National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

One in five people live with a mental health condition. This painful statistic shows that mental health disorders are more prominent than we might have thought. Many of these people also belong to an ethnic or racial minority. Historically, minority communities not only experience unique and considerable challenges in accessing mental health services, but discrimination or exclusion. Being a minority, along with other social determinants of health such as geographical location, availability of resources, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity contribute to minorities receiving inferior mental health treatment. Minorities who are impoverished, homeless, incarcerated or have substance abuse problems are at an even higher risk for poor mental health. These health disparities are preventable differences.

What can be done to change this?

Fortunately, it is being worked on, but will take time. With July being National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, there are organizations dedicated to providing support and resources while raising awareness for minority groups living with mental illness. The aim is to improve access to mental health services for multicultural communities through increased public awareness. Mental health services must be tailored to meet the unique needs of minority groups in different community settings.

A number of initiatives in place today focus on minority communities and their access to mental health. A range of initiatives continue to emerge at the federal, state, and local level. Primary care offices need to include mental health screenings that take into account a patient’s language and cultural background to address minority mental health care. It is imperative that mental health services are integrated with primary care services as they are the sole form of services for over a third of patients with a mental health disorder who are accessing the health care delivery system. The public mental health safety net of hospitals, community health centers, and local health departments are also vital to many minorities, especially to those in high-need populations.

There are many organizations that help millions of people who face mental illness each day. To learn more about mental health conditions, get involved in events, raise awareness and find support for family/friends/caregivers, reach out to the organizations. Here are a few.

National Alliance on Mental Illness www.NAMI.org

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration www.SAMHSA.gov

National Council of Behavioral Health www.thenationalcouncil.org

Mental Health America www.mentalhealthamerica.net

The Cost of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. It is the most common form of dementia and is not a normal part of aging.

Here are some statistics about Alzheimer’s:

·         The sixth leading cause of death in the United States

·         The fifth leading cause of death for people aged 65 and older

·         One in nine people aged 65 and older has it

·         More than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia

·         The estimated number of 2016  cases is estimated to go up to 5.6 million people

·         The only disease among the top 10 causes of death that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed down

·         Takes a devastating toll on caregivers due to emotional stress, depression and wage loss

·         Predicted to cost our country over $236 billion this year for health care, long-term care and hospice

This data is pretty sobering. The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is growing fast. Although most people are aged 65 and older, there are still 200,000 people who are under 65 and have it. As the baby boomers age, the numbers will escalate at a faster rate.

It can be easily seen that Alzheimer’s disease is costing us a lot. Not only in dollar value, but the cost of losing our loved ones. It’s hard to see someone you love deteriorate before your eyes and not remember simple things. When a mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s doesn’t recognize people she’s known for years or asks three times in a thirty minute visit if her husband or parents are living or dead, the price is also large for the family and friends.

What are the signs?

·         Memory loss that disrupts daily life (forgetting dates/events, asking for the same information over and over, forgetting recently learned information)

·         Challenges in planning or solving problems (following a recipe, paying bills)

·         Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, work or leisure (problems driving to a familiar location, remembering the rules of a favorite game)

·         Confusion with time or place (losing track of dates, seasons, forgetting where they are)

·         Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships (difficulty reading, judging distance, determining color)

·         New problems with words in speaking or writing (trouble following or joining a conversation)

·         Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps (putting things in unusual places, accusing others of stealing)

·         Decreased or poor judgment (problems with handling money, less attention to grooming)

·         Withdrawal from work or social activities (problems remembering how to complete a favorite hobby)

·         Changes in mood and personality (suspicious, depressed, fearful, anxious, easily upset)

What can you do to support Alzheimer’s Awareness Month?

·         Stay informed by reading up on the diagnosis. If some of the above signs are noticed in friends, relatives or even yourself, get to a health care professional. Early detection can help get the maximum benefit from available treatments that can provide some relief of symptoms.

·         Make a tax deductible donation to support research, programs and services

·         Become an advocate by helping to persuade Congress to address this growing need in our country

·         Learn the facts and help change the numbers

The brain is worth saving.

