Chapa-De Health: Offering increased access to specialty care for tribal communities

Wendy Barnhart, Telehealth Lead Coordinator with Grass Valley Health Center with Chapa-De Indian Health spoke on "Indian Health Centers & Electronic Consult - Improving Access to Specialty Care" during TribalNet's 2022 Annual Conference in Reno, NV in early September.  In this conversation, Wendy talks to TribalHub's Michelle Bouschor about how she has spearheaded the addition of e-consult to her health center's offerings increasing access to specialty care for her tribal community.

Partnership success with the Quinault Indian Nation & ImageSource, Inc.

Finding a good partner to work with is challenging.  Both parties need to work together through challenges together. They need to go above and beyond and be committed to each other's success. They need to understand each other and their organization.  All these things build trust, authenticity, and credibility. And, this is exactly how one could describe the relationship between the Quinault Indian Nation and ImageSource, Inc.
The two organizations have worked together for many years and on many projects that have been able to support the tribal nation.  In this podcast, we sat down with Jon Sutherland of the Quinault Indian Nation and Gene Eckhart of ImageSource and talked with them about their relationship and a few of the many projects they are working on together.  This conversation showcases how beneficial it is for tribal nations to partner with solution providers who understand their tribe, the structure of their tribal government, and to have a partner who genuinely cares about the wellbeing - and the next seven generations - of their indian nation.
 
Show notes:
ImageSource is the manufacturer of ILINX Software. They are the leading independent platform provider and integrator of document and data capture, workflow and business process automation.  More information can be found on their website www.imagesourceinc.com
 
The Quinault Indian Nation is located in Washington state on the Pacific coast of the Olympic Peninsula.  The reservation covers 208,150 acres and includes 23 miles of Pacific coastline. It is bordered by the Olympic National Park to the northwest.  More information can be found on their website www.quinaultindiannation.com
 
If you have a story to share, please contact us at michelleb@tribalhub.com.  You can subscribe and follow our show wherever you listen to podcasts to never miss an episode. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter or visit our web page at www.tribalhub.com.
 
 
 
 

The Move to Digital Membership Services with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

In this podcast we talk with the team at Choctaw Nation about their digital transformation project to create an effective and secure digital platform that serves their tribal membership.  It’s a project that has continued to grow for the Nation as their members have seen first hand the benefits digital services can bring.   Listen in to hear how the continuous improvement and growth of the people, process and technology has helped during their continued transformation journey.
Connect with us by searching “TribalHub” on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.  If you have a topic for the show, email Michelle at michelleb@tribalhub.com.
Show notes:
Choctaw Nation Website:  https://www.choctawnation.com/

A 21st Century Road: Blazing Broadband Trails for Tribes with MuralNet

Access to broadband and wireless internet services has kept us together during the Covid pandemic.  From holiday zooms to online schooling; from telehealth calls to work from home office meetings, it’s the connection we needed during this crazy time.  Unfortunately, not everyone has had access to this type of connection.  In Tribal communities, only 65% of the total population has access to broadband.  And half of tribal rural households don’t have access to a fixed wireless internet provided, which is over twice the rate of non-tribal households. (www.muralnet.org).  So, how do we change this?  What can we do to help?  How do tribes battle this divide that seems to be getting bigger, not smaller?  Well, the answer isn’t easy.  But it’s out there, as you’ll hear in this conversation with Mariel Tiggs & Crystal Hottowe.  Mariel & Crystal work with the non-profit group, MuralNet.  Together, they help tribal nations bring internet access to tribal lands by helping tribes find grant opportunities, map out the FCC’s  Rural Tribal Priority Window that gives tribes the chance to apply for and receive spectrum licenses at no cost, find regional partners and so much more. Help is out there, and we hope this conversation will give you information that can be useful in your tribe's journey down this 21st Century Road.
Connect with us by searching “TribalHub” on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.  If you have a topic for the show, email Michelle at michelleb@tribalhub.com.
Show notes:
MuralNet website:  www.muralnet.org
Reference articles:  https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2020/10/29/fcc-grants-no-cost-broadband-spectrum-licenses-to-11-arizona-tribes/

