Welcome to the 2nd Edition of the Oregon Geriatrics Society Newsletter!

Contents

1. 12th Annual OGS Conference: Sunriver, Oregon
2. Silent Auction
3. Poster Competition
4. Governor’s Workshops
5. POGOE
6. American Geriatrics Society
7. OGS Board

12th ANNUAL OGS CONFERENCE – SUNRIVER, OREGON:
I hope that you are all ready for the upcoming OGS ANNUAL CONFERENCE in Sunriver,
October 7-9, 2011. Presentations this year include: Rheumatology, occupational therapy-home modifications, pulmonary disease, anxiety, diabetes, dementia, and oral health. Just to name a few. Our keynote speaker will be Thomas Deloughery MD, FACP.  For those who have heard Dr. DeLoughery speak, you know what a passionate presenter he is.  See the OGS website for further registration information and topics.  Please seethe OGS website for conference brochure. 
Registration Form is attached. 
Call Sunriver Resort today if you have not made a room reservation – ask for the ODS room rate.    1-800-547-3922.
www.oregongeriatricssociety.org

2ND ANNUAL OGS SILENT AUCTION – BENEFITING FELLOWS:
For those of you who attended last year’s Annual Conference, you remember the SILENT AUCTION. This idea was proposed in order to generate funding for OGS to support a geriatric fellow, who is presenting a poster at the national American Geriatrics Society Annual Meeting.  The Silent Auction event was a rousing success last year- raising over $1800!  While there were no applicants for the recent May 2011 meeting, this funding will continue to grow and support Fellows attending AGS meetings.  We anticipate the Silent Auction being successful this current and future years.  With that said, the goal of OGS is to open up this perk for the geriatric nurse or nurse practitioner student who is also presenting a poster at AGS meetings.   The Silent Auction event takes place on Saturday evening, October 8th, 5:30--6:30pm during the Annual Conference.  Join us for the OGS Reception and bidding on some wonderful items!! 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?   Please consider this worthy cause and make a donation to the Silent Auction!   We need such things as paintings/art work, gift certificates for restaurants & services, lodging packages, books, gift baskets, etc.  To make a donation, please contact Mary Olhausen at omary52@comcast.net, - or 503-880-7383. She will mail you a donation form.  Or contact Ken Orwick at korwick@samhealth.org

ANNUAL OGS STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION:
OGS welcomes posters from students in disciplines that focus on geriatric care, including but not limited to, medical and nursing care, long-term care, and social services.  The poster competition will take place at our 12th Annual Conference in Sunriver, Oregon.  We are offering a $50.00 cash award for the best student poster.  All posters must be applicable to geriatric care issues.  Please see attached flyer about the Competition. 

GOVERNOR’S WORKSHOPS:
As many of you know, Governor John Kitzhaber has formed four work groups with the goal of improving health care and reducing the cost.  These four work groups include: Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) Criteria work group; Global Budget Methodology work group; Outcomes, Quality and Efficiency Metrics work group and Medicare-Medicaid Integration of Care and Services work group. CCO’s have been recently mentioned in the media.  The goal is keeping people healthier, improving preventive medicine and a team-based care for chronic illness. (www.health.oregon.gov).  These work groups will meet on a monthly basis until November 2011.  The Health Board will gather the data and make a presentation to the Governor.  Check out the website for more information and how you can become involved.

See the notice from the Oregon Health Authority regarding Governor Kitzhaber’s work groups.

Medicare-Medicaid Integration of Care and Services
We all have a stake in improving the health care for people who count on the Oregon Health Plan for care. Costs are skyrocketing for families, employers and government. Today, services such as mental and physical health are usually offered separately, creating fragmented and uncoordinated gaps in care. Focus is on treating illness, not preventing it. With these realities, and the reality of the state’s current fiscal situation we’ve all felt, there is an opportunity to reduce our future costs to OHP, stabilize the system and protect services.

