Progress 2016 Healthcare

Minot Daily News

Building plans for Minot hospitals making slow, steady progress

Healthcare

SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016

MinotDailyNews.com • Facebook.com/MinotDailyNews

By JILL HAMBEK

Staff Writer jhambek@minotdailynews.com

Submitted Photo

CHI St. Alexius Health Medical Plaza opened in Minot September 2015.

A watched pot of water never boils, as the common saying goes, and watching a hospital being built likely falls under the same assumption. Plans for medical facilities in Minot are under way, even though residents may see little progress being made.

Ground breaking for the new Trinity Hospital is slated for 2017. Randy Schwan, Trinity spokesman, said the hospital plans to start site preparation this summer at its new hospital location in southwest Minot.

Catholic Health Initiatives St. Alexius is also looking at expanding in Minot.

Chris Jones, vice president of strategy and business development for CHI St. Alexius, Bismarck, said they are definitely still interested in expanding in Minot. “At this point, there’s a lot of changes going on in healthcare, and we will continue to evaluate the best way to continue providing services in the region,” he added.

However, CHI St. Alexius expanding its clinic offerings or building a new hospital is still up in the air.

“Everything is on the table,” Jones said.

A decision to build a hospital could be influenced by other hospital projects, he added, and no feasibility study has been conducted on a potential hospital.

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Minot Daily News PROGRESS

H eal t h care

Saturday, April 16, 2016

ROOM CLEANING ROBOT

TOP: Dr. Jeffrey Verhey, who chairs the Trinity Health Foundation Board and is a critical care specialist for the hospital, said the Xenex Robot, a robot that sanitizes surfaces using ultraviolet light, is an important part of Trinityʼs ongoing commitment to patient safety.

Photos by Jill Hambek/MDN

ABOVE: One of the representatives from Xenex Disinfection Services activates the Xenex Robot to demonstrate how it cleans a hospital room at Trinity Health. The hospital recently acquired a Xenex Robot to fight against super resistant bacteria and viruses.

By JILL HAMBEK

Staff Writer • jhambek@minotdailynews.com healthcare- associated In what could be deinfections,” Verhey said. picted as something that “Trinity has very low inRosie the Robot, the maid fection rates due to the and housekeeper for the diligence of its staff.

Jetson family from the hit Technology such as this 1960s cartoon, would will enhance the robust likely do to keep the Jetefforts in place that keep son house spic and span, our patients safe.”

Trinity Health has deSue Niebuhr, coordiployed futuristic technonator of Trinity’s Infeclogical efforts to keep its tion Prevention and rooms the cleanest and Control program, said most sterile possible.

Trinity’s Environmental To keep health-associServices and Infection ated infections at a very Prevention Team prolow rate, Trinity Health posed the purchase as recently became the first part of its ongoing efhospital in western forts to neutralize bacteNorth Dakota to add a ria, viruses and spores to germ-zapping robot to its the fullest extent possiarsenal of infection conble. trol. The Xenex Disinfec“We liked the Xenex tion System sanitizes system because it incorsurfaces using ultraviolet porates a germicidal light hundreds of times UV-C light robot to dismore intense than suninfect surfaces,” light.

Niebuhr said. “Our plan The Xenex Robot is to use the robot in uses an incredibly powerful ultraviolet light that – Dr. Jeffery Verhey critical care areas of the hospital to reduce the kills bacteria and viruses chair of Trinity Health Foundation Board risk of hospital-acquired on surfaces in the room. infection among the The ultraviolet light canmost vulnerable. So we not penetrate doors, glass see it as an additional or plastic. The device is precaution.” equipped with motion According to Niebuhr, Trinity’s housekeeping staff detectors to sense movement and prevent accidental exposure. However, even if exposure would happen should not have problems incorporating the Xenex to occur, the main risk would be minor skin and eye ir- Robot into their practices. After standard cleaning proritation. The device runs for four minutes and will shut cedures have taken place, a staff member simply off if the door to the room where it is cleaning is wheels the robot into a room, begins the automated sequence and then leaves the room to allow the robot to opened.

According to Alisha Samp, implementation man- destroy bacteria and other pathogens.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ager at Xenex Disinfection Services, the Xenex Robot has been around for about four years and Trinity Hos- urged the nation’s hospitals to up its game in the fight against Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms and C. Diffipital is the third hospital in the state to have it.

