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Our training

We make sure providers have the right tools and resources to take care of our members. On this page, you’ll find helpful links and training opportunities to boost your knowledge and serve your community.

 

Questions?

Just call Provider Relations at 1-888-348-2922 (TTY: 711). We’re here for you 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.

Getting started

Getting started

When you join our network, we’ll provide an initial orientation. We hold orientations on the last Thursday of every month. To schedule your orientation, just email us. Or call 1-888-348-2922 (TTY: 711).

 

After that, you’ll have ongoing training and education, including webinars, periodic provider newsletters and bulletins, and so much more.

 

Questions about joining our network? Just visit the join our network page for more information.

 

You can also check the quick reference guide or the provider manual for answers to many of your questions. Or you can call us at 1-888-348-2922 (TTY: 711).

 

Quick reference guide (PDF)

 

Provider manual (PDF)

 

Availity® training

 

The Provider Portal is an online tool that lets us communicate health care information directly to  providers. In 2021, we transitioned from the Medicaid Web Portal (MWP) to Availity as our Provider Portal.

 

You need to register for the Availity Provider Portal before you can start using its many features. To learn more about how to register for the Availity Provider Portal, just visit the Provider Portal page.

 

Get training on Availity

 

Training and resources

 

For training and resources related to behavioral health, be sure to also check out our behavioral health page.

All providers are strongly encouraged to learn more about health equity training. Patient satisfaction and positive health outcomes are directly related to good communication, in a culturally competent manner, between a member and their provider.  

 

Providers should receive education about important topics, such as:

 

  • The reluctance of certain cultures to discuss mental health issues and the need to proactively encourage members from such backgrounds to seek support 
  • The impact that a member’s religious and/or cultural beliefs can have on health outcomes (example: belief in non-traditional healing practices) 
  • Health illiteracy and the need to provide patients with understandable health information (example: simple diagrams, communicating in the vernacular, etc.) 
  • History of the disability rights movement and the progression of civil rights for people with disabilities 
  • Physical and programmatic barriers that impact people with disabilities accessing the right care 

 

Resources for training and other continuing education

 

Learn more about health equity by checking out A Physician’s Guide to Culturally Competent Care: a free, continuing education program from the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You can earn up to 9 hours of credits at no cost.

 

This program is endorsed by the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American College of Physicians (ACP). 

 

Cultural competency provider training presentation (PDF)

 

LGBTQ training presentation: Inclusion and Equity for Everyone (PDF)

 

More about health equity

Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Anyone who provides health information and services to others, such as doctors, nurses, dentists and public health workers, need health literacy skills, too. These skills enable them to:

 

  • Communicate about health and health care
  • Process what people are explicitly and implicitly asking for
  • Understand how to provide useful information and services
  • Decide which information and services work best for different situations and people

Want to learn more? Just check out these resources:

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Learn how to recognize and address the culture, language and health literacy of diverse members and communities.

 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): This resource offers a wide range of programs for promoting health literacy skills.

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Find information on health literacy, including how to develop materials and activities and other trainings.

 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): The tool kit on the page offers tips for making written materials clear, effective and easier to use.

You can find more information about training on the HEDIS page.

Communication between health care professionals can lead to better outcomes for patients. Not sure where to start? You can check out these FAQs about how to discuss sensitive topics. 

 

When and how can you share info about patients you’re treating for mental health conditions?

 

What are some ways to address challenges caused by social determinants of health?

 

Where can you learn more about the HIPAA privacy rule?

HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

Also of interest: