The Accountable Care Organization (ACO) team plays a vital role to Barbour Community Health Association from coordinated patient care to providing education to the staff that works within BCHA’s organization to help best treat and assist our patients. The team promotes integrated and higher quality care and seeks alternatives to fee-for-service for BCHA patients.

We chatted with Amy Chenoweth, LPN, Team Lead Coordinator for BCHA’s Accountable Care Organization about the value that this team brings not only to BCHA but the Barbour County community.

Q: How long has the ACO team been a part of BCHA?

A: We have been providing these services for a while, but within the last year we noticed these services overlapped and decided to bring this team together for a more integrative approach with our services such as Accountable / Quality Care, Follow up ED calls, Advance Directive Care, Transitional Care Management and Annual Wellness Visits.

Q: What services does this team offer?

A: Our team provides many services. The Annual Wellness Visit (sometimes referred to as a Medicare Wellness Visit) offers one free visit a year with your primary care physician. During this visit, we make sure your chart is completely updated and make sure all necessary screenings are done. These visits are for anyone with Medicare Part A and B coverage. The nurses on our team who conduct these visits are trained by Aledade, an organization that helps us pull all the data together for these visits.

Another service is Transitional Care Management. After a patient spends time in the hospital, our nurses contact them to help make sure they have all their orders in place and arrange a hospital follow up with their PCP. After a visit to the hospital, it can be difficult for patients to locate oxygen, canes, or anything else they might need and that’s where our Transitional Care Nurses come into play. They work as a liaison between the hospital, patient, and the patient’s PCP to make the transition back to home and regular appointments easier.

Finally, we offer Accountable/Quality Care Management, which is where one of the nurses on our team will check in with patients that are due for screenings or tests and help educate them on the importance of this screening. They answer questions regarding procedures, medication, diet, and much more. This program is designed to help capture past due screenings to prevent health problems before they occur. We want to assist patients to live a healthy lifestyle and reach their health goals!

Q: What kind of patients, typically, are utilizing these kinds of services?

A: The patients who typically use or are eligible for these services have Medicare Insurance and are usually 65 and above.

Q: What kind of projects and tasks do you do to keep the team running smoothly?

A: Our team gets together monthly for meetings. Communication is a key for our team so being able to get together and check in on how things are working with everyone is important and if there are any problems or concerns that need to be discussed. I have a great team that I trust, so it’s not hard to keep it running smoothly!

Q: Who makes up the ACO team?

A: Erica Weese, RN, and Chelsea Reed, LPN, our Accountable Care/Quality Nurses at our Belington Medical Clinic and Myers Clinic, they handle the emergency department follow-up calls, Advance Directives Care, and ordering screenings and tests for Quality care of patients. Brandy Cunnigham, LPN works as our Transitional Care Nurse and helps with Annual Wellness Visits at Myers Clinic. Jamie Carpenter, LPN handles our Annual Wellness Visits at Myers. At Belington Medical Clinic, Ashley Spencer, LPN, works as our Transitional Care Nurse and helps with Annual Wellness Visits. And I am the Team Lead Coordinator of the ACO Team and work with the Annual Wellness Visits.

Q: What are probably the biggest parts of this whole team that you would like the community to know about?

A: An ACO is a group of medical professionals that’s providing high-quality care. Our goal is to make sure that patients are getting the right care at the right time, avoiding duplication of services, preventing medical errors, making sure patients’ medical histories, medication and allergies are up to date, as well as vaccinations and screenings. It’s more of a preventative care. We want to prevent illnesses and problems before they begin, and that’s the importance of these screenings.

If you or a loved one is eligible for any of these ACO services, give our talented team of experts a call at either our Belington Medical Clinic or Myers Clinic! They are here to help, educate and guide you into the right direction.

Barbour Community Health Association is excited to welcome Dr. Casey Jo Cottrill, PsyD to the behavioral health team. Dr. Cottrill will work with patients at our Brandon Wellness Center. We chatted with Dr. Cottrill to learn more about her experience in the mental health field and what she hopes to offer for her patients and this community.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself.

A: I grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia. I earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from West Virginia Wesleyan College, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University, and a Doctorate (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University. Outside of work I enjoy spending the weekends with my family and dogs at the lake, reading, and traveling.

Q: What types of conditions do you treat or work with?

A: I am a generalist psychologist who is trained to treat a wide range of behavioral health conditions across the lifespan. However, while working in school-based settings I most often work with individuals to treat various forms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and health-related struggles. 

Q: Who should seek your care?

A: The Brandon Wellness Center is located at Philip Barbour High School and primarily services students and staff. A unique aspect to this clinic is our ability to see patients for re-occurring outpatient therapy appointments as well as walk-in behavioral health crisis support. I encourage any student or staff member who is looking to make a change in how they interact with and experience their world to stop by the clinic and see if therapy might be the right fit for you. 

