UPDATES

Board of Directors Nominations   Nominations for four director positions are now open. Nominees must be provider members in good standing. Please see attached information which includes the nomination form. Nominations are due by February 24, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com.

*NEW* EHI Seeking Part-Time Medical Director   We are seeking a part-time Medical Director to provide clinical guidance and oversight to IPA initiatives and programs and help represent the IPA in our discussions and meetings with health plans and other key partners. Medical Director must be a participant in HMSA’s Payment Transformation program and an eClinical Works user. Please contact Susan Mochizuki at smochizuki@ehiipa.com if you are interested in applying.

*NEW* SBIRT Incentives Update   We updated the incentive amounts for SBIRT screens and services done in provider offices. Attached is the new incentive schedule. There is a higher incentive offered to completed eScreens using tablets and CHADIS software.  Please ensure that appropriate consent form(s) are signed as the State will reject forms without consents and will not reimburse us. Staff will continue screening community members at other events at the University of Hawai‘i and at the Hilo Heart Walk in March. If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact Jane at jbontuyan@ehiipa.com.

*NEW* Testimony for SB 2542 SD1   The IPA submitted testimony on behalf of the IPA regarding SB 2542 SD1, relating to GET tax exemptions for physicians and APRNs. A hearing was held on Wednesday, February 19, and Senate Ways and Means passed it on February 20. We will be monitoring future hearing dates and will provide notifications of future hearing dates in advance. Attached is an email message from Dr. Scott Grossgreutz who has been actively involved.  Please contact Jo at jvitales@ehiipa.com if you are interested in testifying and want alerts regarding key hearing dates.

*NEW* Department of Health Coronavirus Medical Alert   The Dept. of Health (DOH) released a medical alert for February 14 on the Corona Virus Disease – 19 have been identified in tourists after their return to Japan. Read report here.

*NEW* Hilo Heart Walk Fundraising – Garage Sale & T-Shirt   THANK YOU to all the providers and staff who’ve donated items to the garage sale! The IPA is a proud sponsor of this year’s Hilo Heart Walk on March 28, 2020 to raise funds, promote awareness of heart disease, and support programs benefiting patients. EHI will hold a garage sale in Hilo on Saturday, March 7. Please consider donating items to our garage sale and receive a free t-shirt from the IPA! If you donate items or money by February 25, your practice name will be on the back of the t-shirt (see attached). Here are other ways to support this effort:

  • Show team spirit by donating money or joining our team here!

  • BONUS: Help provide SBIRT screens at the Hilo Heart Walk event for a free-shirt and an honorarium

  • If you are interested in donating, walking, and/or helping in any way, please contact Sara at skobayashi@ehiipa.com.

Mahalo to the following providers/clinics who have participated so far:

Dr. Craig Kadooka (retired)

Dr. Craig Shikuma

The Family Medicine Center

CMS’s Clinical Decisions Support Mechanism (CDSM) and Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC)   Part 1 reviews what CDSM is (watch here). Part 2 reviews how to register for CDSM (watch here). Part 3 reviews how to use it (watch here). If you have any questions, please contact Kahea at kwakinekona@ehiipa.com.

HMSA QUALITY PERFORMANCE

Support to Clinics   Please contact Jo Vitales at jvitales@ehiipa.com if you are interested in receiving help from the IPA to meet your engagement and quality performance requirements.

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.

Care and Choices at the End of Life: A Discussion on Hawai‘i’s ‘Our Care, Our Choice’ Act (Update) – Thursday, March 12, 11:30 AM-1:30 PM   Join us for a lunch presentation by Dr. David Grube, Medical Director for Compassion & Choices, at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. RSVP by March 10. Please look for an EVITE that was sent directly to your email – write the names of all staff attending in the comment section if you are RSVP-ing for them. If you would like to be added to the invite list, please let Jo know at jvitales@ehiipa.com. Application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians. Determination of credit is pending.

Annual General Membership Meeting – Wednesday, April 29, 5:30 PM   Invitations to the Annual Meeting were sent by mail. Please respond if you plan to attend or if you cannot attend and would like an absentee ballot to cast your vote. RSVP here.

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

  • 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.

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

PATIENT RESOURCES

  • Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi: Ola Hou i Ka Hula Hypertension Class – Wednesdays starting February 5 to April 29, 5:00-6:30 p.m. at Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi office, 1438 Ave., Hilo. Flyer attached.

  • 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).