Rural Health Briefing
Volume XVII April 23, 2008
Rural Health Office
UA Zuckerman College of Public Health
in conjunction with the Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc.
National News
- Samonella Illnesses in Multiple States may be Linked to Recent Recalled Cereal
- Pubic Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines
- IOM: Health Care Workforce Unprepared for Aging Baby Boomers
- AHRQ Web Resources Features 100 Examples of Health Care Innovations and Tools
- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Releases its Annual Analysis of State Performance on Quality Measurements
Across Arizona
- Arizona's Governor, Janet Napolitano Proclaims April 19-26 Infant Immunization Awareness Week
- 2nd Annual Health-e Connection Summit and EAzRx Initiative Kickoff!, May 1-3, 2008
- Women are Sacred Conference, "Visioning a Life Without Violence Restoring Safety and Integrity of Native American Women.", May 5-7, 2008
- Arizona Hospitals on top 100 List.
- New Contact Information for the Arizona Rural Health Association
- Governor Signs Two Vital Health Care Bills: SB 1078 Infectious Diseases; expedited therapy and SB 1113 HIV related therapy
Grants and Opportunities
- Arizona Governor's Office, Office for Children, Youth and Families: The Governor's Tribal Capacity Project to Prevent Underage Drinking and Other Illicit Drugs Grant Program, SP-DSG-08-9212-00.
- Rural Health & Safety Education Competitive Grants Program Deadline: June 2, 2008
- Rural Youth Development Grants
Deadline: June 20, 2008
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Health Information Exchange Planning Grant Planned Offering: Late April-Early May 2008
Calendar of Upcoming Events
| May 2008 |
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May 2-3 |
Arizona Health-e Connection 2nd Annual Summit, Phoenix, AZ. Click here for registration and program details. |
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May 4-5 |
Arizona Critical Access Hospital, 3rd Annual Performance Improvement Summit, Wickenburg, AZ. Come learn, share, plan, and maximize the opportunities offered through the Critical Access Hospital designation. Click here for registration and program details. |
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May 5-6 |
Rural Medical Educators Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Come hear updated information, opportunities, successes, and issue areas of local and national efforts in rural medical education and residency training programs will be provided. Click here for registration and program details.
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May 7-10 |
NRHA 31st Annual Rural Health Conference 2008, New Orleans, LA. The conference will provide participants information and instruction on a wide variety of subjects of interest to all rural health practitioners, hospital administrators, clinic directors, state and federal rural health workers, academics, community members, and others interested in rural health issues and care. Click here for registration and program details. |
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May 21-24 |
SOPHE Midyear Scientific Conference, Harnessing the Winds of Change, Chicago, IL. This year's theme is to build on lessons learned in the past with innovative new approaches, technologies and skills to address age-old problems as well as "hot" issues. Click here for registration and program details |
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May 21 |
Diversity in the Workplace: Building the Team, Phoenix, AZ. Sponsored by The Worthy Institute, LLC, provides workshops that address health disparities among at-risk and undeserved populations. Click here for registration and program details. |
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June 4-6 |
Western Regional FLEX Conference 2008, Albuquerque, NM. Come share information and best practices with peers in the western region of the United States. Click here for conference registration. |
National News
1. Samonella Illnesses in Multiple States may be Linked to Recent Recalled Cereal
According to a U.S. Federal Drug Administration (www.fda.gov) (FDA) News release on April 12, 2008 announced at least 21 people in 13 states have been diagnosed with salmonellas caused by the same strain of Samonella found in the recent recall of Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal. The product recall was distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as under private brands which included Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Gian, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmar, Shaw's ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. The FDA advised the public to check the "Best If Used By" dates on the packages, those marked with dates from April 8, 2008 coded with PR0808 through March 18, 2009 coded as MAR1809 consumers should throw out any product from these recalled lots. For more information about this recall click the link provided below.
Click here for a link to the FDA News release.
Click here for a link to a full list of recalled products by Malt-O-Meal.
