simply checking off suggested readings under the Table of Contents (page 2) that address your patient's needs. Additionally, the booklet provides:

• My Action Plan – a goal setting tool (page 24);
• To Learn More – a listing of local and national resources (page 33);
• CVD Glossary – definitions of most frequently used terms (page 36);
• Guidelines for Individuals with CVD – important numbers that every patient should know (page 38).

MaineHealth is pleased to provide this booklet at no charge to all member and affiliate organizations. Copies can easily be obtained through J. S. McCarthy's online ordering website. If you are new to this process, please contact Elizabeth Lambert at 541-7533 or by email lambee@mmc.org to sign up for access to this system!

For more information about this topic or the Cardiovascular Health Program at MaineHealth, please contact:
Cindy Richards
Program Manager, Cardiovascular Health Program
465 Congress Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 541-7545
Email: richac2@mmc.org

MaineHealth Caring for ME and Mental Health Integration Programs complete Phase 1 of a project on integrating mental health care in primary practice!

• A standardized risk assessment that guides care planning
• A mental health specialist in the primary care office
• Care management
• Psychiatric consultation for more complex cases
• Access to specialty mental health care when necessary

Thanks to the following participants of the 18-month pilot program:
Primary Care Practice Mental Health Partner

• B Street Health Center
• Common Ties
• Greater Portland Pediatric Associates
• MMC/SHH Child Psychiatry
• Robert Merrill, MD
• Mid-Coast Mental Health
• St. Andrews Family Care Center
• St. Andrews Social Services
• Western Maine Pediatrics
• Tri-County Mental Health
• Winthrop Family Practice
• Kennebec Valley Mental Health

MaineHealth Mental Health Integration Program Receives Competitive Grant Funding

Presenting at Collaborative Family Healthcare Association Meeting

"Unraveling the Tangle: Payment and Regulations for Integrated Care in Maine" was presented by Mary Jean Mork LCSW, Neil Korsen MD MS and Girard Robinson, MD. "It's All about Relationships: Developing Partnerships in Primary Care and Mental Health" was presented by Cynthia Cartwright MSED, Mary Jean Mork LCSW, Neil Korsen MD MS, and Cindy Boyack, MD. These presentations will be available on the CFHA website along with a lot of valuable information about this organization.

Geriatric Day- April 2, 2008

Childhood Obesity Action Network Newsletter- Fall '07