Did You Know? The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) offers a wide range of free continuing education on Improving Patient-Centered Care. This is part of AHRQ’s effort to produce research and evidence, along with tools and training materials, that help health care providers use current evidence in practice. The web-based continuing education is for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and others, via article and on-demand webinars. A list of available topics is here: 
Thinking of working in rural health, or recruiting others? This video from the Washington State Department of Health describes the benefits, from the point of view of healthcare providers. 
Having a place to exercise or play sports is an important part of healthy living. But many lack access to sidewalks and safe paths for running, walking or biking. The opportunities to play sports may not exist. The according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), zip codes can be more important to health than genetic codes. RWJF works with communities across the country to promote cultures of health in communities, including safe places to play and exercise. Read more about this effort at: https://nnlm.gov/bhic/ob4d. The Centers for Disease Control also offers a tool kit for communities to assess built environments in order to improve them, at: 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report showing that investments made in program integrity activities – which include stamping out fraud and deterring and reducing other improper payments – pay off for taxpayers and beneficiaries. From October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2014 (Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 and FY 2014), every dollar invested in CMS’ Medicare program integrity efforts saved $12.40 for the Medicare program. The report highlights CMS’s significant achievements in reducing potentially fraudulent and improper payments. Total savings from program integrity efforts were nearly $42 billion over the two-year period covered by the report. This equates to an average savings of $12.40 for each dollar spent on Medicare program integrity alone. These savings represent funds that remain available to provide needed health care to Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries nationwide and reflect the increasing success of CMS’ efforts to proactively prevent improper payments. Read more here: http://bit.ly/2alUlmi
The Health Literacy Tool Shed is an online database of health literacy measures. The site contains information about measures, including their psychometric properties, based on a review of the peer-reviewed literature. Users can search by language and context to measure health literacy. To search the database, please visit: 
If you like getting Healthy Aging Tips from NIHSeniorHealth.gov, then you’ll also appreciate the new Facebook page from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). There you’ll find tips on exercise, nutrition, and caregiving, plus information on Alzheimer’s disease and ways to manage other health issues that can be a part of growing older. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/2aAWMOf
The Health and Well-Being for All meeting-in-a-box, , provides resources needed to explore the determinants underlying health problems faced by patients and communities. This tool incorporates a big-picture visual with supporting materials, including data cards, group dialogue exercises, and facilitator tips to identify and engage collaborators. Currently, there are three modules: obesity, gang violence, and asthma. The box can be purchased or the Facilitator Guide and materials for each module can be downloaded for free from http://bit.ly/29PV1vZ.
Improving Health Outcomes through Inclusion and Participation
Thursday, August 11, 2016 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm ET
Join Health People 2020 for a Progress Review webinar featuring 2 topic areas:
- Disability and Health
- Health Related Quality of Life and Well-Being
The webinar will also feature the Montana Disability and Health Program – a community-based initiative with a proven track record of improving health outcomes.