Latest News
Addressing Tobacco Use Disorder in North Dakota
The financial and human toll from tobacco* use – directly or from exposure to secondhand smoke – continues to be the most costly, preventable cause of death in North Dakota. The increased availability of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) and vaping of...
American Heart Association Grant: Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement in the Rural Midwest
The American Heart Association’s mission is to be a relentless force for a world of longer healthier lives. For millions of Americans, hypertension is a significant barrier in achieving that reality for themselves and the burden of high blood pressure is not carried...
In Case you Missed It I Recording Available: Roundtable Discussion – Immunizations in the Dakotas
On August 16, we were fortunate to have a panel of four local experts discuss immunizations and vaccinations in our communities. The panel answered a series of questions, which included: What does data show us about immunization rates of influenza, pneumococcal and...
Alzheimer’s Association Webinar: 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s I August 30, 2022
Alzheimer's and other dementias cause memory, thinking and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. Join this free virtual education program to learn how to recognize common signs of the disease; how to approach someone about memory concerns; the importance...
Welcome to Our Team I Carrie Sorenson, PharmD
We are excited to introduce our newest Great Plains QIN team members; Stephanie Hanson, RN, BSN; Carrie Sorenson, PharmD; Carolyne Tufte, LPN and Susan Wilcox, RN. These four individuals will serve as Quality Improvement Advisors and will support healthcare partners...
Know Your COVID-19 Community Level
The COVID-19 Community Level tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used,...
COVID-19 Boosters, Yearly Vaccines and Variant-Specific Vaccines: What’s Next? I September 14, 2022
Attend the upcoming Current Issues in Vaccines webinar to learn how to interpret and employ new or updated vaccine information and how to discuss vaccine-related information with patients and family members and explain considerations related to the COVID-19 booster...
Welcome to Our Team I Stephanie Hanson, RN, BSN
We are excited to introduce our newest Great Plains QIN team members; Carrie Sorenson, PharmD, Carolyne Tufte, LPN, Susan Wilcox, RN and Stephanie Hanson, RN, BSN. These four individuals will serve as Quality Improvement Advisors and will support healthcare partners...
National Health Center Week: Rolling Out the Red Carpet
The Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (CHAD) and health centers in North Dakota and South Dakota rolled out the red carpet last week to thank staff, patients and the communities they serve during National Health Center Week (NHCW). This is an annual...
APIC Webinar – A Paradigm Shift for Reducing HAIs and Readmissions I August 25, 2022
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology NC is pleased to announce an educational offering titled “A Paradigm Shift for Reducing HAIs and Readmissions." This lecture will describe the role nasal carriage plays in HAI risks from Staph aureus....
2022 Pink Book Web-on-Demand Series Updates
CDC is offering a series of weekly one-hour web-on-demand videos that will provide an overview of vaccination principles, general best practices, immunization strategies, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and the vaccines that prevent them....
Preventable Transfer to the Hospital: A Case Study
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Patient Safety Network, shares a web case study to emphasize that the period following discharge from the hospital is an especially vulnerable time for patients. Hospitalizations have become progressively shorter despite...
Advocacy and Awareness: The Importance of Vaccinations
Although significant vaccine-related advancements have been made in the United States, adult vaccination rates still remain low overall, especially among racial and ethnic minority populations, who have been shown to be less likely to be vaccinated against certain...
Great Plains QIN Roundtable: Immunizations in the Dakotas | August 16, 2022
Attend this Immunizations Roundtable to learn about immunization efforts and activity in the Dakotas. Our panel of experts will discuss vaccination rates, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, social media and how to have constructive conversations. The panel will also...
Your Quality Improvement Partner: Making an Impact
We are proud of our work, thankful for our partnerships and will continue to strive to make healthcare in our region the best in the nation. At Great Plains QIN, we are fortunate to have a solid team of qualified and committed individuals. We work to improve health...
Getting Back on Track with Vaccinations
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the efforts of healthcare professionals to protect patients of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through on-time vaccination. This observance serves as an important...
FirstLink I An Inside Look
FirstLink in Fargo, North Dakota is fortunate to have a leader who is compassionate, dedicated and committed to serving those in need. We are fortunate to meet with FirstLink’s Executive Director, Jennifer Illich to learn more about the organization and those that...
CDC Recommends Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults: Upcoming Webinar | July 28, 2022
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine is to be used as another primary series option for adults ages 18 years and older. Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which will be available in the coming weeks, is an...
July 25 Behavioral Health Panel Recording Available
Access to mental health services is a real problem and there is a definite need to come together to address the complex issues surrounding awareness, education and access. We had the privilege to hear from a panel of local experts on this very important topic during...
Immunize South Dakota Conference: Bridging the Gap I August 2, 2022
A few days left to register for the 6th annual Immunize SD Conference: Bridging the Gap on August 2. This conference is perfectly timed to Bridge the Gap between knowledge and action, between action and access and between access and trust. Intended to promote access...
We LOVE Our Community Health Centers
August 7-13 is National Health Center Week and health centers in North Dakota and South Dakota have many exciting activities and promotions planned to showcase their centers, recognize their staff and engage their communities. This year, the Community Health...
Overdose Deaths Show Historic Increase: CDC Vital Signs Media Briefing
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a historic 30% increase in overdose deaths throughout the United States from 2019 to 2020. In one year, overdose death rates increased 44% for Black people and 39% for American Indian and Alaska Native people,...
Funding Available in North Dakota for Vaccine Storage and Handling Equipment
The North Dakota Department of Health recently announced the availability of funding for vaccine storage and handling equipment. This one-time funding is available to healthcare providers that are unable to purchase vaccine storage and handling equipment using their...
Bringing Awareness to the Unique Struggles Minority Communities Face Regarding Mental Illness
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each July to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for racial and...
Mini Virtual Conference: Navigating Late Stages of Dementia for Caregivers I August 4, 2022
FREE learning opportunity for providers, healthcare professionals and caregivers. A 4-hour mini-conference that will involve presentations on late stages of dementia, hospice vs. palliative care and managing end-of-life care for people living with dementia followed by...
AHRQ Patient Safety Culture Nursing Home Surveys
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) sponsored the development of the Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture; designed specifically for nursing home providers seeking opinions about the culture of patient safety and healthcare quality in their...
Great Plains QIN Webinar: Behavioral Health in the Dakotas – Panel Discussion I July 25, 2022
July 25, 2022 | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. CT The United States is...
What is 988?
A new national suicide prevention hotline, 988, will go live all over the country, including North and South Dakota. There will a Webinar that you can join to gain more information about this new lifeline for people suffering from a mental health crisis. This event...
NEW Project Firstline Resources: Where Germs Live
Project Firstline offers trainings on infectious disease prevention and is designed to give frontline healthcare workers the knowledge to perform daily duties with confidence. The goal is to make sure as many healthcare workers as possible have access and complete...
Kepro Informational Webinar & Healthy Aging Matters Podcast I July 27th
Kepro offers information and assistance to providers, Medicare beneficiaries and families regarding Medicare quality of care complaints, hospital discharge and skilled service termination appeals and Immediate Advocacy services. This webinar will provide a basic...