Month: October 2024

An Updated Model of rural Hospital Financial Distress – North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center

October 10, 2024

An Updated Model of rural Hospital Financial Distress – North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center

From January 2005 to May 2024, 219 rural hospitals closed or converted to a facility without inpatient services. Hospital financial distress is often cited as a main contributor to closure and thus is a key target for policies aimed to protect rural health care access.

Researchers from the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center created a model for predicting rural hospital closures in 2017. This update for 2024 was published last week in the Journal of Rural Health.

Click Here to Read Article

Webinar: Hospital Price Transparency: What Hospitals Need to Know – Part 2, October 15

October 10, 2024

Webinar: Hospital Price Transparency: What Hospitals Need to Know – Part 2, October 15

Beginning January 1, 2021, hospitals operating in the United States are required to provide clear, accessible pricing information online about the items and services they provide.

This webinar will discuss the latest hospital price transparency policies effective January 1, 2024.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) subject matter experts will review the latest policy requirements and enforcement actions for hospital price transparency effective July 1, 2024 through January 30, 2025

Click Here to Access Slide and Audio from Part 1 of this series

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, October 15, 11:00 a.m.

Click Here to Register

Upcoming HRSA Webinar: Navigating Screening Mammography: Guidelines, Importance, and Reaching Underserved Populations, October 22

October 10, 2024

Upcoming HRSA Webinar: Navigating Screening Mammography: Guidelines, Importance, and Reaching Underserved Populations, October 22

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s), Bureau of Primary Health Care is hosting a webinar discussing the guidelines and methods to reach underserved populations better.

The presenter is Dr. Stamatia Destounis a breast radiologist and managing partner at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care in Rochester, NY.

Cost: Free

When: Tuesday, October 22, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

Click Here to Register

Save the Date for the Next Office of Women’s Health (OWH) Webinar, November 7

October 10, 2024

Save the Date for the Next Office of Women’s Health (OWH) Webinar, November 7

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) Office of Women’s Health (OWH) invites you to a webinar “Addressing the Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Substance Use in Maternal Health Care.”

This webinar will feature speakers from

  • HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau,
  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH),
  • Office on Women’s Health

Attendees will learn about the National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care as well as HRSA and OASH’s initiatives that are integrating prevention and care for IPV, substance use, and maternal health.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, November 7, 1:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Preventing and Responding to Intimate partner Violence

October 10, 2024

Preventing and Responding to Intimate partner Violence

Download the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Implementation Framework that has activities and resources for HRSA-supported settings of care to prevent and respond to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the communities they serve.

The Framework has five building blocks to:

  • Train and support the health care workforce
  • Engage with partners and their communities
  • Deliver care that is responsive to trauma and diverse cultures
  • Coordinate and carry out steps to prevent and respond to IPV
  • Use data to drive decision-making

HRSA recognizes each organization is unique and has a range of experience in implementing IPV prevention and response initiatives. Organizations can pick the building blocks and activities that best align with their resources and needs.

Click Here to Access the Implementation Framework

Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) is now accepting Health Professional Loan Repayment Program Applications, Apply by November 1

October 8, 2024

Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) is now accepting Health Professional Loan Repayment Program Applications, Apply by November 1

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care is now accepting applications for the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP). HPLRP awards funding for educational loan repayment to eligible health care, mental health, and public health professionals in exchange for service in Missouri areas with a shortage of health professionals. Recipients must use funds towards their educational debt.

Loan Award Amount:

  • Up to $65,000 loan award for:
    • Licensed cardiologists
    • Physical therapists
    • Occupational therapists
    • Respiratory therapists
    • Professional counselors
    • Behavior analysts or,
    • Psychologists with a doctoral degree
  • Up to $35,000 loan award for:
    • Licensed physical therapists
    • Occupational therapists
    • Respiratory therapists
    • Professional counselors
    • Behavior analysts or,
    • Psychologists with a bachelor or master degree
  • Up to $20,000 loan award for public health nurses with a bachelor degree
  • Up to $10,000 loan award for public health nurses with an associate degree

Qualifications

  • Missouri Resident
  • U.S. citizen
  • No conflicting service obligation
  • Must engage in qualifying employment

Forgiveness

Applications accepted September 1 to November 1

Program Contact information:

Click Here to Learn More and Apply

Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) is now accepting Student Loan and Loan Repayment Applications, Apply by November 1

October 8, 2024

Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) is now accepting Student Loan and Loan Repayment Applications, Apply by November 1

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care is now accepting applications for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). SLRP awards funding for educational loan repayment to Missouri licensed, practicing psychiatric, medical, and dental professionals. Recipients must use funds towards their educational debt.

Loan Award Amount:

  • Up to $50,000 loan award for:
    • Primary care physicians
    • Psychiatrists
    • Dentists
  • An additional $10,000 may be awarded for these qualifying services:
    • SUD Treatment
    • OUD Treatment
    • Behavioral and Mental Health Services
    • Telehealth Services

Qualifications

  • Missouri license (MD, DO, DDS, DMD)
  • Primary care specialties include:
    • General or Family Practice
    • Internal Medicine
    • Pediatrics
    • Obstetrics & Gynecology
    • Psychiatry
    • General Dentistry
    • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Missouri resident
  • U.S. citizen
  • No conflicting service obligation
  • Must engage in qualifying employment.

Forgiveness

Applications accepted September 1 to November 1

Program Contact information:

Click Here to Learn More and Apply

 

RHIhub This Week Now Available

October 4, 2024

RHIhub This Week Now Available

RHIhub This Week keeps you informed of the latest rural news, funding opportunities, publications, and events.

Click Here to Access RHIhub This Week

Health Care Artificial Intelligence Toolkit

October 7, 2024

Health Care Artificial Intelligence Toolkit

This guide is designed to help community health clinics and rural hospitals navigate information regarding artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.  It discusses:

  • Foundational considerations
  • Governance for AI applications
  • Steps to assess and mitigate discriminatory impacts of AI systems in healthcare

The toolkit also includes an AI tool vendor evaluation checklist for community health clinics and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)

Click Here to Access Health Care Artificial Intelligence Toolkit

Building a Sustainable Rural Health Workforce for the 21st Century: A Report of the 2024 Rural Health Workforce Summit

October 7, 2024

Building a Sustainable Rural Health Workforce for the 21st Century: A Report of the 2024 Rural Health Workforce Summit

The U.S. is in the midst of a workforce crisis, with a critical shortage of qualified health care and related professionals. In the American College of Healthcare Executives’ 2023 survey, hospital leaders cited workforce challenges as the number one issue confronting hospitals.

These issues are especially pronounced in rural areas, where workforce shortages compound existing barriers to accessing high quality and equitable health care.

This report

  • Summarizes a May 2024 summit of national rural health workforce experts to discuss strategies for increasing the supply of rural health workforce.
  • Presents 3 principles related to rural, to inform 4 core strategies for building and maintaining the workforce.
    • Community culture
    • Innovation, and
    • Payment structure
      • Strategies cover workforce roles partnerships and networking, technology to improve access to care and educational pathways.

Click Here to Access the Report