Dr. Jeffrey Verhey, specialist in internal medicine cilea, a bacterium that can cause various symptoms, and pulmonology at Trinity Hospital and chair of the some even life-threatening. Niebuhr said Trinity Trinity Health Foundation Board, said the Xenex Health already follows CDC best practices for curbing Robot was funded through the foundation. The new infections, but the hospital is proud to add this extra disinfection system is an important part of Trinity’s layer of protection.

“For the same reason that hand washing is imporongoing commitment to patient safety, he added.

“Trinity Health Foundation is pleased to assist Trin- tant, disinfecting hospital surfaces is important to keep ity Health in its efforts to be proactive in preventing patients safe and healthy,” she added.

Trinity Hospital has added germ-zapping robot to fight infection Trinity has very low infection rates due to the diligence of its staff. Technology such as this will enhance the robust efforts in place that keep our patients safe.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

H eal t h care

Page 3

SMALL TOWN care in a

BIG CITY

By JILL HAMBEK

Staff Writer jhambek@minotdailynews.com One of the many charms of living in a small town is that your doctor not only knows you very well, but probably also knows your family and in turn has a better understanding of any health issues you may be having.

If you live in Minot, one of the state’s larger cities, you can still receive that same healthcare that you’d likely receive in a small town. Northland Community Health Center and Minot Health Clinic are two such places where providers most likely know your name and health history.

Northland Community Health Center was established in 2003 and is a nonprofit, federally qualified health center dedicated to the provision of premier medical, dental and behavioral health to residents of Burke, McLean, Sheridan, Rolette and Ward counties.

Northland Community Health Center has bases in the communities of Bowbells, McClusky, Minot, Rolette, Rolla and Turtle Lake.

Most recently, a facility was added to Ray. Northland Community Health Center strives to be the premier healthcare provider in the communities they serve by increasing access to healthcare and providing quality healthcare to all, regardless of their ability to pay. The staff encourages all patients, no matter their financial status, to apply for discounted healthcare services.

Approximately, there are 1,200 federally qualified healthcare centers in the U.S. today. Northland Community Health Center receives some grant opportunities and benefits from the federal government, but is charged with maintaining its own sustainability while continuing to meet all federal requirements for community health centers.

Northland Community Health Center provides comprehensive healthcare for every need of families.

Each patient who walks through the door can be assured that he or she will be taken care of in an efficient and professional manner.

The team of healthcare providers want their patients to feel at ease and provide the best quality care.

Services provided at Northland Community Health Center include chronic disease management, preventative and wellness care for all ages, sick visits for adults and children, referrals for specialty care, health education, mental health,

immunizations for all ages, Department of Transportation certified exams, laboratory services, x-ray services, access to a sliding fee scale, enrollment assistance for Marketplace Insurance and Medicaid, Well Child Care, workman’s compensation, minor surgical services and discounted 340b pharmacy services.

The center also provides sports physicals in the spring and fall, women’s cervical screenings in October, men’s wellness in January and women’s heart health in February.

Northland Community Health Center also offers dental care including exams, digital x-rays, sealants, fillings, extractions, dental emergencies, partials and root canals.

Additionally, Northland Community Health Center offers individual and family therapy services available for adults, adolescents and children.

Patrick Butler, CEO of Northland Community Health Center, said people can either schedule appointments or walk in to both the health and dental clinics. The mental health branch requests that people make appointments. In Minot, there are two providers at the health clinic and two for mental health. Currently there is only one dentist available at the Minot clinic.

Northland Community Health Center opened in Minot in February 2014, the dental side in August 2014 and counseling in January 2015. The clinic is open Monday through Friday.

The health center also has a Saturday clinic open on a walk-in basis.

“There was a huge need for mental health,” Butler said, when the clinic was adding that aspect. The center is looking to expand its mental health clinic either to another facility, or more preferably in the Arrowhead Shopping Center.

Mental health is one of the underserved areas of healthcare, Butler added, and the lack of care is getting more recognition.

A small clinic like Northland Community Health Center means that patients don’t get lost in the crowd, Butler said. “We bring small town care to a bigger city,” he added. The providers are able to spend more time with their patients as well and are proud to be able to do that, Butler continued.

Even with potential expansion of the center, Butler said the focus is to not forget where they came from and what they aim to do, which is provide quality care and make the patients feel comfortable and at ease during a visit.

