KHC webinar: Advance Care Planning Sessions III
Our March webinar—hosted by the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative in partnership with the Center for Practical Bioethics, KFMC Health Improvement Partners, and the Health Quality Innovation Network—will feature Part III on Advance Care Planning (ACP).  These sessions are intended for physicians, mid-level practitioners, nurses, social workers, and other health care professionals.

10-11 a.m., Wednesday, March 24
Register here
Part III: This session will cover the role of standardized medical order sets in relation to ACP. It will address advanced illness medical order sets and accelerated ACP for use in a health crisis or amid a pandemic. ACP Part I and Part II recordings are available in the KHC Education Archive.


KAMMCO webinar: Enhancing Your Virtual Presence and Communication Techniques to Reduce Telemedicine Liability
As telemedicine gains traction in the health care landscape, clinicians must be prepared to operate technology-based systems for conducting routine care and exchanging information. Clinicians understand how effective communication and the establishment of therapeutic relationships can influence clinical outcomes. But what do these interpersonal skills look like when applied to telemedicine? In this presentation, KAMMCO Risk Management and Patient Safety Advisor Connie Christian, MBA, CPHRM, will discuss examples of how clinicians can 1) adapt their in-person communication process to telemedicine, 2) provide clinician congeniality in communications and 3) project a positive telepresence during patient encounters.

Noon–1 p.m., Wednesday, March 31
Register here


KDHE-KHC Infection Prevention Learning Action Network
More than 200 health care professionals across the state and into Missouri are participating in a new, virtual learning series in support of basic infection prevention for the ambulatory care setting. This collaborative, conducted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in partnership with KHC, features a nine-part, bi-weekly series of noon-time sessions focus on building knowledge and confidence in improving infection prevention practices. The series began Feb. 25 and will continue through June 17. The schedule and archives are available at www.khconline.org/LAN. It is not too late to enroll.


Compass HQIC Reaches 6-month mark
KHC congratulations the more than 90 Kansas hospitals that have enrolled in the Compass HQIC. This Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hospital-based initiative builds upon the achievements of the former Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) and will support rural, critical access hospitals, and other hospitals across our state and nation in improving quality and patient safety. The four-year initiative has now reached its six-month mark. KHC and KHA are pleased to partner with the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative in the Compass Initiative. For more information about Compass HQIC, contact Michele Clark at KHC: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


KDHE/KDADS webinar: Federal funding available to support telehealth care

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Recovery Office invite you to attend a webinar on two federal programs that provide funding to support system resiliency including increasing telehealth capabilities. 

1-2 p.m., Wednesday, March 24
More information available at: covid.ks.gov/provider-webinar. Email questions to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


No-cost HPV and Flu vaccine training available for CME and CNE

The Immunize Kansas Coalition is offering no-cost training to help improve vaccination among young people: one module for HPV vaccination (approx. 30 min.) and one module for influenza vaccination (approx. 15 min.). The training modules are intended for medical and nursing staff members and teams addressing vaccine hesitancy and providing a strong recommendation for vaccination. There is no cost, and CME and CNE are available.


New toolkit for building vaccine confidence and other vaccine resources
Cynosure Health—a longstanding KHC partner—recently released a toolkit designed to equip hospital leaders with information, strategies, and tools to increase vaccine acceptance among health care workers and help them to become confident advocates for COVID-19 vaccination in their communities. Access the toolkit here.

Other recent updates to vaccine information from the CDC include:
CDC COVID-19 Toolkit:  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/toolkits/index.html

CDC pneumonia vaccine information:
What everyone should know:  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/public/index.html
For Healthcare Professionals:  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/hcp/index.html
Materials:  https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/resources/materials.html

CDC influenza vaccine information:
What everyone should know:  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/flu/public/index.html
For Healthcare Professionals: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/flu/hcp/index.html
Toolkit:  https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/freeresources/toolkit.htm


2021 NHSN training videos now available
CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) subject matter experts have created training videos for updates. CE credits are available after viewing all the 2021 NHSN Training videos.

Topics include:

  • LabID Analysis in Acute Care Hospitals – FAQs and Troubleshooting
  • MRSA Bacteremia and CDI LabID Event Reporting – Refresher
  • Clarifications to 2021 Bloodstream Infection Definitions
  • 2021 Secondary BSI and Chapter 17 Updates
  • Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) – Update
  • Ventilator-associated Event (VAE) and Pediatric Ventilator-associated Event (PedVAE) Analysis
  • Surgical Site Infection (SSI) – Updates and Refresher
  • Optimizing the Group User Analysis Experience
  • NHSN Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Option: Facility-Wide Antibiogram Report
  • Internal Data Validation
  • Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Module: Influenza Vaccination Summary Reporting for IRF Units in LTACHs and IPFs

Links to the videos are available here and information on CE is available here.


TeleECHO series: A Primary Care Approach to Managing Substance Use Disorders

This TeleECHO from KU Medical Center is designed to improve health care provider capacity to implement evidence-based practices related to substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, screening, early intervention, referral to treatment, and risk reduction. There is no cost to participate in this series, but registration is required. While helpful to everyone, this series is specifically designed for clinicians who work in the primary care setting. Schedule, topics, and more information available here. Register here.


CCNK webinar: Coding/Billing Boot Camp
Community Care Network of Kansas (CCNK) is offering training on coding and billing for Community Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics. Cost is $200 for members and $250 for non-members. The training is designed to help facility managers and revenue cycle staff to pass the optional certification exam to become a Rural Health - Coding & Billing Specialist (RH-CBS) or a Community Health Coding & Billing Specialist (CH-CBS), however all clinical personnel (MD, DO, NP, PA, RN) are encouraged to attend as well.

9 a.m., Tuesday, March 30 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 31
Register here


Patient Safety Awareness Week

March 14-20 is #PatientSafetyAwarenessWeek, an annual recognition event to encourage everyone to learn more about health care safety, increase awareness, and recognize the work already being done. KHC applauds the efforts of our partners and collaborators in quality improvement and patient safety. While there has been real progress over the past two decades, there is still much to accomplish to prevent adverse events in ambulatory and primary care settings. For more information about Patient Safety Awareness Week, visit: Institute for Healthcare Improvement or QIN/QIO Toolkit for Messaging and Media Tips.