Orange County NC Website
MINUTES -Draft <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />January 27, 2015 <br />• Total Billing Accuracy: Continuing with the goal of 90% billing accuracy set in FY 14 -15, <br />the average billing accuracy rate for medical halfway through FY 15 -16 is 86% as <br />compared to 92% in FY 14 -15 and the average rate for dental for FY 15 -16 is 97% as <br />compared to 94% in FY 14 -15. <br />• Dental Earned Revenue by Source: FY 15 -16 average monthly revenue ($39k /month) is <br />slightly below our budget projection ($45k /month) but still above our FY 14 -15 average <br />of $36k /month. FY 15 -16 dental revenue totaled $471 k at the end of the second quarter. <br />Dental earned revenue will most likely continue to increase each month as our new <br />dentist adds more clients to her schedule. <br />Medical Earned Revenue by Source: Medical earned revenue is currently below the <br />budgeted projection for FY 15 -16. The monthly average after the second quarter <br />($45k /month) is lower than FY15 ($50k /y) and our budget projection ($50k /month). This <br />is mainly due to holding Maternal Health encounters for Global Billing (billing multiple <br />encounters at the end of the pregnancy) and holding multiple program encounters until <br />we come to a resolution with Medicaid of an acceptable method to bill same day <br />appointments, which we resolved in late December. FAS anticipates the monthly <br />average will be closer to the budget projection in subsequent quarters. <br />The BOH members had questions that were addressed by Ms. Crawford and Dr. Bridger. <br />VI. Action Items (Non- Consent) <br />A. Safe Syringe Initiative <br />Meredith Stewart, Public Health Program Manager, and Robin Gasparini, Nursing Supervisor, <br />provided an overview of the OCHD Safe Syringe Initiative (SSI) and its benefits. As a result of <br />the BOH's Substance Abuse & Mental Health subcommittee action step to research methods to <br />reduce infections passed through drug misuse and abuse, an educational presentation on <br />syringe exchange programs was provided to the Board by Tessie Castillo of the NC Harm <br />Reduction Coalition in June 2015. Ms. Stewart and Ms. Gasparini's presentation is the result of <br />a request from the Board directing staff to investigate the practicality and design to provide <br />Orange County residents with access to safe syringes and disposal of used syringes. <br />Ms. Stewart stated that some of the individual and community health benefits based on <br />research and anecdotal evidence include decreasing the transmission of hepatitis C. Another <br />benefit would be removing potentially infectious syringes from the community. The SSI would <br />also provide syringes to diabetics patients that reuse syringes due to the cost and availability <br />which in turn can decrease the incidences of needle breakage, lipodystrophy and tissue micro <br />trauma. The initiative would also assist those that wish to purchase syringes but are unable due <br />to some pharmacists' unwillingness to sell syringes. She also stated that it is very important to <br />have local stakeholders on board with this initiative and mentioned that formal support from the <br />district attorney and local law enforcement has been received. <br />Ms. Gasparini reported on the four open sessions held to allow questions and feedback from <br />clinical staff. Below are the highlights: <br />About 25 staff attended with 100% supporting this initiative <br />S: \Managers Working Files \BOH \Agenda & Abstracts \2016 Agenda & Abstracts/ <br />February Page 4 <br />