NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home™ standards emphasize enhanced care through patient-clinician partnership
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announced that Healthy Connections, Inc., clinics in Mena, Hot Springs, Malvern, Arkadelphia, Mount Ida, and De Queen have received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative relationships.
The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients’ experience of care and reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, instead of approaching care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care.
The Healthy Connections Montgomery County Community Clinic in Mount Ida (534 Luzerne St.) previously earned this recognition. Other clinics now recognized include:
Appointments for these clinics can be made by calling toll free (888) 710-8220.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from NCQA,” said Tony Calandro, CEO of Healthy Connections. “This is a testament to the mission of Healthy connections to provide outstanding, compassionate care to the patients we serve.”
Healthy Connections has three of Arkansas’ 13 PCMH Certified Content Experts on its staff, including Michelle Gibson, RN; Amanda Barrett, LPN, and Rachel Tomaskovic, RN.
To earn recognition, Healthy Connections demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements, embodying characteristics of the medical home. NCQA standards aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.
Over the past 21 years, Healthy Connections has become a lot of things to the communities it services, including primary care/family medicine provider, dentist, pediatrician, or medical specialist. But mostly it is a place all people can go to receive quality care regardless of their ability to pay.
Healthy Connections accepts Medicaid, including ARKids 1st, Medicare and most private health insurances. There are also appointment openings for all patients, sometimes even same-day, at all of the clinics. As a Federally-Qualified Health Center, Healthy Connections providers treat thousands of patients each year who have no insurance or not enough insurance to cover essential health and dental services. This is done as part of a sliding-fee schedule, which is determined by the total family income of the patient. Qualified applicants can receive treatment at a reduced rate.
For more information, visit www.healthy-connections.org.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s Web site (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.
Congratulations to our Healthy Connections October Employees of the Month:
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EAST: JESSICA LAND
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WEST: AMANDA BARRETT
As Employees of the Month, they are entitled to either a $50 gift card or one day off.
Jessica and Amanda exemplify the Healthy Connections pillars of Excellence, Compassion, and Community. Jessica is the Patient Care Coordinator at the Arkadelphia clinic, while Amanda is the Clinical Support Coordinator in Mena.
Check out what Jessica’s co-workers had to say about her:
- Jessica is always positive and very personable. She is helpful at all times and knowledgeable and if she does not know something, she doesn’t “pass the buck.” She will find out how to address an issue and handle it accordingly.
- Jessica is always here with a smile on her face. I have never heard one complaint from her. She is always one of the first to address any mishaps in our office. She will be one of the first to address cleanliness with any accidents that happen. She will always assist with anything asked of her. She is always professional with all aspects of her job. She is an asset to Healthy Connections and a joy to work with.
- Jessica goes out of her way to make the day special. She is always trying to help someone other than herself, She puts her job first as a patient care coordinator. This office could not run smoothly without her. I nominate her because she puts our patients first.
And what Amanda’s co-workers had to say about her:
- I wouldn’t have made it through my maternity leave without Amanda picking up a majority of my work. She did a great job and never once complained about the extra workload sent her way. Not only did she make being out possible for me but she kept everything with the providers running smoothly and they did not feel abandoned while I was out. I couldn’t do it without her.
- Amanda is always very attentive to anything I may need. She is prompt in finding answers to my questions and taking care of anything I need. If I call Amanda, even if I don’t leave a voicemail, she always returns my call. Also, she always follows up with me to ensure my issues are resolved.
Do you know who should be our next Healthy Connections Employees of the Month? Submit your nomination at www.healthy-connections.org/nominate.
Dear Valued Healthy Connections Patient:
As you may have heard, our Healthy Connections medical and behavioral health clinic at 3034A Pine Street in Arkadelphia is moving to a new location on Monday, September 23, 2019.
Healthy Connections has joined up with the Compassion Women’s Clinic and will be relocating to 301 Professional Park Drive in Arkadelphia, just 0.2 miles from the current location. We are very excited about our new offices, which are designed to create state-of-the-art healthcare settings for our patients and employees.
