Improving Community Health: The CHW

 

 

Our blogs have talked a lot about community health workers (CHWs) and their role in helping to build a healthier community. CHWs are an advocate and liaison to connect individuals and families to health care and social services. They have a strong connection to the community they serve and may share the same ethnicity, race, language, socioeconomic characteristics, cultural, spiritual beliefs, and life experiences found in the community. CHWs can work in urban or rural environments with low-income, minority, immigrant, underserved communities, and populations with limited English proficiency. They have diverse job descriptions as well as job titles depending on the organization in which they work.

The demand for CHWs is growing as they have a crucial role in improving health equity and supporting the public health system, especially in underserved communities.

Home visits. CHWs can do home visits for patients/clients. Their training teaches them how to be prepared for a home visit, recognize hazards in the home, and ways to assess the overall environment. CHWs might discuss lifestyle changes while keeping in mind the cultural customs of the patient. They can see firsthand in the home what the physician office can’t. How important is that to really know your patients/clients?

Culture. Understanding cultural influences such as communication preferences, beliefs about health and illness, family and community, preferred healthcare practices, and addressing potential challenges can lead to more effective and appropriate care. This is an important part of what CHWs do.

SDOH. CHWs can complete a social determinants of health screening (SDOH) which includes questions about housing, food security, transportation, healthcare access, childcare, utilities, employment, income, and other social factors that may affect a patient’s/client’s health. CHWs can see what is in the refrigerator and if the patient/client could use a referral to a local food bank. CHWs can help with transportation issues for physician office appointments and financial assistance needs to help with paying utility bills. If they don’t know what is specifically available for a problem, they will investigate.

Community resources. Referrals to needed community resources are a big part of what a CHW can do along with assisting patients/clients in accessing these services. It could be a health department, food bank, community center, transportation, mental health support, housing, appointments, and other related social needs. CHWs can help with barriers to obtaining needed preventive services. Knowing what is available in the state, city, county, zip code is vital.

CHWs may call 211 or go to www.mi211.org to learn about agencies in the county to help with energy bills, for example. State of Michigan emergency relief programs, Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) for low income residents, and utility companies all have programs that may provide certain types of assistance. There is an outreach toolkit for energy assistance on the Michigan.gov website:

https://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/-/media/Project/Websites/mpsc/consumer/info/toolkits/Energy_Assistance_Outreach_Toolkit.pdf?rev=32219a29ba9547c98f72ad5e5ffc117d&hash=2FF0B41D07770AE02FFC6606FA608863

SMART goal and action planning. CHWs can develop SMART goals and action plans around the priority needs of patients/clients and do follow-up at the next contact with them. They are trained in motivational interviewing techniques and brief action planning.

As you can see, all of the items above interconnect with one another. As CHWs perform these tasks, they build trusting relationships with their patients/clients. There is a critical link between identifying SDOH needs, understanding cultural influences, and integrating community resources to improve the health outcomes of patients.

Community Health Worker Program

The next CHW Program will begin on September 25, 2025, and conclude on February 19, 2026. Live virtual webinars will be on Thursdays from 9 AM – 4 PM. PTI is an approved provider of CHW training by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). We are the only CHW training program that offers 0.6 IACET CEUs for each individual session.

Register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/c92a52ee-4fd1-4741-9107-c95e1910be8a/summary

Community Health Worker Sustainability: Advancing the Profession

The new dates for this program will be August 14 and 21, 2025 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM. This series is designed to provide in-depth knowledge on documentation, billing, coding, and the role of CHW interventions in improving population health. Practice Transformation Institute is authorized by IACET to offer 0.8 CEUs for attending both days of the program. IACET CEUs are recognized by a wide range of organizations including universities, regulatory boards, corporations, and professional organizations.

Goals of this educational opportunity are:

· Educate CHWs about the payer enrollment process and billing services.

· Strengthen the understanding of coding systems (ICD-10-CM, Z-codes) for reporting health conditions and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH).

· Improve documentation skills to align with payer requirements and reimbursement processes.

· Enhance knowledge of how CHW interventions contribute to improving population health, increasing access to care, and reducing health disparities.

Register here: https://cvent.me/KMvL4V

Continuing Education

Practice Transformation Institute is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

Education is a Lifelong Journey

 

School will be out soon for children as they begin a summer break before the next school year begins. They may look forward to a family vacation, a summer camp, or just hanging out in the backyard. Oh, to be young again and have that kind of freedom. As adults it is important to make use of our time off for fun activities for sure! But learning new skills whether it be through hobbies or continuing education for our occupation or volunteer work or expanding our career opportunities all help with the lifelong learning that fosters personal growth.

At Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) we are almost at the last session of our Advancing the Patient Experience of Care six-part series. Overall, this six-part series was designed to identify and develop the skills essential for providing a positive patient experience of care within the clinical setting. A patient’s experience is enhanced through effective communication, obtaining patient feedback, interacting with diverse generations, using the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI) and MI tools, and exhibiting cultural competency and humility. Using survey data results obtained in determining areas for quality improvement in the patient experience of care will be explored in Part Six.

Part Six: Using Data to Create Excellence in the Patient’s Experience of Care

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

This activity will identify ways in which to measure a patient’s experience of care and use the results to improve care within the clinical setting. Common tools used to measure patient experience of care will be identified. Motivators and barriers related to completing experience of care surveys/questionnaires will be explored with potential ways to resolve barriers.

This is a live virtual activity lasting 90 minutes with two choices for attendance, either from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM or 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Each of the six-part series activities could be taken separately for 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ if not registered for all six. Please see the link below for registration for this activity.

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/advancing-the-patient-experience-of-care-series/

Target Audience: Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, CHWs, and other members of the healthcare team

Continuing Medical Education (CME):

Statement of Accreditation
The Practice Transformation Institute is accredited by Michigan State Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
Practice Transformation Institute designates this live course for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Community Health Worker Program

Community Health Workers (CHWs) can change a person’s life. We will have a new CHW Program starting in September. You have the summer to think about what you’d like to do with that information. Have you thought about hiring a CHW or training a staff member to become a CHW for the value they provide for your patients/clients? Have you thought about becoming a CHW yourself?

Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) is an approved entity by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to provide training for individuals seeking Community Health Worker (CHW) certification. We are the only CHW program in Michigan that is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and able to award CEUs for each activity. PTI’s program includes a robust curriculum of 103 hours of virtual classroom learning that meets the requirement of the National C3 Council. Topics include communication, motivational interviewing, action planning, social determinants of health, community resources, chronic conditions, healthy lifestyles, health promotion and disease prevention, and more.

The next CHW Program will begin on September 25, 2025 and conclude on February 19, 2026. Live virtual webinars will be on Thursdays from 9 AM – 4 PM. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for each individual session. IACET CEUs are recognized by a wide range of organizations including universities, regulatory boards, corporations, and professional organizations.

Stay tuned for registration details for this next CHW Program coming soon.

Please visit PTI’s website at www.transformcoach.org or by contact yyang@transformcoach.org or hkinkle@transformcoach.org for more information.

PTI offers a wide range of educational programs for all types of health care professionals. We know the benefits of working collaboratively on interprofessional teams and how they help improve patient outcomes.

Mixing it Up in May

The month of May can be a mixture of springtime activities that focus on the return of warm weather, along with the beginning of summer activities that lean toward outdoor fun. If you haven’t done so yet, it is time to consider what you would like to do with your time off in order to enjoy the seasons. Michigan weather in May can still be unpredictable as anyone who lives here is perfectly aware. It may be cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. But if you happen to be available during the day on Wednesdays for some indoor activities, consider attending one of the continuing education programs that PTI is currently offering. No matter what time of year or what kind of weather, we have you covered with our live virtual programs.

The Advancing the Patient Experience of Care six-part series continues in May. Whether you have attended previous activities or not, consider attending this one as we examine the differences and similarities of other cultures. We may have all kinds of questions when we think about culture. Gaining insight about them can help us understand why other cultures do things differently and what we can learn from them to better help our patients.

Part Five: Creating an Environment Supportive of Multiple Cultures

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

This activity will focus on the importance of understanding and accepting cultural differences of patients in a clinical setting. It will identify the differences between cultural competence and cultural humility and why both are needed in providing a positive patient experience. Prior learning related to communication and motivational interviewing (MI) will connect with the enhanced experience of care for individuals of all cultures.

Overall, this six-part series is designed to identify and develop the skills essential for providing a positive patient experience of care within the clinical setting. A patient’s experience is enhanced through effective communication, obtaining patient feedback, interacting with diverse generations, using the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI) and MI tools, and exhibiting cultural competency and humility. Using measurement in determining areas for quality improvement in the patient experience of care will be explored. These live virtual CME activities will go through June 2025. Each one will be on the 4th Wednesday of each month for 90 minutes with two choices for attendance, either from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM or 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Each activity may be taken separately for 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ if not already registered for all six. Please see the link below for registration.

