Happy New Year! We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead! In order to be more efficient, we are going to start handling program RSVPs using the “EVITE” software. Please contact us if you have any trouble logging in. This will serve as your RSVP confirmation and will help save paper and reduce phone calls to your office!

UPDATES

*NEW* Board of Directors Update   The Board met on January 7 to review the IPA’s “Road Map” for 2020. 2020 will focus on three key strategic initiatives in addition to current IPA programs and projects. Member work groups will convene to provide guidance. If you are interested in knowing more about the initiatives and participating in a work group, contact Susan Mochizuki at smochizuki@ehiipa.com.

*NEW* Primary Care First   ‘Ohana Health Plan reached out to share their interest in supporting physicians who want to be part of Medicare’s Primary Care First program starting in 2021. The application deadline is January 22, 2020. CPC+ Providers who might want to participate in 2021 do not need to apply by this deadline. Attached is a link explaining the program, as well as the payment options. If you are interested in knowing more and/or would like to apply, please contact Kahea Wakinekona at kwakinekona@ehiipa.com.

*NEW* Physician Shortage Task Force   Dr. Scott Kronlund represented the IPA at a meeting with Mayor Harry Kim on January 6 along with other local physician leaders to ask that Mayor Kim support exempting all professional medical services from the State GET tax. Attached is a letter summarizing the meeting.

*NEW* IPA Quarterly Super Huddle – Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 12:00-1:15 PM – ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center – EVITE   All provider members and staff are invited to our “kick-off” Super Huddle to hear IPA updates, review HMSA Payment Transformation program and learn about how Hawaii Radiologic Associates (HRA) can support Medicare’s “Clinical Decision Support” requirements for ordering procedures. Click here to RSVP.

*NEW* ‘Ohana Health Plan Medicare Meeting – Thursday, January 30, 2020, 5:30-7:00 PM – EHI Office – EVITE   ‘Ohana Health Plan is planning to offer a new low-cost premium Medicare Advantage plan on Hawaii Island starting in 2020.  They are also planning to have a full Medicare Advantage plan in 2021. ‘Ohana is interested in working collaboratively with the IPA. The purpose of the meeting with Dr. Ed Fess (CMO) and Scott Sivak (CEO) will be to  (1) discuss current provider concerns related to working with ‘Ohana Health Plan,  (2) share their strategic direction for the Hawaii Island, and (3) discuss opportunities for greater collaboration with EHI.   ‘Ohana is committed to its Medicare Advantage offering on Hawaii Island independent of the results of the current MedQuest RFP process.  In addition, Ohana brokers will be reaching out to meet with providers one on one to explore their interest in accepting patients who have their Medicare Advantage plan. Click here to RSVP.

*NEW* eClinical Works 12/17/19 Outage   eClinical Works EMR was down for a little more than an hour. Attached is an explanation of the outage. The outage did not affect eClinical Works mobile so providers utilizing the mobile app continued to have access.

*NEW* Pen Needle and Syringe Formulary Change   Effective 4/1/20, TRUEplus pen needles and syringes will be the only brand of pen needles and syringes preferred on HMSA commercial formularies. Majority of plans, the preferred pen needles and syringes are $0 copay; all other brands will have a copay ($30 for most plans) or be non-formulary. Local distributors have an adequate plan in anticipation of this change, and HMSA has been reaching out to local pharmacies to ensure they have TRUEplus orders ready. Attached is a flyer with more information on the product. Some offers can be found here and here.

HMSA PAYMENT TRANSFORMATION

*NEW* 2019 Annual Survey   Thanks for completing the Annual Survey! The IPA had 100% participation!

HMSA QUALITY PERFORMANCE

*NEW* Influenza Vaccine   A total of 56 staff received the flu vaccine last year and if they attested, will be entered into a drawing for $250 at the January Super Huddle. If you received the vaccine in 2019 and have not yet attested, please complete the attestation form attached here by January 11. Please send to jvitales@ehiipa.com or fax to 808-935-4472.

EVENTS

2020 Hawaii Pain and Addiction Conference – February 22, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM   Register for this ADAD-approved and highly informative conference to expand your knowledge of pain management and the treatment of addiction. Approved for a maximum of 6 CME and ADAD-approved CEU credits. Cost is $75 for providers, $35 for counselors. Flyer attached.