Don’t Get Burned! Stay Safe in the Sun!

With spring bringing us more hours of fun-in-the-sun activities, make sure to protect your skin while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. The most common cancer in the United States is skin cancer with millions of people being diagnosed every year. The good news is that skins cancers that are found early are almost always curable. With May being Skin Cancer Prevention Month, the following tips can help guard skin against the damaging effects of too much sun exposure and help reduce the risk.

·         Apply sunscreen. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 on all skin not covered by clothing. Make sure to reapply every 2 hours after sweating, swimming or toweling off. Even cloudy days can bring us excess sun exposure. Apply sunscreen not only to your body, but also to exposed feet, ears and neck. Don’t forget the children! Their skin needs protection whenever outdoors.

·         Be cautious of the strong rays. The strongest rays of the sun are between 10 AM and 2 PM. Stay in the shade whenever possible during those times.

·         Protect your skin by wearing clothes. Clothing can be your best defense. Wear long-sleeved shirts pants, hats and sunglasses.

·         Don’t seek the sun for your Vitamin D. Eat foods that are naturally rich in Vitamin D or take supplements.

·         Use a self-tanner. If you want to look tan, there are many self-tanners out there that can do the job safely. Don’t use tanning beds. UV light from tanning beds can cause wrinkling and age spots. They can also lead to an increased risk for melanoma and other forms of skin cancers.

·         Watch out for water and sand. They can reflect the damaging rays of the sun.

·         Keep babies out of the sun. Those sweet little babies have especially vulnerable skin, so keep them out of the sun. Babies over six months need regular applications of sunscreen. Discuss what is best with your pediatrician.

·         Do a skin check for signs of skin cancer. Check your skin, know your moles. If anything looks suspicious or moles are changing or growing, have your doctor take a look. To find out how to perform self-examination, visit www.skincancer.org/selfexamination. 

National Autism Awareness Month

Nearly a quarter century ago, the Autism Society launched a nationwide effort to promote autism awareness, inclusion and self-determination for all, and assure that each person with ASD is provided the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life. This year we want to go beyond simply promoting autism awareness to encouraging friends and collaborators to become partners in movement toward acceptance and appreciation.

Let’s embrace a new perspective. For over 50 years we have worked in communities (both large and small) to ensure our actions, through our services and programming, supported all individuals living with autism. Let’s expand this work to focus on the rest of us – ensuring acceptance and inclusion in schools and communities that results in true appreciation of the unique aspects of all people. We want to get one step closer to a society where those with ASDs are truly valued for their unique talents and gifts.

Join us in celebration for 2016 National Autism Awareness Month! National Autism Awareness Month represents an excellent opportunity to promote autism awareness, autism acceptance and to draw attention to the tens of thousands facing an autism diagnosis each year.

How is it celebrated?

• Presidential/Congressional declarations
• Online events and activities
• Local events and activities through affiliates
• Partner opportunities

What can I do?

• Download the NAAM poster and distribute to schools, libraries and community centers in your neighborhood.
• Recognize someone who is affected by autism and share your nomination on social media.
• Sign up for e-newsletter Autism Matters to continue sharing ideas on how to make a better world for autism here.
• Share your experience/stories with NAAM or autism with us!

Put on the Puzzle! The Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon is the most recognized symbol of the autism community in the world. Autism prevalence is now one in every 68 children in America. Show your support for people with autism by wearing the Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon – as a pin on your shirt, a magnet on your car, a badge on your blog, or even your Facebook profile picture – and educate folks on the potential of people with autism! To learn more about the Autism Awareness Ribbon, click here. To purchase the Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon for your shirt, car, locker or refrigerator, click here.

Connect with your neighborhood. Many Autism Society local affiliates hold special events in their communities throughout the month of April. But if you can’t find an event that suits you just right, create your own!

Watch a movie. Did you know that something that seems as simple as going to the movies is not an option for many families affected by autism? The Autism Society is working with AMC Theatres to bring special-needs families Sensory Friendly Films every month.

