2-15-12 Brooklyn Hepatitis C Task Force Meeting Highlights

Brooklyn Hepatitis C Task Force Meeting Highlights
Wednesday February 15^th (3-5 PM) Brooklyn Public Library, Pacific Branch: 25 Fourth Ave

In Attendance: See Below

Stay Connected! Join our Linkedin Professional Network

• New! Electronic Client Tracking System: HCV Screening, Counseling & Patient Navigation  – MDLAND. Contact: Sunay ShahSunay.Shah@MDLand.net & Cynthia Watson cynthia.watson@mdland.net

• MDLand is working with the NYC Health Department on a ‘Hep C Risk Assessment Screening, Testing, Counseling and Linkage to Care Module’ in their Electronic Health Record ‘IClinic’ for the ‘Check Hep C Project.’ This is the first electronic system to support Hep C Patient Navigation.

New! Hepatitis B & C Awareness in the Caribbean Community Initiative. Contact: Sabine Franklin –Haitian Centers Council Inc – SFranklin@hccinc.org

• Hepatitis C Basic Brochure in Creole. HCV Advocate. Haitian Centers Council, Inc. translated the brochure
• A group is convening to work on a plan to increase awarness about Hepatitis B & C in the Crown Heights Caribbean Community
• Group Outreach event: Caribbean Women’s Health Association, Inc : Community Health Fair in East Flatbush on June 2, 2012. To participate, contact: Amanda Nace, MPH, CPH: anace@cwha.org
• Groups suggested doing outreach at the Prospect Park Drum Circle on Sundays.

New! Russian Hepatitis B & C Education & Support Group Initiative. Contact: Greg Romen- gregromen@gmail.com (718) 395-9120

• Monthly Russian Hep B & C Support & Education Group: Last Wednesday of the Month (6:30-7:30 PM). Kings Highway Library: 2115 Ocean Ave. 

 New! Methodist Hospital Hepatitis B & C Support Group

• 3^rd Wednesday of each month (5:30-7 PM). Open to all Hepatitis B & C Patients. Methodist Hospital:506 6^th Avenue, Park Slope – in the executive dining room on the ground floor adjacent to the cafeteria. Facilitated by Smruti Mohanty, MD, MS, FACP, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.  Contact & RSVP: srm9006@nyp.org (718) 780-3851

• African Hepatitis B & C Subcommittee Inaugural Meeting. Joint Subcommittee of the NYC Hepatitis B Coalition & Hepatitis C Task Force.

• April 4^th (2-5 PM) – African Services Committee:  429 West 127th Street, NY 10027. All interested in health in the African Community are welcome. RSVP: Demetri Blanas – demetri.blanas@mssm.edu
• African Services Committee is now testing for Hepatitis B & C 5 days a week through Mount Sinai’s HONE Project. To refer, contact: Alice Clomegah, Testing Center Coordinator – alicec@africanservices.org – (212) 222-3882

New! Health Care Access & Insurance Workgroup: Joint Committee of the HBV Coalition & HCV Task Force. Contact: frank.winter@cms.hhs.gov &  njohnso2@health.nyc.gov

• Next Meeting: April 17^th (3 -5 PM) at the Federal Building on Worth & Broadway.
• Centralizing helpful ‘Hepatitis Health Care Access, Insurance & Medication Resources & Tools’ for dissemination in Newsletter & on Website
• Integrating Hepatitis B & C patient care components into Electronic Health Record Products: starting with eClinicalWorks. To learn more, contact: frank.winter@cms.hhs.gov
• Compiling Medicaid & Medicare Managed Care Issues reported by the community and developing action plan to improve.
• Action alert! If you are experiencing issues helping your Hep B or C clients through Medicaid or Medicare Managed Care, please write and email describing the issue to: Frank Winter (frank.winter@cms.hhs.gov).
• Ensuring Hepatitis representation in existing Health Care Access & Insurance Coalitions.
• Developing a periodic ‘Email Toolkit for Medical Providers’ (MD, NP, PA) to help care for Hep B & C Patients more efficiently

• Hepatitis B & C Personal Stories Workshop – for patients. Every other Tuesday @ Harm Reduction Coalition (5:45-7:15 PM). To join, contact: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov

• Purpose is for patients to develop their Hepatitis Stories for themselves and/or to generate awareness. Stories can take on any form.
• Current projects: Developing a Hep C Awareness Video for Callen-Lorde TV. Submitting stories to the HCV Advocate Personal Stories Webpage.

• Barbershop Talk for Brothers: Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health: HIV & Hepatitis Integration Outreach Project Update. Planning a citywide skills training for Hepatitis Outreach Workers. Stay tuned for announcement. Contact: Dawn Jacob Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (djacob@arthurasheinstitute.org)

• 2012 New York State Viral Hepatitis Conference. NYS Department of Health. March 20^th. CUNY Graduate Center, NYC.

