News
New Terry Reilly Clinic Opens in Middleton
Terry Reilly’s new clinic in Middleton provides a full range of primary care services, from prenatal care and well-child checks to treatment of chronic disease such as diabetes. The medical clinic opened in December 2011 and provides integrated patient care six days a week. Dental services will be offered starting in early 2012. Services are available in English and Spanish.
Terry Reilly is a private, not-for-profit organization that provides care to all, based on their ability to pay. Services are available on a discounted fee basis, in accordance with family income. Medicare and Medicaid are accepted. The clinic location is 201 S. First Avenue E. and the phone number is 208-585-0048.
Terry Reilly has locations throughout the Treasure Valley. For more information, visit www.TRHS.org.
Idaho Hospitals Win National Award
Saint Mary’s and Clearwater Valley Hospitals and Clinics were named the Outstanding Rural Health Organization for 2011 by the National Rural Health Association.
The NRHA represents 62 million Americans living in rural areas. The award was presented to Casey Meza, CEO, earlier this month at their national convention in Austin, Texas. Close to 1,000 people attended the annual conference which is the largest gathering of rural health professionals in the nation.
“To have our hospitals and clinics selected from amongst the thousands of health care organizations serving rural patients is an incredible honor,” said Meza. “The hard work our staff and providers do every day is receiving recognition at a national level. Our collaborative partnership, our telemedicine program, our progress on establishing electronic medical records, our success in receiving grants and our work on establishing patient centered medical home concepts were all considered by the judges before they named us the 2011 Outstanding Rural Health Organization.”
The award is given annually to an organization that has improved access to health services and information for rural people through innovative, comprehensive approaches.
Factors considered include outreach, preventive health and education, quality and efficiency of care and strong community support and involvement.
In the award letter, NRHA CEO Alan Morgan said “…thanks for the great work you have done on behalf of rural America and the great things you will do in the future…congratulations on winning this prestigious award.”
SMHC and CVHC began partnering in 1998. Both are members of Essentia Health based in Duluth, Minnesota. Both facilities will be featured in the quarterly NRHA national magazine, Rural Roads. “Our patients also share in this honor. It is their trust and support throughout the years that inspires us to provide the highest quality healthcare in their home communities” said Meza. “We’re grateful they choose us for their care.”
The NRHA was originally formed in 1978 and currently has over 20,000 members in fifty states.
Clearwater Valley and St. Mary’s Hospitals and Clinics were named the Outstanding Rural Health Organization for 2011. Dr. Michael Meza; Kris Sparks, NRHA President; Casey Meza, CVHC/SMHC CEO; Pam McBride, Grants Officer and Dr. David Schmitz, Associate Director of Rural Family Medicine, Family Medicine Residency of Idaho are pictured with the award at the recent NRHA conference.
CHAS CEO Peg Hopkins Guest on Public Forum on Healthcare Reform
Community Health Association of Spokane CEO, Peg Hopkins, was one of several health industry participants from the Spokane, Washington area featured on the May 19 KSPS Public Forum on Healthcare Reform, "Healing Healthcare: Prescriptions for Reform," discussing the future of federal health care reform, also known as the Affordable Care Act. To view the broadcast, click here.
Idahoans Honored at 2011 NACHC Policy and Issues Forum
Two Idahoans recently received awards from their peers at the National Association of Community Health Centers 2011 Policy and Issues Forum, held in Washington DC.
Mindy Stosich, Development and Compliance Officer for Health West in Pocatello, was the recipient of the Emerging Leaders Award. Nominated by Stephen Weeg, Health West's Executive Director, Stosich has been at Health West for five years, working on an array of projects including the organization's HIPAA compliance, emergency preparedness, marketing, public relations and implementation of a new organizational platform for patient-centered approach.
Jesus Blanco, Policy Director at Idaho Primary Care Association, was one of eleven persons honored as a 2011 Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP. Blanco has worked with Community Health Centers in Idaho and Utah in the areas of advocacy, community relations, outreach and policy for the past twelve years, focusing on federal and state legislative policies that affect Idaho’s Community Health Centers.
Budget Deal Reached--Community Health Center Funding Cut $600 Million
Details of the FY2011 funding "deal" between the White House, the Senate Democratic Leadership and the House Republican Leadership were announced earlier this week. H.R. 1473 cuts $38.5 billion from the current level government spending over the next 6 months, and after an increase in Defense spending, the total domestic discretionary spending cut is about $42 billion.
Documents released by the House Appropriations Committee indicate that the Health Centers program is likely to be reduced by $600 million relative to the FY2010-enacted level of $2.19 billion. The Affordable Care Act FY2011 funding for community health centers should make up for this cut and provide an additional $100 million. The bill also contains a 0.2% across-the-board cut to all non-defense programs, including the community health centers program. A combination of Congressional documents and previous HRSA statements indicate that the highest priority will be given to keeping the FTCA fund solvent and maintaining existing services at health centers.
Based on Congressional documents and previous HRSA statements, this level of funding should allow for the following:
The ARRA New Access Points and Increased Demand for Services activities to continue at an annual cost of $250 million.
A $55 milliion increase to the Health Center Tort Claims Act Fund if needed to keep the fund solvent.
Slightly less than $100 million for health center expansion activities.
Federal Funding Cuts Set to Gut Idaho Rural Community Health Centers
It's a potent one-two punch that would mean the end of patient access at many community health centers. Idaho is cutting Medicaid coverage, which many patients use and the U.S. House of Appropriations Committee is proposing federal cuts that total more than $1 billion in community health center funding nationally.
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Adams County Health Center Hosts International Visitor
Ms. McArthur reports she was impressed with the facility and the staff at Adams County Health Center. "This is a really good working example of the operation we'd like to start implementing in New Zealand. We want to get communities more involved, and I see that that has happened here in Council."
McArthur toured the facility and met with the staff while observing a normal day's operation at the clinic. She also met with the clinic's board of directors. "They appeared to represent a diverse group of people, including those inside and outside of the health care profession. I was really impressed with how dedicated and passionate they were toward the community and the clinic.
Benewah Medical Center Celebrates 20 Years of Service
More about the history of Benewah Medical Center.
Terry Reilly Health Services to Manage Ada County Detox Center
Community leaders from Ada County and the City of Boise recently broke ground on a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Crisis Center in Boise which will open its doors March, 2010. During a press conference at the construction site, it was announced that Terry Reilly Health Services had been awarded the operations contract for the new facility.
CHC Executive Director Named A Health Care Hero Honoree
The Idaho Business Review has announced the recipients of its 2009 Idaho Health Care Heroes awards. Now in its fourth year, the Health Care Heroes program recognizes the invaluable contributions made by individuals and organizations statewide in the health care field. Ms. Denise Langston-Groves, Executive Director of Adams County Health Center, and Idaho Primary Care Association Board President, has been selected as an honoree in the Health Care Innovator category. Ms. Langston-Groves and awardees will be honored at a dinner event October 1 at the Boise Centre. Further details, click on Idaho CHC News.