It's National Kidney Month!

Chronic kidney disease affects nearly 37 MILLION people in the country (more than 1 in 7 adults). 

Chronic kidney disease often causes no symptoms until it is more advanced.

Chronic kidney disease is progressive.

Chronic kidney disease puts people at risk for other serious health problems like heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

One in three adults with diabetes (and one in five with hypertension) may have chronic kidney disease (CKD).

90% of people with it DO NOT KNOW THEY HAVE kidney disease!

Back to our title, "it takes two to make a thing go right": Two tests should be done to look for CKD. Fewer than half of patients at high risk for CKD are screened appropriately.

How to screen?

• Spot urine ACR (albumin-to-creatinine ratio)

AND

• eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)

Get started now to help make this thing go right!

A Year of Innovation and Progress
As 2024 comes to a close, we at Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC) reflect on an extraordinary year of adaptation and advancement. From addressing workforce challenges to promoting value-based care, the contributions from our partners in the Practice Support Community have driven remarkable progress. Together, we’ve expanded telehealth capabilities, targeted health disparities, integrated mental health services in primary care, and explored the potential of artificial intelligence in patient care. The commitment from the Health Care Professionals in the Practices we Support has been pivotal in improving healthcare delivery across our community.

Key Achievements
This year, our Practice Support team engaged with healthcare practices in 29 counties, completing 2,481 coaching encounters across 27 topics. From guiding Medicaid Expansion to addressing disaster recovery and optimizing electronic health records (EHR), our coaches worked tirelessly to meet your diverse needs. Highlights include support for advanced medical home (AMH) tiers, billing and coding assistance, and quality improvement projects for diabetes management and pediatric immunizations. The team assisted on key behavioral health initiatives including 99 Tailored Care Management coaching encounters and 115 encounters regarding Collaborative Care Model implementation which integrates behavioral health into primary care.

Figure 1: Encounter Topics 2024

Figure 2 Encounters Per County 2024

Expanding Resources and Outreach
Northwest AHEC has broadened its reach through various digital initiatives. Our Practice Support Blog featured 95 posts with over 5,500 views, while our online courses—covering topics such as diabetes care and behavioral health integration—garnered strong participation. Additionally, our 13 curated Library Resource Guides offered accessible, actionable knowledge for healthcare professionals across disciplines.

Looking Ahead to 2025
In 2025, Northwest AHEC will continue focusing on innovative strategies such as leveraging AI for improved clinical decisions, enhancing cybersecurity to protect patient data, and prioritizing sustainable healthcare practices. Our vision remains rooted in equipping practices to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape while maintaining a steadfast commitment to quality and equity in care.

Partnering for a Healthier Future
Your dedication and collaboration fuel our shared success. Our quality improvement services remain available at no cost to eligible practices, ensuring access to tailored support for clinical and operational advancements. Together, let’s continue to enhance healthcare delivery and improve the health of our communities. To connect with a practice support coach, submit an application here or email practicesupport@ncahec.net for more information.

Thank you for being an essential part of the Northwest AHEC community. Let’s make 2025 another year of impactful progress!

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

• We don't have time to have team meetings!
• How can we meet when the phone won't stop ringing?
• Why should we meet as a team when we work together all day long?
• It is so hard to recruit and retain staff!

The NC Medicaid 2024 Quality Symposium (save the date: October 2, 2024 [registration information to come]) will highlight three topics that coincide with NC Medicaid quality improvement priorities. The presenters will share the quality improvement initiatives they have implemented to improve outcomes for Medicaid members. Below are the details for each presentation, including presentation title, presentation date, presenter and registration link. Click on each registration link to learn more and register.

Carolina Complete Health has thirteen NEW provider tip sheets on quality measures!

Did you know?

The North Carolina AHEC Practice Support Program is an approved provider of the North Carolina Maintenance of Certification (NC MOC) program.

Through this approval, physicians and physician assistants who work with a Practice Support coach to improve care for patients will meet the requirements of their specialty boards to maintain certification in their specialty (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics).

Let Northwest AHEC Help you maintain your certification for ABMS Credit, formerly MOC IV. American Board of Medical Specialties Continuing Certification (ABMS) - Formerly Maintenance of Certification Part IV (MOC IV).

While access to food is an important factor in a patient's health, it can be difficult to understand when it is affecting their patients.