The goal of the Care Coordination Change Concept is to make the primary care practice the hub of all relevant activity. Care must be coordinated not only within the practice, but between it and community settings, labs, specialists and hospitals. The responsibility of the PCMH is not just to be informed by community providers and resources, but to reach out and connect in meaningful ways with other sources of service and link with them, so that information is communicated appropriately, consistently and without delay. There are a variety of ways to ensure coordination of...

The final CCO implementation proposal was delivered to the Oregon Legislature for consideration during the February session. Now that the legislation has passed both houses of the Oregon legislature, Oregon will apply for required permissions and waivers from federal authorities in March. With federal approval, the first CCOs could begin enrolling members in July, 2012. SB 1580, the bill that moves the establishment of Coordinated Care Organizations forward, passed the Oregon Senate on a bi-partisan vote of 18-12. Final approval by the house happened on February 23rd.. Coordinated Care Organizations Read More...

CCO Oregon will host 5 regional forums to let you hear first-hand from OHA leaders what you must do to form, apply for and become a CCO, and thus become eligible for state and federal funding through this new, reorganized system of care delivery to the Medicaid population... Coordinated Care Organizations Draft OHA Rules for Coordinated Care Organizatons are expected to be released the week of March 5th. The state is expected to certify initial CCOs by the end of June, with an expected "start date" of early August. Nearly $500 million in federal funding may be provided to help ensure that providers...

Primary Care Evolving - Many areas of health care are in a process of reform and one area of major importance is the realm of primary care practice. There is an emerging consensus that strengthening primary care will improve health outcomes and restrain the growth of health care spending. Primary care is looking toward implementation of the patient-centered primary care home and transforming the delivery of primary care to include an interdisciplinary team in the face of anticipated primary care physician shortages. Best practice studies and feedback from the field are crafting a new...

Health Care Workforce:  Oregon Approves Core Competencies & Education/Training Requirements for Non-Traditional Health Workers   HB3650 set up provisions for the Oregon Health Authority to convene a group from August – January to work out the details for developing core competencies and training content requirements for non-traditional health workers. Currently standards developed and approved by the Oregon Health Policy Board are being submitted by the Oregon Health Authority to CMS for approval.   In 2011, the Oregon Legislature passed landmark legislation defining Oregon's...