Target Audience: Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, CHWs, and other members of the healthcare team

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/advancing-the-patient-experience-of-care-series/

Community Health Worker Sustainability Program

CHWs are an essential part of a health care, social services, or community-based organization team. They bring knowledge and skills that enhance the quality and experience of their patients’/clients’ care. How are they best integrated into those teams? What sources are available to reimburse the services they provide to sustain their role within an organization or provider practice?

This two-part program will:

• Identify services for which a CHW can bill, along with the payer enrollment process
• Explain the link between ICD-10-CM codes and reporting health conditions
• Discuss how ICD-10-CM Z codes are used to pinpoint social determinants of health (SDOH)
• Clarify the documentation needed to bill for CHW services
• Identify billing codes approved for CHW payment by the primary payers in Michigan

 

This live virtual program will be in two parts on May 7 and May 14, 2024, from 8 AM – 12 PM. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.8 CEUs for this program after completion.

https://transformcoach.org/event/community-health-worker-program-chw-continuing-education-practice-transformation-institute-cme-ce-michwa-michigan/

Please visit PTI’s website at www.transformcoach.org or by contact yyang@transformcoach.org or hkinkle@transformcoach.org for more information.

PTI offers a wide range of educational programs for all types of health care professionals. We know the benefits of working collaboratively on interprofessional teams and how they help improve patient outcomes.

 

Motivational Interviewing IS all that!

 

Motivational interviewing (MI) is:

• a collaborative conversational style for strengthening a person’s own motivation for commitment and change
• a particular way of talking to people about change and growth to strengthen their own motivation and commitment

Empathy is key to MI.  It is all about listening and trying to understand the client’s/patient’s reality. MI focuses on the client/patient as a person and puts you in their shoes. The attention is placed on the client’s/patient’s concerns to help gain an understanding from their perspective. It is about their personal choice and the right to choose what is best for them. You are their guide as they find insights into their own issues. The ultimate result is shared decision-making and a positive patient experience.

Please join us for the two activities in our six-part CME series that will enhance your knowledge of MI in order to create the positive patient experience for which we all strive.

Part Three: Using the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing in Creating a Positive Patient Experience

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

This activity will build on foundational communication skills by focusing on using the components of the spirit of MI (partnership, acceptance, compassion, empowerment) in helping to engage the patient actively in their health care. Opportunities to use these skills within the clinical practice setting to promote patient self-management will be discussed.

Part Four: The Importance of Using Motivational Interviewing Tools in Creating a Positive Patient Experience

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

This activity will build on the spirit of MI by identifying specific tools within MI (open questions, affirmations, reflections) that can be used to engage the patient in ways that enhance their experience of care. Acting within the spirit of MI, use of these MI tools will help to address patient ambivalence for change and move toward effective self-management. Examples of how these tools may be applied in a clinical practice setting will be discussed.

Overall, this six-part series is designed to identify and develop the skills essential for providing a positive patient experience of care within the clinical setting. A patient’s experience is enhanced through effective communication, obtaining patient feedback, interacting with diverse generations, using the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI) and MI tools, and exhibiting cultural competency and humility. Using measurement in determining areas for quality improvement in the patient experience of care will be explored. These live virtual CME activities will go through June 2025. Each one will be on the 4th Wednesday of each month for 90 minutes with two choices for attendance, either from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM or 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Each activity may be taken separately for 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ if not already registered for all six. Please see the link below for registration.

Target Audience: Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, CHWs, and other members of the healthcare team

 

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/advancing-the-patient-experience-of-care-series/

 

 

 

Training the Next Wave: Community Health Workers on the Rise

 

Community Health Workers (CHWs) can change a person’s life. Have you thought about hiring a CHW or training a staff member to become a CHW for the value they provide for your patients/clients? Have you thought about becoming a CHW yourself?

Providers can bill Medicaid, Medicare, and certain Michigan payers for services provided by CHWs. Does your biller or revenue cycle manager know how to seek reimbursement? Proper training will ensure CHWS have the necessary skills needed while billing methods allow for financial sustainability in this much needed profession.

Community Health Worker Program

Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) is an approved entity by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to provide training for individuals seeing CHW certification. We are the only CHW program in Michigan that is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and able to award CEUs for each activity. PTI’s program includes a robust curriculum of 103 hours of virtual classroom learning that meets the requirement of the National C3 Council. Topics include communication, motivational interviewing, action planning, social determinants of health, community resources, chronic conditions, healthy lifestyles, health promotion and disease prevention, and more.

