Eighty percent of physicians in a recent survey said they believe that the Apple iPad has an "exciting future in healthcare"--but they doubt it is ready for clinical use. One barrier to clinical use of iPads today is the attitude of hospitals. "Seventy-five percent of physicians interviewed reported that hospital IT [staff] was resistant to supporting personal mobile devices on the corporate network," the Spyglass Consulting Group release said. "Hospital IT believes personal devices are insecure, less reliable, and more expensive to deploy, support and maintain than desktop computers." (Source: InformationWeek Healthcare) [Read article]
Federal News
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Physicians: iPad Not Ready For Clinical Use
(02/03/2012)
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House Bill Would Gouge Rural Transit
(02/03/2012)
Rural transportation leaders are speaking out against a proposal before Congress that would cut funding for needed public transit programs. (Source: Daily Yonder) [Read article]
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Next Steps for ACOs
(02/03/2012)
The brief provides an overview of ACOs, their origins, and the current status of adoption by Medicare and private health insurance plans. The authors say the ACO approach may appeal to many more health plans because it provides a model for an intermediate form of delivery. The brief also examines the five-year Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration’s results suggesting that ACOs will be able to improve the quality of care they deliver, but could have a hard time generating savings. (Source: RWJF) [Read article]
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Obama Administration Announces Pilot Program to Help Rural Borrowers Refinance Mortgages, Get Lower Interest Rates
(02/03/2012)
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a pilot program to help rural borrowers refinance their mortgages to reduce their monthly payments. This initiative is part of the Administration's ongoing efforts to help middle class families, create jobs, and strengthen the economy. The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Rural Refinance Pilot Program will operate in 19 states for homeowners who have loans that were made or guaranteed by USDA Rural Development. These states are among those hardest hit by the downturn in the housing market. (Source: USDA) [Read article]
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Say Cheese, Carrots! Veggie Photos in Lunch Trays Boost Consumption
(02/03/2012)
The simple act of putting photos of green beans and carrots in cafeteria-tray compartments sparked increased consumption among elementary-school students, according to a small study that suggests one more potential avenue for getting kids to eat their veggies. Researchers from the University of Minnesota compared carrot and green-bean consumption on a control day — with the usual cafeteria trays — to consumption on a day in which photographs of the two veggies were placed in tray compartments. (Source: Wall Street Journal) [Read article]
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Obama Says Seniors Have Saved on Medicare ‘Doughnut Hole’
(02/03/2012)
The Obama administration is touting good news for seniors from the health-care overhaul law, pointing to $2.1 billion in discounts on prescription drugs for 3.6 million older consumers in 2011. Part of the law was intended to fill the gap in prescription-drug coverage, the so-called doughnut hole, when Medicare beneficiaries have to to pay up to $4,550 out of pocket for drugs after their costs pass $2,840 for the year. (Source: Wall Street Journal Blog) [Read article]
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Digital Doctoring
(02/03/2012)
In the book "The Creative Destruction of Medicine," author Dr. Topol, a prominent cardiologist and geneticist, envisions a technology-enhanced future where new tools are integrated into diagnosing and treating patients, transforming the handling of common medical problems. The digital revolution can spur unprecedented advances in the medical sciences. (Source: Wall Street Journal) [Read article]
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American Board of Physician Specialties Renews Partnership with the National Rural Health Association to Promote Rural Health
(02/03/2012)
In addition to its focus on providing leadership on rural physician workforce issues, ABPS invites all NRHA partners to join in promoting public awareness for disaster medicine preparedness and response planning in rural America. (Source: PRWeb) [Read article]
State News
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Map Pinpoints Lyme Disease Risk Areas
(02/03/2012)
Researchers who spent three years dragging sheets of fabric through the woods to snag ticks have created a detailed map they claim could improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. The map shows a clear risk of Lyme disease across much of the Northeast, from Maine to northern Virginia. Researchers also identified a distinct high-risk region in the upper Midwest, including most of Wisconsin, northern Minnesota and a sliver of northern Illinois. (Source: La Crosse Tribune) [Read article]
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Audit: Unusual Spending In Food Stamp Program
(02/03/2012)
A nonpartisan audit is raising suspicions about unusual out-of-state spending in Wisconsin's food stamp program. The Legislative Audit Bureau reports today that a portion of recipients on the Wisconsin FoodShare program spent almost $33 million outside the state last year. (Source: La Crosse Tribune) [Read article]
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Letter: Volunteer To Help Drive Those In Need
(02/03/2012)
North Central Health Care is looking for volunteer drivers for the Marathon County Transportation Program. This program was created in 2002 to take needy people to their medical and personal appointments. However, due to increasing demands for rides, we are finding that we are in need of more drivers to accommodate the rides requested. (Source: Wausau Daily Herald) [Read article]
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We Energies: First Responders
(02/03/2012)
We Energies support first responders and other emergency personnel response to fires and other emergencies involving electricity and/or natural gas by providing training and material. (Source: We Energies) [Website]
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Wisconsin Utilities Association Offers Free Online Training For Emergency Responders
(02/03/2012)
Electricity and natural gas are two of the most common hazards at an emergency scene. The Wisconsin Utilities Association (WUA) is partnering with Callan and Associates to offer the “Responding to Utility Emergencies” course. The online training program covers the dangers that first responders must deal with when utilities are involved at an emergency. (Source: WePartner) [Read article]
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Dane County: Partners With Farmers Union To Develop Business Plan For Regional Local Foods Hub
(02/03/2012)
