All Entries Tagged With: "HEALTHCARE"

The Newly Created Institute for Education in Healthcare at Rhode Island College Launches its First Conference

WHAT: 

 The new Institute for Education in Healthcare at Rhode Island College will hold its first conference – “Building Partnerships to Build the Healthcare Workforce in Rhode Island.”

WHEN: 

Friday, Oct. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

WHERE: 

Rhode Island College

Alger Hall 110

600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue

Providence, RI 02908

COST:

Free and open to the healthcare community

ABOUT:

This conference features keynote speakers: Michael Hoge, professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and senior science and policy advisor for The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce; and Laura Spada, executive director of the Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare.

Established in 2016, the Institute for Education in Healthcare is designed to provide interprofessional education, training and workforce development for the health care workforce in Rhode Island and to meet the needs of health care organizations. Led by Executive Director Marianne Raimondo, the institute is a cross-disciplinary, collaborative effort supported by numerous academic departments: Addiction and Behavioral Health Studies, Community Health and Wellness, Counseling, Health Care Administration, Health Sciences, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work.

New England Institute of Technology to Offer Hybrid Bachelor of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences

EAST GREENWICH, RI – Dr. Douglas H. Sherman, Senior Vice President and Provost at New England Institute of Technology (NEIT), announced that the university will offer a new Bachelor of Science degree program in Rehabilitation Sciences (BS to RS). This innovative inter-professional program offers students the opportunity to support individuals with disabilities to regain functional independence through the analysis of physical, cognitive, and perceptual skills and then provide interventions using clinical reasoning and advanced analytical processes.

The BS to RS program utilizes assistive technology interventions so students will engage in hands-on learning to maximize an individual’s engagement in activities within their home, work, school and community environments. Students will work with inter-professional team members as they advance their knowledge in disability rights, services and advocacy.  This program will be delivered in a hybrid format with students meeting on campus approximately five times per quarter, every other week, allowing them to complete their education utilizing a flexible schedule.

Knowledge in physical rehabilitation, assistive technology and occupational science prepares students for career advancement in healthcare, patient advocacy, or graduate studies in occupational therapy, engineering-related fields, physical therapy, sports medicine or architectural design. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants may be eligible for advanced standing in the Master of Science degree program in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) also offered at NEIT upon partial completion of the BS to RS program.

Sherman stated, “This new hybrid program provides an advanced degree for students with an associate degree in healthcare or related fields.  Utilizing hands-on applications, technological interventions, and environmental modifications, students learn best practices to promote functional independence and enhance the care of individuals with disabilities.  The BS to RS degree also prepares students for application to graduate studies in various fields.”

The BS to RS program will be offered in July, 2016.  For more information, contact NEIT’s Admissions office at 800-736-7744, 401-467-7744, or NEITAdmissions@neit.edu. Visit www.neit.edu for a complete program description and curriculum.

South County Home Health Receives $5K Grant to Fund Existing In-Home Behavioral Health Program

WAKEFIELD, RI – Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Episcopal Charities, South County Home Health will continue offering its in-home behavioral health service.

To qualify for the in-home behavioral health program, a patient must already be on South County Home Health service with a primary health diagnosis. If, after a comprehensive screening, a case manager determines that behavioral health is needed to foster recovery, services are engaged. A doctorate of psychology extern from the University of Rhode Island Psychology Program provides in-home, evidence-based therapy under the weekly supervision of the URI Director of Psychological Counseling.

“In 2013 a RI Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by the Hospital Association of Rhode Island identified behavioral health resources as a need in the South County community,” said Mary Lou Rhodes, president and CEO of South County Home Health. “South County Home Health has been working to fulfill this need to homebound patients to help decrease the number of re-hospitalizations and improve their quality of life.”

South County Home Health provides in-home skilled health care to approximately 4,500 patients a year of all ages in Washington and Kent Counties. Services are provided by a multidisciplinary team of nurses, rehabilitation therapists, social workers, a nutritionist, diabetic educators, and wound care spets. For more information about South County Home Health, visit www.southcountyhomehealth.org or call 401 782-0500.