Northland Community

Health Center is located at 1600 2nd Ave. SW, Suite 19, in the Arrowhead Shopping Center. The dental clinic is located at 315 South Main Street, Suite 314.

Minot Health Clinic also promises a similar notion of providing quality healthcare with a caring mentality. Its goal is to provide professional care to help enhance the lives of those they touch. They offer a caring philosophy and years of experience in order to bring total wellness with healthcare solutions for a better outlook on life.

Minot Health Clinic provides a blend of diagnosing and treating health conditions while also looking out for disease prevention and health management. This holistic approach offers an opportunity in complete wellness through exams, illnesses, disorders, minor injuries, chronic illnesses and helping the person look and feel his or her best.

Services offered at Minot Health Clinic include preventative wellness, Department of Transportation physicals, sports physicals, vaccinations, weight loss, Botox and Dysport, sclerotherapy and dermal fillers.

The clinic is located at 1418 S. Broadway.

ABOVE: Northland Community Health Center provides comprehensive healthcare for the needs of each family. The Minot center is located at 1600 2nd Avenue SW, Suite 19, in the Arrowhead Shopping Center.

TOP LEFT: Minot Health Clinic is located at 1418 S. Broadway.

Submitted Photos

Design work begins

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By JILL SCHRAMM

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

H eal t h care

Saturday, April 16, 2016

on Trinity’s new hospital

Staff Writer jschramm@minotdailynews.com Trinity began to lay out architectural plans for a new hospital complex last fall, even as a partnership project with Billings Clinic RegionalCare fell through.

The fit and the timing weren’t right, Trinity Health spokesman Randy Schwan had said Nov. 12.

The two organizations had entered a due diligence process last June after Trinity’s board signed a letter of intent to become part of the joint venture between Montana-based Billings Clinic and Tennessee-based RegionalCare Hospital Partners.

The due diligence period expired Oct. 31 and was extended, but still no agreement was reached in the extended time frame. Trinity’s board decided not to continue discussions.

In a June news release about the potential partnership, it was noted that Billings would commit to fund necessary capital needs and new strategic initiatives, including the new hospital campus and technology improvements.

Architectural firm TEG, headquartered in Indiana, has been working with Trinity to develop plans for the new 500,000-squarefoot facility on the 72-acre campus site in south Minot. Plans are proceeding for a 208-bed acute care and mental health facility.

Some of the design features under consideration include two connected buildings with patientdirected services at ground level and doctors’ offices on upper floors; staff corridors behind patient portions of the buildings;

R. Wayne Estopinal, architect on the Trinity hospital project, describes plans for the construction to Trinity staff at an informational session Nov. 11.

File Photo

vertical design with towers; and greater use of glass walls.

Trinity expects construction to begin in 2017 and continue into 2019.

The existing 1922 hospital was built with in-patients in mind, al-

though much of modern medicine involves out-patient care.

The hospital was designed for 10 to 20 departments, and there now are about 40 departments and specialty areas.

The hospital has 251 licensed

beds, with 165 licensed beds in its St. Joseph facility, which serves rehabilitation, mental health and chemical dependency patients.

The cancer care center will remain in its location at Town &

Country Center, but the master plan for the new campus includes accommodations for a potential future move of those cancer services. Trinity plans to continue to operate off-campus clinics in the city.

Drake & Velva

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Build

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H eal t h care

Continued from Page 1

think is best for the region as a whole and make sure the communities we serve have access to high-quality, cost effective healthcare.” CHI St. Alexius doesn’t have capital committed to any Minot project in the next few years, Jones said. They are, however, looking at its overall system and how Minot fits in the bigger picture, he added.

The existing $28 million CHI St. Alexius Medical Plaza that opened in Minot last September sits on seven acres owned by the health system, which owns another adjoining seven acres. The facility is located at the intersection of Landmark Circle and 21st Avenue NW, near the U.S. Highway 83 Bypass.

The medical plaza features primary care and specialty care exam rooms, laboratory, diagnostic testing and screenings. Internal medicine physicians and advance practice clinicians see patients Monday through Friday. Specialists travel from Bismarck on a regular basis.

Sanford Health, which is based in Sioux Falls, S.D., continues its commitment to healthcare in Minot and announced early April its plans for upcoming healthcare offerings.

In order to meet the demand for healthcare services in Minot and the region, Sanford Health is expanding its existing services by opening a new clinic in northwest Minot.