The next CHW Program will begin on March 3, 2025, and end on May 19, 2025. Live virtual webinars will be on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 AM – 4 PM. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this program. (Each individual session is 0.6 CEUs.) IACET CEUs are recognized by a wide range of organizations including universities, regulatory boards, corporations, and professional organizations.

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/community-health-worker-chw-program/

https://transformcoach.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PTI-CHW-Course-Calendar_Spring-2025.pdf

Community Health Worker Sustainability Program

CHWs are an essential part of a health care, social services, or community-based organization team. They bring knowledge and skills that enhance the quality and experience of their patients’/clients’ care. How are they best integrated into those teams? What sources are available to reimburse the services they provide to sustain their role within an organization or provider practice?

This new two-part program will:

• Identify services for which a CHW can bill, along with the payer enrollment process
• Explain the link between ICD-10-CM codes and reporting health conditions
• Discuss how ICD-10-CM Z codes are used to pinpoint social determinants of health (SDOH)
• Clarify the documentation needed to bill for CHW services
• Identify billing codes approved for CHW payment by the primary payers in Michigan

This live virtual program will be in two parts on March 7 and March 14, 2024, from 9 AM – 1 PM. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.8 CEUs for this program after completion.

https://web.cvent.com/event/8e9cf14c-a601-460a-a2a4-b89f1c50ee1c/summary

Please visit PTI’s website at www.transformcoach.org or by contacting yyang@transformcoach.org or hkinkle@transformcoach.org.

PTI offers a wide range of educational programs for all types of health care professionals. We know the benefits of working collaboratively on interprofessional teams and how they help improve patient outcomes.

 

Fantastic February

If you aren’t a winter person February can be less than fantastic. It can be dreary and cold and feel like it lasts forever. One way to get through the rest of winter is to move forward with some enjoyable and achievable goals to get over the winter hump. If a beach goal to the Caribbean isn’t working out this year, then think about a learning goal to acquire new knowledge and skills.

PTI’s CME six-part series called Advancing the Patient Experience of Care started on January 22. This first CME activity was called The Impact of Effective Communication on the patient experience of care and explored the Quintuple Aim, the Chronic Care Model, the four essential parts of communication, elements of effective communication, and the use of feedback to improve the patient experience of care. Although Part One of the series has been completed, it is not too late to sign up for the remaining five activities.

Part Two of the series will be on Wednesday, February 26 and is called Patient Care Experience Using a Multi-Generational Approach. This activity builds on the communication theme from Part One. Identifying the six generational groups within the patient population and their traits and characteristics will help health care providers with their communication strategies with the generational differences in the practice setting. Knowing the differences between how each generation communicates can avoid misunderstandings and barriers, thus enabling improvement in interactions.

Overall, this six-part series is designed to identify and develop the skills essential for providing a positive patient experience of care within the clinical setting. A patient’s experience is enhanced through effective communication, obtaining patient feedback, interacting with diverse generations, using the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI) and MI tools, and exhibiting cultural competency and humility. Using measurement in determining areas for quality improvement in the patient experience of care will be explored.

These live virtual CME activities will go through June 2025. Each one will be on the 4th Wednesday of each month for 90 minutes with two choices for attendance, either from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM or 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Each activity may be taken separately for 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ if not already registered for all six.

We invite you to sign up now for this great monthly series. Please see the link below for registration.

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/advancing-the-patient-experience-of-care-series/

PTI’s next Community Health Worker Program will begin on March 3, 2025 and end on May 19, 2025. Live virtual webinars will be via ZOOM on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 AM – 4 PM. Two days a week will get you through the program at a quicker pace. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this program. (Each individual session is 0.6 CEUs.) The program teaches the National C3 Council skills and health knowledge necessary to function as a CHW in a variety of community settings. This robust training offers teaching excellence along with a leading-edge curriculum that supports the participants in achieving the learning objectives of the program. The program offers formal instruction over eighteen sessions, practical experience/assessment tools, and homework assignments.

***PTI is an approved provider of CHW training by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). This approval followed a rigorous application process and more than two years of PTI providing CHW training through community and health system partnerships and support. We are one of the CHW training programs approved by the state, but we are the only organization with the coveted IACET accreditation.