In June of 2011, Governor Kitzhaber and the state Legislature passed a bill that would create coordinated care organizations (CCO’s) across the state. These organizations would be responsible for coordinating all of the care for the Oregon Health Plan members in their communities. Four work groups have been established to inform the plan for CCO’s. The Governor has appointed 133 people from around Oregon to serve on the four groups.

Among these four groups is the Medicare-Medicaid Integration of Care and Services group, tasked with the coordination of services to individuals who are enrolled in both OHP and Medicare. OGS President, Jenna Hahn GNP, and former- President Michael Villanueva, PsyD, have both been appointed by Governor Kitzhaber to serve on this work group. This group will help identify new approaches to better coordinate primary, acute, behavioral health and long-term services and support for individuals who are dually eligible.

The work being done today by these work groups, will set Oregon on the path for better health, better care, and lower costs for all.  Providers, OHP members, advocates and stakeholders can all stay involved and informed. Visit www.health.oregon.gov to learn more.
Oregon Health Authority

We are in challenging times, for providing health care and getting reimbursed for the care that we provide. It seems as though we are all stretched fairly thin. I would encourage all geriatric providers to become involved.

POGOE:
There are many websites available that tabulate evidenced-based research for the management of all patients. I would like to make you aware of a website passed along by Dr. Mark Traines. The Portal of Geriatric Online Education (www.POGOE.org) has links to the CDC site on healthy aging, contains summaries of recently published journal articles as well as links to geriatric medical conferences from around the world.  The site states that it “is intended to become a national online evidence-based journal club in geriatrics and a forum for geriatrics fellows and faculty to keep abreast of new studies and comment on their concerns about them, including the significance and application to the care of geriatric patients.” Check it out and let us know what you think.

AMERICAN GERIATRIS SOCIETY:
Finally, I would like to make a plug for the American Geriatrics Society.  Oregon Geriatrics Society is an affiliate of this national organization.  As a part of the AGS Council of State Affiliates Representatives (COSAR), I attend the conference annually and partake in additional meetings focusing on geriatric leadership and uniting the state affiliates.  AGS is actively involved in Washington DC and in the arena of public policy and health reform as it pertains to geriatric persons. Many of you have probably attended this meeting in the past.  It is a wonderful opportunity for networking and learning with and from colleagues from around the country.  This past May, some of the conference topics included:  ACE and HELP, nursing home care, public policy update, improving health care transitions, delirium, and falls. The new President of AGS, Barbara Resnick PhD, CRNP is the first nurse practitioner to hold this esteemed title.  Dr. Mary Tinetti spoke and I will venture to say that many of us use her research on a weekly basis.

The 2012 AGS Annual Meeting is being held in Seattle, Washington May 3-5, 2012.  There is a large east coast presence at these meetings—let’s all strive to be there to represent the Northwest geriatric provider!    www.americangeriatrics.org

OGS BOARD:
I thank all of our board members for their continued support of the Oregon Geriatrics Society!  I invite all of you to become involved as our organization continues to grow.  Consider becoming a board member, becoming involved in committee work and presenting your research and expertise to an appreciative audience.  See you in Sunriver!

March 2011

WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT

In my new role as President for OGS, it is my goal to improve my voice, and our voice in the role of advocating for the elderly population. There have been incredible changes in health care in the last year. And whatever political or personal opinion any of us have regarding this health care change, it is our responsibility and pledge of our chosen profession to do right by our patients. Part of this is through our role as advocate. We all have busy lives and busy careers, the simple fact that what happens in Washington and Salem affects our everyday lives. Through the help of Dr. Tina Kitchin, I am receiving emails regarding congressional goings-on in Salem. I will start participating in a bi-monthly phone conference with the board on issues related to Adult Protective Services. I also learn more from the Oregon Medical Association State Medical Specialty Society quarterly meetings. This committee is made up of the Presidents and Executive Directors of all the State Medical Specialty Societies in Oregon as well as OMA representatives that are active in Salem. It is my goal to disseminate that information to the OGS membership.

