Dear Reader:
October 2008 marks very exciting milestones for GCI ConnectMD and our mission to bridge the gap between rural and urban healthcare. We're pleased to announce 2 new partnerships with INHS and APCA - both of which will dramatically expand the reach of healthcare services delivered throughout the Pacific Northwest.
- One of the Nation's Most Collaborative Health Care Markets - A partnership with INHS demonstrates the integrated health care environment in the Pacific Northwest and significantly expands the reach and services available to member health care facilities and patients.
- Alaska Primary Care Association (APCA) Selected GCI to Build and Deploy 21st Century Health Care Network - To help provide for this critical mission, GCI ConnectMD will design, implement and manage a Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure to support the Alaska Community Health Integrated Network (ACHIN), a project of the APCA.
As always, we're excited about these new partnerships and the opportunities they create for our customers in the region. These relationships ensure that care providers and their patients have access to the latest in health care services, technology and information to enhance their practices and, most importantly, the quality of patient's lives. Please read on for more details about these and other important announcements and news.
Thanks for Reading!
- The GCI ConnectMD team
GCI ConnectMD and Inland Northwest Health Services Partner to Provide Higher Quality Health Care
Anchorage – The two largest medical networks in the Pacific Northwest, GCI (NASDAQ: GNCMA) ConnectMD and Inland Northwest Health Services (INHS), today announced a peering network agreement that provides the region with one of the most collaborative health care environments in the country.
The partnership demonstrates the integrated health care environment in the Pacific Northwest and significantly expands the reach and services available to member health care facilities and patients. Customers of both GCI ConnectMD and INHS can now access additional services and resources through a network cross-connection, including patient consults, continuing education programs and staff training. It enables both organizations to reach greater patient populations.
Read the full press release.
Alaska Primary Care Association Selects GCI ConnectMD To Build and Deploy Its 21st Century Health Care Network
Anchorage – The Alaska Primary Care Association (APCA) today announced its selection of GCI (NASDAQ: GNCMA) ConnectMD, the leading provider of telecommunication services to health care organizations in Alaska, as its service provider to expand patient reach and quality of care throughout the state. Through GCI ConnectMD, the APCA, a nonprofit organization that strives to provide all Alaskans with access to medical, dental and behavioral health care, will integrate modern health care technology into six of Alaska's most remote regions: Bethel, Homer, Wrangell, Skagway, Unalaska and Cordova.
Read the full press release.
Congressman Stark Introduces New Health Care IT Bill
September 16, 2008 - The bill, the Health-e Information Technology Act of 2008, would increase privacy protections for health information and require the Health and Human Services Department to make a low-cost, open-source, standards-compliant health IT system available to health care providers no later than mid-2012.
Stark's bill, introduced less than two months before congressional elections, makes it less likely that this Congress will reach agreement and pass a health IT bill. Neither the House nor the Senate has passed one, though bills that compete with Stark's are pending in both houses.
Read the full article.
Medicare Forum on E-Script Incentives
September 5, 2008 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will sponsor a conference in October to explain new Medicare incentive payments for use of electronic prescribing software.
Under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, enacted in July, Medicare will pay more to physicians that e-prescribe and less to those who don't. The law calls for incentive payments for e-prescribing of 2 percent in 2009 and 2010, 1 percent in 2011 and 2012, and 0.5 percent in 2013. Beginning in 2012, Medicare payments to physicians not electronically prescribing would be reduced by 1 percent, then 1.5 percent in 2013 and 2 percent in subsequent years. The legislation also requires reporting of any e-prescribing quality measures established under Medicare's physician reporting system.
The conference, to be co-sponsored by industry stakeholders, is scheduled for Oct. 6-7 in Boston. Registration is free but space is limited. The agenda is not finalized and registrants can prioritize their interest in at least 11 potential sessions.
For more information and to register, click here.
Did You Know?
The GCI ConnectMD website is a great place to stay on top of upcoming conferences, events and announcements that impact health care delivery in your community. Set a bookmark for the GCI ConnectMD home page and make sure to check back each week for the latest!
REMINDER: Fall is a great time to catch up on your CME and make those Grand Rounds!
We hope you'll think of Virginia Mason as a trusted partner in your continuing education and professional growth. A variety of educational opportunities, including graduate medical placements, classes, lectures and one-on-one options, are available to our professional colleagues. In this section, you'll see options that are available to you at Virginia Mason.
As a world-class provider of CME/CNE and Ground Rounds, Virginia Mason proudly partners with GCI ConnectMD.
CME course schedule
CNE course schedule
