Jul 26, 2023
Cohosts Brent McKune and Stephen Williams of Kentucky REC introduce Episode 10 of Kentucky REC’s PILL Podcast. This episode, with KY State HIT Director and KHIE Deputy Executive Director Andrew Bledsoe, explores how the Kentucky Health Information Exchange is leading the HIE marketplace with innovative services, as well as advancing interoperability in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Learn more about KHIE at their website, KHIE.ky.gov
Andrew Bledsoe is currently KY State HIT Director and KHIE Deputy Executive Director.
The intersection of health information technology with quality care delivery has provided Andrew with a unique perspective over his nearly 20 years in healthcare. Starting his career in a regional hospital, he quickly learned the challenges in healthcare, especially rural medicine, and began investing in the concept of leveraging health information technology to improve outcomes for patients. His current appointment within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services primarily focuses on implementing the KHIE Strategic and Operational Plan, promoting the statewide exchange of patient health information, spearheading a number of new services designed to improve care coordination, and offer new avenues to reduce reporting burdens and foster inter-agency collaboration.
Listen to our podcast on Buzzsprout, or Spotify and Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are available.
If you need assistance with health information technology, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email.
Aug 24, 2022
Cohosts Brent McKune and Stephen Williams of Kentucky REC introduce Episode 9 of Kentucky REC’s PILL Podcast. This episode explores the success of Diabetes Self Management and Education Support, also known as DSMES. This episode includes an interview between registered dietician Lynnett Renner and patient Samuel Stidham. Dr. Kristen Stakelin of UK HealthCare shares insights on making DSMES a success with your patients.
Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) can help you learn to manage your diabetes as part of your daily life. DSMES is proven to:
• Improve blood sugar control leading to decreased risk for diabetes complications
• Increase self-confidence about taking care of your diabetes
• Increase healthy eating and physical activity
• Improve quality of life
Dr. Kristen Stakelin is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine and Medical Director at the University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center.
She attended the University of Louisville, School of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Kentucky. After residency she was in private practice with an Internal Medicine group in Georgetown, KY. There she also served as medical director of a diabetes education center. She returned to the University of Kentucky Internal Medicine Group in 2007, and then joined the division of Endocrinology in 2010. She completed the University of KY Healthcare Executive Leadership and Management Program in 2018. Dr. Stakelin is certified with the American Board of Internal Medicine, a longstanding member of the ADA, and is a Master’s Licensed Diabetes Educator and a certified diabetes care and education specialist. Her areas of interest include diabetes education, and diabetes technology as well as ambulatory operations and quality improvement.
Lynnett Renner is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Diabetes Educator with over 30 years of experience.
She works with the Laurel County Health Department to implement the Healthy Living With Diabetes Program (HLWD). HLWD is a nationally accredited program that is administered by the Kentucky Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and is recognized by the American Diabetes Association and Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
Samuel Stidham
Samuel was referred to HLWD by his primary care health provider from a Grace Health clinic located in Manchester, KY. Samuel was originally referred to the Kentucky River Health Department District HLWD Program. He was the connected to the Laurel County Health Department for HLWD that was offered by telehealth in the evening hours to better fit his schedule. Samuel shared that he had been struggling with his diabetes diagnosis for 10 years, and decided that he wanted to receive more diabetes education. His goal was to not only improve his health and feel better, but also to ensure that he could prevent complications often associated with diabetes.
Listen to our podcast on Buzzsprout, or Spotify and Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are available.
If you need assistance with chronic disease quality improvement, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email.
Oct 17, 2021
In the return of the PILL Podcast, Brent McKune, the new Managing Director of the Kentucky REC and PILL Podcast co-host, talks with Cassy Hobbs and Kristin Munro-Leighton about Team-Based Care in the management of blood pressure and reducing hypertension.
This conversation will be of great interest to primary care organization and FQHC representatives in Kentucky who are interested in best practices for improving blood pressure quality indicators for patients – including using CARE Collaborative, self-monitoring of blood pressure, and team-based care.
Cassy Hobbs is an Associate Professor at the Sullivan University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
She has been with Sullivan for 9 years since receiving her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky. Cassy is a board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist and licensed diabetes educator. She is responsible for classroom teaching, as well as training pharmacy students during experiential rotations at Family Health Centers, a large federally qualified health center system in Louisville, KY. Cassy and her students work with patients who have chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, to achieve better control through appropriate medication use, lifestyle modifications and implementation of preventative strategies.
Kristin Munro-Leighton is the Director of Health Education at Family Health Centers.
She received her Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Kristin has been with Family Health Centers for 15 years. She and her team design and implement programs focused on healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, management of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, and child safety.
Listen to our podcast on Buzzsprout, or Spotify and Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are available.
If you need assistance with quality improvement and/or the QPP, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email.
Dec 17, 2019
In our second episode of the PILL podcast focused on diabetes prevention and treatment, Trudi speaks with Dr. Tamea Evans, a 2003 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Dr Evans is an Internal Medicine physician and diabetologist who is passionate about helping patients with long term illness get the tools and knowledge they need in order to get and stay well. Listen as she shares what it means to be “blessed by bad” and how doctors can be rewarded for doing a good job.
This episode includes a focus on diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), a fundamental but underutilized element of diabetes care. Kentucky has around 95 recognized or accredited DSMES programs and branches serving 88 counties across the Commonwealth. To find locations, click here and search for “Nationally Recognized or Accredited Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Classes”.
Listen to our podcast on Buzzsprout, or Spotify and Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are available.
If you need assistance with quality improvement and/or the QPP, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email. For specific Quality Payment Program assistance for small practices, visit the online resource center.
Nov 25, 2019
In our new episode of the PILL podcast, Trudi speaks with Dr. James Keck, a Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine board certified physician who cares for patients in the University of Kentucky Family Medicine Clinic. He supervises, trains, and educates medical students and Family and Preventive Medicine Residents at the UK clinic and UK hospital. Recently, Dr. Keck and colleagues implemented several strategies to promote Diabetes Prevention Program referrals from primary care colleagues to the UK Diabetes Prevention Program. He discusses the diagnosis of “prediabetes”, including who should be screened, how it is diagnosed, and next steps to avoid diabetes.
The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a partnership of public and private organizations working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Partners make it easier for people at risk for type 2 diabetes to participate in evidence-based lifestyle change programs to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Kentucky has 55 recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program organizations serving 80 counties with in person classes. We also have online or distance learning locations covering all 120 counties. To find out more go to CHFS.KY.gov and search for Diabetes prevention programs.
Listen to our podcast at our new home, Buzzsprout, or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are now available.
If you need assistance with quality improvement and/or the QPP, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email. For specific Quality Payment Program assistance for small practices, visit the online resource center.
Oct 25, 2019
Announcing Episode 5 – Hank Kerschen – Accountable Care Organizations
In this episode of The PILL podcast, Trudi interviews Hank Kerschen, a healthcare executive experienced in multi-specialty group practices and integrated delivery systems. He excels in group development, strategic planning, relationship management, and project management. He discusses the process and benefits of joining an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), and the journey of St. Elizabeth to participate in a value-based care model. He also addresses how to navigate being in both of the healthcare reimbursement worlds of fee-for-service and value-based care at the same time.
You can now listen to our podcast at our new home, Buzzsprout, or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. All previous episodes are now available.
If you need assistance with quality improvement and/or the QPP, contact the Kentucky REC at 859-323-3090 or by email. For specific Quality Payment Program assistance for small practices, visit the online resource center.
