BIZZELL SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF CMS NURSING HOME TOOLKIT TO COMBAT COVID-19

BIZZELL SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF CMS NURSING HOME TOOLKIT TO COMBAT COVID-19

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) supported the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the development and release of the Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes. The toolkit is designed to facilitate efforts to manage the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in nursing homes, and includes strategies, best practices, and resources to assist long-term care facilities with disease control and prevention, gaining access to personal protective equipment (PPE), managing the transfer of patients, implementing protocols around visitation and staffing, and more.

Bizzell assisted CMS by facilitating the coordination, organization, design, editing, and 508 compliance remediation of the toolkit. Content for the toolkit was curated by a number of experts, including health care providers, Governors’ COVID-19 tasks forces, associations, community partners, and the 12 Quality Innovative Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs).

In addition to nursing homes, the toolkit was distributed to Governors, health departments, and other agencies and facilities that serve elderly populations at the local and state levels. Learn more about the toolkit here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-issues-nursing-homes-best-practices-toolkit-combat-covid-19

This work is in support of the CMS Data Validation and Administrative Contract (DVAC), in which Bizzell was selected to lead and evaluate the improvement of quality healthcare programsincluding nursing home care.

Bizzell Wins Five Hermes Creative Awards for Public Health-Related Content

May 8, 2020 (Lanham, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), one of the fastest growing companies in America according to Inc. Magazine and Washington Business Journal, has won five Hermes Creative Awards, including two Platinum awards, two Gold awards, and one Honorable Mention. Bizzell was recognized for visual communication and marketing projects designed to support federal agencies and corporate initiatives that tackle the most critical and consequential issues affecting our world such as Ebola, suicide, substance use disorders and healthcare quality improvement.

“At Bizzell, we integrate world-class strategy, design, and technology to accelerate our clients’ missions, transforming lives in the process,” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President & CEO. “We take pride in delivering exceptional communication products and will continue to set monumental standards worth achieving. Thank you, Hermes, for this distinguished honor.”

The Hermes Creative Awards, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals are an international competition for creative professionals and serve as a benchmark of excellence for communications. Winning companies and individuals are selected from over 200 categories grouped under advertising, publications, marketing, branding, integrated marketing, public relations/communications, electronic media, and training.   From the United States, there were about 6,000 entries in the 2020 competition.

Full list of Bizzell’s Hermes Creative Awards:

Platinum Awards:

Gold Awards:

Honorable Mention:

For a  full list of awards won by Bizzell, please visit our website at:  https://thebizzellgroup.com/awards/.

ABOUT BIZZELL

Established in 2010, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm that specializes in communications, conference management, cybersecurity, data analytics, information technology, global development, project management, technical assistance, training, and more. Bizzell’s expert staff and consultants work on health, scientific, education, environmental, research, and information technology projects that advance national priorities. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown from a staff of two in one small office, to a thriving firm with four offices in Lanham, MD, Rockville, MD, Atlanta, GA and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with ongoing projects around the world. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex real-world challenges: www.BizzellUS.com.

ABOUT HERMES CREATIVE AWARDS

Hermes Creative Awards honors the messengers and creators of the information revolution. Armed with their imaginations and computers, Hermes winners bring their ideas to life through traditional and digital platforms.

Each year, competition judges evaluate the creative industry’s best publications, branding collateral, websites, videos, and advertising, marketing and communication programs. https://hermesawards.com/

U.S. ARMY’S FIRST FEMALE CYBER OPERATOR JOINS BIZZELL AS SENIOR ASSOCIATE FOR CYBERSECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE

U.S. ARMY’S FIRST FEMALE CYBER OPERATOR JOINS BIZZELL AS SENIOR ASSOCIATE FOR CYBERSECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE

April 21, 2020 (Lanham, MD)—Leslie Kershaw, M.S. joins The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) as Senior Associate for Cybersecurity & Intelligence. In this role, she will support business development efforts by identifying opportunities to integrate security into the health industry including making information, devices, and processes secure from outside threats. Kershaw will also direct strategic relationships with clients, vendors, and business partners.

“I’m honored to lead strategy and growth in the area of cybersecurity at Bizzell. I will use my experience to bring a holistic approach to protecting health systems from cyber attacks from all angles, especially those angles that compromise protected health information and endanger health care delivery systems. I look forward to accelerating our impact in the field,” says Kershaw.

