Health care symposium planned
PRESQUE ISLE — Local physicians and others in the health care field are invited to take part in an opportunity to strategize about ways to improve health care integration in northern Maine. Northern Maine Community College will host the event, which is being offered through a collaboration between the college, the Aroostook District Coordinating Council for Public Health and Northern Maine Area Health Education Center with Maine Quality Counts and the Maine Primary Care Association.
“We recognize the health care system is constantly changing and there is a need for new approaches to a dynamic environment. We are pleased to be able to collaborate with these partners to bring this learning opportunity to the health care community of Aroostook County,” said Beth Hummel, business and industry coordinator in NMCC’s continuing education division.
“Strategies for Improving Care Integration” is being offered Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 4-8 p.m. in NMCC’s Edmunds Conference Center. Representatives from the state’s health care quality improvement organizations will be on hand to lead workshops and discussions focusing on strategies to transform care in ambulatory and hospital settings that go beyond institutional walls to strengthen the community and neighborhood of care.
Discussions will concentrate on identifying local and statewide models, identifying community partners, and strengthening capacity for quality care with a focus on identifying local best practices to build upon.
The event will begin with a presentation on transformed models of care and quality, why they matter and how they promote quality, led by Dr. Lisa Letourneau, executive director of Maine Quality Counts.
“Community partnerships and cooperation are critically important to improving health care across the state. We’re looking forward to this opportunity to hear about the work going on in Aroostook County,” said Letourneau. “We hope to share best practices and discuss how the health care community in northern Maine can work together to improve care. At Maine Quality Counts, we are committed to helping health care providers improve the quality of care, and are thrilled to work in partnership with the health care community northern Maine.”
Participants will engage in working sessions designed to enhance their awareness of emerging models and tools for improving care, the impacts of public quality reporting and payment reform on practice, and how the emerging health information-technology infrastructure will help. The focus for practitioners will be on practical, action-oriented tactics and tools to apply to their work. These working sessions will be followed by facilitated discussions on identifying strategies, resources, and local network assets.
Leading the presentations will be staff from Maine Quality Counts, as well as Maine Primary Care Association.
Maine Quality Counts (QC) is an independent regional health improvement collaborative, working to transform health and health care in Maine by leading, coordinating, and aligning improvement efforts.
Maine Primary Care Association (MPCA) is the membership organization that represents the collective voices of Maine’s community, tribal, migrant, and homeless health centers – referred to as the primary care safety net.
The Sept. 14 event at NMCC is free and open to members of the health care community. Dinner will be provided. Physicians attending the event may earn four category I CME credit hours through the Maine Medical Education Trust (MMET) (pending), while non-physicians will earn continuing education credits (CEUs) through the continuing education division of NMCC.
Although there is no cost to attend, pre-registration is required. Those interested in the symposium should register by Sept. 6 by contacting the NMCC continuing education division at 207-768-2849 or bhummel@nmcc.edu.