Sanford Health Northwest Clinic, located at 1500 21st Avenue NW in the Lakeside Plaza, is the new site for the clinic and is scheduled to open Aug. 1. Sanford Health Northwest Clinic will include family medicine as well as specialty services.

There will be approximately 50 to 60 staff employed there once it is fully operational.

Sanford Health Highway 2 Clinic will remain open, continuing to provide walk-in services, primary care and occupational medicine. It is located at 801 21st Avenue SE. According to Dr. Michael LeBeau, senior executive vice president of Sanford West, specialty physicians will pro-

vide care in the new clinic, including adult and pediatric cardiology, medical oncology, general surgery, orthopedics and podiatry. The $1.52 million clinic, which will be 6,800 square feet, will feature 16 exam rooms, two procedure rooms, an x-ray area and lab.

“Northwest Minot is a growing area and we saw the need,” LeBeau said as to why Sanford Health made the decision to expand in the Magic City. The Sanford Health Highway 2 Clinic averages 70 to 75 visits a day, he added.

LeBeau also said Sanford Health is continuing to look at bringing specialty care to Minot so that people don’t have to travel to Bismarck.

“We want to keep people close to home rather than have them drive out of town for care,” echoed Dr. Craig Lambrecht, president of the West region of Sanford

Health. “This new clinic will allow patients better access to primary care and specialty care. We’re committed to growing along with the city of Minot and providing quality, state-of-the-art healthcare to Minot.”

In addition to the new northwest clinic, Sanford has purchased land in south Minot. Details are still being negotiated and all possibilities remain on the table for how best to use that land.

“We’re not sure what we’ll do with that land in south Minot, but we’ll keep it for future growth,” LeBeau said.

Sanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in the Dakotas. It is one of the largest health systems in the nation with 43 hospitals and nearly 250 clinics in nine states and three countries. Sanford Health is the largest employer in the Dakotas.

TOP: Sanford Health is expanding its existing services in a new clinic in northwest Minot that is set to open Aug. 1.

Submitted Photo

ABOVE: Trinity Health marks the site of its proposed hospital in southwest Minot.

Eloise Ogden/MDN

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Shopping Trinity offers grocery with diabetes store tour for diabetics Minot Daily News PROGRESS

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Saturday, April 16, 2016

H eal t h care

By JILL HAMBEK

Staff Writer jhambek@minotdailynews.com Grocery shopping in itself can be a time-consuming task, but if you’re shopping for groceries and also have diabetes, finding food in a grocery store may seem like a most daunting task.

However, Trinity’s Center for Diabetes Education offers frequent tours of the grocery store to help people with diabetes find the right kinds of food to purchase. One Thursday afternoon in April, for example, a small group of people gathered for an hour tour of Marketplace Foods for tips on eating with diabetes with Kayla Cole, outpatient dietician at Trinity’s Center for Diabetes Education.

The Center for Diabetes Education offers grocery store tours and cooking classes approximately once a month, featuring various themes. The April 12 tour was the first time the tour was offered during the afternoon. The tours and cooking classes are typically held in the evening. Grocery store tours are free while cooking classes are $10. Cole said she is open to suggestions for topics if people have ideas for a tour or class.

To start the tour, those in attendance briefly introduced themselves. Most were diabetic themselves, but some either had a close relative with diabetes, were borderline diabetic or just wanted to learn more.

One person in attendance

Kayla Cole, outpatient dietician at Trinityʼs Center for Diabetes Education, speaks to a group during the April 12 grocery store tour at Marketplace Foods. The tour focused on tips for eating with diabetes.

Jill Hambek/MDN

said she has had diabetes for 25 years, but recently had to go on insulin, adding that part with a hint of regret.

“If you have to go on medication, don’t blame yourself,” Cole said, to interrupt the woman’s introduction. “Diabetes is kind of a shameful dis-

ease and people think they brought it on themselves, but that’s not the case,” she continued.

Diabetes is a problem with the body that causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise higher than normal. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of dia-

betes. It is treated with lifestyle changes, oral medications and insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is resistant to the effects of insulin or when the pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level.

Some groups have a higher risk

for developing Type 2 diabetes than others and it is more common in the aged population.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and requires daily injections of insulin.

There is no cure for either type.

Cole said she encourages

people to follow the plate method when eating, where half of a plate contains vegetables and the the other half meat and starch/whole grains. A piece of fruit and serving of dairy are on the sides.