There are three active committees in OGS- the Education Committee, spearheaded by Elizabeth Eckstrom, MD, MPH, and Allison Lindauer, RN, FNP.  The Annual Conference that the Education Committee puts together every year is stellar, current, and evidenced based.  The Membership Committee looks at ways of attracting new members to our organization.  And the Public Policy Committee is chaired by me.  I also represent OGS as the COSAR for American Geriatrics Society (Council of State Affiliate Representative).

MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBERS

Jenna Hahn GNP, MN, RN was elected by the board October 2010 to be President of OGS.  She has been a member of the organization since 2004 and a board member since 2006. She began working with geriatric patients as a certified nursing assistant 22 years ago and has been a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner at the Gerontology Institute in Eugene for the last 6 years.  Jenna was the secretary of the non-profit organization Partners to Improve End of Life Care. She received a bachelor’s degree in English Literature at SUNY Fredonia in 1994, her bachelor’s in nursing from Niagara University, Niagara Falls, New York in 1997; and Masters of Nursing, Gerontology from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in 2004. This year she began working as a GNP Hospitalist in the ACE (Acute Care of the Elderly) unit which was formed at PeaceHealth in Eugene last year. She is the COSAR (Coalition of State Affiliate Representatives) for OGS and worked with the ElderCare Workforce Alliance in Washington DC in October 2010.

Lisa Miura, MD is an internist, geriatrician and faculty member for the Legacy Health System in Portland for 10 years. She is the Director of the Good Samaritan Hospital Hip Fracture Service and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, OHSU. She completed her medical school training at University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine; internal medicine residency at OHSU; geriatric fellowship at University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Miura has published and presented her research, most recently in JAGS, 2009. She has been a board member for OGS since 2001, served as treasurer from 2004-2008, now elected Secretary for OGS.

Mary Miller, ANP since 1996, currently is the newly elected Treasurer for OGS. She is currently employed by the MVP Health Authority, managing Adult Comprehensive Care Team program. Mary acts as primary care for residents in long-term care, and in an advisory role for patients with chronic disease. She is also a part time instructor of OHSU School of Nursing program at WOU. She has moderated an Alzheimer’s support group since 1997 and has worked tirelessly with the Alzheimer’s Network and Association in Salem. Mary has been a board member of OGS since 2009.

Mark Traines, MD is currently Clinical Assistant Professor in Medicine, and Program Director of Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at OHSU as well as staff physician at the Portland VA.  Mark’s past work environments include the VA in Roseburg, where he was the Associate Chief of Staff and staff physician. He completed his education at Brown University and Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Traines is well published; whose topics include ethics, geriatric assessment, interdisciplinary care and post-hospitalization depression. He has been a board member since 2000 and a past president from 2003-2004. He has been an American Geriatric Association Fellow since 1999.

Mike Villaneuva, PsyD  most recent past President of OGS, Mike specializes in neuropsychology. He graduated from Baylor University and completed his internship and postdoctoral fellowship at OHSU and the Portland VA. Dr. Villaneuva is currently in private practice, serving the Southern Oregon region. He has published original research in the area of assessment of pain in dementing patients, and has also presented at national conferences in the area assessing early signs of dementia with use of objective cognitive testing, combined with family observations. He served as a neuropsychological consultant to Providence Medford Medical Center as well as Rogue Valley Medical Center. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.  Mike has been an OGS board member since 2004.

Maggie George, MD graduated from University of North Carolina with a BA in Medieval History, and University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for medical school. She then completed her Internal Medicine residency at OHSU.  Maggie completed her geriatric fellowship at OHSU in 2006. She is currently a Geriatrician Hospitalist at Legacy Health System in Portland.  Maggie has been an OGS board member since 2007, serving as treasurer from 2008 through 2010.

Darin Prulhiere, MD, completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at Oregon State University, Masters of Science in Biology/Immunology at Portland State University, and medical school at OHSU. Darin has worked for last nine years as Primary Care Provider (PCP) and Medical Director for 1000 resident CCRC, caring for patients in ALF, RCF, LTC, independent living and dementia care. He has been an AMDA (American Medical Director Association) Certified Medical Director since 2005. Dr. Prulhiere has been an OGS board member since 2006.