Donate to the Autism Society: Help improve the lives of all impacted by autism with a financial gift to the Autism Society. Every dollar raised by the Autism Society allows us to improve the capabilities and services of our over 100 nationwide affiliates, provide the best national resource database and contact center specializing in autism, and increase public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by individuals with ASD and their families.

http://www.autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/

Schedule the Gold Standard Colonoscopy Today

Schedule the Gold Standard Colonoscopy Today

One of the most preventable and treatable types of cancer is colon cancer. The number one way to prevent colon cancer is to get screened to find it in the early stages before it has a chance to grow. The gold standard for screening is the colonoscopy.  

Screening should start at age 50 or earlier if you are at high risk. Some of the high risk factors include family or personal history of polyps and colon cancer, diagnoses such as Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis, an inactive lifestyle, obesity, cigarette smoking, a diet high in red meat & fat and low in fruits & vegetables.

Why is this test the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening?

·         The colonoscopy is the most complete screening method available and only needed every ten years (unless polyps are found and a follow-up colonoscopy would be needed sooner.)

·         The colonoscopy is a simple and safe procedure where the physician uses a long, thin, flexible, lighted tube with a camera to detect polyps in the rectum and entire colon. If polyps are found, they are removed during the procedure.

Sedation is given to minimize discomfort. Make sure to discuss anesthesia options with your physician before the procedure and aim for the lightest level of sedation that you need. A prep to clean out the colon is necessary the day before the procedure. Information about the prep would be given to you from your physician. Under the Patient Prevention and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), all insurers are required to cover preventive screening tests, like colonoscopies. You might owe a co-pay or deductible, so check with your insurance carrier to see what is covered and what would be out of pocket. While you’re on the phone with them, check to see if they’re giving an incentive for getting a colonoscopy. Some insurance companies are trying to boost motivation by giving gift cards.

If you’re still unsure about a colonoscopy, there are other screening tests available:

·         Stool sample tests such as the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) to detect the presence of blood. They need to be done every year.

·         Sigmoidoscopy which only views the rectum and lower third of the colon. It needs to be done every five years.

·         Virtual colonoscopy which may not be covered by your insurance carrier.

·         Double contract barium enema which if polyps were found would need to be removed by a colonoscopy.

·         Note: A colonoscopy would be indicated if blood or any other problems were found with any of the above tests.

Colorectal cancer can be prevented and best treated by screening, getting regular exercise and consuming a healthy diet. So be active, stop smoking, drink alcohol in moderation, eat your fruits and veggies. During this March Colorectal Awareness Month, we urge you to no longer put off that gold standard colonoscopy. It’s the best, most reliable and most prestigious colorectal cancer screening test out there. It’s the top of the line!

Heart Month - Eating healthier fats could reduce heart disease deaths worldwide

American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report

January 20, 2016 Categories: Heart News

Study Highlights

• Eating healthier fats could save more than a million people worldwide from dying from heart disease each year.
• Refined carbohydrates and saturated fats should be replaced with heart-protective vegetable oils.
• While estimated deaths related to consumption of trans fats is on the decline in high-income countries, it is a growing problem worldwide because of the use of inexpensive partially-hydrogenated cooking fats in lower-income countries.

Embargoed until 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016

DALLAS, Jan. 20, 2015 — Eating healthier fats could save more than a million people internationally from dying from heart disease, and the types of diet changes needed differ greatly between countries, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Worldwide, policymakers are focused on reducing saturated fats. Yet, we found there would be a much bigger impact on heart disease deaths if the priority was to increase the consumption of polyunsaturated fats as a replacement for saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, as well as to reduce trans fats,” said Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., senior study author and dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy in Boston. Refined carbohydrates are found in sugary foods or beverages and are generally high in rapidly digested starch or sugar and low in nutrition.

He said this study provides, for the first time, a rigorous comparison of global heart disease burdens estimated to be attributable to insufficient intake of polyunsaturated fats versus higher intake to saturated fats.

Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood which can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Oils rich in polyunsaturated fats also provide essential fats that your body needs – such as some long chain fatty acids. Foods that contain polyunsaturated fats include soybean, corn and sunflower oils, tofu, nuts and seeds, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout.

To estimate the number of annual deaths related to various patterns of fat consumption, researchers used diet and food availability information from 186 countries, and research from previous longitudinal studies– which study people over long periods of time – on how eating specific fats influences heart disease risk. Using 2010 data, they estimate worldwide:

• 711,800 heart disease deaths worldwide were estimated to be due to eating too little healthy omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, such as healthy vegetable oils, as a replacement for both saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. That accounted for 10.3 percent of total global heart disease deaths.  In comparison, only about 1/3 of this – 250,900 heart disease deaths -– resulted from excess consumption of saturated fats instead of healthier vegetable oils;  accounting for 3.6 percent of global heart disease deaths. Saturated fats are found in meat, cheeses and -fat dairy products, as well as palm and coconut oils.  The authors suggest that the difference is due to the additional benefits of increasing omega-6 polyunsaturated fats as a replacement for carbohydrates.
• In addition, 537,200 deaths, which represent 7.7 percent of global heart disease deaths – resulted from excess consumption of trans fats, such as those in processed, baked, and fried goods as well as cooking fats used in certain countries.

Comparing 1990 to 2010, the investigators found that the proportion of heart disease deaths due to insufficient omega-6 polyunsaturated fat declined 9 percent and that due to high saturated fats declined by 21 percent. In contrast, deaths due to high consumption of trans fats rose 4 percent.

“People think of trans fats as being only a rich country problem due to packaged and fast-food products.  But, in middle and low income nations such as India and in the Middle East, there is wide use of inexpensive, partially hydrogenated cooking fats in the home and by street vendors. Because of strong policies, trans fat-related deaths are going down in Western nations (although still remaining important in the United States and Canada), but in many low- and middle-income countries, trans fat-related deaths appear to be going up, making this a global problem,” Mozaffarian said.

In the study, nations in the former Soviet Union, particularly Ukraine, had the highest rates of heart-disease deaths related to low consumption of heart-protective omega-6 polyunsaturated fat. Tropical nations, such as Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines and Malaysia, had the highest rates of heart-disease deaths related to excess saturated fat consumption.

“We should be a cautious in interpreting the results for saturated fat from tropical nations that consume lots of palm oil. Our model assumes that the saturated fats in palm oil have the same heart-disease risk as animal fats. Many of the blood cholesterol effects are similar, but long-term studies have not specifically looked at the heart disease risk of tropical oils,” said Mozaffarian.

“These findings should be of great interest to both the public and policy makers around the world, helping countries to set their nutrition priorities to combat the global epidemic of heart disease,” Mozaffarian concluded.

Co-authors are Qianyi Wang, Sc.D.; Ashkan Afshin, Sc.D., M.D.; Mohammad Yawar Yakoob, Sc.D., M.D.; Gitanjali M. Singh, Ph.D.; Colin D. Rehm, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Shahab Khatibzadeh, M.D.; Renata Micha, Ph.D. and Peilin Shi, Ph.D., on behalf of the Global Burden of Diseases Nutrition and Chronic Diseases Expert Group. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

The research was undertaken as part of the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study which is supported in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (award number R01HL115189).

Additional Resources:

• Fats and oils infographic and healthy fat images are located in the right column of this release link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/eating-healthier-fats-could-reduce-heart-disease-deaths-worldwide?preview=fd72ef448b9822347dc3303f085f0f01 
• American Heart Association nutrition resources
• Fats and Oils
• For updates and new science from JAHA, follow @JAHA_AHA.
• Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews.

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Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available atwww.heart.org/corporatefunding.

**SPECIAL EDITION** Welcome to 2016!

Happy New Year and warm greetings from Practice Transformation Institute (PTI.) January 2016 has arrived and we hope that the business goals you’ve set for the New Year are already headed in the right direction. If you haven’t made a decision on what type of education or staff development programs that are needed for your employees, we’d like to help. In this January 2016 Special Edition of our newsletter, we would like to acquaint you with the programs and services that Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) currently offers.

