What’s New with Southern Regional Practice Support?
Congratulations to Donna L. Bowen!
We are proud to announce the promotion of Donna L. Bowen to Manager, Specialty Services/Population Health/Practice Support. Donna holds both a Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), bringing strong leadership and strategic expertise to her role.
With over five years of dedicated service in the Practice Support department, Donna has consistently demonstrated commitment, professionalism, and a passion for supporting our practices and communities. We are excited to see her continue to grow in this new leadership role and look forward to the positive impact she will make across Specialty Services and Population Health.
Welcome Nicole M. Tomlinson to Practice Support!
We are excited to welcome Nicole M. Tomlinson as our newest Practice Support Coach. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature and a Master of Health Administration with a concentration in Public Health. She brings seven years of experience in behavioral health coordination, patient navigation, and community-based care.
Throughout her career, Nicole has developed strong expertise in trauma-informed care, behavioral health education, care coordination, and connecting clients to essential community resources. For the past four years, she has served as a Behavioral Health Liaison, supporting both providers and patients through collaborative, client-centered approaches. We are thrilled to have her join the SRAHEC Practice Support team and look forward to the impact she will make.
Reintroducing Alexis Jacobs!
Alexis holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and has been with SRAHEC Practice Support since May 2023. She is a dedicated healthcare professional with over five years of experience in quality improvement, patient advocacy, and care coordination. Her background includes EHR optimization, provider coaching, and leading practice transformation initiatives across hospital, dialysis, and community-based settings. Alexis is passionate about strengthening healthcare delivery systems and improving patient outcomes.
Reintroducing Jane Moran!
Jane Moran serves as Director of the NC AHEC Practice Management Academy. She holds a Master of Science in Library Science and brings a strong foundation in research, information management, and organizational leadership to her role. Jane is dedicated to supporting practice leaders through education, resource development, and strategic guidance that strengthens healthcare practice management across North Carolina.
Coffee and Coaching - What’s On Your Mind?
Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Time: 2:00PM – 3:00PM
Get your coffee and your favorite afternoon snack, lock your office door and join us for our Coffee & Coaching session! During this informal session, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with other practice managers in our region and to ask questions you have regarding practice management, and to connect directly with SRAHEC’s Practice Support Coaches.
Practice Management Academy
Operations Management
In this module, you’ll learn the “nuts and bolts” principles that will strengthen your practice and protect it from the unexpected.
When: March 12, 2026 – April 13, 2026
Location: Live Webinar
Cost: $100.00
Quality Improvement
Paying attention to the quality of care a practice offers benefits not only patient outcomes but also a practice’s bottom line. In this module, you’ll learn concepts and skills that will help your practice not only survive but thrive.
When: April 23, 2026 – May 14, 2026
Location: Live Webinar
Cost: $80.00
How to Run A Meeting
In this interactive session, emerging healthcare leaders will learn practical strategies to plan and lead focused, efficient, and productive meetings. Participants will explore best practices for setting clear agendas, facilitating discussions, driving decisions, and ensuring follow-up as well as when to apply formal structures to support fairness and accountability.
When: March 25, 2026
Location: Live Webinar
Cost: $25.00
3rd Annual Collaborative Care Model (CoCM)
Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM) Summit, presented jointly by NC AHEC and Southern Regional AHEC!
Date: April 30, 2026
Time: 9:00AM – 3:15PM
Location: The Conference Center at Guilford Technical Community College | 7908 Leabourne Rd. Colfax, NC 27235
Continuing Professional Development
In-Person | Live Webinar
Looking to grow your skills or stay ahead of regulatory changes? SR-AHEC Continuing Professional Development offers a variety of courses through in-person sessions and live webinars. Our trainings are practical, timely, and tailored to today’s healthcare environment. Explore upcoming opportunities and register today!
Click here to see our full course catalog
NC AHEC Practice Support
Celebrates 21 Years!
Medicaid Updates
• NC Medicaid PHP Incentive Program Comparison 2026
• WellCare and Carolina Complete Health Merger - AHEC has broken down the merger and what to expect. Carolina Complete Health and WellCare of North Carolina will officially merge into one plan on April 1, 2026. The new combined plan will operate under Carolina Complete Health (CCH) and will be available and serve all 6 Medicaid regions. The combined plan will continue as a Provider-Led Entity (PLE) - meaning that North Carolina physicians retain a central governance role.
For patients with WellCare they will automatically be transitioned to Carolina Complete Health with no change in their Medicaid benefits. The patients will receive a new welcome packet and card once the merger is complete. Most patients will be able to keep their current primary care providers.
For patients with Carolina Complete the coverage will now be available in region 3 and 6 with no change in their current Medicaid benefits. They will also receive a new member ID card and be able to keep their existing primary care provider.
For Practices that are already contracted with either CCH or WellCare will remain contracted through the merged entity. To eliminate redundancy, the Medicaid product under WellCare agreements will be terminated as of April 1, 2026. There is nothing practices will have to do if they are already contracted with either CCH or WellCare.
Measles
• NC.DHHS recorded webinar on measles
• Updated Information on Measles
Pediatrics
• The CDC has released updates to the recommended U.S. Childhood Immunization Schedule. At this time, there are no changes in coverage position by Medicaid or Prepaid Health Plans (PHPs) related to pediatric vaccines. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has issued a statement regarding the CDC’s recommended changes, emphasizing that “vaccines remain our single best defense against preventable disease. The evidence hasn’t changed, so the AAFP’s recommendations haven’t changed. Vaccines save lives.”
• Changes to the U.S. Childhood Immunization Schedule
• Potential Impacts - US Vaccine Policy Changes
• Updated Danish Vaccine Schedule - The Evidence Collective
Rural
• North Carolina’s application for Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) was approved, meaning that the state will receive over $213 million for the first year of the program.
• State Designated Rural Health Centers Support Grant Requests for Applications for 2027
Trillium Provider Network Transition
Trillium has announced that effective July 1, 2026, they will be transitioning their physical health and Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) contracting away from Carolina Complete Health and will instead be directly managing the physical health network, including claims processing and provider relationships.
NCTracks
March 2026 Provider Training Schedule Now Available -Registration is open for the March 2026 training courses listed below. NCTracks zoom courses can be attended remotely from any location. Courses offered this month include:
• Prior Approval Institutional
• Medicare Lite-Full Enrollment
• Re-Verification
• Ordering Prescribing and Referring – Provider Enrollment
• New Office Administrator
• Submitting a Professional Claim
See the document linked below for more information on course schedule and access to zoom links: March 2026 Provider Training Schedule
