
Medicare pays for opioid use disorder (OUD) screenings performed by physicians and non-physician practitioners. If you diagnose your patient with OUD, they also pay for treatment services.
May 14, 2024 1:12:00 PM / by Practice Support Team posted in Primary Care, medicare, screening, opioid use disorder, Medicare advantage

Medicare pays for opioid use disorder (OUD) screenings performed by physicians and non-physician practitioners. If you diagnose your patient with OUD, they also pay for treatment services.
May 13, 2024 10:25:00 AM / by Practice Support Team posted in Primary Care, health careers, interprofessional, team based care

The latest issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal provides an update on innovations and infrastructure changes across our state since they last covered team based care in 2018. Authors highlight policies and programs addressing health equity, population-based care, reducing costs and increasing quality.
May 1, 2024 3:00:00 PM / by Practice Support Team posted in Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Pediatrics, practice management, internal medicine

Mar 26, 2024 4:00:00 PM / by Leslie D McDowell, DNP, ANP-BC, RN posted in Primary Care, medicare, advance care planning, conversation
National Healthcare Decisions Day exists to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. It is an initiative to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes, whatever they may be. (Source: https://theconversationproject.org/nhdd/)
Feb 20, 2024 8:30:00 AM / by Practice Support Team posted in Medicaid Managed Care, Primary Care, practice management, Tailored Plans

North Carolina Medicaid Division of Health Benefits (DHB) has announced that Tailored Plans (the health plans for qualifying members with mental health needs, substance use disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injuries) will start on July 1, 2024.
Feb 12, 2024 10:47:22 AM / by Practice Support Team posted in Primary Care, Vaccines, medicare

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) retroactively added two new CPT codes for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine administration to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule files effective for dates of service on and after October 6, 2023.
Feb 7, 2024 1:28:00 PM / by Leslie D McDowell, DNP, ANP-BC, RN posted in Primary Care, Pregnancy, OB/GYN, family medicine, STIs, prenatal

With only a single case in our state about a decade ago, congenital syphilis has been on the rise ever since.
In 2023, (according to preliminary data), North Carolina lost nine people from this completely preventable cause; with another 63 babies suffering from congenital syphilis infection.
According to Victoria Mobley, HIV/STI medical director for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health, more than half of the mothers of the babies born with syphilis had no documented prenatal care at the time they delivered. Equally of concern, of the women who did have prenatal care, only 41% received appropriate screening tests, despite state law requirements for syphilis testing for anyone who is pregnant (at first pre-natal visit, again between 28-30 weeks gestation and at time of delivery).
Sadly, this is a national epidemic, and more action must be taken to begin to address it.
Feb 7, 2024 8:30:00 AM / by Practice Support Team posted in Primary Care, behavioral health, collaborative care


Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Provider Learning Collaborative
Role of the Psychiatric Consultant/Systematic Caseload Review
February 15, 2024 | 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Join us on Thursday, February 15 for the second Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Provider Learning Collaborative which will focus on the following topic: Role of the Psychiatric Consultant/Systematic Caseload Review.
Jan 31, 2024 8:00:00 AM / by Leslie D McDowell, DNP, ANP-BC, RN posted in Primary Care, exercise, practice management

You've been sitting there longer than you meant to, right?
You have
No doubt you are feeling the tension building in your neck, shoulders, and arms....
Try these 3 Easy Desk Stretches!
Jan 29, 2024 9:13:00 AM / by Practice Support Team posted in Primary Care, prescriptions, opioids
In North Carolina, a new state law has added the anticonvulsant and nerve pain medication gabapentin to the list of drugs that are tracked through the state's prescription drug management system, the NC Controlled Substances Reporting System.
Health care practices in North Carolina face many challenges. Our team of quality improvement coaches (QICs) have skills and expertise to support you in your transformation efforts.
To learn more about Practice Support Click Here
Apply for practice support services - submit an email inquiry
The Northwest Area Health Education Center of Wake Forest University School of Medicine provides and supports educational activities and services with a focus on primary care in rural communities and those with less access to resources to recruit, train and retain the workforce needed to create a healthy North Carolina.