According to a Food Hub Feasibility Study completed by Dane County in 2011, a regional local foods hub would enable area farmers to aggregate their produce, and provide storage, packing and distribution, limited processing, and private labeling for interested large volume buyers in the Midwest. Buyers could include distributors, grocery stores, hospitals, hotels, and schools. (Source: WisBusiness.com) [Read article]
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Medicaid Audit Reveals Challenges
(02/03/2012)
An audit of a big state program shows challenges ahead. A state senator says the audit of the state’s $7.5 billion Medicaid program highlights the need for good data for lawmakers charged with overseeing it. “For example, how much precisely we’re spending on Family Care. How much precisely we’re spending on Senior Care, and a number of other programs.” (Source: WI Radio Network) [Read article]
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State Health Programs Face $141M Shortfall
(02/03/2012)
Wisconsin medical programs are facing budget shortfalls which could potentially take away health insurance for 30,000 children. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a report that estimates a $141 million shortfall in the budget for Wisconsin Medical Assistance Programs. According to the report, if the changes are approved by the federal government, around 29,100 children would no longer be enrolled in the program. The lack of coverage would stem from either new ineligibility or forced dropped enrollment because of high premiums proposed under the waiver request. (Source: Badger Herald) [Read article]
Funding Opportunities
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Child Welfare Foundation Grants
07/15/2012
Accepted proposals from nonprofit organizations for projects which meet one of the Foundation’s two basic purposes: To contribute to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual welfare of children through the dissemination of knowledge about new and innovative organizations and/or their programs designed to benefit youth; and To contribute to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual welfare of children through the dissemination of knowledge already possessed by well-established organizations, to the end that such information can be more adequately used by society. [Funding]
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Scholarships and Research Grants – American School of Health Association
04/06/2012
ASHA provides financial assistance to students whose academic and professional goals include the health of youth. Three scholarships of $1000.00 annually, one each to students in these specializations: School Health Education; School Nursing; and Pediatric / Adolescent Medicine or Dentistry. The Association also provides financial support for students to complete research in areas related to the mission of ASHA. [Funding]
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Community Relations - Ameriprise Financial
09/01/2012
The goal of the Program is: use resources and talents to improve the lives of individuals and build strong communities. Community outreach focuses on three key priorities: Meeting Basic Needs; Supporting Community Vitality; and Volunteer-Driven Causes. [Annual submission deadlines: February 1, May 1 and September 1] [Funding]
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Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program
03/15/2012
The Program was established to increase the number of faculty from historically disadvantaged backgrounds who can achieve senior rank in academic medicine and dentistry and who will encourage and foster the development of succeeding classes of such physicians and dentists. [Funding]
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Ryan White HIV/Aids Program Part D Grants For Coordinated HIV Services And Access To Research For Women, Infants, Children, And Youth (WICY)
03/16/2012
The purpose of this funding is to provide family-centered primary medical care to women, infants, children, and youth (WICY) living with HIV/AIDS when payments for such services are unavailable from other sources. Funding is intended to improve access to primary HIV medical care for HIV-infected women, infants, children, and youth through the provision of coordinated, comprehensive, culturally and linguistically competent services. [Funding]
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Affordable Care Act - Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Research Network - Health Resources & Services Administration
03/05/2012
The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to support the creation of an interdisciplinary, multicenter research forum for scientific collaboration and infrastructure building related to home visiting research that is designed to improve life outcomes among mothers, infants, and young children. The work of this Network will complement the ongoing research and evaluation activities occurring both within the MIECHV program and in the research field broadly. [Funding]
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2012 Scholarship Opportunity for Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management (SPNM) - Harvard Business School of Wisconsin
02/22/2012
Recognizing the increasing complexities of managing nonprofit organizations, the Harvard Business School Club of Wisconsin is inviting nonprofit leaders to apply for a scholarship to attend the 2012 program on the HBS campus in Boston. Applicants must be at the head of a Wisconsin nonprofit organization serving the public in arts, education, environment, health care, human services, community development or related areas. [Funding]
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Innovate 4 Healthcare Challenge – US Health & Human Services
02/24/2012
Teams of up to 5 students will design a plan to improve patient engagement with their health care providers using information technology. Informational Webinar: February 3; Register your team by: February 24; Application deadline: March 6. [Funding]
WORH Updates
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The new 2011-2012 recruitment “year” began on July 1st, following a very challenging 2010-2011 “year”. The number of available physician positions keeps increasing, while the supply of physicians stayed the same or decreased in some areas. Competition for primary care physicians is extremely keen, and clinics /hospitals around the state are struggling to fill their physician shortages. This is especially true in rural facilities, and even more so in rural facilities in northern Wisconsin. 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. [Continue reading]
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The Office of Rural Health is proud to announce that we have scheduled our 3rd Annual Wisconsin Rural Health Summit for May 24th at Chula Vista in Wisconsin Dells. We hope you can join us to learn how the changes on the State and Federal level have impacted rural health care. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from, and network with, other rural health professionals. This year we are pleased to have Brock Slabach from the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). Brock will provide a legislative update from the federal level. We will also have local rural health experts to provide us with state updates. [Continue reading]