Click here for a link to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) website regarding investigation of infections caused by Samonella Agona
2. Pubic Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines Surgeon
According to a March 21, 2008 news report by the New York Times writer Jennifer Steinhauer, featured on The New York Times website (www.nytimes.com), reports an unusual outbreak of measles has startled parents in San Diego, but even the outbreak, of 12 children falling ill, does not persuade parents who are against vaccines to vaccinate their children. "I refuse to sacrifice my children for the greater good," said Sybil Carlson. Many mothers are researching vaccines and are stunned by studies that have been conducted, but not reveled to the public, connecting them with neurological disorders, asthma and immunology. While nationwide over 90 percent of children old enough to receive vaccines get them, the number of exemptions worries many health officials and experts. They say that vaccines have saved countless lives, nd that person-belief exemptions are potentially dangerous and bad public policy because they are not based on sound science. "If you have clusters of exemptions, you increase the risk of exposing everyone in the community," said Dr. Omer, who has extensively studied disease outbreaks and vaccines. Steinhauer gives several incidents where outbreaks were initiated by unvaccinated clusters; Steinhauer clearly agrees with the health officials and experts that a cluster of uninoculated individuals can set off a disease outbreak.
Click here for the link to The New York Times news story
3. IOM: Health Care Workforce Unprepared for Aging Baby Boomers
According to a April 14, 2008 news report released by the Institute of Medicine (www.nationalacademies.org) fundamental reform is needed to deal with the way the nations' health care workforce is trained and used. The report calls for financial incentives to increase the number of geriatric specialist in every health profession. The report also states the need for Medicare and health care insurers to remove disincentives preventing health care providers from implementing new models of care delivery. The report, Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce speaks about the rowing population of the nations senior citizens (approximately 20% of the US population) and the lack of health care providers needed to care for their health needs. To view the report brief click the link below.
Click here for the link to the Report Brief
Click here for the Report Brief in Spanish
Click here for the link to the Fact Sheet (PDF Document)
Click here for the National Academies News Release
4. AHRQ Web Resource Features 100 Examples of Health Care
Innovations and Tools (www.ahrq.gov). The Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality on veiled its new web resource on April 14, 2008. The resource is called the Health Care Innovations Exchange and is available at www.innovations.ahrq.gov The website is designed to aid health care professionals in sharing and adopting innovations that improve the delivery of care to patients. For more information on this valuable website click the link below.
Click here for the Health Care Innovations website.
5. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Releases its Annual Analysis of State Performance on Quality Measurements
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recently released State Snapshots, which provide State-specific health care quality information takes individual looks at every state and the District of Columbia, include 149 separate measures of quality, 20 more than last year's 129 measures. The analysis also has a new feature to track state progress on meeting federal goals through the Healthy People 2010 initiative.
Click here for State Snapshots.
Click here for the National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)
Across Arizona
1. Arizona's Governor, Janet Napolitano Proclaims April 19-26 "Infant Immunization Awareness Week."
According to a Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) News Release dated April 14, 2008, Governor Janet Napolitano has declared the week of April 19-26 as "Infant Immunization Awareness Week." The outbreak of 11 confirmed cases of measles in Pima County has stressed the importance of immunizations for Arizona residents. Six of the cases are children and the rest are adults. The outbreak has been centered in Tucson, health care providers are on the lookout for measles outbreaks in other counties and in other states. Measles is an extremely contagious viral disease but is preventable with vaccination of the MMR vaccine. For more information regarding measles vaccination and "what you should know" click the link below to the Center of Disease Control (CDC)(www.cdc.gov) website. The website provides information about the disease, vaccine information, beliefs & concerns, vaccine safety, and answers the question of "who should be vaccinated."
Click here for the ADHS News Release.
Click here for to view the CDC's measles website.
