Video on New Cardiac Rehabilitation Program That Brings Care to Rural Veterans’ Homes

“I get to the point where I look forward to Joan calling me on Wednesday afternoons. You know three o’clock comes and I know I have to be near the phone and be ready for her call, and then I give her all my numbers. She’ll check with me to see if I have any pain, how the week went and so forth, which I find is good,” explained rural Veteran Oscar Bourbeau. Bourbeau participates in a new home-based cardiac rehabilitation program offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Scientific studies show that people who complete a cardiac rehabilitation program following a heart attack or bypass surgery can increase their life expectancy by up to five years, and have:

• 27 percent lower cardiac death rates,
• 25 percent fewer fatal heart attacks, and
• An improved quality of life.

To learn more about the expanding program, watch the three minute “Home-Based Cardiac Care for Rural Veterans” video at https://youtu.be/S3tl3vMaDJs.

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Strategies for Rural Provider Engagement in Transitioning to Value-based Purchasing and Population Health

“Rural health leader participants identified a multi-faceted approach to provider engagement that begins with creating a shared vision of value and understanding the role of providers in the transition,” noted Sally Buck, CEO of the National Rural Health Resource Center. “Moreover, rural hospitals and providers need to continue to share their challenges and successes to encourage other providers and help influence policy.”

With the support of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), the National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center) hosted a Rural Provider Leadership Summit in Bloomington, Minnesota on May 23 – 24, 2016. The purpose of the Summit was to identify strategies for rural provider engagement in transitioning to value-based reimbursement systems.

The Summit participants, included representatives of critical access hospitals, rural ACOs, physicians, state Flex Programs, SORHs, universities, quality and rural health network leaders. The panel also included representatives from FORHP, a rural foundation, emergency medical services and community paramedics.

A report with the findings of the Summit has been developed to assist rural hospital leaders in engaging rural health providers in the transition to value-based purchasing and population health. The report is also intended to assist state Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Programs and State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) by offering timely information to develop tools and educational resources that support their hospitals and networks as they transition to population health.

Download the Rural Provider Leadership Summit Findings Report

Listen to the playback of the Summit Findings Webinar.

• First, the report describes issues and opportunities related to engaging rural providers in value models.
• Second, it provides key strategies that rural hospitals may deploy to overcome challenges and engage providers in value-based models and enhance medical staff collaboration.
• Third, the report highlights success stories and lessons learned that were shared by the panelists during the summit.

To download a copy of the press release, click here.
For more information on The Center, visit our website.

Join us September 26-27 at the Elms in Excelsior Springs for an interactive session on The Arts and Economic Development.  During the workshops presenters will discuss 21^st century strategies for rural communities and how the arts can be a successful economic development strategy.

Visit:  http://extension.missouri.edu/communityarts/cda-explores.aspx

Register online at: http://muconf.missouri.edu/cda-Explores/

What’s New

HHS invests more than $26 million in FORHP programs.  On August 11, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced new awards for five rural health programs administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP).  Of those funds, more than $10 million will go to the Delta States Rural Development Network Program, targeting chronic disease in the eight states of the Delta region (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee).  Four additional programs received funds that will expand use of telehealth technology for rural veterans and other patients, assist providers with quality improvement activities, and support policy-oriented research to better understand the challenges faced by rural communities.

Surgeon General: Turn the Tide on Opioid Epidemic.  A significant factor in the opioid epidemic is legally written prescriptions from doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. On August 8, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy launched a new campaign, called Turn the Tide Rx, to educate and mobilize prescribers in stemming the supply of misused opioids.  The effort aims to educate prescribers about the opioid epidemic, mobilize health care professionals to improve prescribing practices, provide the public with information about opioid misuse, and change the cultural perceptions around addiction so that it is not seen as a moral failing but a chronic illness that must be treated with skill, urgency and compassion.

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On August 25 from 3:30-5 p.m. ET, ASTHO, through support from HRSA, will host a webinar entitled “Lessons Learned from States Using Telehealth to Expand Access to Care for Rural and Underserved Communities.” This webinar will provide a brief overview of how states are using telehealth to improve access, address health disparities, and provide opportunities to reach traditionally underserved populations. The webinar will also highlight two examples of current and emerging telehealth initiatives in Hawaii and Alaska.

View the Research Alert.

Dental Students Eligible! S2S Loan Repayment Program

Opens August 16!
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program opens August 16, 2016.

Benefits
Students to Service loan repayment award recipients receive up to $120,000 (tax free) for at least three years of full-time service at an approved NHSC site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) of greatest need. Upon completion of residency for medical students (dental residency is encouraged but not required), recipients serve as primary care providers in an NHSC-approved site in a HPSA of greatest need.

Plan Ahead
The program is expected to be competitive. Please note that applicants who have federally-serviced loans will need to create a FSA ID before beginning the application process.