How Tribal Leaders Stay on Top of Their Game During a Global Pandemic

After being closed down for months due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, tribes across the country are working hard to reopen their governments and businesses in a safe and health manner. Many things have changed over this time, and are still changing. The world is in a constant flux, we are still in the midst of the global pandemic and tribal leaders across the country still need to be at the top of their game. 
Are we almost near the end of this pandemic? What should tribal businesses be focusing on? Is a recovery coming soon? These are questions we asked Larry Fretz, the practice lead at Info-Tech Research Group for both the Native American Technology Research Center (NATRC) and the gaming and hospitality research center (GHRC). Get his insight, suggested solutions, and recommendations by listening now!
Connect with us by searching “TribalHub” on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.  If you have a topic for the show, email Michelle at michelleb@tribalhub.com.
Show notes:
The Info-Tech Covid-19 Response Page: infotech.com/covid
Info-Tech Webinar: https://www.tribalhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID-19-Don%E2%80%99t-Panic_-Prepare.mp4

Pascua Yaqui Tribe Finds Success with New RPMS Framework

In today’s episode we showcase a conversation between Jason Lockwood, Health Information Consultant for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Justin Raisor, Sr. Account Executive of Nutanix. The two recently joined on a TribalWise webinar and discussed the success the tribe had when they migrated RPMS from a traditional architecture to a Nutanix framework.  
IHS and private sector tribal health facilities use RPMS every day to efficiently manage programs, maximize revenue generation and most important, to provide high-quality care for patients. It is one of the most critical applications run by tribal health organizations. If your tribe is looking to move to a more modified/updated framework, this will be an episode to listen to!
Connect with us by searching “TribalHub” on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.  If you have a topic for the show, email Michelle at michelleb@tribalhub.com.
Show notes:
Nutanix:  nutanix.com
Pascua Yaqui Tribe:  pascuayaqui-nsn.gov
TribalHub:  TribalHub.com
 

Keys To Optimizing IT Spend In Your Tribal Organization

In this episode, we share some great lessons that our TribalValue partner, Virtual Procurement Services (VPS), discussed during a recent webinar with our TribalHub division. Learn the keys to utilizing a proper procurement strategy to reduce and recover technology costs, optimize purchasing processes, and improving organizational collaboration.
 
Now more than ever, tribal nations and businesses will need to do more with less as we continue to deal with difficult social and financial times. Our staff here at TribalHub talks with tribes throughout the country, and everyone is trying to gain their footing in this uncertain environment.
 
The majority of organizations are doing this by reducing their budgets. But, is that the right decision?  Listen in as we talk about how you can reduce your spending in a non traditional way and make creative changes that can deliver a real lasting organizational impact.
 
Show note links:
Virtural Procurement Services Webinar
Other topics in this webinar include: effective strategic planning, vendor and technology management, and procurement risk management. Which can be applied to all aspects of your community including tribal healthcare, education and other services.
 
Show Host: Michelle Bouschor, Connection & Resource Specialist, TribalHub
E: michelleb@tribalnetonline.com
 
Presenter: Fred Brown, CTO, Virtual Procurement Services
Presenter Bio: Fred Brown has over 26 years of IT experience, including 13+ years in tribal gaming and hospitality leadership and over 12 years in strategic technology consulting spanning multiple industries. Prior to joining VPS, Fred was Corporate CIO for Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, where he built and led the coporate IT organization and was responsible for IT strategy, budgeting, integration and oversight of nine properties globally including one of the largest tribal resorts in the US, Mohegan Sun.
 
Presenter: John Torres, VP of Service Delivery, Virtual Procurement Services
Presenter Bio: With over 25 years of solution sales and sourcing experience, John leads the VPS service delivery team dedicated to our tribal government and gaming clients. Prior to joining VPS, he spent a decade focusing exclusively on helping nonprofit organizations and social service agencies leverage technology to help foster their respective missions. That experience makes John’s contributions to reducing and recovering IT spend for the tribes VPS works with especially gratifying.
 