2. 2nd Annual Health-e Connection Summit and EAzRx Initiative Kickoff!, May 1-3, 2008
Arizona Health-e Connection is excited to announce that registration is now open for the Arizona Health-e Connection 2nd Annual Summit on May 2nd and 3rd at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Summit web page, available at www.azhec.org/2008summit, connects you to the following information; a tentative agenda, hotel and parking information, a list of all 2008 Summit sponsors and exhibitors to date, and last year’s (2007) summit presentations. The Saturday session is focused on e-prescribing and EMR adoption as part of the EAzRx Initiative; docs are encouraged to attend.
Click here for conference registration information.
3. Women are Sacred Conference, "Visioning a Life Without Violence Restoring Safety and Integrity of Native American Women"
The Sacred Circle, National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women in partnership with Mending The Sacred Hoop, Tribal Law and Policy Institute, and Clan Star, Inc. will be sponsoring Women Are Sacred conference in Phoenix, AZ, May 5-7, 2008. The conference will be centered on addressing issues key to ending violence against Native women. Who should attend; Native women, advocates, leaders, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, health care providers, community-based first responders and community members. Learn together, share and exchange information about work to end violence in Native communities.
Click here for more information on the conference.
Click here for conference agenda
Click here for registration information
4. Arizona Hospitals on top 100 List.
This year's list of the "100 Top Hospitals" National Benchmarks for Success" include 28 newcomers to the 15th annual roster of some of the nation's best facilities. Three Arizona hospitals were mentioned in the top 100 list these included; University Medical Center, Tucson, made it in major teaching hospitals, Northwest Medical Center, Tucson, made it in large community hospitals (250 or more acute-care beds), and La Paz Regional Hospital, Parker, made it in the category of hospitals with over 25 and under 99 beds. The list was prepared by Thomson Healthcare which appeared in the March 17 issue of Modern Healthcare's (www.modernhealthcare.com) website.
Click here for the full 100 Top Hospitals-2007
5. New Contact Information for the Arizona Rural Health Association (AZRHA)
New contact information for the Arizona Rural Health Association is as follows:
Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc.
2066 W. Apache Trail, Suite 116
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
Phone Number (New): 1-800-390-8004
President for 2007-2008 is Rick Swanson
Email is: info@azrha.org
Board President for 2007-2008: Rick Swanson (rick@northcountrychc.org)
6. Governor Signs Two Bills SB 1078 Infectious Diseases; expedited therapy and SB 1113 HIV related therapy
On April 4, 2008, Arizona Governor, Janet Naolitano. signed two important health care bills tSB 1078 infectious disease; expedited therapy and SB 1113 HIV testing. SB 1078 Infectious Diseases; expedited therapy will permit health care providers to prescribe medication (antibiotics) to contacts of cases without an examination. Physicians will also be able to prescribe antibiotics for sexual contacts of gonorrhea and chlymidia patients without an exam. Signing of this bill is a major step in improving the ability to make some headway with these STDs. SB 1113 HIV-related testing cuts the paperwork needed for consent for HIV testing. The new requirements will make HIV testing easier, the consent paperwork will be reduced from 4 forms to 1 form. The bills will take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.
Grants and Opportunities
Note: Technical assistance is available for the development of grant proposals and other funding applications from the professional staff of the Rural Health Office and the State Office of Rural Health Program. Please contact Jennifer Peters.
1. Arizona Governor's Office, Office for Children, Youth and Families: The Governor's Tribal Capacity Project to Prevent Underage Drinking and Other Illicit Drugs Grant Program, SP-DSG-08-9212-00.
Deadline: June 1, 2008
This Grant Application is soliciting eligible entities from tribes throughout the state to apply for funding to implement steps one (1) through three (3) of the Strategic Prevention Framework Grant to conduct a community needs assessment, build capacity to address needs, and develop a plan to address substance abuse problems in the community. Emphasis should be placed on steps one (1) and two (2), to conduct a needs assessment and to build capacity to address needs. There are minimal expectations for step three (3), to develop a plan to address substance abuse problems in the community.
Click here for full announcement details.
