3-28-12 Jamaica Queens Hepatitis C Task Force Meeting Highlights

Jamaica Queens Hepatitis C Task Force Meeting Highlights
March 28^th 2012 (3-5 PM)

Jamaica DOHMH Clinic: 90-37 Parsons Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11432 – Lower level

Next Meetings: July 18^th & Nov. 14^th

In attendance: See Below

Stay connected through the ‘NYC Hepatitis B & C Community Coalitions Linkedin Group’ and the ‘NYC Liver Health Facebook Page’

Highlights

Building Strength for the only Hep C Support Groups in Queens

• New Jamaica Queens Hep C Support Group. Next meeting: Wednesday April 25^th (2:30-3:30 PM) Location: HELP/PSI 105-04 Sutphin Blvd. Contact: Ira Weiss, Patient Advocate (347) 233-0038 iweiss@projectsamaritan.org. Open to all people affected by Hepatitis C.  ·         Hepatitis C Mentor & Support Group Inc.
  • Please help with outreach by passing info along and posting attached flyer!

Planned for a Queens ‘Hepatitis C Treatment Update Public Forum’

July 18th– ACQC, Jamaica Queens

Peer Delivered Syringe Exchange Conference will take place on May 4^th 2012. Focus is on career development for Peers.For more info, contact:Hiawatha Collins, VOCAL-NY, NYC DOHMH Bureau of Alcohol & Drug Use Prevention, Care & Treatment, and PDSE Network Leader – hcollins@health.nyc.gov

Anti-mandatory prescription mail order law. Took effect on January 11, 2012. Allows consumers to choose. Steve Linick – Echo Pharmacy – SLinick@Echodrx.comSteveL67@optonline.net  (see attached for detail)

Native Americans & Hepatitis. Group member discussed need to reach out to this population.

• Resource: American Indian Community House – AICH NYC

New! The Firehouse Health Center, an extension of Damian Family Care Centers. Provides Hepatitis C Treatment.

Liver Biopsy Resources in Queens

• New York Hospital Queens Center for Liver Disease: 56-45 Main Street Queens 11355. Cheryl Rodriguez (718) 670-2559 chr9065@nyp.org
•  New York Hospital Queens Liver Center: 182-15 Horace Harding Expressway Queens 11365. Sue Shepherd (718) 670-2903 Sus9035@nyp.org
• Elmhurst Hospital HHC: 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst, NY 11373 Dr. Calvin Pan https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1427062108/calvin-q-pan or Calvin Q. Pan, MD, FACP, FACG 132-21 Forty First Ave. Unit 1A, Flushing, NY 11355 Tel: (718) 888-7728 cpan100@gmail.com
• Queens Hospital HHC – GI Clinic:  Eskarof Saphawat, MD (718) 883-3226

Opportunities

New! Health Care Access & Insurance Workgroup: Joint Committee of the HBV Coalition & HCV Task Force. Have issues with the Health Care System – lets work together to make improvements. Next meeting will be April 17^th  from (3 -4:30 PM) at the Federal Building on Worth & Broadway. To join, contact: njohnso2@health.nyc.gov

• Action alert! Have you had issues helping your Hep C clients in Medicaid  or Medicare Managed Care get the care they need? Please send an email describing the issue you have faced… click here

Hepatitis C Care in NYC Jails Initiative spearheaded by Correctional Association of NY

• Action alert! Currently seeking Hep B & C Patients who have been incarcerated to share their personal experience. Correctional Association will set up a focus group at your site or set up phone calls. Contact: jbeck@correctionalassociation.org

Upcoming Awareness Day Planning:

•  May 15^th1^stNational Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day
•  May 19^th1^stNational Hepatitis Testing Day
• July 28^th World Hepatitis Day

• April White, Community Outreach– NYC DOHMH Bureau of STD Prevention & Control (awhite@health.nyc.gov)
• Deborah Greene, Assis Dir – Queens Hospital: Chemical Dependency (greened@nychhc.org)
• Elaine Poulos, Outreach Coordinator Kingsbridge Heights Long Term HomCare (Ekaniaris@KBHHomecare.com)
• Frank Winter, Health Insurance Specialist, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – frank.winter@cms.hhs.gov
• Hiawatha Collins, VOCAL-NY, NYC DOHMH Bureau of Alcohol & Drug Use Prevention, Care & Treatment, and PDSE Network Leader – hcollins@health.nyc.gov
• Ira Weiss – HELP/PSI, Inc. – (iweiss@projectsamaritan.org)
• Nirah Johnson, Community Projects Specialist –  Office of Viral Hepatitis Coordination – njohnso2@health.nyc.gov
•  Roderick Rollock – Economy Drugs & Surgical – (introd2001@yahoo.com)
• Sehu Jeppe, HIV Prevention Outreach (sjeppe@health.nyc.gov) NYC DOHMH

 New Resources

Patient Support

• 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
• Patient Access Network (PAN) is an independent non-profit organization that provides assistance to under-insured patients for their out-of-pocket expenses for life-saving medications. Has Hep B & Hep C assistance!
•  Options for the Uninsured Booklet | Community Health Advocates. Community Health Advocates (CHA) has created this guide to help people learn about the range of ways you can get access to health care and/or health insurance
• Liver Cancer Screening Reminder Service. If you are at risk for liver cancer, it is important that you get checked by a doctor every 6 months for cancer screening. Sign up now for a convenient automated reminder service to help alert you by phone or email to make routine appointments. Registration only takes a minute, and the service is completely free.

Medical Provider Support

• Hepatitis Management: State of the Art (CME). May 11-12.  Einstein Hospital, NY.
• CoverMyMeds helps physicians and pharmacists complete Prior Authorization and other insurance coverage determination forms for any drug and almost all drug plans.
• Primary Care Information Project (PCIP) offers assistance in transitioning to Electronic Health Records and also offers 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
•  HCV Care & Guidance iPhone/iPad app. Projects In Knowledge.Giving clinicians mobile access to this widely used, dynamic practice tool.
• Hepatitis C Treatment Update: A Self-Study Module(CME). NYS DOH.

Program Support

• Orasure HCV Finger Stick Rapid Test Approved!  To request training or information in NYC, contact: Ronald Francois (rfrancois@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
• LookitDesign is upgrading the HCV Task Force Website. They offer affordable ‘Quicksites for non-profits.’
• National Viral Hepatitis Searchable Educational Materials Database.
•  Addressing Viral Hepatitis in People With Substance Use Disorders.SAMHSA Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP),  By Ronald Valdiserri, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Infectious Diseases, and Director, Office of HIV/AIDS Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Webinar: Supporting Alcohol Reduction in HIV Patients. NDRI –Dr. Shiela M. Strauss, Ph.D.
• Webinar: Staying Safe: Training Injection Drug Users in Strategies to avoid HCV and HIV infections. NDRI – Dr. Pedro Mateu-Gelabert, Ph.D.