PTI is a not-for-profit provider accredited by the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) to provide CME for physicians. We are also an International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Accredited Provider and adhere to the highest standards of the training profession. Our training programs and continuing education can be delivered at your facility, a facility of choice, or at PTI’s training center in Madison Heights.

We have a wide range of educational programs for health care professionals that can be customized to fit your organization’s needs. The programs can be done in a live environment, online, or a combination of live and online blended learning.

Blended programs. Some of our current blended programs include:

• Moderate Care Manager Training–The classes are designed to educate health care professionals in the specifics of primary care management for adult and pediatric patients with mild to moderate illness. The ultimate goals are to control and minimize risks associated with chronic conditions while helping to prevent the development of new chronic conditions in at-risk patients.
• Adult Oncology Care Manager Training –You’ll get the general knowledge base and skill set provided in the moderate care manager training, along with addressing the specific needs of the adult oncology patient.
•  High Intensity Care Manager Training – The program is built on the moderate care manager training, but with a focus on the needs of the high risk or geriatric patient. 
• Care Management Training for the Community Pharmacist – This program is specifically designed to integrate Doctors of Pharmacy, Registered Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians into the interprofessional healthcare team.

Evidence-based programs. Our master trainers not only train new leaders, but provide these workshops to the community along with our leaders and yours. Do you want one of these workshops at your office or a community setting? Reach out to us and we’ll be glad to help your organization or work with your leaders.

• National Diabetes Prevention Program –The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention established the National Diabetes Prevention Program to help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle modifications. This year-long program helps participants make real lifestyle changes such as eating healthier, including physical activity into their daily lives, and improving problem-solving skills.
•   A Matter of Balance– An eight week group intervention that teaches practical strategies to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels.
• PATH (Personal Action Toward Health) Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and the Diabetes Self-Management Program – PATH is Michigan’s name for these two Stanford University programs that provide strategies for the day-to-day management of chronic or long-term health conditions. Workshops are six weeks long.

Custom learning programs designed for your organization. PTI is passionately committed to providing experiential learning for all levels of an organization.  Our goal is for an organization to realize meaningful, sustainable change and positive measurable movement towards established goals and objectives in a health care setting. If you’re interested in a custom program, let us know.We’ll design one specifically for your organization. PTI’s curriculum covers a wide variety of practice operations, team building and leadership topics such as:

• Integration of Behavioral Health into Primary Care
• Decoding CMS’s Hierarchical Condition Categories
• Motivational Interviewing
• Introduction to the PCMH, Interprofessional Collaboration, Chronic Care Model, Population Health, Model for Improvement, Process Improvement, Group Visits
• Self-Management Training, Shared Decision Making
• Quality Improvement and Using Data to Drive Decisions

Udemy. PTI has chosen Udemy.com as our online learning platform. Udemy courses not only can be accessed through your computer, but directly from an iPhone, iPad or Android device after application download. We currently have three standalone courses available on Udemy.com and will continue to add new offerings.

•  Health Literacy and Cultural Competency in Care Planning – Includes advance care planning in end-of-life care and health literacy influences
•  NCQA PCMH 2014 Building Blocks: The Must Pass Elements–This is an essential online course for primary care practices who are thinking of pursuing, or are pursuing, the NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition. All six must-pass elements are the building blocks of a patient centered medical home and required for recognition at any of the three levels.
•  Care Management: Tools of the Trade–Learn how a care management shared record, caregiver support, and telephonic and electronic outreach impact patient health.

Patient centered medical home. PTI has supported the patient centered medical home model of care from the beginning. Overall patient care improvements include reduced appointment wait times, better access to care, enhanced care coordination, increased patient satisfaction, reduction in emergency room visits, and improved rates of disease management.We can help facilitate the process toward NCQA’s national recognition.

• NCQA PCMH 2014 Building Blocks: The Must-Pass Elements - See the Udemy NCQA narrative above.
• NCQA PCMH 2014 Coaching- PTI has an NCQA CPMH Certified Content Expert on staff with packages available for interested practices.