Paula Folger, MD grew up in Nebraska and graduated from University of Nebraska Medical School in 2004. She was chief resident in Internal Medicine at Legacy Good Samaritan Emanuel Hospital from 2004 through 2008. Currently, Paula is a Geriatrician at Legacy and is Medical Director at Marquis in Piedmont and Robison Jewish Health Center; and manages a small outpatient geriatric practice. Paula is also a core faculty member of the internal medicine residency program at Legacy. She has been a board member since 2010.

Katy Patton, GNP, completed her LPN degree at Providence Medical Care Center and RN, BSN in 1990. She became a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner in 2004 at OHSU. Katy has been working at the Senior Health and Wellness Clinic, Gerontology Institute since 2006. She manages an Osteoporosis Clinic as well as chronic illness management for patients over 55 years of age. Prior to living and working in Eugene, Katy created her own job contracting with community based organizations that needed nursing expertise in RCF, ALF and Adult Foster Care. She is a certified Diabetes Educator. She has served on the board of Agency on Aging, the Rogue Valley Council of Governors and believes in the power of advocacy. She was elected to the OGS board October 2010.

Fran Howe, ANP, GNP received her Master’s education at University of Washington in Seattle in 1995. She was previously a Primary Care Provider for the Veterans Association (VA) and is now currently working with the Mid Valley Physicians Health Authority as a member of the Adult Comprehensive Care Team. Fran conducts home visits on high risk elders, provides medical care to residents in nursing homes and assists community PCP’s in managing some of their more difficult patients. She continues to work two days a month at the VA Primary Care Clinic and volunteers at the Salem Free Clinic monthly. Fran retired from the United States Air Force in 2000 after 21.5 years.  She was elected to the OGS board at the Annual Meeting October 2010.

Mary Olhausen serves as our Executive Director, coming on board in 2008.  Mary worked for Oregon Health & Science University for 22+ years in Internal Medicine so is familiar with physician health care in Oregon.  She manages our day-to-day operations and our annual conference.  She is available any time for questions and assistance – omary52@comcast.net, 360-892-1814.  In her spare time she loves to sail, ski and travel.

BILLS BEFORE 2011 CONGRESS REGARDING GERIATRIC ISSUES
There are two bills coming before the United States Congress- two bills that the Eldercare Workforce Alliance is focusing on and that we spoke to House and Senate members about during the October trip to Washington. The Workforce Alliance is focusing on supporting people wishing to specialize in geriatric health care from certified Nursing Assistant to Physician.

The first Act is The Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act. The items in this bill are to extend wage and overtime protections through the Fair Labor Standards Act to home care workers; establish data collection and reporting requirements to monitor important workforce indicators such as size, compensation levels and turnover rates; and improve recruitment and retention of direct care workers by providing grants to states to expand and support efforts aimed at recruiting, training and retaining an adequate supply of direct care workers.

The second Act is the Positive Aging Act which is designed to make mental health services for older adults an integral part of primary care services in community settings and to extend them to other settings where older adults live and receive care. It will support grants for community based mental health treatment outreach teams; designate a deputy director for older adult mental health services in the center for mental health services; include representatives of older Americans or their families and geriatric mental health professionals on the advisory council for mental health services; and target substance abuse in older adults.

Both of these Acts have tremendous potential to affect care of the elderly patient as well as improve our workforce environment by improving our access to services to help us serve. While in Washington, meeting with other geriatric specialists, there was much talk about our idea and what we feel we need to provide care- especially considering that the first set of baby boomers hits 65 in 2011. We all know that within the next 20 years, one in five Americans will be over 65. We need to recruit and retain geriatric health care providers to meet the needs of this growing group- or we will be very, very busy!

I would like to make this newsletter communication with the membership an effective tool for all of us and it is my pledge to put it out twice a year. Any member who would like to send me pearls or attachments for articles or relevant announcements pertaining to the geriatric mission- please send them my way!

Thanks!!!!
Jenna Hahn GNP-BC, MN, RN
Jhahn@peacehealth.org