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>>Rural Research & Publications

Winter newsletter now available

Congressman Tom Perriello (Dist. 5) will be providing the opening address to the annual Virginia Rural Health Summit. Perriello is slated to welcome participants to the summit and hold a question and answer session via video conference.

The annual Virginia Rural Health Summit is part of a three day event which includes a Rural Health Workforce Summit March 16th, the annual summit March 17th, and a Telehealth Summit March 18th. Other noted speakers include David Schmitz, MD -Family Medicine Residency of Idaho at the Workforce Summit and Neal Neuberger, CISSP - Executive Director of the Institute for e-Health Policy at the Telehealth Summit.

Click the logo below to access more summit information, including agendas for all three days, lodging, registration and opportunities to exhibit and sponsor at the event.

A message from the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine:

We are saddened by the loss of life and conditions in Haiti following the earthquake and extend our prayers and concerns to the Haitian community. In particular, our support is extended to two VCOM students who have family in Haiti.

We have considered a VCOM response and in collaboration with Virginia Tech. VCOM will consider a full range of options across the disaster relief efforts.

A medical mission of 30 VCOM students and faculty will go to the Dominican Republic February 1 -7 to include a community of 10,000 to 20,000 Haitian workers, most with immediate family in Haiti. We will provide medical care, compassion, support and assess needs of their families in Haiti to determine needs that can be addressed by an extended outreach of the VCOM Veron, Dominican Clinic.

Click here to learn how you can support VCOM's medical mission. Click here to view a Roanoke news broadcast about VCOM's outreach to Haiti.

Rural Healthcare Workforce Awards

By Alane Callander - Stafford County Sun

Those who don’t take care of their teeth, either because of cost or indifference, run the risk of serious medical emergency, as evidenced by a Westmoreland County man who recently ended up with a $43,992 bill because he didn’t have the $25 for a follow-up dental appointment at the Northern Neck Free Health Clinic.

As astounding as that is, there is no better example of why it is critical for our country to improve health care — and dental care — access. A simple problem ignored can become a life-threatening emergency. The costs are passed on to all of us.

Legislation in the Virginia General Assembly which may have an impact on health in rural areas:

HB 1304 Virginia Workforce Development Authority; creation. Creates the Virginia Workforce Development Authority to take over the duties of the Statewide Area Health Education Centers Program. The mission of the Authority is to facilitate the development of a statewide health professions pipeline that identifies, educates, recruits, and retains a diverse, appropriately geographically distributed and culturally competent quality workforce. Also exempts the Authority from the Virginia Personnel Act, the Virginia Public Procurement Act, and taxation.

SB 642 Availability of basic health insurance. Authorizes health maintenance organizations to offer and sell to small employers group health care plans for health care services that do not include all of the state-mandated health insurance benefits. Currently, such limited coverage may be offered by health insurers and corporations providing subscription contracts.

SB 266 FAMIS eligibility.  Changes the eligibility for the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan from children in families with an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level to those with an income at or below 225 percent of the federal poverty level.

A message from the Healthcare for All Virginians Coalition:

With the new Administration’s promise not to raise taxes, it appears that another $2 billion may have to be “trimmed” from the state budget (on top of the $2 billion already cut).  Ultimately, these decisions will be made by the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees – and health cuts will be considered by their Health and Human Resources Subcommittees.  ACTION:  Please send emails and make calls to members of the HHR Subcommittees and the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, telling them:  “DON’T CUT HEALTH CARE!” 

SB 266 has been filed by Senator Whipple.  The bill would increase FAMIS eligibility from 200% to 225% of the federal poverty line.  Since “Covering all Kids” is a priority of the HAV Coalition, this bill should be supported by all HAV Supporters.  The bill is assigned to the Senate Education & Health Committee.  ACTION:  Please send emails and make calls to members of this committee to support this bill.  SB 266 is on the committee docket – and we hope it will be heard on Thursday January 28th – when the pediatricians have their lobby day. 

