Tuesday,  staff at Rock Quarry Road Family Medicine (along with partner Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties)  offered mini-classes on nutrition and diabetes education to patients while they waited for their appointments. The event resulted in over 50 registrations for future classes by both organizations.   Thanks to Registered Dietician Doris Nicolas-Mir and LCSW Patricia Rickenbaker  for their time and talent. We all agreed the event helped educate patients on the many support services we offer at Wake Health Services,  and should be repeated at least quarterly.  These “wraparound services” are unique to Community Health Centers  and events like this one help demonstrate how our model of care is at the center of healthcare reform.

Horizon Health Center hosted a Community Breakfast on Wednesday  for patients, family and friends.  Practice manager Sabrina Pellegrino estimated over 50 people stopped by, of which about 20  were new faces.  Inter-Faith Food Shuttle catered the event through their Culinary Job Training Program which provides an opportunity for people in soup lines and shelters to break the cycle of poverty by obtaining meaningful employment in a food service position.  In addition, staff distributed take-away food bags and information about Horizon to the homeless at Moore Square. Thanks to staff below for another successful outreach effort on behalf of our neighbors most in need!

About 50  little “deputies”  showed up for Sheriff Tuffy Tooth at New Bern Ridge Pediatrics and Family Dental Center on Thursday for our last Health Center Week event.  Thanks to Poe Education Center for bringing the entertainment and educating the kids about dental health.   Thanks to Teandra Ramos, Dr. Rickert, and the pediatric and dental staff who facilitated the fun by calling patients in advance, engaging the kids and registering new patients. The dental practice registered  4 new families into our dental program and staff saw lots of possibilities for expanding  the event next year.

Raleigh,NC— In celebration of National Health Center Week (August 8-14^th), Wake Health Services will host activities focusing on wraparound services and the unique integrative healthcare model used in Community Health Centers.  Community Health Centers are federally-designated nonprofit primary care practices created 45 years ago to provide healthcare to the uninsured and underserved in high need areas. Wake Health Services cares for over 25,000 patients, and is one of only 27 Community Health Centers in North Carolina which have been identified by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as key providers of quality and cost-effective medical care.  

In addition to offering a discount fee program for the uninsured, Community Health Centers incorporate wraparound services such as dental care, behavioral health counseling, diabetes education, nutrition counseling and case management into overall medical care.  Wake Health Services is collaborating with community partners Poe Center for Health Education and Community Care of Wake and Johnson Counties to bring the following activities during National Health Center Week..

 ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO PATIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.

Take Control of Your Health!   Tuesday, August 10

What:
Free mini-classes on steps patients can take to improve their overall health and well-being: 
Step 1Living Healthy Tips and class registration— Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties
Step 2 Living with Diabetes— Doris Nicolas-Mir, Registered Dietician
Step 3Wellness Coaching for Heart, Mind and Soul— Patricia Rickenbaker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

When:                    
Tuesday , Aug. 10, 2010, FREE Mini-classes throughout the day 9am to 3pm.

Where:                 
Rock Quarry Road Family Medicine, an office of Wake Health Services,  1001 Rock Quarry Rd., Raleigh

Who:                    
 Wake Health Services, Inc. and Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties

Community Breakfast  Wednesday, Aug. 11

What:                   
Community Breakfast and Health Screenings (catered by Inter-Faith Food Shuttle)

When:                  
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 8am-10:30am

Where:                
Horizon Health Center for the Homeless, an office of Wake Health Services, 102. N. Tarboro Road, Raleigh

Who:                    
Wake Health Services, Inc.

Treats For Your Teeth  Thursday, Aug. 12

What:                    
Sheriff Tuffy Tooth, an animated talking tooth, and Deputy Bucky, a horse puppet,  help teach children and their parents the importance of tooth brushing, eating healthy foods and visiting the dentist—as soon as the first tooth comes in.  Healthy Teeth Goody Bags, snacks and giveaways will be distributed.  Registration for dental appointments will also be available.

When:                  
Thursday, August 12, 10am-12 noon and 2pm-5:00pm

Where:                
New Bern Ridge Pediatrics & Family Dentistry, an office of Wake Health Services, 2620 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh

Who:                    
Wake Health Services, Inc. and Poe Center for Health Education

America’s community health centers are a vital component of our health care system, providing underserved communities access to coordinated primary and preventive care.  During National Health Center Week, we recognize the important work of community health centers for their role in providing quality, accessible, and affordable patient care as we strive to build a health care system equipped for the 21st century.