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/community-health-worker-chw-program/

https://transformcoach.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PTI-CHW-Course-Calendar_Spring-2025.pdf

PTI is starting a new program in March called Community Health Worker Sustainability. CHWs are an essential part of a health care, social services, or community-based organization team. They bring knowledge and skills that enhance the quality and experience of their patients’/clients’ care. How are they best integrated into those teams? What sources are available to reimburse the services they provide to sustain their role within an organization or provider practice?

This new two-part program will:

• Identify services for which a CHW can bill
• Explain the requirements for billing the primary payors in Michigan
• Discuss how to utilize HCPCS codes to report services provided
• How ICD-10 CM Z-codes are used to report SDOH
• Identify documentation requirements
• Discuss potential functions and workflow in the organization setting, and more

This live virtual program will be in two parts on March 7 and March 14, 2025 from 9 AM – 1 PM. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.8 CEUs for this program.

Registration link: https://cvent.me/94KqQ4

If you have any questions or need further information about our programs, please contact yyang@transformcoach.org or hkinkle@transformcoach.org.

PTI offers a wide range of educational programs for all types of health care professionals. We know the benefits of working collaboratively on interprofessional teams and how they help improve patient outcomes.

Welcome to 2025!

Happy New Year! All of us here at Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) extend our warm greetings for a healthy and prosperous new year. As a reminder, PTI is a non-profit organization that provides continuing education for health care professionals through our innovative learning programs. We hope that you will consider letting us be a part of your personal and organizational education goals in 2025.

PTI is an accredited provider for the following organizations:

Continuing Medical Education (CME). PTI is accredited by the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. MSMS is a professional society representing physicians and medical students in Michigan. Being accredited by MSMS to provide continuing medical education (CME) shows that an organization has met the detailed requirements for delivering independent CME that accelerates learning, change, and improvement in healthcare.

Michigan certified physician assistants (PAs) can use CME activities for physicians to meet their licensure requirements. The Michigan Board of Nursing accepts AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s) for nurses with one AMA PRA Category 1 credit being equal to one contact hour.

IACET. PTI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. Accredited providers have gone through IACET’s rigorous accreditation process. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

IACET CEUs are recognized by a wide range of organizations including universities, regulatory boards, corporations, and professional organizations.

PTI has two upcoming programs that provide CME and IACET CEUs respectively.

Advancing the Patient Experience of Care. PTI is starting a new CME monthly series called Advancing the Patient Experience of Care on January 22, 2025. The six-part series is designed to identify and develop the skills essential for providing a positive patient experience of care within the clinical setting. A patient’s experience is enhanced through effective communication, obtaining patient feedback, interacting with diverse generations, using the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI) and MI tools, and exhibiting cultural competency and humility. Using measurement in determining areas for quality improvement in the patient experience of care will be explored.

These live virtual CME activities start January 22, 2025, and will go through June 2025. Each activity will be on the 4th Wednesday of each month for 90 minutes with two choices for attendance, either from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM or 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Each activity may be taken separately for 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. If all six activities are attended, 9 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ may be claimed. The greatest benefit will be realized by attending the entire series.

We invite you to sign up now for this great monthly series starting later this month! Please see the link below for registration.

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/advancing-the-patient-experience-of-care-series/

Community Health Worker Program. The Community Health Worker (CHW) Program offers IACET CEUs. PTI started this program in early 2023 and has had ongoing training since that time. The program teaches the National C3 Council skills and health knowledge necessary to function as a CHW in a variety of community settings. This robust training offers teaching excellence along with a leading-edge curriculum that supports the participants in achieving the learning objectives of the program. The program offers formal instruction over eighteen sessions, practical experience/assessment tools, and homework assignments.

The next CHW Program will begin on March 3, 2025 and end on May 19, 2025. Live virtual webinars will be on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 AM – 4 PM. PTI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this program. (Each individual session is 0.6 CEUs.)

***PTI is an approved provider of CHW training by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). This approval followed a rigorous application process and more than two years of PTI providing CHW training through community and health system partnerships and support. We are one of the CHW training programs approved by the state, but we are the only organization with the coveted IACET accreditation.

https://transformcoach.org/learning-solutions/community-health-worker-chw-program/

https://transformcoach.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PTI-CHW-Course-Calendar_Spring-2025.pdf

If you have any questions or need further information about either program, please contact yyang@transformcoach.org or hkinkle@transformcoach.org.

PTI offers a wide range of educational programs for all types of health care professionals. We know the benefits of working collaboratively on interprofessional teams and how they help improve patient outcomes.

We extend our best wishes for a fantastic year ahead.