Other than a new location, we expect the same service you have come to expect from Healthy Connections to continue at the new location.
We’re also excited to add the women’s health services from Dr. Pittman Moore, MD, who has recently joined Healthy Connections and the Compassion Women’s Clinic. We are delighted to continue to provide the best women’s healthcare possible in an environment that instills worth and respect for all.
The final day at the Pine St. location will be Thursday, September 19, 2019.
For appointments, please call toll free (888) 710-8220. Learn more about Healthy Connections and the Compassion Women’s Clinic, visit www.healthy-connections.org/arkadelphia.
Thank you for choosing Healthy Connections.
MALVERN — Healthy Connections, Inc., welcomes Tisha Jenkins, LCSW, to our Malvern and Arkadelphia locations.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Jenkins will
be a part of Healthy Connections’ expanded Behavioral Health Services. She will
provide emotional support, mental health evaluations, therapy, and case
management services to people experiencing psychological, emotional, medical,
social and/or familial challenges.
Jenkins, who lives in Malvern, earned her Master’s Degree
in Social Work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
She will see patients at the Healthy Connections Malvern
clinic (1517 South Main St.) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays;
and at the Arkadelphia clinic (3034 A Pine St.) on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 6
p.m. Jenkins will also see patients as part of a new partnership with the
College of the Ouachitas in Malvern on Wednesdays.
Jenkins has provided treatment for individuals with
serious mental illness, adjustment disorders, depression, ADHD, and anxiety for
the past eight years. In the past two years, she has focused on geriatrics,
mental illness and potential candidates for foster/adoptive parents.
To schedule an appointment, contact the Malvern clinic at
501-332-7525 or the Arkadelphia clinic at 870-230-1280. To learn more about
Healthy Connections’ Behavioral Health program, please visit www.healthy-connections.org/bh.
Healthy Connections, Inc., was founded in 1998 as a home visiting program and now operates nine clinics throughout Southwest Arkansas. Depending on location, services include primary and preventative medical care, general dentistry, pediatrics, behavioral health, physical therapy and cardiology.
American Heart Association and American Medical Association announce annual list of physician practices and health systems receiving a Target: BP™ award for their commitment to prioritize blood pressure control within the communities they serve
ARKANSAS – Healthy Connections, Inc., is recognized as a leader in the national effort to get people’s blood pressure under control and reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes each year.
The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Medical Association (AMA) named Healthy Connections’ clinics as part of the 802 physician practices and health systems nationwide recognized for a commitment to help patients improve blood pressure control through this year’s Target: BP Recognition awards.
Launched in 2015, Target: BP is a national initiative between the AHA and AMA aimed at addressing the growing burden of high blood pressure in the U.S.
More than 1,600 physician practices and health systems nationwide have joined Target: BP™, sharing a common goal to reduce the number of adult patients with uncontrolled blood pressure and improve health outcomes associated with heart disease.
“Improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve is part of the mission at Healthy Connections,” said CEO Tony Calandro. “Target: BP is just another recognition of our staff and their commitment to making Arkansas a healthier place to live.”
Healthy Connections clinics recognized include:
- 3034 A Pine Street, Arkadelphia
- 900 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, Malvern
- 534 Luzerne Street, Mount Ida (Montgomery County Community Clinic)
- 136 Health Park Drive, Mena
- 1201 Mena Street, Mena
- 102 Chippewa Court, Hot Springs
- 3604 Central Avenue, Hot Springs
- 1357 West Collin Raye Drive, De Queen
- 139 School Lane, Mena (Ouachita River Health Center, Acorn School)
Clinics can be reached by calling toll free at (888) 710-8220.
Of the 103 million Americans with high blood pressure, less than half of them have it controlled to a healthy level. This is despite the fact that high blood pressure can often be managed effectively when patients work with their physician to create and follow a treatment plan. No single risk factor has more impact on the nation’s death rates from cardiovascular disease than high blood pressure.
