Citing the organization's superior performance, Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) was recently notified of its certification as a TCPi Exemplary Practice by the the National Rural Accountable Care Consortium Practice Transformation Network.

The Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPi), established in 2015, was designed to help clinicians achieve large-scale health transformation, supporting more than 140,000 clinician practices over a four year period in sharing, adapting and further developing their comprehensive quality improvement strategies. The initiative is one part of a strategy advanced by the Affordable Care Act to strengthen the quality of patient care and spend health care dollars more wisely. It aligns with the criteria for innovative models set forth in the Affordable Care Act including: promoting broad payment and practice reform in primary care and specialty care, promoting care coordination between providers of services and suppliers, establishing community-based health teams to support chronic care management, and promoting improved quality and reduced cost by developing a collaborative of institutions that support practice transformation.

Community Care continues to be a leader in providing quality healthcare across north central West Virginia.

Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in central West Virginia with fifteen (15) community health center locations, fifty-three (53) school-based health sites, eight (8) 340(b) pharmacies, and one (1) dental office employ a dynamic team of health professionals including MD, DO, FNP, PA-C, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, LICSW, LCSW, LGSW, RPH, and DDS’s. 

For more information about the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative, click here.

Kimberly Becher, a family practitioner in Clay, West Virginia, population 491, says her rural county never had a local hospital. The nearest acute care facilities are all about an hour away in five different directions. Some of those hospitals are cutting back while others are trying to gear up their service offerings. Her practice in Clay, which includes two nurse practitioners and a physician assistant, is part of Community Care of West Virginia, a Federally Qualified Health Center with 15 community clinics, school-based programs, and pharmacies.
Becher strives to provide an integrated medical practice with such innovations as a community health worker and weekly home doctor visits, which sometimes require traversing challenging dirt roads. "A lot of what I do is keeping people out of the hospital," she says. "We provide a lot of care typically only done in hospitals. If I didn't have solid hospital and emergency medical training, I don't think I could do this job."

To read the entire article on Medscape, click here.

BUCKHANNON, WV — Dr. Sarah Chouinard was recently recognized for her excellence in service to the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPi) Faculty.

​The TCPi, established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2015, is designed to help clinicians achieve large-scale health transformation and to support more than 140,000 clinician practices over the next four years in sharing, adapting and further developing their comprehensive quality improvement strategies. The initiative is one part of a strategy advanced by the Affordable Care Act to strengthen the quality of patient care and spend health care dollars more wisely. It aligns with the criteria for innovative models set forth in the Affordable Care Act including: promoting broad payment and practice reform in primary care and specialty care, promoting care coordination between providers of services and suppliers, establishing community-based health teams to support chronic care management, and promoting improved quality and reduced cost by developing a collaborative of institutions that support practice transformation.
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Chouinard, the chief medical officer for Community Care of West Virginia, Inc. (CCWV), was chosen to serve on the faculty in 2015 due to her expertise in the area of quality health care. She has served as co-chair since 2017. During her tenure at CCWV, the organization has more than doubled in size, serving 45,000 patients in medically underserved central West Virginia. With health centers, school-based health centers, and pharmacies in Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Upshur counties, CCWV is a leader in providing quality health care to its patients and communities.

​Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) recently launched the FARMacy Program at their Rock Cave location. The FARMacy Pilot Program was initiated in the summer of 2016 in Wheeling, WV. The program came out of concern for the health of the population of West Virginia, which leads the country in chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
 
The idea for the FARMacy program at CCWV was presented by Jenna Ward, PA-C. Providers at CCWV have found there is a real connection between limited access to fresh produce and populations riddled with diabetes and similar issues.  “Our community struggles with chronic health conditions like diabetes and obesity. I tell my patients every day about the importance of good nutrition, but I felt like I could do more,” said Ward. “This program is our way of emphasizing how important it is for patients to focus on healthy eating. Their food is their medicine.”
 
