Healing Communities: Loyola Medicine CHWs Connect Residents to Services
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an integral part of care teams at Loyola Medicine. As liaisons between individuals and needed services, they address patients’ social needs and mitigate barriers to optimal health.
This dedicated effort resulted in CHWs connecting 736 new patients to resources in fiscal year (FY) 2024. During that period, CHW team members had 2,694 patient encounters, working closely with patients to assess their social needs, home environment and other social risk factors, and ultimately connect patients and their families to community services.
The role of CHWs is to keep patients healthy, said Victoria Prewitt, the lead of one Loyola Medicine Community Health and Well-Being team. To achieve this, the Maywood-based health system works with community partners to support individuals who need help with, for example, getting groceries or paying their utility bill.
“I'm somebody that you can call and say, ‘Hey, I really don't have food today’ or ‘Hey, I couldn’t pay my utility bill… Is there something that you can do for me now?’ So it’s that extra eyes on the patient in between the visits,” Prewitt said.
Loyola Medicine's CHWs are strategically placed in clinics that treat a high percentage of patients covered by Medicaid or who are uninsured. They also work in the emergency department and in the centralized office to manage referrals from across the health system. Watch a
Loyola Medicine video on its CHW program.
IHA’s Healing Communities campaign focuses on four pillars representing the positive impact of hospitals and health systems beyond care provided in the hospital setting. The pillars are: driving local economies, addressing community needs, providing accessible care and training future clinicians.
CMS Claims Hold Update
In an
Oct. 21 update, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) confirmed it has instructed all Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to lift the claims hold and process claims with dates of service of Oct. 1, 2025, and later for certain services including claims paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, ground ambulance transport claims, and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) claims. This includes paying telehealth claims that CMS can confirm are for behavioral and mental health services. CMS has directed all MACs to continue holding claims for services for which waivers expired on Oct. 1, including Medicare telehealth services that CMS cannot confirm are definitively for behavioral and mental health services and for acute Hospital Care at Home claims. For more information and guidance on payments for Medicare telehealth services consult CMS’
Oct. 21 update and IHA’s
Telehealth Fact Sheet.
Perinatal OUD Symposium Dec. 19
Clinicians, providers, prescribers, doulas, midwifes, and others who serve the perinatal and maternal population are invited to an in-person perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) symposium on Dec. 19 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CT focused on substance use issues during pregnancy and the perinatal period. Discussion topics will include respectful care for pregnant persons with substance use disorder (SUD), Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), human trafficking, safe prescribing and treatment for pregnant persons with SUD, and a lived experience panel.
Click here for registration information and program details. CME credits are available for full-day attendees.
Infection Prevention News You Can Use: Oct. 22
IHA continues to recognize
International Infection Prevention Week, celebrating the important role that infection preventionists play in keeping our communities safe and healthy. Today, IHA’s “Infection Prevention News You Can Use” newsletter features information on antimicrobial resistance and offers resources to support your organization’s efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance through improved practices, including reductions in unnecessary usage.
Click here to access today’s newsletter.
Thank you for all you do to keep your patients, colleagues, family members and community safe. If you have questions or if there are opportunities for IHA to support your efforts, we encourage you to contact
InfectionPrevention@team-iha.org.
