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April 15, 2014

2014 NCHN Annual Educational Conference | June 17-20, 2014

NCHN Reminders

It's time to renew your NCHN Membership. Networks can renew here and associate members can renew here.

The 2014 Network Leader Salary & Benefit Survey is underway. The report will be developed in the middle of June, so your responses are needed by May 15th. If you need a link to the survey, let Christy know.

Leadership Corner

Keep Your Board at Peak Performance
Some boards have what it takes to consistently perform at the highest level—and the best have qualities in common. Here’s what the highest-performing boards can tell us about good governance.

Project Contact: Dave Johnson, Director of Member Relations & Business Development with RWHC

RWHC Developing a Program to Reduce Binge Drinking in Wisconsin

The Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) is pleased to announce that it, along with four member hospital partners, has received a Development Award through the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program. “A Collaborative Response to Reduce Binge Drinking in Rural Wisconsin Communities” was one of nine projects awarded funding during this, the 9th annual cycle.

RWHC and the academic partners from the Medical College of Wisconsin will work with Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital & Clinics (Boscobel), Moundview Memorial Hospital & Clinics (Friendship), The Monroe Clinic (Monroe), and Southwest Health Center (Platteville) to develop and implement a program aimed at reducing binge drinking in rural Wisconsin Communities.

From the Desk of Rebecca Davis, Ph.D.

Welcome to almost Spring! I think many of us across the country thought spring was really here as I heard weather reports last week from members serving on committees of 60 – 80s temperatures! Sunday, we had rain that quickly turned to snow. I saw some of the biggest, fattest snowflakes of my life! They looked like huge cotton balls floating around! So, hopefully this last blast of winter will end soon and we can stop dreaming about all the wonderful spring activities we like to do and start doing them!

Rebecca Davis is the Executive Director of NCHN and lives in Montrose, Colorado

NCHN Calendar

Executive Committee Call
Cancelled: April 15, 2014

Evidence-Based Outcome Task Force Call
April 16, 2014 @ 1:00 PM ET

April Coffee/Tea Chat
April 17, 2014 @ 11:00 AM ET

Program Development Committee Call
April 30, 2014 @ 11:00 AM ET

NCHN Board of Directors Call
May 1, 2014 @ 4:00 PM ET

20^th NCHN Annual Educational Conference
June 18-20, 2014 - St. Louis, MO

VIEW THE NCHN CALENDAR

NCHN News

April Coffee & Tea with Dr. Chess:
Communication and Connections

When: Thursday, April 17, 2014
Time: 11:00 AM ET; 10:00 AM CT; 9:00 AM MT; 8:00 AM PT
Call-in information: distributed through a Save the Date email; if you need it, please contact Rebecca

Welcome to our Coffee & Tea Chat in April with Dr. Chess. There is a reason there is a special designation for fools and laughter this month - laughter really is great medicine in times of stress. This work of building and sustaining networks is demanding. Yet, even in the middle of the heavy lifting and the brain strain, there is time for joy and laughter. So, we'll pose the question: Isn't this fascinating? This statement allows brave and willing leaders time to share something that is indeed fascinating around this engagement with community, state and national collaboration and change.

We'll also have room to pose the more serious questions if you have a need for a consultation on a specific topic. So, come prepared to exercise that other side of your network leadership - the laughter that can come from the unexpected and the entrepreneurial spirit that help networks thrive!

2014 NCHN Annual Educational Conference
Featured Session: Utilizing the Tactical Skills of Trial Advocacy to Convince Customers of Network Value

June 19, 2014 | 8:15 - 9:15 AM
with Rene Cabral-Daniels, JD

Trial advocacy principles have been refined over the centuries. They are essentially powerful skills lawyers use to convince juries of the credibility as well as value of a perspective. These same skills can be transferrable when attempting to convince potential customers of a network’s value.

2014 NCHN Annual Educational Conference
June 17-20, 2014 in St.Louis, MO
» Register early - save up to $150
» View the agenda
» Make Hotel Reservations

Member News

RWHC: Eye on Health newsletter – May 2014

Western Healthcare Alliance: April 2014 Newsletter

Partner News

EMTS Quarterly (April 2014)

NRHA: Rural Roads (Spring 2014)

Funding Announcements

Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program (HRSA-14-129)
The purpose of the RAED Grant Program is to develop community partnershps to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs), provide defibrillator and basic life support training, and place the AEDs in rural communities with local organizations.
(Deadline: April 30, 2014)

» MORE INFO

National Headlines

Rural-Urban Divide Growing » READ

Health And Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Resigns » READ

NOSORH Announces Grant Writing Institute 2014: Beyond the Basics » READ

Rural physicians more likely than urban to focus on quality, cost » READ

Reducing rural suicide » READ

Rural nursing presents challenges, rewards » READ

Oncologists: Future of rural cancer care seen as 'dire' » READ

Nonmetro Counties: Gains and Losses » READ

UW students learn rural medicine in Grand Coulee » READ

When rural hospitals close, towns struggle to stay open » READ

Final Policy Document: Section 330-funded health centers and look-alikes » READ

Fixing Healthcare Can Be As Close As Your Neighborhood Pharmacy » READ

Mental Health Parity: If Not Now, When? » READ

City vs. Country: How Where We Live Deepens the Nation's Political Divide » READ

ACA News

Six Changes for Nonprofits as Results of the Affordable Care Act » READ

ACA should bring 2 health care systems together » READ

What American Healthcare Can Learn From Germany » READ

Sebelius praises Obamacare, concedes rollout was botched » READ

Rural residents confront higher costs under Affordable Care Act » READ

HIT News

How a rural state manages to lead the way in EHR adoption » READ

Rural states: Steal these 4 HIT/mobile health ideas from Wyoming » READ

Bridging the Gap with Telemedicine » READ

HIT Leaders Want Flexibility, Transparency from Next HHS Chief » READ

Upcoming Events

Sharing Mental Health Information: Details of the New HIPAA Privacy Rule
April 16, 2014 | 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET
(National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare)

Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative Webinar — State Innovations: Updates from the Minnesota Health Care Home Initiative
April 17, 2014 | 11:00 - 12:00 PM ET
(National Academy for State Health Policy)

Selecting and Vetting Specialty Providers for Telemedicine
April 17, 2014 | 1:00 - 2:00 PM CT
(Heartland Telehealth)

Beyond Ranks: Measuring Progress in Your Community
April 22, 2014 @ 3:00 PM EDT
(County Health Rankings & Roadmaps)

NRHA 37th Annual Rural Health Conference
April 22-25, 2014 | Las Vegas, NV
(NRHA)

"How Am I Doing?" Measuring State Health Coverage System Performance
April 23, 2014 | 2:00 - 3:35 PM ET
(National Academy for State Health Policy)

Leveraging Health IT/Telehealth in Rural Health Care
April 24, 2014 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
(HRSA)

National Cooperative of Health Networks
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To learn more about membership and to join, go to http://www.nchn.org
or contact Christy Sullenberger at csullenberger@nchn.org

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