The first FARMacy day was held on July 16, 2019 with eleven patients participating. CCWV’s Community Health Workers Kelsey Burgess and Lisa Fidler helped patients complete the pre-survey and paperwork and Ward provided patients with prescriptions for fresh produce. Patient education was provided by CCWV clinical pharmacist Nancy Bozic, PharmD, and WVU Extension Agent Becky Kniley. Local greenhouse owner Pati Espinosa, from Green Acres Farm, was on site with fresh produce to distribute to patients.
 
Trevor Haddix, CCWV management trainee, coordinated funding efforts. Local citizens and businesses, including A.F. Wendling, Annamarie Chidester, Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Buckhannon Rotary, Burgess Mobile Home Park, Loudin Insurance, Mary Gorman, Michael Cozad, Ralston Press, Inc., Raven Rock Networks, Sam’s Pizza, the Sign Guy, and United Contracting provided sponsorship for the program.
 
CCWV operates health centers, pharmacies, and school-based health centers located in Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Upshur counties. In addition, they operate a dental clinic in Pocahontas County and provide behavioral health services throughout their service area.

​Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) is pleased to announce the addition of Nathaniel Linger, MD, to their medical staff.
 
Dr. Linger, who was born and raised in Buckhannon, graduated with an undergraduate degree in biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College. He earned his medical degree at West Virginia University.
 
Beginning on August 5, 2019, Dr. Linger will be practicing family medicine at Community Care’s health center in Rock Cave. The addition of Dr. Linger to the staff will allow the clinic to offer extended hours of operation, increasing access to health care for the community.
 
According to Dr. Linger, he has always wanted to return home to practice. “I have always felt more comfortable in a small rural setting. I may be a little biased since I’m from the area, but I firmly believe that people living in and around Buckhannon and Upshur County deserve the same level of primary care as if they lived in a more metropolitan area,” said Linger. “I chose to specialize in Family Medicine because I enjoy being able to care for patients of all ages and develop relationships with my patients.”
 
Dr. Linger met his wife, Lorilyn, while they were students at Wesleyan. Outside of medicine, Dr. Linger enjoys hunting and fishing. He also enjoys playing music and plays mandolin in a bluegrass band called Blue Steel. He and his wife attend both Hampton United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church in Buckhannon.
 
Patients interested in scheduling appointments with Dr. Linger may do so online by visiting the website or by calling 304-924-6262.
 
CCWV operates health centers, pharmacies, and school-based health centers located in Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Upshur counties. In addition, they operate a dental clinic in Pocahontas County and provide behavioral health services throughout their service area.

WESTON, WV —Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) opened a new pharmacy in Weston on January 2, 2019.
 
Co-located with the Community Care/CareXpress health center, located at Stonewall Commons, the pharmacy offers a full range of pharmacy services, including filling prescription medications, 340B pharmacy pricing, Med Sync arrangements, and mail order pharmacy services.
 
Providing comprehensive pharmacy services is important to CCWV. “I’m pleased we are able to meet the needs of our patients whether they can visit us at our pharmacy or we can bring their medications to their home,” said Joshua Dunn, PharmD, and CCWV’s Director of Pharmacy. “For some patients, it is difficult making a trip to the pharmacy. Through Med Sync, our medication synchronization program, we can work with our patients’ care team so that their medications get filled at the same time each month. For those that simply cannot travel to the pharmacy, our mail order program allows the patient to receive their medications via the US postal service at their home.”
 
The co-location of the pharmacy with the health center allows the pharmacy staff to work as part of the patient Care Team to make sure patients receive the highest quality care. “We work closely with the clinical staff to make sure each patient has the medications that are best suited to their needs, and we collaborate with outside physicians and specialists to coordinate care,” said pharmacist-in-charge, Andrew Shay, PharmD. “We love seeing our patients at the pharmacy and we are always happy to answer questions either in person or on the phone.”
 
CCWV operates health centers, pharmacies, and school-based health centers located in Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Monongalia, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Upshur counties. In addition, they operate a dental clinic in Pocahontas County and provide behavioral health services throughout their service area.

For a link to coverage on WBOY, click here.

Pictured at left:
Andrew Shay, PharmD, Pharmacist-in-Charge
Dakota DeBarr, Pharmacy Technician Trainee
Joshua Dunn, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy

Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) is excited to partner with WVU/UHC at a new facility in Weston. The health center is in the Stonewall Commons plaza, just off the I-79 Weston exit.

