Rural Spotlight

Rural Health Research: Changes in Rural Pharmacy Presence 2023

August 19, 2024

Rural Health Research: Changes in Rural Pharmacy Presence 2023

This data brief provides information on rural communities that have kept, lost, or gained a retail pharmacy between 2018 to  2023.

  • Between 2018 and 2023, the number of retail pharmacies in the U.S. declined by 3.9 percent.
    • During that same period, the number of retail pharmacies located in rural communities declined by 5.9 percent and,
    • The number of retail pharmacies located in urban communities declined by 3.4 percent
  • There was little variation in the characteristics of the population in places that kept, lost, or gained pharmacy service.
    • Where there was any variation, the results were often counterintuitive
    • Places that gained pharmacy service had a lower proportion of population that was non-White but a higher proportion that was Hispanic, and a higher proportion with no health insurance

Click Here to Read Brief

Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 7

August 19, 2024

Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 7

The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal opened July 1 and will remain open until September 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Providers who received one or more PRF (General or Targeted) and/or American Rescue Plan Rural payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, from January 1 to June 30, 2023 must report their use of funds during Reporting Period 7 to comply with PRF Reporting Requirements.

More information and resources can be found on the PRF Reporting webpage.

Click Here for Reporting Portal

Click Here for Reporting Requirements

Monthly Webinar: Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness, September 12

August 19, 2024

Monthly Webinar: Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness, September 12

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds this monthly webinar-style Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) learning session to rapidly disseminate findings about Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

The series offers presentations by subject matter experts, examples of emerging best practices and models of care, and a facilitated Q&A.

This program is intended primarily for providers who care for patients with PCC and ME/CFS but is open to all healthcare professionals and all Long COVID and ME/CFS patient-lived experience experts interested in learning  more about the treatment of Long COVID and ME/CFS.

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, September 12, 3:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar: Operationalizing a Just Culture in Rural Healthcare, August 22

August 19, 2024

NRHA Webinar: Operationalizing a Just Culture in Rural Healthcare, August 22

Join the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for a webinar on Operationalizing a Just Culture in Rural Healthcare. Michele Back, Senior Director of Quality and Patient Safety at Ovation Healthcare, brings extensive experience as a healthcare leader and consultant. Certified in Lean Healthcare and a Master Trainer for TeamSTEPPS, Michele collaborates with clients to develop evidence-based solutions for achieving high-quality, cost-effective care.

Implementing a Just Culture in rural healthcare is a cornerstone of a comprehensive Patient Safety Program. Understanding how to effectively cultivate this program is the first step to operationalizing a Just Culture. Invest in your organization’s future by improving patient safety, reducing risks and preventing errors. Focus on managing human behavior and redesigning systems to create a strong culture of safety where trust and change are valued by staff and leaders alike/

In this webinar, explore how to:

  • Cultivate a comprehensive Patient Safety Program
  • Manage human behavior to prevent errors
  • Redesign systems to reduce risks
  • Create a strong culture of safety
  • Integrate Just Culture principles in daily processes

Cost: Free

When: Thursday, August 22, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar: Emergency Preparedness – The Benefits of a Comprehensive Plan, August 21

August 19, 2024

NRHA Webinar: Emergency Preparedness – The Benefits of a Comprehensive Plan, August 21

A robust emergency preparedness plan is fundamental for any rural healthcare provider, especially as the lessons learned from the COVID era are starting to fade.

This essential webinar will equip you with the knowledge you need to ensure the lights stay on and patients are safe regardless of the scenario.

Join Erik Thorsen, CEO of Columbia Memorial Hospital, and Ron Coulter, Life Safety & Physical Environment Specialist at Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), as they guide you through the core elements of an emergency preparedness plan.

Through this webinar, you will:

  • Understand and learn how to apply the core components of emergency preparedness in a rural healthcare setting, including:
    • Planning
    • Procedures
    • Communication
    • Training
    • Testing
  • Learn the elements of a strong Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA)
    • Engaging with the local or state emergency planning commission
    • Understanding vulnerabilities within your community
    • Staying vigilant in the post-COVID era
  • Gain a clear picture of how day-to-day decisions at the executive level affect emergency preparedness
  • Establish the framework for practical and effective drills

Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your critical access hospital with life-saving knowledge from our experts.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, August 21, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CT

Click Here to Register

2024 Policy Webinar Series – The Impact of Recent Court Cases

August 19, 2024

2024 Policy Webinar Series – The Impact of Recent Court Cases

This year’s Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) policy webinar series will focus on the potential impact of recent court cases on the development of telehealth policy.