• You are invited!NYS Viral Hepatitis Conference Pre-conference reception.  Hosted by Harm Reduction Coalition. Museum of Sex: 233 Fifth Avenue, New York from (6 – 8 pm) on Monday March 19th. The guest speaker will be Dr, Gregory Dore, Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program at the University of New South Wales in Sydney Australia
• NYC Adult Immunization Coalition Meeting. March 22^nd (10-12). DOHMH 42-09 28^th Street, Rm 14-43, Long Island City. RSVP
• International Conference on Viral Hepatitis (ICVH)(CME). March 26 -27. Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
•  Webinar: Preparing for Hepatitis Testing Day.NASTAD & NVHR.March  29^th (3-4 PM
• Hepatitis Management: State of the Art (CME). May 11-12.  Einstein Hospital, NY
• TD Five Boro Bike Tour. American Liver Foundation.  May 6^th. Join the Liver Life Challenge Team in America’s largest cycling event, a 40-mile, traffic-free ride for some 30,000 cyclists. 
• Liver Life Walk. American Liver Foundation. June 3^rd, Battery Park.

May 15^th1^stNational Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day

May 19^th1^stNational Hepatitis Testing Day

July 28^th World Hepatitis Day

Patient Assistance

• Gods Love We Deliver provides home meal services for Hepatitis C patients meeting eligibility requirements.
• Community Health Advocates. Statewide program to help people of all ages find insurance and resolve insurance issues with help available in multiple languages. (888) 614-5400

Program Assistance

• Orasure HCV Finger Stick Rapid Test Approved!  To request training or information in NYC, contct: degan@orasure.com.
• HCV Patient Mentor Program: To request a patient mentor to come to your organization to speak to your clients at groups or special events, contact: emily_oster@vrtx.com
• Hep-Cap: NYS DOH pilot program that provides medical visit support and medication support for uninsured HCV patients. For more information, contact: Jocelyn Camacho, Project Coordinator – Mount Sinai Primary Care HCV Program – Jocelyn.camacho@mountsinai.org
• www.LookitDesign.com is working on an upgrade of the combine HCV Task Force & HBV Coalition Website. They offer affordable ‘Quicksites for non-profits.’

Medical Provider Assistance

• Primary Care Information Project (PCIP) offers assistance in transitioning to Electronic Health Records and classes on how to bill effectively. Consultants can work with practices directly. Intensive classes on ICD-10 are planned for early 2012. pcip@health.nyc.gov (347) 398-4888
• CoverMyMeds helps physicians and pharmacists complete Prior Authorization and other insurance coverage determination forms for any drug and almost all drug plans.

• Anthony Galank, Pharmacy Student (Anthony.Galante@my.liu.edu)
•  Barry Reiter: Reiter.Barry@gmail.com
• Cynthia Watson – MDLand (cynthia.watson@mdland.net)
• Eric Thornhill – Project Street Beat – Planned Parenthood – Eric.Thornhill@ppnyc.org
• Escott Solomon, Testing Coordinator Coalition on Positive Health Empowerment (COPE) (esctsl@aol.com)
• Fred Wright V.O.C.A.L. V.O.C.A.L. NY-Users Unionfred@vocal-ny.org
• George Bethos, Advocate – VOCAL-NY – FROSTD– George.Vocal@gmail.com
• Greg Romenski, Patient Advocate, HCV Support Group Leader for the Russian Community, HCV Stories Workshop Member (gregromen@gmail.com)
• Hector Quinones, Director of Social Services & LTC – AfterHours Project– hquinones@afterhoursproject.org
• Jay Sturm, Vice President, Operations MD Land (jay.sturm@mdland.net)
• Jim Konetsky, Senior Admin Program Services Gods Love We Deliver (jkonetsky@glwd.org)
• Keith Gamble, Health Educator
• Mike Duncan, PA Citiwide Harm Reduction – AfterHours Project – Harm Reduction Coalition & VOCAL-NY – (mjsduncan@gmail.com)
• Nirah Johnson, Community Projects Specialist –  Office of Viral Hepatitis Coordination – njohnso2@health.nyc.gov
• Quy Huyah, Pharmacy Student Kings Pharmacy (quyohuhah@ny.liu.edu)
• Richard Ma MDLAND (Richard.Ma@MDLand.net)
• Sabine Franklin, Health Educator – Haitian Centers Council Inc – SFranklin@hccinc.org
• Sandra Benjamin, Outreach Caribbean Womens Health Association (sbenjamin@cwha.org)
• Siddharth Verma, MD Research Fellow Division of Gastroenterology New York Methodist Hospital (vermasi@hotmail.com)
• Steve Phillips – Treatment for Life – Brookdale University Hospital & Medical Center – (sphillips@brookdale.edu)
•  Sunay Shah MDLand (Sunay.Shah@MDLand.net) (212) 363-8000 x103
• Uzoma Chito, Pharmacy Student (Uzoma.Chito@my-liu.edu)

Stay Connected! Join our Linkedin Professional Network