The
Michigan Primary Care Association administers/houses several programs
that member centers can rely on for clinical support:
Health
Disparities Collaboratives (HDC) - an initiative of
the Bureau of Primary Health care in cooperation with the Institute
for Healthcare Improvement. The goal of the initiative is 100% access
to care and zero health disparities for poor, minority, and other
underserved people. To achieve this, HDC brings together health
center teams for 12-month periods of intensive learning on topics
such as diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer as
well as preventive services, asthma, depression, and HIV. How health
care organizations deliver care affects how patients understand
and participate in managing their own care, and the strength of
communities’ provider-patient relationships. HDC is organized
in five clusters of states. The Michigan Primary Care Association
is the lead organization for the Midwest Cluster, which also includes
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
Ohio, and Wisconsin. MPCA also partners with the Midwest Clinicians'
Network to provide oversight, management, training, networking,
technical assistance, and support to collaborative participants
in the region. For more information, contact Fay
Thiel at 517/381-8000 x206, or visit www.healthdisparities.net/.
Immunization Program - MPCA offers assistance to Community/Migrant
Health Centers in maintaining and improving their immunization programs.
Immunization services, such as inservices and an eight-hour basic
immunization course, are available for staff and providers at the
health center sites and provide contact hours. Assistance is also
available to MPCA members for problem solving, assessing coverage
levels of specific populations within the health centers, resolving
Michigan Childhood Immunization Registry issues, working through
vaccine handling and storage problems, and other immunization issues
as they arise. Close contact is maintained with the Michigan
Department of Community Health and the Centers
for Disease Control, so information provided is valid and current.
For more information, contact Carolee
Besteman at 517/381-8000 x204.
Midwest
Clinicians' Network (MWCN) - is a regional network of
clinicians with members in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. It is housed
at the Michigan Primary Care Association. MWCN's mission is to enhance
professional and personal growth for clinicians to become effective
leaders for their health care centers and promoters of quality,
community-based primary health care. Membership benefits include
free online computer training, patient satisfaction surveys, assistance
for research grant writing, mentoring, group pricing on risk management
software, research opportunities, networking, clinical expertise/resource
clearinghouse, a quarterly newsletter, communication tools, and
educational opportunities. For more membership information, contact
Amanda Campbell at 517/381-8000
x214, or visit www.midwestclinicians.org.
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Michigan
Primary Care Association provides recruitment services through the
following state and federal programs:
State
Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) - a state/federal program
designed to help recruit and retain doctors, nurse practitioners,
physician assistants, nurse midwives, and dentists in health professional
shortage areas (HPSAs) by offering educational loan repayment. MPCA
assists active members in becoming sites eligible for state loan
repayment. Contact Ken Miller at 517/241-9946. Sign-on
Bonus Loan Repayment Contracts
National
Health Service Corps (NHSC) - assists communities through
recruitment and retention, site development, practice management,
and quality assurance activities to increase access to primary care
services and reduce health disparities for people in health
professional shortage areas (HPSAs). Approximately 50 million
people live in communities without access to primary health care.
More than 23,000 health professionals have served with NHSC since
1972. Current field strength totals more than 2,700 clinicians/health
care professionals whose careers are influencing the outcomes of
underserved populations and communities. Many of these clinicians
have remained in service after fulfilling their initial NHSC commitments.
Sites may apply
for assistance from the NHSC in recruiting and retaining community-responsive,
culturally competent primary care clinicians if they are located
in a federally designated HPSA (you may check your HPSA status by
searching the HPSA
database, or you may read more information about the HPSA
designation process); document sound fiscal management; use
a sliding-fee schedule or other documented methods to reduce fees
that ensure no financial barriers to care exist; accept assignment
of Medicare; enter into an agreement with the State agency that
administers Medicaid; have proof of the capacity to maintain a competitive
salary, benefits, and malpractice coverage package.
For more information,
contact Monica Bladerson, Michigan Department of Community Health
(517/241-9947), or Fay Thiel,
MPCA (517/381-8000 x206).
Medical
Opportunities in Michigan (MOM) - an internet-based
state program through the Michigan Health Council that provides
health professionals access to a comprehensive database of placement
opportunities in Michigan. MPCA is a member of the MOM program and
assists our members in making site information and opportunities
available to health professionals seeking job opportunities in Michigan
and our member centers. For more information, visit
www.mimom.org.
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MPCA
operates through a Board of Directors. Each active member may appoint
one representative to the Board for a one-year term; representatives
are eligible to serve successive terms without limitation. Board
members have the ability to impact actions, policies, and procedures
put forth by MPCA through their vote.