CCWV will be offering acute and primary care, by appointment and walk-in, and WVU/UCH will provide specialty care. 

CCWV has had a health center at Weston, very near this new location, for several years. This partnership will provide expanded care to the community and to patients of both CCWV and WVU/UHC.

CCWV will be open in the new facility beginning Thursday, November 15, at 8:00am. The hours of operation will be Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 8:00pm, Saturday from 8:00am to 4:00pm, and Sunday from 11:00am - 5:00pm.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (304) 269-2022 or click here.

At its last meeting, the Harrison County School Board approved an agreement with Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV) to continue providing services such as medical screenings, treatment for illnesses, sports physicals, immunizations and health education to students.

Under the agreement, Adamston Elementary, North View Elementary, Mountaineer Middle and Liberty High schools will be part of a pilot program for mental health services.

Community Care ran a pilot program for evidence-based classroom and school interventions for psychiatric and psychotherapy services last year in Braxton County schools.

“We are bringing the mental health services to the kids rather than bringing the kids to mental health services, which can sometimes be a barrier to kids getting proper mental health services for a myriad of reasons,” said Dr. Kevin Junkins, the psychiatrist leading the program at CCWV.

​ "Evidence from other states shows that therapy for first- grade students has reduced by 10 percent their chance of becoming addicted to drugs later in life. Therapy has also been shown to decrease the need for special education services, improve graduation rates and decrease the rates of teen smoking and teen pregnancy."

Harrison County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin said he would like to expand the program to all the county’s schools next year, if possible.

To read the story and as it appeared in The Exponent-Telegram and watch a video from the meeting, click here.

BUCKHANNON – Beginning this fall semester, West Virginia Wesleyan College students will now have consistent health care offered as Community Care of West Virginia is being welcomed to campus.

Last week, officials announced that a CCWV school-based clinic will be located in Wesleyan’s Barnhart Health Center, which is adjacent to the John D. Rockefeller IV Physical Education Center.

Prior to the agreement between WVWC and CCWV, a health center was available on campus for students with a full-time nurse, and local providers were contracted.

“We were doing it all in-house,” said Alison Clausen, Director of Title III and Student Retention.

Clausen explained the college felt it was important to provide students with consistent hours and expanded provider availability.

“So that’s what we achieved. There will be expanded hours with a provider beyond a nurse,” she said. “There will be consistent provider hours.”

As the college embarked on the process of finding a clinic for WVWC, Clausen said, “Community Care has vast experience in school-based health clinics.”

“Community Care just knows what they’re doing in school-based health, so we’re really excited about the partnership and the experience that they’re putting to this,”she said.

With a CCWV school-based clinic now on WVWC’s campus, an additional array of services will be offered for students.

Community Care will provide primary and preventive health care, treatment for common illnesses and minor injuries, immunizations and lab testing.

“It’s pretty much just like what you would find at a normal doctor’s office — primary and preventive health care treatment for normal common illnesses …, “said Clausen. “The standard things you’d find at the doctor’s office.”
Clausen said with CCWV on campus, students will have easy access to a full slate of services.

“And one of the other things we’re really excited about is the access that our students will have to the Community Care network,” she said. “We’ll have 20 or so hours of providers on campus, but they also have full time providers in town as well as their walk-in urgent care.”

Clausen noted students’ health insurance will be billed for services provided by CCWV as the college requires all students to carry health insurance.

The clinic will be open approximately 20 hours a week for students’ needs.

“We’ll also have a nurse that staffs it all day long, so the standard 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.,” she said. “In times that a students might need services outside of those hours, they can access Community Care’s other clinics in town.”
For those who have experience with Community Care from public school, Clausen said it will be a benefit for those students.
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“Students who attended the public schools that Community Care is already in, which is like 45 or 50 in West Virginia, are really going to have a continuity of their medical records,” she said. “Certainly that’s something that will help our students.”

For a link to the story as it appeared in The Inter-Mountain, please click here.