Join Us for this Webinar
Introduction to NCCARE360

September 24, 2020
12:00pm-1:00pm
1st Webinar in Series

Navigating services like health, housing, employment, and transportation can be incredibly difficult, but these factors all contribute to our overall health. NCCARE360 provides the opportunity for health to all North Carolinians by providing public access to resources and helping health and community-based organizations make electronic referrals, communicate in real time, securely share client information, and track outcomes together.

Despite the challenges facing regional primary care practices during this time of COVID 19, many are actively pursuing Patient Center Medical Home recognition. The Northwest AHEC Practice Support Coaches stand ready to help using a distance tool kit provided by Wake Forest University Health sciences to provide coaching on quality improvement, advances in healthcare using electronic health record technology and PCMH recognition. Practice managers have stayed engaged in projects with the NWAHEC Practice Support team, and maintained productivity as their deadlines approach.

Distance learning and communication technology has enabled Practice support coaches to work diligently with managers and providers who strive to maintain quality and ensure the patient needs are meet. Tools such as virtual meetings and shared assignments have helped practice staff continue to satisfy PCMH recognition deliverables and deadlines. Coaches help practice staff work on quality reporting, patient satisfaction measurement and review, preparation and submission of quality metrics.

Virtual meetings conducted by NWAHEC Practice Support Coaches are customized to meet the needs of the practice and patients. Monthly meetings last one to two hours and focus on standard work procedures in targeted areas such as patient satisfaction surveys. The goal of the project is to align scheduling, communication, screening, referral and treatment options with individual patient needs. Many of the targeted patient characteristics and corresponding practice procedures have changed drastically during the Coronavirus Pandemic. One obvious example is seen in empty practice waiting rooms which have shifted to patients waiting in the parking lot for their turn to enter the practice.

Virtual coaching visits provided by the Northwest AHEC Practice Support team have been a reassuring contact for practice mangers as they redesign their practice during these very difficult times. As reflected in the quotes below, practices rely Northwest AHEC Practice Support for up to date, unbiased answers and technical support as they lead their practices to greater quality and patient centeredness.

Help Us Improve the AHEC Digital Library - Take This Survey

The AHEC Digital Library is conducting a survey - Click here to complete the short survey

To refresh your familiarity with the AHEC Digital Library, click here for a very short overview.

Camp Med Virtual Summer Program 2020 was such a fun and educational experience, it brought a new way of learning for students this year. With 900+ participants enrolled across North Carolina and beyond it was a huge success for Northwest AHEC.

Submitted by:
May Cheung, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Charlotte Area Health Education Center
Mona Brown Ketner RN, MSN, C-EFM, Northwest Area Health Education Center
Claire W. Mills, MPH, RN, FACHE, Eastern Area Health Education Center

The Perinatal Post is a biannual online newsletter distributed to perinatal care providers within the Northwest North Carolina area. It is published in winter and summer of each year.

Gravidas at Risk is an annual two-day statewide perinatal conference designed to address both inpatient and outpatient care. This conference will provide current information about clinical issues and strategies important in the care of high-risk pregnant women.

Save the Date - 2020 Breast Cancer Symposium!

October 23, 2020 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Virtual Conference

Mark your calendar for the 2020 Breast Cancer Symposium, which will be a Virtual Conference on October 23rd! 

Excessive alcohol use, which affects almost a third of adults, is the nation’s third leading cause of preventable death. It is a major risk factor for many health, social, and economic problems. In addition, the problem has worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.