Small Talks: Making Sense & Staying on Track: CMS Vaccine Mandates
2022-03-10 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-03-16 12:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Online via Zoom
Staying on top of vaccine mandates can be challenging. Our team can help translate CMS’ requirements, identify tools that help stay you on track and consider best practices for ongoing success.
Access the tools today and join one of the upcoming sessions to learn more.

Opioid and Pain Management Best Practices: Technology for Opioid Risk Assessment, Naloxone Access, and Urine Screening
2022-03-10 12:30 - 13:30
Don’t miss out! See nationally acclaimed pain management expert Dr. Jeff Fudin present on free software that can save lives!
Please join us for a technology demonstration of free software to help prescribers, nurses, pharmacists, and other clinicians who work in any care setting assess patients/residents for opioid overdose and use disorder risks, help clinicians interpret urine drug screens, and qualify patients for in-home naloxone.
We’ll also explore other free apps for opioid harm reduction.
Our speaker: Dr. Fudin

Dr. Fudin graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences with his Bachelor’s Degree and Pharm.D. He completed an Oncology/Hematology fellowship at SUNY/Upstate Medical Center. He is a Diplomate to the Academy of Integrative Pain Management and a Fellow to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Society of Health-system Pharmacists, and the Federation of State Medical Board.
Dr. Fudin is a Section Editor for Pain Medicine, Co-Editor-At-Large for Practical Pain Management, Founder/Chairman of Professionals for Rational Opioid Monitoring & Pharmacotherapy, and peer reviewer for several professional journals. He has participated in developing and co-authoring opioid-related practice and consensus guidelines.
He is owner and managing editor for paindr.com and Founder and CEO of Remitigate LLC, a software development company that has launched an application to help clinicians interpret urine drugs screens and another that interprets risk of opioid-induced respiratory depression and guides clinicians in qualifying patients for in-home naloxone. Dr. Fudin is a prolific lecturer, writer, editor, teacher, and researcher, with over 350 publications on pain management topics.

The Connecticut Pharmacists Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Pharmacists in attendance who complete an evaluation will receive 1 contact hour of CPE credit (0.1 CEU). Statements of credit will be uploaded to CPE monitor on the NABP website, where you can print your credits for your profile

EQIC's Care Partner Model
2022-03-17 13:00 - 13:45
An innovative program addressing patient and family satisfaction, readmission reduction, and patient-centered care goals
The Eastern US Quality Improvement Collaborative, a CMS Task III contractor in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia, invites SNF, home care, and community agencies to learn about its innovative care partner model.
The next session in our Care Partner sprint is dedicated to the role of community-based organizations, and we hope it will be very beneficial to the hospitals, SNFs, home care, and other community hospitals.
A quality director from one of our EQIC hospitals will discuss their Care Transition Community Collaborative developed with the assistance of IPRO’s QIN-QIO, which includes the identification and involvement of community-based organizations.
As the new care partner model grows over the next few years, we believe that more and more patients and families will be using and referring to their care partner. We want to ensure that our partner organizations understand the model as it becomes more prevalent patient care. The attendance of hospitals outside of EQIC is an important collaborative step for the Task I and Task III participants to work together.

Booster Blitz: Making Sense & Staying on Track: CMS Vaccine Mandates
2022-03-22 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-03-23 16:30 - 17:00

IP3 Office Hours: Infection Prevention for ﻿Infection Preventionists by an Infection Preventionist
2022-03-24 11:00 - 23:30, 2022-03-31 11:00 - 11:30, 2022-04-07 11:00 - 11:30, 2022-04-14 11:00 - 11:30 | Online via Zoom
While you’re at your desk trying to catch up on a myriad of issues, jump on the IPRO QIN-QIO Office Hours call to hear what people are experiencing, share ideas, and brainstorm solutions.

Small Talks: IPRO QIN-QIO Chronic Kidney Disease Awareness & Prevention Programs
2022-03-24 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-03-30 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
According to the CDC, chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 1 in 7 U.S. adults—an estimated 37 million Americans. For individuals with diabetes or high blood pressure—the two most common causes of kidney disease—the risk for CKD is even greater.
Despite the prevalence, as many as 9 in 10 people are unaware they have the disease until it has progressed because early-stage kidney disease usually has no symptoms. Although common, CKD is preventable and treatable. Engaging patients, families, and care partners can help support early detection for people at risk for kidney disease and can significantly delay or prevent the progression of kidney failure.
Join one of the upcoming sessions to learn how to implement the IPRO QIN-QIO CKD Mobile Applications and Patient Engagement Tools.