One of the main misconceptions people have is that carbohydrates are bad and should be avoided at all costs, but Cole said that is not true and spent most of the tour explaining how to figure out if foods have a healthy amount of carbs or not by studying the nutrition labels.

“Labels make it easy to figure out what you’re supposed to have,” she added. Cole also suggested people look at the website or app calorieking.com to help them figure out the nutrition facts of food.

Other topics Cole touched on during the tour included sodium intake, gluten-free products, yogurt and sugar-free candy. She stressed that people can eat anything they like as long as it’s done in moderation.

“Everything in moderation is a diet than can last you a lifetime,” Cole said.

The next grocery store tour will be May 10 at 6 p.m. at the original Marketplace Foods.

The topics for that tour will be celiac disease and gluten intolerance. The tour is free, but people are asked to RSVP by calling 857-5268 since space is limited.

For more information about diabetes or to set up an appointment for outpatient diabetes education or nutrition counseling, call 857-5268.

Westhope www.westhopend.com

NORTH DAKOTA The origins of Westhope actually happened in 1903; however, the town’s beginning can be traced back to a small community called Richburg, which was made up of farmers and businessmen and originated in 1898. In that year, pioneer businessmen plotted the city of Richburg in

Richburg Township. The immigrants of Richburg saw potential in their new world and named the “rich” land they had journeyed too, to symbolize their dreams of a more prosperous life.

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Opening avenues for people with hearing aids/ cochlear implants

Once again, Minot State University and the Minot Sertoma Club are partnering to make another MSU facility more enjoyable for people with hearing aids and cochlear implants.

This time, Minot Sertoma has a $5,000 matching grant from the St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation of Minot to install an induction loop system at MSU Summer Theatre’s Amphitheater.

Last June with MSU’s endorsement and matching funding from the Minot Area Community Foundation, Minot Sertoma contracted to install induction looping in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall, a performance hall.

“The amphitheater is just another step in making these area performance theaters useable by those with hearing devices equipped with telecoils,” said Neil Scharpe, Minot Sertoma board chair.

Induction loop systems turn sound into a magnetic wave, which can be then picked up by a hearing aid equipped with a telecoil. The magnetic wave is translated back to sound directly to the listener without the usual background noise often experienced by those with hearing devices.

To celebrate this milestone, the Minot Sertoma Club provided a voucher for the March 31-April 3 production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” or the first performance of Summer Theatre to anyone with a hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Vouchers for Summer Theatre can be obtained by contacting a hearing professional or contacting the club directly at 8583596. Club members are asking those with vouchers to complete a listening experience survey to provide feedback on their experience.

Sertoma, derived from its mission of service to mankind, is a century-old international service club with a focus on hearing health. The Minot Sertoma Club has a 56-year history of emphasizing that mission in the Minot area.

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H eal t h care

Optical Lab Coordinator Steve Nyre, left, and Surgical Coordinator Tammi Fugere, center, learn from an Abbott trainer the subtle art of evaluating and calibrating the fine parameters of Trinity Regional Eyecareʼs new onsite excimer laser. The laser, which is used for LASIK and other vision correction procedures, is now a permanent fixture at the clinic instead of traveling to the center on a monthly basis.

Submitted Photo

Trinity Regional Eyecare acquires fixed excimer laser Patients at Trinity Regional Eyecare– Minot Center will soon enjoy greater flexibility in scheduling LASIK and other vision correction procedures that rely on excimer laser technology.

The eye center has announced that the laser, a mobile unit provided by Sightpath Medical, will now be a permanent fixture at the clinic instead of traveling to the center on a monthly basis.

“We’re excited that the laser will be stationed here indefinitely,” said Dr. Darrell P. Williams, an ophthalmologist who has performed vision correction surgery using the laser for close to two decades. “Patients will be able to schedule their procedures more quickly at a time that is more convenient for them.”

The excimer is an advanced form of laser technology that’s become the pre-

We’re excited that the laser will be stationed here indefinitely.

– Dr. Darrell P. Williams

ophthalmologist at Trinity Health

ferred surgical tool for performing vision correction procedures like LASIK, PRK and PTK. The laser enables the eye surgeon to finely reshape the cornea to cor-

rect nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The laser also may be used following certain cataract surgeries that incorporate premium channel intraocular lenses, such as a multifocal lenses or those designed to accommodate astigmatism.