Bringing over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity and intelligence, Kershaw’s career in this field launched when she was recruited to a special missions unit in the U.S. Army. She became the Army’s first female National Security Agency (NSA) certified, offensive cyber operator and led all of NSA’s Computer Network Exploitation Operations. After leaving government service, Kershaw built a hunt operations center for root9B, a cybersecurity company. She then became one of the first members of a cyber security startup that focused on finding hackers. Kershaw created a subsidiary where her efforts focused on building a cyber analytic and operational platform.

“The ever-evolving technology and security needs of our world calls for a revamp in the capabilities and services we offer,” says Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President & CEO of Bizzell. “We’re looking forward to leveraging Leslie’s expertise in order to advance our clients’ missions, using essential insights to ensure strategic advantage.”

Kershaw holds a Master of Science in Information Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and served in the U.S. Army for six years.

ABOUT THE BIZZELL GROUP

Established in 2010, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm that specializes in program management, administrative support, communications and outreach, conference management and logistical support, health services and research, technical assistance, and training and development. Bizzell’s expert staff and consultants work on health, scientific, education, environmental, research, and information technology projects that advance national priorities. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown from a staff of two in one small office, to a thriving firm with three offices in Lanham, MD, Rockville, MD, and Atlanta, GA, with ongoing projects around the world. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex-real-world challenges: www.thebizzellgroup.com.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Hope for Recovery

Alcohol Use Disorder: Hope for Recovery

Written by: Anton Bizzell

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is often referred to as the hidden substance use disorder (SUD). With alcohol use legal and socially acceptable in many settings, the symptoms of AUD may initially go unnoticed. Yet individuals with AUD may experience significant difficulties in their relationships, work, and health.

In a newly released analysis, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that over 70 percent of the adult population drank alcohol in 2017. Alcohol-related deaths more than doubled from 1999 to 2017. Overdoses of alcohol alone or in combination with other drugs accounted for 18 percent of the deaths in 2017; 31 percent of the deaths resulted from alcohol-related liver disease. Researchers note that the since this study examined only death certificate data, the actual number of lives lost may be significantly higher.

The death rates increased higher for women than for men, and gender differences persist in risks for alcohol-related cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and cancer. In addition, while prevalence of alcohol use and binge drinking remained stable for men, the prevalence of alcohol use increased by over 10 percent for women and binge drinking increased by over 23 percent among women.

The NIAAA screening tool for AUD includes questions a provider can use to diagnose whether an individual may have an AUD. Individuals who are struggling with their drinking, or families and friends concerned about their loved ones, can start by considering the following questions.

In the past year, have you:

  •  Tried to cut down or stop drinking more than once, but couldn’t?
  •  Found that drinking or being sick from drinking got in the way of you taking care of your home or your family, or caused problems at work or school?
  •  More than once gotten into situations while drinking that could be dangerous, such as driving, having unsafe sex, using machinery, walking in an unsafe neighborhood; or had a memory blackout?
  •  Kept drinking even though it was making you depressed or anxious, or adding to other health problems?
  •  Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, or sweating?

In addition to peer-led support models such as Alcoholics Anonymous, there are many options for professionally-led treatment. Treatment for AUD often involves a combination of talk therapy and medication. Therapy can be for individuals, groups, or families, under the direction of a licensed counselor trained in substance use disorders. Medication to help individuals stop drinking and avoid relapse can be administered under the care of a licensed primary care provider or a board-certified addiction medicine physician. In addition, different levels of care and care settings are available to meet the needs of each situation, including outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential, or intensive inpatient.

Although the consequences of AUD can be devastating, hope for recovery is possible with evidence-based, timely intervention.

Reference: White, A. M., Castle, I. J. P., Hingson, R. W., & Powell, P. A. (2020). Using Death Certificates to Explore Changes in Alcohol‐Related Mortality in the United States, 1999 to 2017. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) was founded by CEO Anton Bizzell, M.D., a substance use disorders expert and former Medical Officer at NIAAA. Our recent work includes systematic, integrated approaches designed to effect lasting change in the field of substance use disorders through projects with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF). Learn more about how Bizzell advances data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to solve complex, real-world challenges. www.BizzellUS.com