CME co-providership program. Have you ever thought of attaching CME to your learning event? Let PTI help with our CME Co-Providership Program. Since we are accredited by the Michigan State Medical Society, we will make sure that your CME event is planned, implemented and evaluated in accordance with the MSMS accreditation requirements.What is the process for this? It’s not as hard as you might think. We would need to know the purpose and intended audience for the proposed CME program. Our CME Committee would evaluate if the proposed program qualifies as a CME activity. If it does, we would send out a Co-Provider Agreement. Once the agreement is signed and returned, the CME application and other CME documents would be emailed for completion and return to PTI. The CME Committee would go over all documents and any needed changes would be communicated to the co-provider. After appropriate changes are made, the documents are re-sent to the CME Committee for final approval.

Leadership retreats. Practice retreats can be offered at a site of your choice. Retreats can be designed for physicians, individual practice teams, or large groups of practice teams. Tailored training and more in-depth subject matter related to practice transformation will be developed upon request. Retreats can be designed for half-day to two day sessions, and more than one topic can be covered at a given retreat.Teams who have attended our leadership retreats find them energetic, entertaining and fun.

PTI is working on developing new programs for 2016. Stay tuned to hear more in future newsletters. Check out our website at www.transformcoach.org and follow us on social media.

Remember that programs for your employees are an investment in your most important resource, your people.Just tell us what you want and we will take care of the details. We’ll come up with a plan that meets your organization’s goals and budget. Please contact Harmony Kinkle at hkinkle@transformcoach.org or 248.475.4736 for more information.

We wish you a prosperous and wonderful 2016. Onward!

The PTI Team

Hooray for the Holidays!

The holiday season is upon us once again. While it is a time to be festive and celebrate with friends and family, it can also become the time of year when we overeat and gain weight. If we focus instead on a healthy balance of food choices and keeping our bodies active, the holiday season doesn’t have to mean a time of packing on the pounds.

Here are a few tips to keep those calories down but still enjoy the season:

·         Reduce the amount of fat and calories you consume. Eat white turkey without the skin. Skim the fat off of gravy after refrigeration. Use skim milk, non-fat yogurt or broth to make mashed potatoes instead of whole milk and butter. Substitute egg whites for whole eggs in desserts. Top those desserts with fresh fruit instead of frosting. Use low-fat or non-fat soups for casseroles. Search that unlimited source of information - the Internet - for other healthy alternatives. You’ll be amazed at how fat and calories can be easily reduced without sacrificing taste.

·         Pay attention to portion size. If you eat too much at one meal, go easy on the next. It takes 500 calories or 3500 calories per week above your usual consumption to gain a pound.

·         Keep problem items off the kitchen counter or coffee table and replace with healthier items. We may grab sweets in a holiday bowl or cookie tin without being mindful about them.

·         Watch the office goodies. This is the time of year where well-meaning coworkers bake their special holiday treats and offices receive food gifts from customers. Go easy at those pot lucks. You don’t have to try everything.

·         Don’t skip meals in anticipation of a future one. Eat a healthy snack before you go to that holiday party so you don’t feel like you’re starving and overindulge as soon as you get there.

·         Cruise that buffet table and enjoy the view, but choose carefully. Don’t stand there for hours and graze while you socialize. Skip your least favorite things. Don’t forget fruits and vegetables to keep a balanced plate.

·         Don’t stuff yourself. Eat slow when you savor those holiday treats. Be mindful. Enjoy the taste, smell and texture. Use small plates.

·         Watch not only the alcohol indulgence, but the non-alcoholic beverages with high calorie count. They can pack on the calories while you’re socializing. Alternate with diet sodas or sparkling flavored waters.

·         Become familiar with www.choosemyplate.gov to learn more about food groups, portion sizes and healthy choices. There is no better time than now to start making changes.

