Significant Increase in Congenital Syphillis Cases

KDHE

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE’s) Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention is alerting Kansas providers of the significant increase in congenital syphilis cases during the current calendar year. There have been six cases of congenital syphilis reported to KDHE so far in 2018, compared to only a single case in the previous five years. This reflects the alarming national trends observed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who recently reported that rates of congenital syphilis have more than doubled over the past five years, with 2017 having the highest number of reported cases in 20 years. All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis at the first prenatal visit. For women who are at high risk for syphilis, live in areas of high syphilis morbidity, are previously untested, or had a positive screening test in the first trimester, the syphilis screening test should be repeated during the third trimester (28 to 32 weeks gestation) and again at delivery. Any woman who delivers a stillborn infant after 20 week’s gestation should also be tested for syphilis. Read KDHE notice.

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Peer Support Program Now Available for Families with Children with Special Needs

KDHE

Families of children with special needs benefit from the care and support that can only be offered by others who have shared their experience. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Special Health Services Family Advisory Council (SHS-FAC) announce a new peer-support initiative in Kansas – Supporting You – that will enable individuals and families who have similar experiences to communicate and gain support from one another, by sharing ideas, resources and strategies to meet the needs of their children. Please share this new initiative with your patients with special needs children.This is a great opportunity to seek assistance or volunteer. More information can be found on the Supporting You website at or by contacting Heather Smith, Special Health Services Director, at 785-296-4747. 

 

 

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Showcase Your Healthcare Providers in Rural Kansas Photo Contest

KUMC

The Rural Kansas Photo Contest entry ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21. Showcase your healthcare providers in the Healthcare Heroes category! Focus on a healthcare hero in your community. Grab your camera and shoot a portrait or casual shot and provide a few sentences on why this healthcare hero has earned his/her cape (individuals or a group of any healthcare providers or first responders). For contest details, categories and entry form, visit Rural Kansas Photo Contest. Please share this with your office staff.

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Information Card Available for KanCare Enrollees

NAMI

KAFP encourages you to print and distribute these palm cards to your KanCare enrolled patients, outlining the expanded benefits for tobacco cessation. Benefits include prescribed medications and counseling for for tobacco cessation. Give your patients a better chance of succeeding quitting tobacco for good with these resources!

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MIPS: Audit Readiness

TMF Health Quality Institute

Under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will conduct an annual data validation process. Clinicians will be randomly selected for the audit. While it is unknown how many clinicians will receive a request, historical programs audited approximately one in 10 clinicians.

CMS makes available the criteria used to audit and validate measures and activities for the Quality, Promoting Interoperability and Improvement Activities categories of MIPS.

Helpful hints for audit readiness:

  1. Maintain readiness by performing a mock audit.
  2. As you prepare for MIPS submission, prepare for an audit as well by keeping all required documentation in a secure location.
  3. When saving documentation, it is recommended to save in at least two different formats (e.g., paper format in a binder, electronically saved to a local desktop computer or server, a flash drive or the TMF MIPS Toolbox).
  4. Be sure to organize documents by program year and by group or individual clinician, based on reporting method.

  Read the article for more information about how to be prepared in case of an audit.

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Last day to register to vote is October 16

KAFP

The upcoming election is an important one and KAFP urges YOU to vote!  To assist you in preparing to vote, KAFP provides this non-partisan Kansas Voter Registration information:

 You need to register if you meet one of these criteria:  
  • You’re not currently registered: check your registration status
  • You’ve changed your name
  • You’ve moved or changed your address
  • You want to change your party affiliation
Last date to register before next election: October 16, 2018
Registration forms available:
When to vote:  Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Locate your polling place.

Need an advance voting application?  Call your county election office to request one.

If you have questions, call toll-free 1-800-262-VOTE (8683).

How to evaluate the candidates, decide your vote: 
  • League of Women Voters surveys candidates with pertinent Q&A and provides a helpful non-partisan Voter Guide.
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Don’t Forget the Immunization Administration Code

AAFP

Immunization administration codes are often overlooked, yet billing them helps to cover the time, energy, and supplies required to administer vaccines. Use this short list to quickly select the right code: click here.

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What You Should Know for the 2018 – 2019 Flu Season

CDC

Getting a flu vaccine every year is the best way for your patients to protect themselves and their family from flu and its potentially serious complications. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated by the end of October.

What is new this flu season?

• Flu vaccines have been updated to better match circulating flu viruses
• Any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccines are recommended
• The nasal spray flu vaccine (LAIV) is again a vaccine option. Ask your health care provider about what vaccine is right for you

Learn more about what’s new for the 2018-2019 flu season.

Fight flu this season by getting your flu vaccine and encouraging your patients to protect themselves and their loved ones by doing the same. Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #FightFlu.

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Heart Attack Risk Doubles for Daily E-cigarette Users

AAFP

Using e-cigarettes every day almost doubles the risk for myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.  The authors of the study also found that concurrent use of both e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes, which was the most common usage pattern among e-cigarette users, was far more dangerous than using either product alone.

Read the entire article here.

 

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Tune in for Navigating Rural Health Resources Webinar, October 9

KRHIS

The Kansas Office of Primary Care and Rural Health invites you to the latest webinar in the Navigating Rural Health Resources series! The webinar will provide information about: Immunize Kansas Coalition, Office of Primary Care & Rural Health Overview and National Rural Health Day Activities.

Navigating Rural Health Resources Webinar-October 2018
Tuesday, October 9, 2018; 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Register today!

 

 

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