Today, community health centers serve nearly 19 million patients across our Nation, and they are essential for underserved communities and vulnerable populations.  They provide care to those who need it most, including millions of Americans with no medical insurance and whose illnesses might otherwise result in an unmet medical need or emergency room visit.  As comprehensive wellness hubs, community health centers diagnose and treat illness and injury, and emphasize preventive care and wellness practices.  Rooted in community-based and patient-centered care, they also respond to the unique needs of their local communities by conducting outreach and education, ensuring patients can communicate with their providers, and linking patients with social services.

My Administration has made significant investments in community health centers.  Serving as an economic anchor in many low income and economically struggling communities, community health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has already provided unprecedented investments in the construction and renovation of community health centers so they can expand their staff and facilities, adopt health information technology systems, and meet their critical care needs.

The reforms in the landmark new health care law, the Affordable Care Act, also strengthen and build upon our existing system of health care centers.  This law invests $11 billion in funding over the next 5 years, enabling community health centers to serve nearly double the number of patients currently receiving care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.  It also finances the construction of hundreds of new community health centers, bringing high quality health care, jobs, and economic benefits to countless individuals and communities.

Community health centers are at the heart of a modern, reformed health care system in America.  We must continue to invest in these centers and ensure that comprehensive, culturally competent, and quality primary health care services are accessible in every community across our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week of August 8 through August 14, 2010, as National Health Center Week.  I encourage all Americans to celebrate this week by visiting their local community health center, meeting local health center providers, and exploring the programs they offer to keep their families healthy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

CARRBORO, N.C. — The federal government will dole out $1 billion in the coming months to community health centers nationwide so they can expand to accommodate the crush of patients health care reform is expected to bring.

The money, which health centers must apply for, is part of $11 billion the government will allocate to community health centers in the next few years under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Federal funds will help the centers hire staff, provide services, convert paper medical records to electronic ones and add exam rooms.

"This expansion is something we're really looking forward to because we can finally see more people," said Brian Toomey, chief executive of Piedmont Health Services Inc., a nonprofit company that operates centers in Burlington, Carrboro, Moncure, Prospect Hill and Siler City.

See full WRALreport here.

• Reporter: Renee Chou
• Photographer: Edward Wilson
• Producer: Martha Woodward
• Web Editor: Matthew Burns

Source: Commonwealth Fund

Community health centers that are closely affiliated with hospitals have fewer difficulties getting their patients appointments for specialty procedures like x-rays, diagnostic tests, and visits with specialist physicians, according to a new Commonwealth Fund survey of community health centers released today. Centers without hospital affiliations reported they had more difficulty getting off-site specialty appointments regardless of a patient’s insurance status—pointing to the need for incentives that will promote connections between health centers and specialty care providers.

The report, Enhancing the Capacity of Community Health Centers to Achieve High Performance, is a comprehensive national survey of nearly 800 Federally Qualified Health Centers across the country. It examines centers’ capacity to provide high quality health care and function as patient-centered medical homes. See full report here.

News and Observer 6/29/2010
Amanda Chan

One in five kids between ages 6 and 11 is obese, according to federal estimates, and a lot of that can be attributed to poor eating habits. Nutritionists and doctors agree that eating too many foods with added sugar and sodium can lead to weight gain and diabetes and, down the road, to heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

Here are five common offenders and what children can eat instead:

Fruit juice and fruit drinks

Juice and juice drinks tend to be high in sugar and calories. Children 1 to 6 should have no more than 4 to 6 ounces of juice a day. Those 7 to 18 can have a serving double that, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.

Instead, try diluted juice. Give a 1- or 2-year-old an ounce of pure juice mixed with 3 ounces of water. Then, the child can drink that juice mixture four times a day. The best option, though, is to ditch juice and eat fruit.

Convenience meals

Parents often turn to ready-made frozen meals for a quick supper. But preservatives and sodium far outweigh the convenience, and the meals rarely contain vegetables.

Instead, cut back on the number of times a week you serve these convenience foods, and start cooking simple meals. Baked chicken, baked potatoes and steamed carrots aren't that hard to make and are much more healthful.

Breakfast bars and energy bars

Not all bars are created alike, but most are packed with sugar. Breakfast bars like Nutri-Grain cereal bars are occasionally OK because they do have some form of grain. But these shouldn't be eaten regularly nor as a stand-alone breakfast.