·         Keep activity on the forefront during this time of year. It can help relieve the holiday stress and prevent weight gain. Use our glorious Michigan winters to go sledding, ice skating or building snowmen. Go for a walk outside on sunny days. Remember that cleaning your house for guests and running through the mall counts toward activity. Hooray for that!

·         As we move toward the New Year, keep activity as a way of life and try get it most days of the week. Thirty minutes is the goal, but activity can be done in 2 fifteen-minute periods or even 3 ten-minute periods. It doesn’t have to be done all at once. It just needs to get done.

The message? Enjoy the holidays and the food, but in moderation. If you splurge one night, don’t beat yourself up. Get right back on track the next day. Choose your indulgences wisely. Have that piece of pie, but not the second piece. Enjoy one cookie, not four of them. Keep yourself active during the winter. Go to the mall, run up and down your stairs, park farther out in the parking lot, do a workout on television, take the dog for a walk or join a gym. Add some healthier recipes to your holiday portfolio or change up the family recipes that you’ve used for years. Be bold with your choices! Remember that moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Your body will thank you.

Pharmacists Join the Care Management Team

Practice Transformation Institute has a program specifically designed to integrate Doctors of Pharmacy, Registered Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians into the interprofessional healthcare team.  Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians already contribute to the health and wellness of individuals and communities by being the medication experts. Studies have shown they are performing more patient care activities such as health coaching and medical therapy management in a variety of settings and spending less time in the traditional role of dispensing medications. Their role is expanding further to provide leadership in quality improvement initiatives and medication-related measures.

The ability to communicate and collaborate effectively as a member of the interprofessional practice team is essential to improve health outcomes and deliver safe and quality care to all patients. This course provides core competencies to become a member of a high-functioning, patient-centered team as students learn how to manage and use available resources to promote health improvement, wellness and disease prevention. It is a blend of online on-demand courses and one in-person training day. The many topics covered in this program include:

·         Introduction to Care Management Principles

·         Introduction to the Patient Centered Medical Home

·         Integration of the Community Pharmacist into the Practice Team

·         Linkage to Community Services

·         MQIC Evidence Based Guidelines for Diabetes, Heart Failure and Hypertension

·         Patient Registry

·         Group Visits

·         Transitions in Care

·         PatientPing

·         HEDIS

·         CMS STAR Ratings and HCC (Hierarchical Condition Categories)

·         Behavioral Health

·         Pharmacy Data Interpretation/Utilization/Cost

Pharmacists can affect the quality of patient care, increase access to care for patients and provide cost-effective care. They can make an impact on patients every day. Patients want pharmacists on their interprofessional healthcare team. Are your pharmacists ready? Contact Harmony at hkinkle@transformcoach.org or 248.475.4736 for more information about bringing this innovative new program to your workplace or location of choice. 

PTI Online Learning is here!

PTI seeks to empower practices and other organizations with the tools they need to improve patient health outcomes and the individual care delivery experience. We’re always looking for ways to customize learning options to meet the diverse needs of our clients. With that in mind, PTI is excited to announce that we’ve added online learning to our portfolio of educational offerings.

Online learning provides a quality alternative to an in-person course. Although not every course is suited for online learning, there are many courses that can be dynamic and engaging in this format. Online learning offers convenience and flexibility as courses can be taken any time, any place, day or night. We’ve already used a blended format of online and onsite training for our successful Moderate Care Manager Program.

PTI has chosen Udemy.com as our online learning platform. Udemy courses not only can be accessed through your computer, but directly from an iPhone, iPad or Android device after application download. We currently have three courses available on Udemy.com and will continue to add new offerings. These are:

Health Literacy and Cultural Competency in Care Planning

https://www.udemy.com/health-literacy-and-cultural-competency-in-care-planning/?couponCode=HealthLiteracy

NCQA PCMH 2014 Building Blocks: The Must Pass Elements

https://www.udemy.com/ncqa-pcmh-2014-building-blocks-the-must-pass-elements/?couponCode=NCQA2014

Care Management: Tools of the Trade

https://www.udemy.com/care-management-tools-of-the-trade/?couponCode=CareMGT

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