“Long ago we decided to rent a system rather than purchase one,” Williams said. “Consequently our system is never out of date – it’s always being upgraded with the latest improvements in software.”

He added that although the laser will be permanently located at Trinity Regional Eyecare–Minot Center, it will still receive the same upgrades that have allowed the clinic to remain current with the latest advancements in LASIK technology. “It’ll be the same system, just more readily available,” Williams said.

Sanford Health eyes more growth in Ghana SIOUX FALLS – Sanford Health has more than doubled its locations in Ghana in the past three months thanks to a publicprivate partnership with the national government in the African country.

Ghana Health Services recently transitioned 12 of its facilities in the Central and Western Regions of Ghana to Sanford World Clinics. These locations were operating under the Community-based Health Planning and Services Program, which was designed to deliver primary healthcare services at convenient community locations. The existing clinics were refurbished by Sanford during the transition with facility enhancements, the addition of internet service, establishment of a reliable water source and installation of power backup options.

Sanford assumed responsibility for operations in these government-owned clinics, focusing on improvement of clinical practices, appropriate staffing and creating a reliable supply of medications and medical supplies. It also further expanded the care delivery system by installing an electronic medical records system along with implementing telehealth technology.

Sanford World Clinics currently has 17 operational sites in Ghana and a newly constructed

Government collaboration, other partnerships serving as catalyst for expansion facility scheduled to open in the Ashanti region this summer. The George & Angelina Owusu Medical Campus will open as a primary level hospital, providing 24-hour outpatient services. The Owusu Medical Campus is the first primary hospital location for Sanford and will be its first facility established in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

The Sanford World Clinic care delivery system in Ghana

relies on a hub-and-spoke model, using telemedicine technology to deploy care to the more rural clinic sites. Enhanced electronic medical records and networking capabilities allow for connectivity among Sanford’s clinics.

“The care delivery system we have implemented has proven incredibly effective in Ghana; when we can care for the whole family, everyone benefits,” said

Jim Slack, vice president for Sanford World Clinics. “It is exciting to realize that many of the strategies we are using in Ghana, including telemedicine, are setting the stage for improved access to healthcare in the country.”

Growth in Ghana has also been accompanied by collaborations with other groups working to improve healthcare. Earlier this month, Sanford World Clinics announced a partnership with Global Health Corps to develop professionals and implement best practices for healthcare in Ghana. Sanford plans to hire and place alumni from GHC’s fellowship program at Sanford World Clinic sites in Ghana.

Through its collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Health and other partnerships with groups like Global Health Corps, Sanford World Clinics could open as many 300 clinics in Africa in the next decade.

Sanford World Clinics launched in 2007 as an initiative to develop clinics around the United States and world in areas that lack adequate primary care services. Domestic sites include Duncan, Oklahoma; Oceanside, California; and Klamath Falls, Oregon. In addition to the 18 Ghana locations, international locations are also in Kunming, China, and Munich, Germany.

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Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Saturday, April 16, 2016

H eal t h care

Public comments sought on Medicaid waiver, state plan amendments for autism spectrum disorder preventive services

BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Human Services is accepting public comments on amendments to the Autism Spectrum Disorders Medicaid Waiver and the Medicaid State Plan.

The Medicaid State Plan change adds coverage for autism spectrum disorder services to the services covered under North Dakota’s Medicaid program. This change will benefit individuals from infancy up to age 21 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders who qualify for the North Dakota Medicaid program.

The Autism Spectrum Disorders Medicaid Waiver provides services to eligible children and supports parents in their efforts to maximize their child’s development, while also preventing out-of-home placements.

The waiver is being amended to add 12 slots and to increase the qualifying age of the children who can be served from age seven to nine years of age. This will increase the total number of children who can be served from 47 to 59.

The waiver is also being amended to transition some autism-specific services, including skills training and program design and monitoring services, from the waiver to the Medicaid State Plan. Children receiving these services under the waiver will have their coverage for services transition to Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is requiring states to transition the services from waivers to their Medicaid State Plan.

The waiver will continue to provide resources to help implement individualized service plans for children, and to provide respite care support for families and assistive technology addressing the unique needs of participating children.

The department is also amending the waiver to remove the reference to inflationary increases. This change is due to the 4.05 percent budget allotment affecting the department and other state agencies that receive state funding.