Q: What are some of your strengths as a doctor that impact your treatment and interactions with patients?

A: I take a patient-centered, collaborative approach in therapy. I have found that this empowers patients and engages them actively in treatment. I often begin our therapy work by teaching patients about the science or theory underlying their condition so they can best understand how and why their treatment plan will be effective. Interactive skills training is often foundational to my treatment plans so that patients leave their sessions confident in their ability to make meaningful changes within their life. I am passionate about advocating for my patients within their school system, medical care, parent-child relationships, etc, and facilitating my patients learning to do the same themselves. 

Q: Describe yourself/your professional style in 3 words.

A: Collaborative, engaging, and dynamic. 

Q: Anything else that you would like potential patients to know about you?

A: I love seeing patients grow in their confidence to make meaningful changes in their lives and am looking forward to continuing to provide services at the Brandon Wellness Center!

We are looking forward to having Dr. Cottrill share her talents with our team and patients! Students can see Dr. Cottrill at our Brandon Wellness Center located in Phillip Barbour High School. 

We are told to eat better, exercise more, sleep better, and stress less. But that sounds like a tall order if you are not familiar with all that involves! That’s where Donna Seaman, the Director of the Philippi Wellness Center had the idea to create Healthy Inside and Out! We sat down with Donna for a little Q&A about the event and what attendees should expect! Learn more about it all here:

Q: How did you get the idea for Healthy Inside and Out, what was the need that you saw in the community to create these events?

A: Well, I think a lot of times people don’t put together the entire picture of what health is made up of. And sometimes we only focus on needing to exercise more or eat differently and we don’t think about the mental health aspect of it. So much of the eating we do is connected to how we think and how we process stress in our lives. We want to look at a more holistic view of health and address some things outside of the norm that will be helpful as well.

Q: In a few words, how would you describe what Healthy Inside and Out is to participants?

A: This series of three programs will help answer your questions and give you tools to get started or to build on your goals to get healthier. You don’t have to wait until January 1st, you’ll be motivated to start making changes before that famous date rolls around. We are really focusing on being healthy not only on the outside but on the inside as well. We are really going to talk about how exercise, nutrition, and stress management work together to keep you healthier and more energized. 

Q: What will the sessions be on?

A: Our first session will be on October 25th and it’s titled ‘Food is Our Body’s Fuel’ and will be led by Barbour Community Health Association’s Nutritionist, Rachel Williams. Rachel will be answering questions such as “What do “better” food choices look like when we are racing to get out the door in the morning or sitting down to dinner at night?” and “Can healthy eating fit into my budget?” She will also be providing recipes to get you started!

The second session on November 1st will be ‘Actionable Tips for Making Lifestyle Changes’ with Dr. Casey Jo Cottrill. Dr. Cottrill is one of our organization’s newest psychologists and will focus on learning to set goals, the connection between emotions and eating, and tips for turning a new behavior into a long-term habit.

Finally, I’ll be leading the last session titled ‘Why Moving More AND Sleeping Better Matter’ on November 8th. In this session, we will explore what our bodies really need in terms of movement and present numerous ideas for you to consider, with the help of Barbour Community Health Association’s personal trainer, Misty Bradley. We will also look at the ways sleep influences every aspect of our health!

Q: Why is this an event our community doesn’t want to miss?

A: It’s free, it’s practical, it’s doable and it’s motivating! Please plan to join us for plenty of helpful information, lively discussion, valuable resources, encouragement, and door prizes!

This three-part event will be held on October 25th, November 1st, and November 8th at the Taj Moe Hall at 6:30 pm in Philippi. Check out our Facebook event for more information on our sessions and follow along on our page for more information on our speakers! You can register by clicking here, filling out the form, and returning to Donna Seaman at the Philippi Wellness Center, 206 South Main Street, or dseaman@barbourhealth.org. Please register by October 18th! If you have any questions, contact Donna Seaman at 305-457-0700.

Barbour Community Health Association is excited to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Myers to the behavioral health team. Dr. Myers will work with patients of all ages at the Myers Clinic. We chatted with Dr. Myers to learn more about her experience in the mental health field and what she hopes to offer for her patients and this community.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in and graduated high school in rural Virginia and following graduation I attended Emory and Henry College where I majored in sociology and psychology. I then received my Master’s degree in Clinical/Counseling Psychology from Augusta University in Georgia and my Psy. D.in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University in 2020. I have moved all over the east coast but have a special place for Appalachia and am excited to be back!

What types of conditions do you treat or work with?