Walk with a Doc – Lili‘uokalani Gardens Park – Dr. Craig Kadooka – Every Sunday, WWAD meets at the park across the street from Hilo Bay Café. Walkers gather at 8:00 AM to hear a short healthcare talk, followed by stretching and then walking at your own pace. Anyone is welcome to participate.

PROVIDER RESOURCES

  • *NEW* Hilo Medical Center CME – “Common Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Problems for the Primary Care Physician” presented by Dr. Christian K. Kikuchi. CME Program will be held at the Hilo Yacht Club on Friday, January 31 at 6:00 PM. Dinner provided. Flyer attached.

  • BRIGHT GREEN POLST FORMS – If your office would like “bright” green POLST forms for your office, please email jbontuyan@ehiipa.com.

  • HIPAA Online Training – EHI IPA offers online training as a membership benefit for $20 per person. The certification received after successful completion is effective for 2 years. If you are interested, please complete the attached form and fax to 808-935-4472 or email to Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com and send a check to East Hawaii IPA, 670 Ponahawai St., Ste. 117, Hilo, HI 96720.

  • Healthcare Source HR Screening Tool Available for Members – EHI offers member offices use of a complimentary employee screening tool. The tool helps assess whether potential new hires are the right fit for your office! The tool rates candidates numerically by job performance, retention and service excellence. It also customizes key questions for face-to-face interviews. This program has been used successfully by hundreds of healthcare organizations. Candidates are sent a link to the assessment with results forwarded to a designated office email address. Please email Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com if you are interested in learning more about this tool.

  • CIN Recorded Webinar: How to Prevent Staff and Provider Burnout – Watch the recorded webinar here, featuring a conversation between a burnout researcher, Rachel Willard-Grace, and CIN managing partner, Sunita Mutha, exploring strategies to address burnout and promote resilience.

    • For additional resources on provider and staff burnout please visit the CIN Resource Kit: Improving Provider Well-Being. This resource kit now includes some of the resources that Rachel referenced in this webinar.

    • To sign up for the newsletter, sign up here to get the latest quality improvement resources, tips, and tools!

  • American Heart Association FREE CME Webinars – View list of activities here. Type in “CME” in the Keyword search box and register for free.

  • SAVE THE DATE! Hilo Medical Center Angiostrongylus Workshop – January 5-8, 2020 – Pre-registration form attached.

PATIENT RESOURCES

  • Refer Patients to Complete Their Advanced Health Care Directive at ADRC – March-November dates attached. 2020 dates attached.

  • KTA Diabetes Self-Management Education – KTA will begin another round of Diabetes Self-Management Education classes at the East Hawaii IPA office. Please use the attached REFERRAL FORM. Please see flyer attached and refer your patients to this valuable resource!

  • Hilo Medical Center Diabetes Support Group – Every first Tuesday of the month, 4:00 PM. Katie Seaton, who has her bachelor’s in dietetics and is a current intern at HMC in the process of completing her master’s degree, will be providing recipes to support diabetes management. Samples will be provided. Contact Colleen Talich at ctalich@hhsc.org or 808-932-3034 with any questions.

  • Halau Mauli‘Ola Medical Nutrition Program – Stacy Haumea is relocating to 83 Maika‘i St., Hilo, for appointments Mon/Tue/Weds. She will continue to see patients with Hui Mālama on Thurs/Fri weekly. Flyer attached. NEW referral form attached.

  • Individual Nutrition Counseling Referral for Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi (HMONO) – Refer your patients to nutrition counseling with Stacy Haumea at HMONO using their referral form (here). Under the “Referred to” section, select HMONO Family Medicine Clinic.

  • Mountain-Pacific Quality Health – CARDIAC HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS. Flyer attached. Let us know if you’d like the IPA to print out copies for your office by calling 808-797-3113.

  • Mountain-Pacific Quality Health: New Patient Tool for Heart Health – Check the MPQH website for their heart health calendar. These are free for patients and can start anytime of the year and includes weight logs and health tips. These offer a fun and easy way for patients to monitor their weight. A calendar example (scroll to the bottom for the example) and order form can be found here.

  • Beacon Health – PCP Referral for Behavioral Health Support – Beacon Health offers behavioral health services for HMSA patients. Attached is the referral form (here), the overview of services (here), and the WHO-5 Well-Being index tool (here).