Welcome, Medical Directors!

Partners For Kids is pleased to welcome three, new medical directors who have joined our service line teams. They will provide leadership and clinical expertise to their respective teams to improve health outcomes for children on Ohio Medicaid. Please join us in welcoming them to Partners For Kids!

Alexander (Alex) T. Rakowsky, MD is a pediatric primary care physician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital where he has served in various roles as the Institutional Review Board (IRB) chair, pediatric residency associate program director and primary care physician at the Olentangy Resident Clinic. Dr. Rakowsky has a passion for advocacy and improving the lives of our patients, with specific focus on literacy development, food insecurity and immigrant health. Dr. Rakowsky will be co-leading the efforts of the Healthy Children service line at Partners For Kids that focuses on increasing pediatric preventative care.

Rajitha D. Venkatesh, MD, MPH is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and co-director of the Eosinophilic GI Disorders Program. Her interests include innovation in clinical care, including trans-nasal endoscopy for eosinophilic esophagitis. Dr. Venkatesh has an interest in population health, specifically to address health care disparities, improve access to care and improve clinical outcomes, through telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. Dr. Venkatesh will be co-leading the efforts of the Chronic Conditions service line at Partners For Kids that focuses on preventing complications in pediatric patients who are diagnosed with long-term medical conditions.

Courtney Brown, MD is a pediatric primary care physician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Westerville Primary Care location. Dr. Brown has advanced training in quality improvement (QI) and clinical research, which she uses to ensure her patients get high-value, innovative care. Dr. Brown’s interests include population health, healthy equity and preventative care. Dr. Brown will be co-leading the efforts of the Women and Infants service line at Partners For Kids that focuses on decreasing infant mortality.

Team Spotlight: Preethi Aishwarya Tautum

Preethi Aishwarya Tautum has been a QI coach with Partners For Kids’ West Region since August 2023. Before moving to the United States to pursue a master’s in health administration, she was a practicing dentist in India. She is certified as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, has completed a QI fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and is trained on the IHI Model for Improvement. Preethi currently works with Kettering Pediatric and Family Care, South Dayton Pediatrics and Ohio Pediatrics. Her areas of expertise include well-child visits, behavioral health and sickle cell projects.

‘On Our Sleeves’ Mental Health Training Opportunities Available

Dayton Children’s Hospital is hosting two, free training opportunities for families, schools and organizations. The Mental Health First Aid course is an 8-hour, virtual program that teaches adults how to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

 

After completing this training, individuals will…

• Grow their knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions.

• Be able to identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental health or substance use challenge.

• Increase their confidence and likelihood to help an individual in distress, and even show increased mental wellness themselves.

The QPR Gatekeeper Training is a 60-minute course designed to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by ‘Questioning, Persuading and Referring’.

 

Reminder: 2024 Partners For Kids Primary Care Network Requirement

Every Partners For Kids credentialed primary care provider must participate in at least one activity that satisfies the Partners For Kids primary care network requirement by December 31, to ensure eligibility for 2024 incentive bonuses.

Partners For Kids Quarterly Webinar Recording Now Available

In case you missed it, the recording of the May 16 quarterly webinar, “Type 2 Diabetes” featuring Dr. Rohan Henry and Dr. Leena Mamilly, is now available.

Register Now for the Next Partners For Kids’ Quarterly Webinar

Join us Thursday, August 15, 2024, from noon to 1 p.m. for the Partners For Kids’ quarterly webinar series, "Managing Conditions in the Primary Care Setting: Constipation, Depression and ADHD" by Karla K.H. Vaz, MD and Abigail M. Caserta, PhD. As a reminder, participating in a quarterly webinar fulfills your primary care network requirement for 2024.

Grand Rounds: Nutritional Needs of the NICU Graduate

Dayton Children’s Hospital and Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine present Grand Rounds on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, from noon to 1 p.m. During “Nutritional Needs of the NICU Graduate” attendees will learn about the ongoing, unique needs of preterm infants after discharge from the NICU/SCN and how to support their families, as well as best practices for assessing growth and nutritional intake, vitamin and mineral supplements, and common feeding challenges.

Asthma Toolkit for Primary Care Now Available!

Partners For Kids has designed a toolkit to help health care professionals address the needs of their patients with Asthma. The toolkit includes a list of resources for providers and patients, including prescribing guidelines, educational webinars, action plans, tips for inhaler usage and more – all in one place. The information is updated regularly based on current clinical guidelines, recommendations and data.

Reminder: 2024 Partners For Kids Behavioral Health Network Requirement

In 2024, 60 percent of each organization’s credentialed providers must complete at least one education session by December 31. Incentive payments will not be made in 2025 until after the network requirement has been completed. If you have questions about the behavioral health network requirement, please email PFKProRelations@ChildrensDayton.org.

Updated Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Prescribing Guidelines Now Available!

In collaboration with subject matter experts from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Dayton Children’s Hospital, Partners For Kids has updated clinical guidelines for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These guidelines are designed to assist providers with screening and treating ADHD. Resources within the guidelines include screening tools, treatment algorithms and medication dosing recommendations.

June Managed Care Plan Updates

View updates from the managed care plans on events and policy changes impacting their organizations. 

Welcome New Members!

We are pleased to welcome the following providers and practices who joined the Partners For Kids provider network:

• Memory Basile, PA-Children's Medical Center

• Rebecca A. Dandoy, MD-Children's Medical Center

• Diana Einselen Small, MD-Children's Medical Center

• Kenton Allen Pate, MD-Children's Medical Center

• Jenna B Edwards, LISW-Cornerstone Pediatrics, LLC

• Pamela Suzanne Wentworth, CPNP-PC-Cornerstone Pediatrics, LLC

Important Dates 

• Friday, June 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Administrative Staff Retreat: “How a Practice Administrator Can Impact a Practice’s Success”

• Thursday, July 4: Partners For Kids offices closed in observance of Independence Day

• Friday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Behavioral Health Course Offering: “Communicating Belonging: LGBTQ+ Inclusivity & Care 2.0”

• Friday, August 11, from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Behavioral Health Course Offering: “Integrating Motivational Interviewing into Safety Planning”’

• Wednesday, August 14, from noon to 1 p.m.: webinar for behavioral health in primary care: “The Continuum of Crisis: Which Services and When?”

• Thursday, August 15, from noon to 1 p.m.: Partners For Kids’ Quarterly Webinar: Managing Conditions in the Primary Care Setting

• Monday, September 2: Partners For Kids’ offices closed in observance of Labor Day

• Wednesday, October 9, from noon to 1 p.m.: webinar for behavioral health in primary care: “When Patients Families Experience Grief”.

Did You Know?

Did You Know There is a Provider Portal Training Manual?

Partners For Kids has a training manual available for those who have access to the Provider Portal. This training manual can help you access and navigate the Provider Portal more efficiently. The Partners For Kids’ Provider Portal is an online, interactive tool that helps Partners For Kids share the most up-to-date data available with contracted providers. If you need assistance accessing this tool or setting up your account, please email PFKProRelations@ChildrensDayton.org.

Contact Partners For Kids Provider Relations 

If you have questions regarding any of the information in this newsletter or suggestions regarding newsletter content that would be useful to your practice, please contact us at Email: PFKProRelations@childrensdayton.org. 

Phone: (419) 376-5667

Visit us at PartnersForKids.org.

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