Tonight, Aug. 26, from 7-8 p.m., tune in to an AMA-hosted webinar and hear from leading Veterans Administration officials on new community-based care options, known as the Veterans’ Choice Program, for VA beneficiaries. This webinar will explain how the VA is relying on private practitioners as a short-term solution to delivery problems and workforce shortages. Participants will understand the conditions of participation and learn how to troubleshoot claims processing issues and payment delays. The webinar will also dispel common misconceptions about the Choice Program and the presenters will conclude with an assessment of ongoing policy challenges. Physicians can register for the webinar here.
Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Connects will hold a National Provider Call: Countdown to ICD-10, Thursday, Aug. 27, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. to register, visit MLN Connects Event Registration. Space may be limited, register early. As of Aug. 27, it will be five weeks before ICD-10 implementation on Oct. 1, 2015. Sue Bowman from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and Nelly Leon-Chisen from the American Hospital Association (AHA) will offer coding guidance and tips, along with updates from CMS.
Move to Value Summit, the ultimate primer on value-based health care will be held at Biotech Place in Winston-Salem, Aug. 27-28. Hosted by CHESS Health Enablement Solutions and sponsored by Wake Forest Baptist Health and LabCorp, the Move to Value Summit is designed to provide you with a broad and deep understanding of what it takes to transform your fee-for-service-dependent organization to one rooted in pay-for-value. Learn more and register.
On August 31, 2015, the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition (NCHRC) and its allies will partner to host a series of events in the state in solidarity with International Overdose Awareness Day. The NCHRC is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to reducing drug overdose deaths through legislative advocacy, broad coalition building with community-based organizations and the distribution of more than 14,000 naloxone kits. Events focused on remembering loved ones lost to drug overdose and discussing solutions to the opioid abuse problem will be held in Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Greensboro and Wilmington. Details here.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold a Virtual Office Hours session regarding 2016 PQRS and the 2016 Medicare proposed rule for Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on Thursday, September 3 from 2 – 3 p.m. This session will allow stakeholders an opportunity to ask a CMS representative questions about the new proposed PQRS requirements for program year 2016. Additionally, the session will include information regarding the deadline for public comments, and the next steps for the 2016 PFS rule. The number of participants is limited. Register now.
Registration is now open for two additional NCTracks instructor-led ICD-10 training courses for providers in September 2015. The courses are on Friday, September 4, from 9 a.m. to noon and Thursday, September 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. and are in addition to those previously announced. Register for these courses in SkillPort, the NCTracks Learning Management System.
Presentation proposals for the 5th Annual National Rx Drug Abuse Summit, to be held March 28-31, 2016, are being accepted through Friday, September 11, 2015. This year, the Call for Presentations (CFP) asks potential speakers to select which of 19 topic areas best fits their proposed presentation instead of from a predetermined Educational Track. After the National Advisory Board reviews these proposals, up to 10 Educational Tracks and additional Pre-Summit Workshop topics will be selected to be offered. To download the Call for Presentations packet click here, or visit the CFP webpage.
The Triangle Health Innovation Challenge (THInC) is a three-day health care ‘hackathon’ organized by Duke University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University to be held on on Duke’s campus, Sept. 18-20. The event will bring together over 200 students, clinicians, engineers, designers and others from the Triangle area to form teams and tackle issues facing our health care system. Participants will develop, implement, test and pitch solutions to address specific pain points in health care, and compete for prizes up to $4000. Registration is $25 and includes all meals for the weekend. Our goal is to leverage the brightest minds in North Carolina to tackle real health challenges. We hope you join us. Learn more at thincweekend.org. Experienced clinicians, health executives and others are welcome to participate as mentors to help validate and refine ideas. Mentors will be scheduled for 2-hour “office hours” to meet with teams and provide feedback on their problem statement, solution and pitch. Interested mentors contact the organizers at [email protected].
Registration is now open for NCHICA’s 21st Annual Conference & Exhibition on September 13-16, 2015 at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC. This year’s theme is Transforming Healthcare from Volume to Value. The conference provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest developments and best practices in health IT and network with your peers. For further details, click here. The registration fee is $475 NCHICA members/$675 non-members. For further details, click here. Fees will increase after August 13, so please register early! NCHICA has a special group rate at the Pinehurst Resort of $205/night, which is good until August 13, 2015. For further details on how to register at the special rate, click here.
The North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence is having a Screening Training for physicians and their medical teams/staff on Sept. 18, 2015 in the Raleigh/Durham area. Topics will include best practices for intimate partner violence screening in clinical settings. More information and to register.
The North Carolina Industrial Commission will hold its 20th Annual North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference on October 14-16, 2015 at the Raleigh Convention Center. The conference provides a valuable opportunity for professionals to share information on current issues impacting the workers’ compensation arena. View the conference brochure, which includes the conference agenda and registration information. For more information, please contact Jeanne Bush or Eric Oxfeld at the International Workers’ Compensation Foundation office by telephone at (386) 677-0041, fax at (386) 677-0155, or e-mail at [email protected].
Carolinas Trauma Related Issues and Critical Knowledge Symposium (TRICKS) of Fracture Management, November 14, 2015, 8 am – 2 pm, Hilton Charlotte Center City Hotel, 222 E. 3rd St., Charlotte, NC 28202. For more information, call 704.512.6534 or visit the website.
The Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) fall course schedule is out. Find out what is being offered July through December 2015 and register today.