While most may already be familiar with how legislation and regulations affect the use of telehealth, this series will focus on how court decisions can also significantly influence telehealth utilization.

Some of the court cases that will be discussed have already been decided while others are still pending. Regardless of their status in the courts, they all have the potential to significantly affect telehealth policy.

Session 1: Loper Bright/Chevron, Wednesday, August 28

In June 2024, the Supreme Court decided in favor of the plaintiffs in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo overturning what was known as the “Chevron Doctrine” named for the 1984 Supreme Court Case Chevron USA, Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. In the Chevron Doctrine if a court concluded a statute was silent or ambiguous, the court would defer to an agency’s interpretation of the statute. Loper Bright puts that authority back in the courts to resolve that ambiguity. How this decision could impact telehealth policy will be discussed among expert panelists.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, August 28, 11:00 a.m. PT

Click Here to Register

Missouri Telehealth Resources – Missouri Rural Citizens Access to Telehealth (RCAT) Funding Available

August 16, 2024

Missouri Telehealth Resources – Missouri Rural Citizens Access to Telehealth (RCAT) Funding Available

The Rural Citizens Access to Telehealth project is a partnership between the Missouri Telehealth Network and the Department of Social Services, MO HealthNet Division.

The project is currently providing American Rescue Plan funding to eligible partners, to introduce or enhance existing telehealth services for rural providers accepting Medicaid patients.

Additional information is available Here and includes a link to the survey to get started.

Grant applications need to be submitted by mid-November of this year with funding through December of 2026.

Please contact Dan Lund, lunddr@health.missouri.edu with any questions.

View More Information Here

Region 7 Virtual Birth Worker Forum, September 18

August 16, 2024

Region 7 Virtual Birth Worker Forum, September 18

Please join HRSA IEA and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) for the Region 7 Virtual Birth Worker Forum.

This free forum will bring together birth workers (e.g., doulas, community health workers, midwives) from across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska to engage and learn about programs and resources to support moms and families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Topics at a Glance:

  • Birth Worker Coverage and Reimbursement
  • Providing Culturally Responsive Care
  • Leveraging Birth Workers to Support Rural Families
  • Supporting and Sustaining the Workforce
  • HRSA Programs and Resources to Support Maternal Health
  • Syphilis Epidemic

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, September 18, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Click Here to Register

Delta Grants 101 Workshop, September 11

August 16, 2024

Delta Grants 101 Workshop, September 11

The Delta Regional Authority and Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) IEA Regions 6 & 7 is hosting a free Grants 101 Workshop in Sikeston, Missouri.

Attendees will learn about:

  • The federal grant application process
  • Where to find funding opportunities
  • Strategies for putting together a successful application
  • Resources to support their grant writing efforts.

This workshop is offered in person only; there will not be a virtual option.

You must register to attend this workshop.

Cost: Free

When: Wednesday, September 11, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Where: Three Rivers Community College, 1400 South Main Street, Sikeston, Missouri 63801

Click Here to Register

HRSA Delta Region Upcoming Events

August 16, 2024

HRSA Delta Region Upcoming Events

The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) has scheduled the following Delta Region events:

  • Tuesday, September 10, 9:30 – 12:00 p.m. : Delta Maternal Health Partnership Meeting
    • Join this meeting to learn about HRSA maternal health programs and resources, as well as to discuss maternal health issues.
    • This meeting is offered in person only, there will not be a virtual option
  • Tuesday, September 10, 1:30 4:00 p.m. : HRSA Delta Health Workforce Partnership Meeting
    • Join this meeting to learn about the HRSA health workforce programs and resources, as well as to discuss health workforce issues.
    • This meeting is offered in person only, there will not be a virtual option

Where:

Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation, Training Room, 203 N. New Madrid St., RM Social 1919, Sikeston, MO 63801

Click Here to Register for Maternal Health Partnership Meeting

Click Here to Register for Health Workforce Partnership Meeting