Small Talks: Health Equity at End-of-Life: Enhancing Access to Advance Directives & Palliative Care
2022-04-07 12:00 - 12:30
Join us to explore how racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with lower socioeconomic status experience disparities in end-of-life care.
We’ll share tools and strategies to help address these disparities.

Small Talks: Health Equity at End-of-Life: Enhancing Access to Advance Directives & Palliative Care
2022-04-13 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom

Check in with the QIO - Office Hours
2022-04-14 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-05-26 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-06-23 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
A monthly half-hour zoom session to follow up on recent Small Talks, explore new intervention(s), ask questions, and connect with peers.
These 30-minute sessions do not require registration.

Small Talks: Heart Failure – Patient Self-management Supports Better Outcomes
2022-04-21 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-04-27 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
Engaging patients with self-management tools can lead to better outcomes by promoting proper monitoring and early identification of symptoms that require action, before a re-hospitalization occurs. Join us to hear how a heart failure monitoring tool, developed by a Care Transitions Community Coalition, in conjunction with a hospital system, nursing home and visiting nurse partners, is being utilized for patient teaching and self-management, across the continuum.
Learning Objectives:

Recognize that patients with heart failure discharged to the community are at high risk for readmission if there is a knowledge deficit and lack of self-management
Describe how My Health Plan: Taking Care of My Heart Health, one tool that enables clinicians in all settings to provide patient education about heart failure, can promote patient/caregiver involvement in monitoring and tracking of their symptoms, and ultimately, better management of the disease
Consider how you can implement a patient/caregiver heart failure education and tracking tool to impact this leading cause of hospital utilization

April 22: HHS Presents 'We Can Do This Summit: Conversations on Encouraging COVID-19 Vaccinations'
2022-04-22 12:00 - 14:30
Presented by the White House and the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Summit will feature engaging conversations among leading doctors, medical experts, parents, and community leaders regarding COVID-19 vaccines and how the broader medical community can encourage vaccination among pregnant people, children, teens, and young adults. Some of our expert speakers include:

Xavier Becerra, Secretary, HHS
Dr. Sean O’Leary, Vice Chair, Committee on Infectious Diseases, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Dr. Ada Stewart, Board Chair, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
Ernest Grant, RN, President, American Nurses Association (ANA)
Dr. Gerald Harmon, President, American Medical Association (AMA)
And many more!

The We Can Do This Summit will have a full agenda of important conversations, including:
12:00 PM ET/11:00 AM CT: Opening Remarks by HHS and White House officials.
12:15 PM ET/11:15 AM CT: First Conversation: Don’t Let COVID Get in the Way: Getting Children 5-11 Vaccinated
1:00 PM ET/12:00 PM CT: Second Conversation: Pregnancy and Nursing Moms: Addressing Misinformation
1:40 PM ET/12:40 PM CT: Third Conversation: Getting Young Adults Vaccinated and Boosted
2:15 PM ET/1:15 PM CT: Closing Remarks

Small Talks: Opioid Use Disorder & Related Behaviors: Supporting Patients & Each Other
2022-05-05 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-05-11 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
Patients living with opioid use disorder often present with challenging behaviors, which can be a barrier to getting the right care at the right time, and lead to higher hospital utilization. In this session, we’ll explore how de-escalation training and other strategies, such as psychological first aid, can be an effective approach for communicating with patients who present with challenging behaviors, and can also, in turn, help support healthcare colleagues.
Learning Objectives:

Recognize that patients living with opioid use disorder often present with challenging behaviors, which can result in challenges getting the right care at the right time and place
Describe how de-escalation training and other strategies, such as psychological first aid, can be an effective approach for communicating with patients who present with challenging behaviors, and can also, in turn, help support healthcare colleagues
Be prepared to better address patients’ behavioral needs

Small Talks: Introducing the Health Equity Organizational Assessment & Knowledge Builder Series
2022-05-19 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
According to an IHI 2021 poll, C-Suite leaders stated the top barrier to advancing health equity is inconsistent collection of equity-related patient data. The HEOA helps organizations assess their ability to collect, validate, and stratify patient demographic data and to take action to eliminate disparities. CMS endorses the HEOA as a valuable tool that can promote health equity.
In this session, we will discuss the HEOA Assessment Report, the scoring methodology, and how facilities can still take the assessment. The IPRO QIN-QIO will also share the HEOA educational series schedule with participants.