I’m trained to work with a range of patients from small children to older adults. I tend to integrate trauma-informed interventions into my practice, particularly those rooted in DBT, or dialectical behavior therapy. It was originally created to treat those individuals struggling with chronic suicidality and emotional dysregulation but also focuses on acceptance of their current situation while also commitment to change. I feel like DBT-type principles can be applied to all patients who are seeking better life skills and experience a range of relational stress.

What is the ideal patient/who should seek your care?

Historically, I have worked a lot with adolescents just because there are not a lot of clinicians who focus on this population and the need is so great, but I don’t have an ideal patient. I just enjoy working with those who are wanting the help and willing to put in the work. It’s my job to orient them to the therapy situation and provide a welcoming and safe environment along the way.

Why should I see you/what can you do for me that another doctor can’t?

Dr. Myers will be seeing patients at our Myers Clinic.

Barbour Community Health Association is thrilled to welcome Donna March, D-NP, to our team! Donna will be a provider at our Barbour Quick Care location. Donna brings a decade of experience to our team, and we’re so excited for our patients to meet her.

Learn more about our newest provider below:

Tell us about yourself – where are you from?

I’m originally from New Hampshire, but I’ve lived in Texas as well. I currently live in Rock Cave.

What school did you graduate from?

I received my Associate of Science in Nursing from Rivier University in New Hampshire, and then I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. I finished my doctorate online.

What brought you to BCHA?

I was a prison nurse for 13 years in Texas, but I eventually decided to leave the prison system. My husband was offered a promotion in West Virginia, and we decided that West Virginia was the kind of area where we would want to retire in.

How did you start your career in healthcare?

I worked in retail for awhile and then I went on to become a medical secretary and decided I enjoyed working in that field. I began to focus on nursing school while also working as a phlebotomist.

After I got my nursing licenses and certificates, I became a Nurse Practitioner.

Do you have any specialties?

I’ve gotten the best of both worlds by working in chronic care and walk-in care. I like chronic care because you build relationships with the same patients and then with walk-ins I have seen patients who have needed the most urgent kind of care. But I can do various specialties, from procedures and staples to trigger point injections to physicals.

What do you hope to achieve at BCHA?

My main role at BCHA will be taking care of patients who need after hour care. My goal is to be available for the patients that need me and ensure they are receiving quality care.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I’m always willing to learn. As a Nurse Practitioner, we’re lifelong learners, so I really just want to continue learning so that it can benefit our patients because that’s what really matters.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I enjoy being outdoors whether it’s camping or mud bogging. I’ve recently gotten into diamond painting and we’re currently planning to start building a farm on our property, so I’m really looking forward to that.

Donna will be seeing acute care patients at our Myers Clinic until the opening of Barbour Quick Care in Belington.

Barbour Community Health Association’s (BCHA) Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Burner has been splitting her time between BCHA and the Barbour County Health Department.

Burner started her new part-time position as Administrator for the health department in March of this year right before the COVID-19 Delta Variant Surge. She will continue to maintain her job title as Chief Medical Officer and Director of Quality of Risk and Compliance at BCHA.

We chatted with Jennifer on how she’s been handling her new position and what goals she has set for the health department and the community.

What are your responsibilities at BCHA?
My duties include making sure we’re doing peer reviews and appropriately reviewing each other and making decisions for operational management, like cleaning procedures, risk or safety issues. It’s a lot of training and making sure the staff are educated and have the resources available.

What’s been your experience in the healthcare field?
I started working as a physician’s assistant at the Belington Wellness Center in 2013 and soon started filling in with administrative duties, such as quality and risk control. I then got my masters in healthcare administration from George Washington University in 2020, and the education I’ve learned has been so useful with this position.

How did you feel when you first started your job at the health department?
It was a very challenging time to come on not only because of the operational issues but right before the surge of a pandemic. I’ve realized it’s all about balance. Some days you have to make sure your staff is doing okay. You can’t sit in your office all the time, so it’s really about trying to find a balance between having a presence with your staff but also maintaining the pressing operational issues.

At no point did I want to quit, but it was overwhelming. I had to identify the issues early on and make quick decisions and changes. I really had to hit the ground running.

What have you achieved so far in this role?
When I first started I was discouraged because I wanted to make quick progress and see that progress, but I had to slow down and take the time to specify what the issues were.

I’ve looked at where the spending is going and asked if it is reasonable. I’ve also looked at the revenue. These are all the things the department should be looking at and often. So, I’m looking at it not only how we can be financially stable but also financially sustainable.

I’ve been looking at what policies need to be reviewed and updated, too, and how grants can help support the organization.

What are some of your goals for the health department?
I want to assess the needs of our community and find the gaps in public health. What is our community missing? Where can we feel the gaps that our primary providers aren’t able to? What are the expectations of the health department from the public? Of course, I want to expand services, but I also want to start offering more wellness screenings, especially for men’s health which isn’t brought up often. Overall, I just want to find out how the health department can better serve the public and its needs.