People can view the draft waiver amendment and state plan amendment at nd.gov/dhs/info/pubs/medical.html and nd.gov/dhs/autism. Copies of the draft amendments will also be provided upon request.

The department will accept comments on the proposed Medicaid autism waiver amendment and Medicaid State Plan amendment for autism spectrum disorder preventive services through May 6.

Individuals can submit comments by emailing dhsautism@nd.gov, or calling 800-755-2604 or 328-8912, or Relay ND

• Email to dhsautism@nd.gov

Submit comments to: • Call 800-755-2604 or 3288912, or Relay ND TTY 800-3666888 or 711, or by fax at 328-4875.

• Mail to the North Dakota Department of Human Servicesʼ Medical Services Division, Attn: Autism Services, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 325, Bismarck, N.D., 58505-0250.

TTY 800-366-6888 or 711, or by fax at 328-4875.

Comments can also be mailed to the North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Medical Services Division, Attn: Autism Services, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 325, Bismarck, N.D., 58505-0250.

After the public comment period, the waiver and Medicaid State Plan amendment will be submitted to CMS. Based on the CMS timeframes for review and approval, the waiver and amendment are expected to be effective in August 2016.

A Medicaid waiver is a program authorized by federal law that funds inhome and community-based services for individuals who qualify and meet level of care requirements and other criteria described in the waiver.

North Dakota’s autism waiver serves children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders who are not receiving services under other Medicaid waivers. North Dakota’s waiver was first approved in November 2010.

Children qualify based on diagnosis and the child’s income, and families apply by completing an application that is available online at nd.gov/eforms/Doc/sfn60618.pdf or by contacting the Department of Human Services at 328-8912, toll-free 800-7552604, or by email at dhsautism@nd.gov.

The Medicaid State Plan is an agreement between the state and the federal government that outlines how North Dakota administers its Medicaid program.

It describes the eligibility criteria for individuals to be covered by Medicaid, services to be provided, provider reimbursement requirements and other administrative details.

When a state makes a change to its Medicaid program, a state sends a state plan amendment to CMS for review and approval.

Laura has always trusted Trinity Health with her care. That’s why she agreed when the specialists at Trinity’s Breast Imaging Center recommended a mammogram utilizing three-dimensional images.

The advanced 3D technology enhanced her doctor’s ability to detect an early-stage tumor with amazing precision and gave Laura her greatest chance for effective treatment.

Nora Mihalick

Laura’s Daughter

“3D Imaging changed my life and can help other women just like me.”

Laura Mihalick

Cancer Survivor

For more information, call Trinity’s Breast Imaging Center at (701) 857-2640 or go to trinityhealth.org/mammography.

Health Center - Medical Arts 400 Burdick Expy E, Minot • (701) 857–2640 trinityhealth.org

Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Saturday, April 16, 2016

FIT FOR ALL

By JILL HAMBEK

Staff Writer jhambek@minotdailynews.com

Chances are, if you are one to exercise on a regular basis, you have most likely landed in a rut where you are bored with your current workout or maybe just can’t even muster the energy to do that workout one more day and have quit exercising altogether.

If you’re looking for something new, however, the Minot Family YMCA has added an option. Cross Fit is currently available for people interested in taking their workout to the next level or starting an exercise plan.

Cross Fit, according to Brandon Foster, exercise physiologist for Trinity Health and level one certified Cross Fit trainer, is defined as highly variable, functional movements performed at high intensity. This means that every day’s workout of the day is different and will test you in different ways, he said. Cross Fit programming is designed to make you stronger, more flexible, more agile and overall more physically fit, Foster said.

Cross Fit is a fitness company that was founded in 2000. There are more than 10,000 affiliated Cross Fit gyms. Classes at affiliated gyms, known as “boxes,” are typically an hour long and include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high intensity workout of the day and a period of group or individual stretching.

Equipment from multiple disciplines is used in Cross Fit, such as barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, wooden boxes, resistance bands, rowers and various mats.

Russell Gust, exercise physiology manager at Trinity Health, said gaining the Cross Fit affiliation took about six months from the day he

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H eal t h care

North Plains Cross Fit currently open at the YMCA

and his colleagues started talking about it and deciding to pursue it. Three years ago, they wanted to get into something similar and started Personal Reality Training classes, which consisted of workouts copying the Cross Fit style. Personal Reality Training changed its name to Core 360, but still continued to follow the same format.

