Network Update 8: 1/27/2012

CCNC in the News. Coverage continues on Milliman report showing strong savings by CCNC from 2007 through 2010, including:

We’re also seeing growing coverage on the Chronic Pain Initiative, including detailed local stories in the Southern Pines Pilot and and the Mt Airy News. Thanks to Community Care of the Lower Cape Fear and Fred Brason for getting the word out on CPI.

North Carolina's HIT initiatives are moving forward. This article in the trade press summarizes the exciting developments soon to hit North Carolina.

CCNC receives Grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. CCNC has received a grant from the BCBSNC Foundation to support the “Practicum in Primary Care,” a partnership with the Health Sciences College at Appalachian State University. Last semester, five ASU students (Health Care Management Seniors) got hands-on experience working within rural, High Country medical practices seeking PCMH recognition.
This semester more students will have an opportunity to work closely with office personnel and practitioners to improve workflow and support practice transformation. Students are writing up office policies and procedures, assisting with IT challenges, gathering and mining data (such as tracking referrals), and many other elements of the demanding PCMH requirements. Thanks to the BCBSNC Foundation for making this project possible.

Big bump in PCMH applications.  A number of North Carolina practices have applied for NCQA recognition by the 12/31 deadline to qualify under the 2008 standards. Congrats to networks working hard to get their local practices on the road to PCMH recognition.

CCNC and ActiveHealth partnering to serve State Health Plan members. CCNC Care Managers have begun working with members of North Carolina’s State Health Plan. Care managers will support
transitions from in-patient care, adherence to care plans, and will help members to better manage chronic conditions. The new approach leverages CCNC’s community-based, patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model with the aim of allowing State Health Plan members to work more effectively with primary care practitioners at the local point of care within their own communities.
CCNC’s efforts, which will focus on members with the highest health risks and greatest chronic care needs, add to population health management services that ActiveHealth began offering telephonically, as NC HealthSmart, to State Health Plan members in 2010. Medical homes for State Health Plan members will be launched in phases with plans to introduce PCMH care in every county within the State. The launch counties – and the local CCNC networks partnering with ActiveHealth – are noted below.

  • Ashe, Avery, Watauga (AccessCare)
  • Transylvania (Community Care of Western Carolina)
  • Bladen, Columbus (Community Care of the Lower Cape Fear)
  • Rowan, Stanley, Cabarrus (Community Care of Southern Piedmont)
  • Granville (Northern Piedmont Community Care)

For more information, please call ActiveHealth’s Provider Support Line at 1.800.819.7075 or CCNC at (919) 745-2434.

Welcome new employee. Joseph Voss, Senior Analyst, joined CCNC on January 9. Many of you may know Joe from his previous post with the NC Division of Medical Assistance.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Have an item you would like CCNC folks to know about? Please let Paul Mahoney know.

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