Instead, opt for granola, whole-grain toast or hot oatmeal.

Hot dogs and chicken nuggets

These well-loved choices are the saviors of busy parents with picky children. But hot dogs are made of processed parts with lots of sodium and additives. Chicken nuggets also have too much of the bad things and not enough of the good.

Instead, buy preservative-free, all-meat hot dogs, like chicken hot dogs. And for chicken nuggets, make your own by rolling chicken breasts in egg whites and bread crumbs and baking.

Whole milk

We know that milk is good for you, especially in promoting strong bones and teeth. But the saturated fat and cholesterol in whole milk is so high that the artery-clogging disadvantages outweigh nutritional benefits.

Instead, children older than 1 should drink 1-percent or skim milk. It may seem watered down, but it actually has more concentrated vitamins and minerals because of the removed fat. Other high-protein milk options include soy and almond milk.

Sources: Sheree Vodicka, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman and communications manager at N.C. Division of Public Health; Dr. Chris Magryt; Jenny Favret, nutritionist at Duke Children's Healthy Lifestyles program; Suzanne Hobbs, UNC-CH School of Public Health faculty member. photos: istock.com.

Administration Investments Will Help Train and Develop 16,000 New Providers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a series of new investments worth $250 million to increase the number of health care providers and strengthen the primary care workforce.  The new investments were made possible by the Affordable Care Act.  Sebelius was joined for the announcement by U.S. Representative Lois Capps, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Dr. Mary Wakefield, and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard K. Koh.

Communities across the country have long suffered from a shortage of primary care providers. Without action, experts project a continued primary care shortfall due to the needs of an aging population and a decline in the number of medical students choosing primary care. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimated that the nation would have a shortage of approximately 21,000 primary care physicians in 2015. Building on the earlier investments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Affordable Care Act, particularly for the National Health Service Corps, the investments announced today will support the training and development of more than 16,000 new primary care providers over the next five years.

“These new investments will strengthen our primary care workforce to ensure that more Americans can get the quality care they need to stay healthy,” said Secretary Sebelius. “Primary care providers are on the front line in helping Americans stay healthy by preventing disease, treating illness, and helping to manage chronic conditions.  These investments build on the Administration’s strong commitment to training the primary care doctors and nurses of tomorrow and improving both health care quality and access for Americans throughout the country.”

“The Affordable Care Act's goal of increasing access to quality, affordable care can only be accomplished if we train the next generation of health professionals to provide it,” said Representative Capps. “This critical investment will help alleviate the current shortage of primary health care providers including physicians, physician assistants and nurses. Increasing the number of primary care professionals will allow us to place an increased emphasis on preventive care and wellness – something I’ve devoted my life to as a public health nurse -- making this country healthier in the long run. I applaud the President, Secretary Sebelius, Assistant Secretary Koh and Administrator Wakefield for swiftly working to roll out this important provision of health care reform."

The investments announced today in the primary care workforce are the first allocation from the new $500 million Prevention and Public Health fund for fiscal year 2010, created by the Affordable Care Act. Half of this fund – $250 million – will be used to boost the supply of primary care providers in this country by providing new resources for:

• Creating additional primary care residency slots:  $168 million for training more than 500 new primary care physicians by 2015;
• Supporting physician assistant training in primary care:  $32 million for supporting the development of more than 600 new physician assistants, who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physician, and can be trained in a shorter period of time compared to physicians;
• Encouraging students to pursue full-time nursing careers:  $30 million for encouraging over 600 nursing students to attend school full-time so that they have better odds of completing their education;
• Establishing new nurse practitioner-led clinics:  $15 million for the operation of 10 nurse-managed health clinics which assist in the training of nurse practitioners.  These clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners, which provide comprehensive primary health care services to populations living in medically underserved communities.
• Encouraging states to plan for and address health professional workforce needs:  $5 million for states to plan and implement innovative strategies to expand their primary care workforce by 10 to 25 percent over ten years to meet increased demand for primary care services.

“With these health care workforce investments, we have a unique opportunity to further strengthen our primary care workforce for the future,” said Dr. Wakefield.  “Today’s announcement is a strong indication of our commitment and one of many steps in the right direction.”  

A fact sheet can be found at: http://www.healthreform.gov/newsroom/primarycareworkforce.html

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