Month: May 2023

Summer Internship Opportunities Available with NRHA

May 1, 2023

Summer Internship Opportunities Available with NRHA

NRHA has developed a robust internship program that gives participants the opportunity to grow professionally and gain firsthand knowledge about rural health. To ensure each intern is provided with a rewarding experience, the association offers three unpaid internship concentrations in communications, government affairs, and program services. Internships can be tailored to meet course requirements if students are interested in receiving academic credit. While we welcome interns year-round, NRHA limits the number of interns it hosts at one time to ensure we offer the best possible experience. If you want to learn more about rural health and how to effectively advocate on behalf of rural patients and providers this summer – or you know someone who does– apply soon and share this opportunity.

New Rural Health Voice Podcast on Advanced Nursing Degrees

May 1, 2023

New Rural Health Voice Podcast on Advanced Nursing Degrees

The latest Rural Health Voice podcast hosted by NRHA past president Beth O’Connor of the Virginia Rural Health Association discusses why rural Virginia needs advanced degrees in nursing with Laurie Anne Ferguson of Emory and Henry, which just launched a master’s in nursing program. “We do know that while some of us have traveled and lived all over, most people tend to stay or go back to where they grew up when they establish a career or start families,” Ferguson says. “By educating nurses in this region, we would be more strategic in being able to recruit … There is (also) a nurse faculty shortage, and one of the ways to solve that shortage is to grow our own.”

Podcast Here

NRHA Webinars on Recruitment and Retention, Telehealth

May 1, 2023

NRHA Webinars on Recruitment and Retention, Telehealth

NRHA Partner TRS Managed Services will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 3 on recruiting and retention for rural hospitals. Jimmie Bilby, TRS Healthcare chief growth officer, has more than 23 years of leadership experience and will share proven strategies including leveraging a hospital’s mission, vision, and values. NRHA Partner Equum Medical will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 4 on keeping care in rural communities and telehealth as a lifeline for rural health care. Panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. Your chance to discuss rural-specific strategies to enhance telehealth capacity is at NRHA’s 46th Annual Rural Health Conference May 16-19 in San Diego.

New Journal of Rural Health (JRH) Articles on OUD Treatment, supporting CAHs, More

May 1, 2023

New Journal of Rural Health (JRH) Articles on OUD Treatment, supporting CAHs, More

The Journal of Rural Health, a quarterly journal published by the National Rural Health Association, serves as a medium for communication among health scientists and professionals in practice, educational, research, and policy settings.

JRH is a peer-reviewed international journal devoted to advancing professional practice, research, theory development, and public policy related to rural health.

Several new articles on the following topics were recently published online:

Access to full-text online articles is reserved for members. To access the journal, contact NRHA’s membership team with any questions about logging in.

How Midwives Can Help with Declining Rural OB Care

May 1, 2023

How Midwives Can Help with Declining Rural OB Care

Some midwives say home births could help more patients in the wake of rural hospital maternity ward closures that have left many families with no obstetric care options nearby. In recent years, several rural Northeast Ohio hospital systems have closed their maternal care centers, forcing patients to drive farther and leaving some with no maternity ward at all. Instead of taking on the burden of extra travel, some rural families are looking to midwives to help fill gaps in care. Let’s share rural-specific strategies to prevent rural maternal morbidity and mortality and address disparities and shortages at NRHA’s 46th Annual Rural Health Conference May 16-19 in San Diego.

Medicaid Changes Loom as COVID-era Regulations End

May 1, 2023

Medicaid Changes Loom as COVID-era Regulations End

Ending the COVID-19 PHE will require states to disenroll Medicaid recipients who were eligible for coverage as a result of COVID-era regulations. During a recent conference held by the Rural Health Association of Arkansas, an NRHA member, David Mantz of Dallas County Medical Center said hospitals won’t turn away patients who lose their Medicaid coverage, explaining that this would lead to more uncompensated care. It is estimated 15 to 30 percent of Arkansans will be disenrolled from Medicaid. NRHA hopes to help rural health stakeholders continue to communicate COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety with the Rural Vaccine Confidence Initiative toolkit.

Rural Communities Face Steep Climb in Race for Childcare

May 1, 2023

Rural Communities Face Steep Climb in Race for Childcare

Across America, about half of the population lives somewhere with inadequate access to childcare, with that number going up to 59 percent for rural communities. Even when families can find available openings for childcare, the cost can be too high. As far back as 2017, childcare has been the single largest household expense across much of the country. Additionally, NRHA is cohosting a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 9 on the National Pediatric Readiness Quality Initiative, a free platform that enables EDs to measure and analyze – in real-time and at the patient level – their progress on quality metrics that improve outcomes for children.

California Finds 6% Higher Mortality After Closure

May 1, 2023

California Finds 6% Higher Mortality After Closure

In January, Madera Community Hospital — the only hospital in all of Madera County, Calif. — was forced to close due to financial loss. Now the nearest emergency health care facilities are at least 30 miles away. A recent study found the mortality rate increased in rural California communities by 5.9 percent upon the closure of a hospital. Additionally, the American Hospital Association says persistent high costs, the end of the PHE, and the expected departure of millions of Americans from the Medicaid rolls spell trouble for hospitals. NRHA will share strategies to maintain rural health care access and keep rural hospitals open at NRHA’s 8th Rural Hospital Innovation Summit May 16-19 in San Diego.

University Launches Ambitious Effort to Reduce Disparities

May 1, 2023

University Launches Ambitious Effort to Reduce Disparities

Over the past two decades, life expectancy in rural areas has declined, with one major factor being the prevalence of diabetes. To improve the health and well-being of rural and minority populations, UVA School of Medicine has launched a new Center for Health Equity and Precision Public Health. Additionally, new research led by NRHA member Jan Probst of the Rural and Minority Health Research Center looks at how close some ZIP codes were to different kinds of health care and access in areas with higher proportions of racial and ethnic minorities. Your chance to explore the intersection of health equity and social determinants with the experts is at NRHA’s 46th Annual Rural Health Conference and 28th Health Equity Conference May 15-19 in San Diego.

One Month to Submit RHC, CAH Conference Presentations

May 1, 2023

One Month to Submit RHC, CAH Conference Presentations

NRHA is now accepting presentation proposals for our Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences. The goal of NRHA’s Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital Conferences is to share effective practices, policies, and information and provide insights and best practices addressing many of the access, quality, and patient safety issues confronted by CAHs and RHCs. Five interest tracks are available for CAH Conference submissions: innovation, financial, leadership, quality, and best practices. This year’s events will be held Sept. 26-29 in Kansas City, Mo., NRHA’s hometown. The deadline for submissions is May 31.