12/4/19 Meeting Minutes

WORKGROUP FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT WELLNESS

December 4, 2019

THOSE PRESENT:  Dr. Karl Schwalm, Amber King, Dr. Jenny Corder, Amy Ritchie, Mitzi Wiltison, John Corbin

UPDATE ON SURVEYS

The High School survey was sent out last week through Play Hard Live Clean.  Target messaging on social media will start on Friday.  We should have some results at the next meeting.  John will look for incentives that can be attached to the survey to draw interest.

There are packets that will be going out to parents of middle school students with a permission slip attached to the end of the survey.  The survey needs to go out soon in order to get the permission slips and the parent’s completed surveys back.  After the holidays, someone will need to go to the middle schools to distribute and collect the surveys.  Possibly the nurses can collect the permission slips.  Dr. Corder will email Phil Lauver and Becky Aiken to let them know where we are in the process.

Paper copies of the surveys can be available for providers to hand out to home schooled students.  There is also a meeting scheduled in January where the survey can be discussed that targets the parents.

UPDATE ON ADOLESCENT WELL CHECKS

Dr. Schwalm has met with providers in the county and they are in agreement to supply their data and statistics on well-checks for adolescents.  Dr. Schwalm asks how do we keep this going and increase the number of patients receiving well-child checks.

Amber King reported that Wellspring sends out reminders and makes phone calls.  Dr. Schwalm will contact Garrett Medical Group to work with them to set up a reminder system.

The procedure used at Wellspring is they query patients that have not received their well-child checkup within the last year.  A follow-up call is made, and hopefully an appointment is scheduled.  It is important to make the visit an interactive experience and a worthwhile visit for the patient.  Providers need to be on-board to address mental health issues, diet, diabetes, drugs, sex, etc.  Amber found a questionnaire that covers all of the topics to cover, but not sure that all of the topics are billable.  Amber will need to research.

Medicaid incentives/how to keep this going?

Dr. Schwalm suggested that a smaller group be created, possibly made up of Amber, Dr. Sisler and another one or two people, to come up with a way to reach out to families and how to have a worthwhile visit with patients.  They can also research what Medicaid incentives are available for providers to do well visits.

MARYLAND DIABETES INITIATIVE

Maryland has created a Diabetes Action Plan and Garrett County will devise its own.  It is divided into four groups; normal BMI, no health issues; prediabetes; gestational diabetes; and a diabetes diagnosis.

There is a concentration on keeping a healthy weight and reducing overweight and obesity.  Also to reduce BMI of high school students in the 85 percentile.

Amy Ritchie records BMI and blood pressure for all ninth graders and the After School students.  She will collect the information and present it to the group.  Amber will try to create an aggregate trend for BMIs and break it down into gender and age.

There are 29 Garrett County students with type 2 diabetes.  Students need to be educated in a sensitive manner.

This spring the elementary schools are going to hold mini health fairs in place of the classroom topics that are presented.  This may be something providers can take part.

BRAINSTORMING FOR THE FUTURE

Please review for the next meeting so that we can set a direction.

-Possibilities

-Priorities

-How big should this group be?  Could possibly get a nurse practitioner to join.

-Is there an organization we should have in our group?

With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned.  The next meeting is scheduled for January 8, 2020 in conference room A of the Garrett County Health Department.

Respectfully Submitted,

Beth A. Brenneman