“We decided we were at a point where the demographic was there and we had the opportunity to make it into full-blown Cross Fit,” Gust said.

He and his colleagues did the research, visited with the Minot Family YMCA (with which Trinity has a partnership) and the opportunity arose with the space in the former youth gym, he continued.

Gaining Cross Fit affiliation was a lengthy process, however. Gust said they had to fill out an application and the person applying had to be certified as a level one trainer, so Foster was sent to Minneapolis to become certified. Then Foster had to write an essay that went to Cross Fit officials and the the facility’s eligibility was subsequently determined. After that, they had to select a name, which was another process, Gust said, since the Cross Fit company has very

strict policies for naming gyms. Trinity Health also has to pay the fee to maintain its affiliation, he added.

“We were officially accepted as an affiliate (last year),” Gust said. The official name of Cross Fit at the Minot Family YMCA is North Plains Cross Fit. The cost for participating in North Plains Cross Fit classes is $35 per month plus the monthly membership fee for the Y. If a family wants to join the Cross Fit classes, a maximum of $70 is charged in addition to the Y monthly membership. “So their kids are free,” he added.

Children must be nine years old and accompanied by a parent to be in the Cross Fit box.

“We did our research and put together one of the better Cross Fit gyms in the region,” Gust said.

There are two level one certified Cross Fit trainers on staff. “We’re excited to let people see what Cross Fit is about,” Gust said. People might be intimidated or scared of Cross Fit when they see it on TV, he added, but the trainers can make it work for you and your specific level.

Foster, who attempted to qualify for the Cross Fit Games, has been doing Cross Fit off and on for about four years and could hardly contain his excitement about North Plains Cross Fit. “On a scale of one through 10, I’m at about 57,” he said.

Foster encouraged newcomers to not be intimidated by the name. “The workouts can be scaled to everybody,” he added.

Gust, who was as excited as Foster, said a lot of the Y members and other people were also excited about the addition of Cross Fit. A lot of people have moved to Minot and this gives them an opportunity to get back into Cross Fit if they participated in other places, he added.

Photos by Jill Hambek/MDN

MAIN: The workout for the first official class of North Plains Cross Fit consisted of doing as many push-ups, pullups and squats as you could in 10 minutes.

Two YMCA members competed with each other during the open house.

ABOVE: The first official class of North Plains Cross Fit was held at the Minot Family YMCA. Members of the class did jumping jacks as part of the warm-up.

Trinity Foundation helps make glaucoma checks quick and painless Trinity Regional Eyecare – Minot Center is getting help from Trinity Health Foundation to further seal its reputation as a puff-free, drop-free zone when it comes to screening patients for glaucoma.

The Foundation is funding the purchase of four additional iCare tonometers for the clinic.

The handheld devices are the latest high-tech tool for measuring intraocular pressure of the eye. Elevated pressure signals an increased risk for glaucoma – a condition that affects the eye’s optic nerve and is the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S. Ophthalmologist Dr. Darrell P. Williams said the eye center has used the tonometers to measure eye pressure for several years, primarily due to its patient-friendly features.

“The advantage of the iCare is that it doesn’t require any drops or even a puff of air to take the measurement,” Williams explained. “It uses rebound technology, in which a very light probe makes momentary contact with the cornea, and the device measures the speed at which the probe

returns. The measurement is quick, painless and almost unnoticeable.”

In addition to being patient friendly, the iCare is user-friendly for clinical staff. Not only does it make IOP measuring a more pleasant experience for all patients, it also facilitates getting a successful measurement on people with mental challenges or from inattentive patients, like children.

Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Jeffrey Verhey said the funding decision was based on a number of factors, including the Center’s growing patient volumes and the vital services it performs.

“Trinity Health Foundation is pleased that we can help support Trinity Regional Eyecare with the purchase of these important medical devices,” Verhey said. “We continue to look for opportunities to support Trinity Health and the patients in our region.”

The Trinity Health Foundation partners with other individuals and entities in providing quality healthcare and health related services that positively change lives and offer hope for the people of our region.

The advantage of iCare is that it doesn’t require any drops or even a puff of air to take the measurement. It uses rebound technology, in which a very light probe makes momentary contact with the cornea, and the device measures the speed at which the probe returns. The measurement is quick, painless and almost unnoticeable.

— Dr. Darrell P. Williams ophthalmologist

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Minot Daily News PROGRESS

Healthcare

Saturday, April 16, 2016