It may seem unlikely today, but within the next 10 years there will be widespread use of electronic health records across the country, the nation's health IT chief predicted. [Read article]

Federal News
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Blumenthal: EHRs Will Become 'An Absolute Requisite' For Docs
(02/08/2010)
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Statement of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on American Heart Month February 2010
(02/08/2010)
American Heart Month is a time to spread awareness of the dangers of heart disease and stroke, and recommit to strengthening prevention, improving treatments, and helping all Americans live longer, healthier lives. [Read article]
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A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food Out of Schools
(02/08/2010)
To fight obesity, legislation would ban candy and sugary beverages, and many schools would be required to offer more nutritious fare. [Read article]
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Nurse to Stand Trial for Reporting Doctor
(02/08/2010)
A nurse is facing third-degree felony charges for informing state regulators that a doctor at her rural hospital was practicing bad medicine. [Read article]
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Obama Plans Bipartisan Summit on Health Care
(02/08/2010)
The half-day bipartisan health care session at the White House to be televised live Feb 25 is a high-profile gambit that will allow Americans to watch as Democrats and Republicans try to break their political impasse. [Read article]
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White House Announces Televised Health Meet
(02/08/2010)
The Feb. 25 meeting of with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on health care reform is an attempt to reach across the aisle but not a signal that the president plans to start over. [Read article]
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How Would States Be Affected By Health Reform?
(02/08/2010)
This issue brief examines various pathways through which individuals could gain coverage because of the health reform proposals that have passed the Senate and the House of Representatives. [Read article]
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Obama Invites GOP Leaders To Health Care Talk
(02/08/2010)
In the first major move to revive his health care agenda after his party's loss of a filibuster-proof Senate majority, Obama on Sunday invited GOP and Democratic leaders to discuss possible compromises in a televised gathering later this month. [Read article]
State News
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Bill Would Expand Benefits For Emergency Responders
(02/08/2010)
Under Senate Bill 429 state emergency responders would be presumed qualified for taxpayer-funded public pension benefits if they’re infected with contagious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis C, under a bill before lawmakers. [Read article]
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Wisconsin On Brink Of Medicare Meltdown
(02/08/2010)
Unless the U.S. Senate acts, on March 1, seniors in Wisconsin will wake up facing a new reality where access to health care and choice of physician is severely limited - a Medicare meltdown due to a drastic 21 percent payment cut to physicians caring for Medicare patients. [Read article]
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Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
(02/08/2010)
One of the most consistent findings in psychology is that people behave differently when their environment changes. Often the easiest way to drive change is to shape the environment. This environment-shaping strategy was used to drive down hospital medication errors. [Read article]
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More Than $119 Million Awarded to States and Territories
(02/05/2010)
HHS awarded more than $119 million to states and U.S. territories to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking-the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health. [Read article]
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State of the States: The State We’re In
(02/05/2010)
Despite the constraints of the recession and uncertainty about the impact of potential federal reforms, many states made great strides in implementing local reforms in 2009. The State Coverage Initiatives report, The State We’re In, tells stories of how states: protected Medicaid during a time of rampant fiscal tightening; increased coverage for kids; responded to falling employer-sponsored coverage rates; experimented with exchanges and other ways to organize local insurance markets; addressed rising delivery system costs by improving care coordination; and explored novel ways to re-think health care payment systems. [Read article]
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Assembly Committee on Health and Healthcare Reform
(02/05/2010)
The Assembly Committee on Health and Healthcare Reform held a public hearing on February 3, 2010 at the State Capitol to discuss various health related bills. [Read article or watch/listen]
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State Residents Face Losing Unemployment Benefits
(02/05/2010)
More than 100,000 state residents could lose their unemployment benefits by the end of April unless emergency measures are taken soon. The state's unemployment fund faces a projected deficit of about $2.8 billion by the end of 2011. [Read article]
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Wisconsinites Struggle To Be Fed In Greater Numbers
(02/04/2010)
A Feeding America report, Hunger in America 2010 National Report, shows an unprecedented number of Wisconsin residents are going hungry and are in need of aid. [Listen; Read article]
Funding Opportunities
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Prize for Young Heroes – Gloria Barron
04/30/2010
The Prize honors outstanding young leaders who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Their leadership and courage make them true heroes - and inspirations to us all. Each year, the Barron Prize honors twenty-five winners nationwide. (Deadline ongoing yearly) [Funding]
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William G. Anderson, DO, Minority Scholarship - American Osteopathic Foundation
03/26/2010
Recognizes an outstanding minority osteopathic medical student who is committed to osteopathic principals and practice, has excelled academically, and has proven to be a leader in addressing the educational, societal, and health needs of minorities. [Funding]
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Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program – RWJF
03/17/2010
Seeks to increase the number of academic medicine faculty from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. [Funding]
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2010 Sherry R. Arnstein Minority Student Scholarship - American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
03/31/2010
This scholarship recognizes two osteopathic underrepresented minority students. [Funding]
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Pepsi Refresh Project
01/31/2011
The Project is an online grant program which makes available millions of dollars to be granted to projects which are intended to improve communities through an online, democratic voting process. See category: Health – fostering wellness. During the Grant Program Period, there will be twelve (12) Application periods during which Applications can be submitted, each followed by a voting period during which Applications submitted during the prior Application Period will be voted on. [Funding]
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Future of Nursing Scholarships - Western Governors University
02/15/2010
This scholarship is for RNs who want to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree to become nurse educators, managers, and leaders. [Funding]
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Community Information Needs – John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
03/08/2010
Applications from community and place-based foundations seeking to fund news and information projects. Have an idea for informing your community? Submit it to the Knight Community Information Challenge, a matching grant program that helps community and place-based foundations find creative ways to fund media projects that inform and engage residents about pressing issues. [Funding]
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Literacy Grant Program – Dollar General Literacy Foundation
02/25/2010
The need for literacy assistance isn't confined to a single age group or geographic location. That's why the programs help improve the lives of people of all ages in many different communities. [Funding]
WORH Updates
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Since July 1 of 2009, the New Physicians for Wisconsin Program at the WORH has assisted 3 communities recruit new primary care physicians. These communities are: Waupun, West Bend, and Madison. In addition to these placements, we have had physicians interview in New Richmond, Milwaukee, Beloit, Kenosha, Green Bay, West Bend, Amery, Sauk City, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin Rapids, Racine, Oregon, West Bend, and Osceola. We are hopeful that several of these interviews will end up in the placement of a new physician in the respective community. Check out the Physician Recruitment News, and Physician Recruitment Tips & Advice which is the latest physician recruitment trends, newsworthy items, and/or offer tips & advice related directly to any/all aspects of physician recruitment. [Read article]
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On November 13, 2009, WORH held the “2009 Meeting for Wisconsin Rural Health Clinics” at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative in Sauk City. Jeff Bramschreiber from Wipfli presented “Topics in RHC Billing, Cost Reporting and Reimbursement.” Bill Finerfrock, Executive Director of the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC), provided a legislative update, and the Coker Group shared information on the challenges that RHCs face with ARRA. If you did not have the opportunity to attend in-person, you can go to http://www.worh.org/Ruralwork#workshops to view the recorded sessions. [Read article]