Benefits of HealthSource RI for Employers Program

HealthSource RI for Employers is Rhode Island’s official health marketplace for small group health insurance options and one of the best-functioning small business exchanges (per capita) in the United States. Our trusted partners for medical and dental plans include Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Dental, Delta Dental, and Guardian.

HealthSource RI’s Full Employee Choice option gives employers maximum flexibility in customizing health plan offerings for their employees. It is the exclusive source for multi-carrier options, and a defined contribution feature lets employers set contribution tiers for employee tenure or classification.

What Business Owners Need To Know

• Business owners can offer a wide range of plans using a defined contribution model.
• Employees and their families have an unprecedented degree of freedom and choice.
• Employer contribution can be based on current plan or a cost range they can afford.
• Employees choose from any of the plans offered to best meet their needs and budget.
• On-site customer support is available from our Business Engagement Team to help employers and employees find the health coverage that best fits their needs and their budget.

The primary goals of the program are to help employers manage healthcare costs, promote a healthy workforce, and eliminate obstacles to getting healthcare coverage. Business owners consistently list employee healthcare as one of their top expenses. There is no downside to looking at the options through HealthSource RI because pricing is the same, by law, both on and off the exchange.

Small Businesses Profiles of HealthSource RI Customers

Brewster Thornton Group Architects Warwick Residence

Brewster Thornton Group Architects is an architectural firm based in Providence, doing business for over 26 years. “Our mission is to use professional practice to make a difference in the communities where we have projects,” said partner Barbara J. Thornton, AIA, LEED AP. Both institutional and residential projects by the firm integrate welcoming, contextual design, durable materials, and accessibility considerations.

Prior to using HealthSource RI for Employers, Brewster Thornton Group Architects provided 100% plan payments for single coverage. Their broker Steve Shuster worked with the Business Engagement Team to implement the Full Employee Choice option, offered exclusively through HealthSource RI for Employers that gives employees the ability to choose their own plans based on individual needs. The company simply picks a reference plan at a defined contribution level, and employees select from name-brand health plans. “The plans were affordable, and just as good as the plans we used to have,” said Thornton.

HealthSource RI for Employers is regarded as one of the best-functioning exchanges (per capita) in the United States, and Brewster Thornton Group Architects could not agree more. “I am very proud that Rhode Island has one of the best and most varied exchanges available, and I think that small businesses should use it to support that infrastructure,” said Thornton.

HealthSource RI’s defined contribution option allows employers to determine their healthcare budget and gives employees the healthcare that best fits their needs and their budget, with an unprecedented level of service and support. Brewster Thornton Group Architects heartily recommends Rhode Island’s state-based exchange to other small employers in Rhode Island.

DiLeonardo is an award-winning, full-service interior architectural design firm with a focus on hospitality design. In every space they create, DiLeonardo imparts a distinct sense of place, taking every opportunity to celebrate local materials, art forms, landscapes and cultural history.

Employing the best and brightest talent from around the globe with offices in Rhode Island, Dubai, Hong Kong and the Philippines, the business has been family-owned for over 40 years. Their personalized approach colors everything they do, including the Full Employee Choice option offered to their employees from HealthSource RI for Employers. “As an employer, this has made our benefit package uniquely competitive in our industry. This is a perk to employees newly joining our firm and our current employees as they are able to find a plan that works best for their lifestyle and needs. HealthSource RI is the only healthcare option that allows us to give our employees this flexibility,” said Stephanie Robbins, Human Resource Manager.

Robbins cites the importance of utilizing both a broker and the HealthSource RI website, describing their broker relationship with Paychex as very helpful. “We need an expert and industry leader to educate us to make sure we are providing the best benefits to our employees,” she said. “In the past, employees would sign up through a paper application that would go to the company administrator, the broker, and finally, the healthcare provider. Now, with HealthSource RI, the employee logs onto their online account and enrolls directly,” said Robbins. “Our employees love the Full Employee Choice option.”

For more information on HealthSource RI for Employers:

Visit the newly redesigned website (HealthSourceRI.com/Employers) or call 1-855-683-6757 for 2016 plan rates and detailed information on available options. Also visit the recently launched Facebook page for employers and brokers that highlights Rhode Island businesses using the program, their success stories, and other important news and events (www.facebook.com/HealthSourceRIforEmployers).