MPCA Board Membership/Voting Privileges is available to active
members only.
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MPCA
is a key player in health care policy. It tracks legislative and
regulatory issues, and advocates issues with the state and federal
government – as well as with state, regional, and national
committees and agencies – that impact our member centers. MPCA
representatives serve on various state and private health care related
committees and networks.
As part of
our work at the federal level, MPCA and its members attend a Policy
and Issues Forum in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National
Association of Community Health Centers, to promote and discuss
with key legislators relevant issues in primary health care. At
the state level, MPCA hosts an Annual Legislative Forum to advocate
and network with state legislators, and MPCA representatives regularly
meet with members of the Michigan legislature to educate them on
issues that our members identify as priorities.
MPCA coordinates
the activities of a grassroots advocacy network, whose members are
referred to as Legislative Liaisons. We provide regular training
and mentoring opportunities to continue to increase their effectiveness
as community advocates. For more information, contact Kim
Sibilsky at
517/381-8000 x211.
MPCA advocates for all its members.
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Through
a comprehensive process of mapping assets, identifying deficiencies,
and facilitating community forums, the Community Development program
helps target rural and urban communities develop and strengthen
primary care delivery networks. This program supported by the Bureau
of Primary Health Care's "100% access, zero health disparities"
initiative provides a means for communities to pull resources and
stakeholders together to coordinate a more efficient delivery system.
For more information, contact Angel
Goodwin at 517/381-8000 x221.
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MPCA
provides training and education on topics of importance to primary
care centers, such as health center board member training, new member
orientation, quality assurance, managed care, UDS training, immunization
issues, financial and human resource management, and grant writing.
Special training is also provided to individual clinics on an as-need
basis. MPCA hosts three educational conferences each year —
the Legislative Forum, the Michigan Statewide Oral Health Conference,
and the Annual Conference. Members are encouraged to check the listing
of events on MPCA's web site and in MPCA's newsletter, News
& Notes, for current trainings. In addition, members
will be mailed training agendas and registration materials. For
more information, contact Christi
Girton at 517/381-8000 x212.
Education & Training sessions are open to all MPCA members
at discounted fees as well as to the general public.
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MPCA
offers consulting services and on-site technical assistance in the
areas of recruitment and retention, market place analysis, community
development, grant development, federal shortage designation applications
and updates, and many other issues critical to clinics serving underserved
populations. Click here for
more information.
Technical
Assistance & Consulting Services are available to all MPCA members.
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MPCA
keeps its member centers up-to-date through its web site, bi-monthly
newsletter, News &
Notes, and weekly Communications
Update. These medium communicate information of vital importance
regarding federal and state legislation, emerging health care trends,
managed care, recruitment, compensation, and licensing requirements.
MPCA also alerts the membership when immediate action on health
care issues is required through collective membership involvement.
To become a Health Care Deferender and receive action alerts from
MPCA, click here.
MPCA encourages member organizations to share health center news
by submitting it to Dana Hughes
at 517/381-8000 x200.
MPCA shares
information with all of its members.
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MPCA
offers a number of forums designed to promote communication and
networking among health center staff. Representatives come together
in these forums to discuss issues and share ideas. For a complete
list of workgroups and networks, including staff liaisons and contact
information, click here.
Communication
Forums are available to all MPCA members.
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MPCA
offers the following management services and programs for the benefit
of its members:
- Virtual
CHC - MPCA's state-of-the-art data center offers a
variety of computer applications to health centers over the Internet
through Virtual Private Networks. Applications available include
Practice Management Systems, Accounting & Finance, Transcription
Service, Productivity Suites, Electronic Mail, Web Site Hosting,
SharePoint Team Services Hosting, and List Serve Hosting. For
a list of products, partners, and services, visit www.virtualchc.org
or e-mail information@virtualchc.net.
Management
Services are available to all MPCA members.
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The
School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan is a collaboration
of individuals and organizations that through their actions, commitment,
and passion support the belief that all Michigan children and youth
have a basic fundamental right to access and receive comprehensive
primary health care and prevention services. Today there are more
than 50 school-based and school-linked health centers and programs
in the State of Michigan delivery a range of primary, preventative,
and early intervention services to nearly 100,00 children of all
grade levels in urban, rural, and suburban schools across the state.
For more information, contact Deb
Brinson at 517/381-8000 x219 or visit www.scha-mi.org.
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