Click here for Grant Application
2. Rural Health & Safety Education Competitive Grants Program
Deadline: June 2, 2008
The Rural Heath and Safety Education Program is under Section 502(i of Title V of the Rural Development Act of 1972, as amended (7 U.S.C.2662) and addresses the Individual and Family Health Education component of this grant authorization. The Rural Health and Safety Education Program focuses on issues related to aging in one or more of three areas: 1) population aging in rural areas; 2) eldercare or care giving and its impact on rural and farm families; and/or 3) related issues of rural health care to provide older individuals and families with: (1) Information as to the value of good health in an era of population aging; (2) Information to increase the older adult individual or family’s motivation take more responsibility for their own health; (3) Access by older adults to health promotion and educational activities; (4) Trained health and allied health professionals or paraprofessionals committed to rural health and care of aging population; and (5) Training for volunteers and health services providers concerning health promotion and health care services for rural older adult populations, in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services. The award ceiling is $350,000.
The brief announcement is available here.
Click here for full announcement details.
3. Rural Youth Development Grants
Deadline: June 20, 2008
Rural youth encounter economic and physical barriers that prevent them from receiving adequate care, services, or resources necessary for healthily development. The Rural Youth Development Grants Program is intended to breakdown barriers to participation, especially for rural youth; enhance opportunities for youth involvement in policy and decision-making; create safe and inviting environments for youth activities; and improve access to information and technology. The overall goal of the program is to provide opportunities for rural youth to improve their own lives and the communities in which they live. Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-CSREES-F4HN-001465. Award Ceiling: $549,000.
The brief announcement is available here.
Click here for full announcement details.
4. Health Information Exchange Planning Grant Planned Offering Late April - Early May 2008
The Rural Health Information Technology Adoption (RHITA) announced the planned offering of the Health Information Exchange Planning Grant. The grant will be funded though RHITA which was established to support Governor Napolitano's Executive Order 2005-25 calling for Arizona to achieve statewide electronic health data exchange.
The Grant will assist Arizona rural healthcare providers as they shape their region’s future in secure health information exchange. Through collaboration, it will support:
- convening stakeholders,
- garnering long-term leadership support,
- formulating a viable business foundation,
- crafting an approach to governance, and
- identifying ways to provide a private, secure platform for patient health information exchange.
The Government Information Technology Agency (GITA) will utilize the Arizona State Procurement Office’s SPIRIT eProcurement System to issue “Letters of Intent to Issue a Solicitation” for this Request for Grant. It is the sole responsibility of all potential applicants to register on SPIRIT and select Commodity Code 0952-0130 for Human Services Planning to receive notification of this Grant. If your organization has already registered on SPIRIT, please verify that you have selected Code 0952-0130 for Human Services Planning.
To access SPIRIT go too: http://www.azspo.az.gov/spirittoc.htm.
For additional information contact: John Eric Thomas,
Project Manager, Rural Health Grant Program,
Government Information Technology Agency,
State of Arizona,
100 North 15th Avenue, Suite 440.
Phoenix, Arizona 85007.
602-364-4858.
Email: ethomas@azgita.gov .
Click here for the Arizona Government Information Technology Agency
Contact Your Representatives
a. Arizona Congressional Delegation: Links to Arizona members of the U.S. House of Representatives are available at: U.S. Representatives. Links to Arizona members of the U.S. Senate are available at: U.S. Senate
b. Arizona State Legislators: Available through the Arizona Legislative Information System (ALIS): Call 1-800-352-8404 or follow links at Arizona Legislature.
Important Links:
Editor's Note: This online newsletter is a joint project of the Rural Health Office housed at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, and the Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. The mission of the Rural Health Office is to promote the health of rural and medically undeserved individuals, families, and communities through service, education and research. The Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. advocates on behalf of the health needs of rural Arizonans at national, state and local levels. Its multidisciplinary membership provides a respected and highly effective group of rural health practitioners and rural community residents. For example, the AzRHA, Inc. has actively and successfully advocated with the state legislature for funding for telemedicine and mobile clinics in all fifteen counties of the state. Your questions (or answers) are always welcome. Please send them as well as address changes to Sharon Van Skiver, the new RHO Administrative Associate.
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