Oral health is a key factor in overall health, but access to dental care in North Carolina is an ongoing problem.
Just as orthopedic nurses are skilled at caring for patients with musculoskeletal conditions, and cardiac nurses specialize in patient care of cardiovascular disease, rural nurses are skilled at knowing a little bit about everything! They balance the needs of their patients with the often-limited resources and other challenges in small and sometimes isolated areas.
MEDICAID MANAGED CARE
Virtual Office Hours
NC Medicaid Initiatives & Updates
Thursday, December 5 | noon-1 p.m.
Once again, a new SARS-CoV-2 variant is likely to be the gift many did not want to receive from attending holiday gathering!
You may recall in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was frequent breaking news about each latest variant of the virus (remember Delta and Omicron?). Now that the worldwide public health emergencies have expired, detecting, monitoring, and responding to new variants has become more challenging.
The Northwest AHEC Practice Support Team supports social, physical, and economic environments which promote attaining the full potential of health and well-being for all. This blog segment highlights impactful publications which promote improved health outcomes through Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) each month.
In this months article, the authors introduce a model that would links cultural trauma to health disparities by three cultural resources: cultural modes, institutions, and lands. The article encourages the need to change policy to prevent dominant groups from dominating the resources of minority groups.
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. A perfect time to revisit this topic!
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the U.S., and smoking causes almost a half a million deaths per year.
Rural NC Road in Autumn. Photo used with permission
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General.
Effective January 1, 2025, Aetna will replace Blue Cross Blue Shield NC for the NC State Health Plan coverage.
Which plans are included?
- Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20)
- Basic PPO Plan (70/30)
- High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
This change does NOT impact members enrolled in the Humana Medicare Advantage plans.
The current pharmacy benefit manager (CVS Caremark®) will not change.
You know the health of your patients.
Do you know the financial health of your practice?
- Where does your practice stand related to financial benchmarks like days in accounts receivable?
- Do you understand your payer mix?
- What is your process for auditing for lost revenue?
North Carolina AHEC has a free tool that you can use to track your practice's financial health.
More and more patients are embracing prevention and early intervention to stay healthy and avoid health related complications. NPs encourage health promotion and a comprehensive, wellness-first approach. November 10-16, 2024 is National Nurse Practitioners (NP) Week!
Join us for this FREE Educational Support Program Designed Specifically for Rural Nursing in NC.
Due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on Western NC, the NC AHEC Nurse Council has decided to reschedule the 7th Annual Statewide AHEC Celebration for Rural Nursing Conference. Information details for the rescheduled date will be sent separately. Alternatively, we are hosting this free educational support program for rural health nurses still in honor of the upcoming National Rural Health Day in November.
Thursday, November 14, 2024 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Livestream Webinar
REGISTER NOW - FOR FREE
As our healthcare providers in our communities are focusing on disaster relief and resiliency, they face these many challenging questions in bringing support to those suffering PTSD while trying to rebuild a new future:
- What do you say to someone who has lost everything?
- What resources are available for survivors?
- How can you distinguish between a normal post-disaster reaction and a serious mental health issue?
- What are the best ways to support children and other vulnerable populations?
Rural healthcare professionals are the heart of your communities and will play a crucial role in helping the people of North Carolina recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. The road to recovery after a catastrophic natural disaster is long, and survivors will need support for years to come. This session, led by our faculty of disaster recovery mental health professionals, will equip you with the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges of disaster response as you help communities rebuild.
Empowering more healthcare professionals, particularly rural nurses, to be trained and ready to respond in times of disaster will be an invaluable asset to our local communities, state, nation, and world. Topic specific focus on hurricane relief for NC will be covered that is reflective of both eastern and western experiences in our state.
Additionally, we will offer optional breakout sessions focused on group listening, networking support, and identifying best practices to address the current disaster support needs of the state.
Objectives
- Describe the impacts of disasters on the brain and body.
- Assess and triage the needs of survivors.
- Demonstrate effective techniques for stabilization after disasters.
- Provide support to special populations, such as children and individuals with special needs.
- Explain the orientation for Disaster Mental Health (DMH) response.
- Implement basic skills required for deployment in a DMH role.
- Distinguish variable disaster response in diverse communities.
