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Virginia Rural Health News
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>>Nursing Supply and Demand

National Rural Health News
>>CMS and the EHR Incentive Program
>>Rural Doctors Provide Lifeline

Did you know that registration for the annual Virginia Rural Health Summit is free? Did you know that registration for the pre-summit Rural Health Workforce and the post-summit Telehealth events is only $25 each?

We also know that these are particularly difficult economic times. A limited number of scholarships are available on a first come first serve basis, if the cost of registration and/or lodging is the only barrier to your attendance.

Click the logo below for more information about the Virginia Rural Health Summit.

Bills introducted into the General Assembly which may have an impact on rural health in Virginia:

HJ 29 Medical doctors; joint subcommittee to study current and impending severe shortage in State.
HJ 27 Health care, indigent; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study.
SB 263 Nurse practitioners; moves responsibility for licensure and regulation to Board of Nursing.

Click here to read the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners analysis of SB 263.

The Virginia Department of Health has been assigned to review and analyze HB306 for the Administration. 

VDH is particularly interested in learning whether any VRHA members support the bill, oppose the bill, or believe that the bill should be amended in some way.  VDH is also intersted in knowing of those groups who may not yet have a position concerning the bill.

Please send your comments on HB 306 to Joe Hilbert, special Assistant to the Commissioner of Health at the Virginia Department of Health and Commissioner at joe.hilbert@vdh.virginia.gov. 

Nursing Supply and Demand

On December 30th, CMS released its proposed rule for the ARRA electronic health record incentive program. Several questions have been raised about how the proposed rule that will impact rural providers. Commentary is available on:

CMS Meaningful Use Definition Impact on Rural Providers:
http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/2010/01/cms-meaningful-use-definition-impact-on-rural-providers/

CMS Proposed Rule Excludes CAHs from Medicaid Incentives:
http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/2010/01/cms-proposed-rule-excludes-cahs-from-medicaid-incentives/

What Is A Certified EHR Expense?
http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/2010/01/cah-“ehr-eligible-expense”-definition-still-lacks-clarity/

CMS Excludes “Provider-Based” Clinics from All EHR Incentives:
http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/2010/01/cms-excludes-%e2%80%9cprovider-based%e2%80%9d-clinics-from-all-ehr-incentives/

By Gretel C. Kovach - The Dallas Morning News

Dr. David Fedro steers his van packed with medical supplies over potholed streets. He passes a cemetery and rolling pastures, venturing miles from his clinic in Marlin. Many of his patients are too frail to make the trip into town. Twice a week, he makes house calls with his nurse, like country doctors of old.

Fedro and his colleagues, Dr. J. Scott Crockett and Dr. Dileep Bhateley, are the only full-time doctors in Falls County. They help care for all 17,000 residents of this economically fraying patchwork of cattle ranches and farmland, spreading across 770 square miles, southeast of Waco.

This tight-knit team of overburdened doctors is thriving. All three worked in big city hospitals in Dallas or Houston. None wants to return. They are the beating heart of this rural community.

Click here to read the full article and watch related video.

Mark your calendar

For more information about these and other events, visit http://www.vrha.org/events.html

January 25-27: NRHA's Policy Institute - Washington, DC
February 7 – 10: Annual Rural Health Care Leadership Conference - Phoenix, AZ
March 16: Rural Health Workforce Summit - Danville
March 17: Annual Rural Health Summit - Danville
March 18: Telehealth Summit - Danville

Resources

New from the Medicare Learning Network

The Adult Immunizations brochure, which provides an overview of Medicare's coverage of seasonal influenza, Pneumococcal, and Hepatitis B vaccines and their administration, is now available in print format.   To place your order for the print version, select "MLN Product Ordering Page" in the "Related Links Inside CMS" Section on the Medicare Learning Network homepage.

Funding Opportunities

The Petra Foundation
The Petra Foundation seeks out and champions unsung leaders who are making distinctive contributions to the rights, autonomy, and dignity of millions who are marginalized in America. Each year grassroots leaders selected as Petra Fellows receive a no-strings personal financial award. In addition, the Foundation publicizes their innovative models for change, fosters their collaborations, and welcomes them to a national network of leaders who are working across the divides of age, ethnicity, class, and issue to build a more just society. Nominees should display a combination of activism and thought, force of character, independence of judgment, and clarity of expression. Nominations should be submitted by those who know the nominees and their work (without the knowledge of the nominees). The deadline for submitting nominations is February 15, 2010. Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about the program and the nomination process.

Bank of America Foundation: Neighborhood Excellence Initiative
The Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, Bank of America's signature philanthropic program, recognizes nonprofit organizations and individuals working to improve their communities. The Initiative's Neighborhood Builders category provides grants of $200,000 each to two nonprofit organizations that are focused on local neighborhood priorities in each of the Bank's 45 markets. The Local Heroes category provides grants of $5,000 each to nonprofit organizations selected by five recognized individuals in the targeted markets. Applications and nominations must be submitted online by June 1, 2010. Guidelines for both categories are available on the Bank of America website listed above.

FedEx Social Responsibility Program
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Core giving areas are emergency and disaster relief, pedestrian and child safety, education, and health and human services.

Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation Grants
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Supports domestic health professional education.

Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
This initiative aims to enhance the leadership capacity of community-based nonprofit health organizations serving vulnerable populations.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Unsolicited Grants
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Grants to address health care workforce, innovative health care solutions, and health care to vulnerable populations.

Small Research Grant to Improve Health Care Quality through Health Information Technology (IT) (R03)
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Funding to support the development and enhancement of expertise in health IT and related disciplines, including research and evaluation methods.

William Randolph Hearst Foundations Health Grants
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Provides funding to improve access to quality health care for underserved populations in rural and urban areas.

Rural Community of the Year Award
Application deadline: Jan 29, 2010
An award to recognize rural community accomplishment between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.