Discuss the HEOA Assessment Reports.
Learn how to take the HEOA Assessment if your facility hasn’t completed one.
Learn about the HEOA Knowledge Builders educational series

Small Talks: Introducing the Health Equity Organizational Assessment & Knowledge Builder Series
2022-05-25 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
According to an IHI 2021 poll, C-Suite leaders stated the top barrier to advancing health equity is inconsistent collection of equity-related patient data. The HEOA helps organizations assess their ability to collect, validate, and stratify patient demographic data and to take action to eliminate disparities. CMS endorses the HEOA as a valuable tool that can promote health equity.
In this session, we will discuss the HEOA Assessment Report, the scoring methodology, and how facilities can still take the assessment. The IPRO QIN-QIO will also share the HEOA educational series schedule with participants.

Discuss the HEOA Assessment Reports.
Learn how to take the HEOA Assessment if your facility hasn’t completed one.
Learn about the HEOA Knowledge Builders educational series.

Small Talks: Caring for Residents with Chronic Kidney Disease
2022-06-02 12:00 - 12:30, 2022-06-08 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 37 million Americans are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). With numbers steadily increasing more patients with CKD are residing or visiting a nursing home for a short-term stay. CKD patients are medically complex, often requiring care for multiple comorbidities.
Emphasizing the unique needs of these patients can slow the progression of CKD, ensure adequate care, and quality of life. This session will discuss the health challenges of CKD patients, the stages and progression into end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and important nutrition, medication, and medical management necessary for well-rounded care.
Learning Objectives:

Identify at least three unique elements of caring for a patient with chronic kidney disease
Define the levels of chronic kidney disease and the progression to end-stage renal disease
Summarize the importance of diet/nutrition, medication management, and management of comorbid conditions as they relate to chronic kidney disease
Integrate knowledge gained into practice when caring for chronic kidney disease patients

Small Talks: HEOA Knowledge Builders Series, Category I: Data Collection
2022-06-16 12:00 | Online via Zoom
In this session, we’ll discuss best practices for implementing a standardized procedure for collecting patient self-reported race, ethnicity, and language (REaL) data, and additional demographic data such as SO/GI, disability status, and social determinants of health factors.

Understand why accurate collection of patient demographic data is critical for identifying and addressing health disparities.
Describe best practices for implementing a system-wide, standardized process for accurate collection of patient self-reported REaL and other demographic data.
Share helpful resources.

Small Talk: Ambulatory Care COVID-19 Antivirals (Paxlovid, Lagevrio): Overview for Healthcare Professionals
2022-06-22 12:00 - 12:30 | Online via Zoom
A presentation highlighting the two available oral treatment options for mild to moderate COVID-19 in the ambulatory care setting.
Objectives:

Review the IDSA guidelines for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection in the ambulatory care setting
Explore the difference between FDA approval and Emergency Use Authorization
Describe the dosing, side effects and drug interactions associated with Paxlovid and Lagevrio
Summarize the published COVID-19 efficacy data for Paxlovid and Lagevrio

Small Talks: HEOA Knowledge Builders Series, Category II: Data Collection Training
2022-06-23 12:00 | Online via Zoom
In this session, we’ll discuss best practices for training your workforce on how to collect accurate, patient self-reported demographic data in a way that increases patient comfort and staff confidence.

Share different options and best practices for training staff on the accurate collection of patient self-reported REaL and other demographic data.
Understand how to evaluate the effectiveness of workforce training to ensure staff demonstrate competency.
Share helpful resources.

Small Talks: HEOA Knowledge Builders Series, Category III: Data Validation
2022-06-30 12:00 | Online via Zoom
In this session, we’ll discuss how to implement a standardized process to evaluate the accuracy and completeness of self-reported patient REaL and other demographic data.

Share best practices for implementing a system-wide, standardized process for data validation.
Understand to evaluate and address system level issues throughout evaluation processes to continually improve the collection of patient demographic data.
Share helpful resources.