“Although we have the tools to easily treat high blood pressure, many patients face a variety of barriers making it difficult to successfully manage the condition. That’s why the American Heart Association and American Medical Association created the Target: BP initiative – to help bring patients and physicians together to successfully get blood pressure under control, and help patients keep it controlled,” said AMA President Barbara L. McAneny, M.D. “We applaud the physicians who are already working hard to control their patients’ blood pressure, and we will continue to urge more physician practices, health systems and patients to join this effort to prioritize blood pressure control and increase the national blood pressure control rate. Together, we will be able to save many more lives and improve health outcomes for patients throughout the nation.”
“A driving force behind Target: BP’s goal of improving cardiovascular health is the physician and patient partnership,” said AHA President Ivor Benjamin, M.D., FAHA. “We are pleased to see more and more practices prioritize blood pressure control and collaborate with their patients to achieve the program’s goal of reducing heart disease and strokes in their communities.”
Healthy Connections, along with all other practices and health systems being recognized, will be featured in upcoming Target: BP materials. This includes appearing in national journal ads, on TargetBP.org, and the Target: BP Wall of Recognition that will be displayed at AMA and AHA events throughout the year.Healthy Connections, Inc., was founded in 1998 as a home visiting program and now operates nine clinics throughout Southwest Arkansas. Depending on location, services include primary and preventative medical care, general dentistry, pediatrics, behavioral health, physical therapy and cardiology
The American Heart Association presents Check.Change.Control.Cholesterol™ award for commitment in prioritizing cholesterol management
Healthy Connections, Inc., has received the American Heart Association’s Check.Change.Control.Cholesterol™ Gold Award in recognition of their commitment to reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke through improved cholesterol management.
High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for heart disease, heart attack and stroke, estimated to cause nearly 2.6 million deaths annually.
To help people better understand their risk and learn to manage their cholesterol, the Association launched its Check.Change.Control.Cholesterol. initiative in 2017. Since then, more than 340 health centers and systems have registered to participate.
“Nearly two-thirds of people who have high cholesterol don’t think they’re at high risk for a heart attack or stroke. For the good of our patients, we want to lower those numbers,” said Healthy Connections CEO Tony Calandro. “This is an important part of our mission to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve.”
Healthy Connections clinics recognized with the Gold Award include:
- 136 Health Park Drive, Mena
- 139 School Lane, Mena (Ouachita River Health Center, Acorn School)
Healthy Connections clinics also participating in the program include:
- 3034 A Pine Street, Arkadelphia
- 900 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, Malvern
- 534 Luzerne Street, Mount Ida (Montgomery County Community Clinic)
- 1201 Mena Street, Mena
- 102 Chippewa Court, Hot Springs
- 1357 West Collin Raye Drive, De Queen
To help practices achieve their goals, the Association provides all participants with a dedicated website featuring a free, evidence-based improvement program that includes tools and resources to help clinicians improve cholesterol control rates. To facilitate easy and seamless adoption of the program, the Association will provide access to trained support specialists within their community who can help identify specific program components to incorporate into clinical practice.
“We have a large body of evidence supporting the benefits and safety of cholesterol lowering treatment. Yet, the challenge is that high cholesterol remains underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated. This program helps bring patients and healthcare providers together to recognize the issue, bring cholesterol under control and help patients maintain control” said Alice K. Jacobs, M.D., Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs at Boston University Medical Center and past president of the AHA. “We applaud the providers who are already working to address cholesterol lowering, and we will continue to urge more physician practices, health systems and patients to join this initiative to prioritize cholesterol control and ultimately improve health outcomes nationwide.”
Healthy Connections, Inc., was founded in 1998 as a home visiting program and now operates nine clinics throughout Southwest Arkansas. Depending on location, services include primary and preventative medical care, general dentistry, pediatrics, behavioral health, physical therapy and cardiology. Learn more at www.healthy-connections.org.
Learn more at Check.Change.Control.Cholesterol.