Covid-19: What you should prepare for, what you can expect, and what you should be doing NOW with Larry Fretz, InfoTech Research Group

All of us here at TribalHub hope this podcast finds you and your family well and safe during this unprecedented health crisis we are all experiencing. None of us have a blueprint that shows us how we, as business professionals, should respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.  This is uncharted waters for all of us. So...what ARE we supposed to be doing?  
That’s what we asked Larry Fretz of InfoTech Research Group on this podcast episode.  Larry is the practice lead at Info-Tech Research Group for both the Native American technology research center (NATRC) and the gaming and hospitality research center (GHRC).  He and his team of analysts develop and deliver targeted research, specific to the tribal government, gaming, and hospitality industries.
In March, InfoTech launched the Covid Response Resource Center to provide tools, templates and a playbook for IT leaders to assist their organizations through this disruptive time and every day new tools are being added. Every week they’ve been hosting a variety of webinars, supported by best practices research and tools, on key topics such as WFH, managing remote teams, child care policies in a WFH environment, streamlining the workforce, cost reduction planning and even a 10 step IT pandemic strategy playbook. 
Listen in as Larry gives us his insight on what IT and business leaders can expect moving forward, what you should reasonably be preparing for, and what you should be doing right now.
We hope that listening to our podcast will bring some sense of normalcy to your routine.  Be sure to subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow TribalHub on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  You can find a list of Covid-19 resources from Info-Tech on their website.
If you or your tribe is looking for services or programs that may be of use as we work through this time of shutdowns and uncertainty, please visit our website, our social pages, or email michelleb@tribalhub.com.
Stay safe & be well.

MuralNet Helps to Close the Digital Divide on Tribal Land by Assisting with FCC Spectrum License Application Process

All of us here at TribalHub hope this podcast finds you and your family safe and well.  In the midst of this global pandemic, I hope that this show brings some "normalcy" to your day.
In this episode we are going to cover the digital divide that we see in Indian Country and what the non profit group MuralNet is doing to help tribes across the country bridge that divide. Wireless high speed internet is now almost a necessity for daily living - and we see that today more than ever.  With every state under a "social distancing" order, we are looking to technology to keep us connected.  From telemedicine, to weather announcements, to news updates and social interaction, we have to have access to a network.  Many in Indian Country, however, are not this lucky.  One of the documented major obstacles to accessing wireless high speed internet on rural tribal reservations is the lack of infrastructure and funding to build it.
And this is where MuralNet comes in.  Cat Blake & Crystal Hottowe work with the MuralNet to help tribes build their own networks; with the hopes to bring the number of homes with access to wireless high speed internet on tribal reservations up to national levels. MuralNet provides various services to tribes including assistance with spectrum acquisition & analysis, high-level engineering plans, help with grant applications & waivers, and more specific to applying for a spectrum licence over tribal land.
Recently, the FCC opened a 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Window, which is a unique application process/opportunity that tribes in rural areas currently have that could allow tribes to get direct access to unassigned spectrum. If Tribal entities don’t apply for the free licenses for these airwaves, they will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The window to apply ends August 3rd. This opportunity is one of the things MuralNet is working hard to encourage tribes across the nation to apply for.  To date, the group has helped 7 tribes secure spectrum, and are helping more and more each day.
Listen in as Cat & Crystal discuss MuralNet, the Tribal Window opportunity, and a grant available for tribes to apply for called ReConnect.  
If you have a topic for our show, or would have a story to share, please contact us at michelleb@tribalhub.com
Don’t forget to subscribe/follow our show wherever you listen to podcasts to never miss an episode. Connect with all of us here by searching “TribalHub” on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or visit our web page at tribalhub.com.
Mentioned Websites:
MuralNet webpage:  www.muralnet.org 
Info page on the 2.5 GHz tribal priority window: https://muralnet.org/tribalprioritywindow/
Blog documenting the ReConnect process: https://muralnet.org/funding/
Reference articles:
https://www.minneapolisfed.org/article/2019/the-digital-divide-in-indian-country
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/06/673364305/native-americans-on-tribal-land-are-the-least-connected-to-high-speed-internet
https://www.wiley.law/alert-FCC-to-Auction-Unassigned-25-GHz-Spectrum-for-Commercial-Use
 
 

Soboba Band: Converting Systems, Bringing Broadband to Tribal Reservations, Building Tribal Council Relationships & More With Steve Nino

Steve Nino, IT Director for the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, and his team had an amazing year in 2019. They received multiple industry awards (Including the TribalNet Industry Award!), converted their core gaming AND POS systems, and brought broadband to their reservation. Listen in while host Michelle Bouschor talks with Steve about this and how he has built an incredible relationship with their tribal council, allowing the IT department to be involved in many of the tribe and organizational decisions.
You can visit the Soboba Band website at soboba-nsn.gov and the casino & resort at soboba.com. If you have a topic for our podcast, or have a story to share, email michelleb@tribalhub.com. 
Don’t forget to subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts AND be sure to connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and at TribalHub.com.