One of our strategies to fight health care cuts is to document (1) the impact on people; and (2) the impact on jobs.  We all know that health care spending not only provides services to patients, but it also supports jobs throughout the healthcare system and throughout Virginia’s economy.  We also know that cuts in state funding in Medicaid /FAMIS mean that we are giving up at least an equal amount of federal dollars which also support health services and jobs.  The HAV coalition plans to put together a paper that describes these impacts in detail. We need help from all of you to do this.  ACTION:  Please send any information, fact sheets, and/or analysis that your organization has completed that describes  the impact of cuts already proposed (or anticipated).  We will incorporate this information into a single document to share with legislators.  Again, we are especially looking for help with impact on people and impact on jobs. Information should be forwarded to:

Jill A. Hanken
Virginia Poverty Law Center
804-782-9430 x 13
jill@vplc.org

NOTE: This message is provided for your information only and should not be inferred as an endorsement by VRHA.

By Amy Bickel - The Hutchinson News

Waiting for her broken ankle to mend, 90-year-old Myrel Carr wondered where she would be if her hometown hospital, Anthony Medical Center, was no longer.

"Probably what I would have to do is move away from this community," she said, adding that after a lifetime of memories and friends, "That would be hard."

Read the full article.

Opioid Deaths in Rural Virginia
In rural Virginia, drug overdose deaths increased 300% from 1997 to 2003. Polydrug deaths predominate (57.9%) in this review of 893 medical examiner cases. Prescription opioids (74.0%), antidepressants (49.0%), and benzodiazepines (39.3%) were more prevalent than illicit drugs. Two-thirds of decedents were 35–54 years old; 37% were female. When compared to western Virginia metropolitan cases, polydrug abuse was more common, specific medication combinations were found, the death rate per population was higher, and fewer illicit drugs were detected. These rural prescription overdose deaths differ from urban illicit drug deaths, suggesting the need for different strategies in prevention, treatment, and intervention by clinicians and policymakers.

Rural Hospitals Show Improvement in Patient Safety Systems
A new study examining patient safety systems in rural hospitals, such as automated alert systems and medication administration procedures, shows that these hospitals are making changes to address the problem more rapidly than urban hospitals, and the gap between urban and rural quality measures is narrowing.

Rural Assisted Living Options Lacking
A new report prepared by researchers at Harvard Medical School shows that where seniors live plays a large role in their access to assisted living facilities. Researchers show that assisted living facilities are disproportionately located in areas where people are wealthier and better educated, and where home values are higher—leaving low-income people, minorities, and people living in rural areas with relatively little access to housing and long-term care options.

Availability, Characteristics, and Role of Detoxification Services in Rural Areas (Full Report)
Few and Far Away: Detoxification Services in Rural Areas (Policy Brief)
Few detox providers (n=235) serve rural America; 82% of rural residents live in a county without a detox provider.  More than half of all rural detox providers serve patients across a 100 mile radius, making travel distances a barrier to outpatient care.  Referral options to substance abuse treatment are limited, especially in isolated rural areas. 

Mark your calendar

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

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

• The Quick Reference:  All Medicare Providers  (DEC2009) chart includes a list of CMS web pages that ALL Medicare providers use most frequently.  
• The Quick Reference:  New Medicare Provider (DEC2009) chart includes a list of CMS web pages that NEW Medicare providers use most frequently.  

Funding Opportunities

Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement
HRSA funding that will provide up to 60 applicants nationally grants of up to $100,000 per year for three years to develop QI programs focusing on diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Eligible applicants include RHCs (both non-profit and for-profit), CAHs (both non-profit and for-profit), rural FQHCs, and small rural hospitals, as well as other non-profit public and private rural entities.  Grantees are expected to utilize the Chronic Care Model and electronic patient registries.  Funding may not be used to purchase electronic health records.  Funding is awarded annually, and full funding will be dependent on availability of funds in future years. Application must be made through Grants.gov.

NOTE: if you are planning to apply for these funds, you are asked to notify Aileen Harris, Rural Health and Workforce Programs Manager from the VDH Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy.

Ryan White Program in SW Virginia
The Council of Community Services is accepting proposals for April 1, 2010-March 31, 2011 under Part B of the Ryan White Program.  Organizations providing services to people with HIV in Southwest Virginia and who cover at least one health district are eligible to apply for funding.  Approximately $1,200,000.00 is anticipated. Multiple awards will be made for HIV-related health care and support services.  Deadline for proposals:  4:30 PM, Friday, February 19, 2010.

The Kresge Foundation: Health Clinic Opportunity Fund
The Kresge Foundation’s Caring Communities initiative supports safety-net institutions providing prevention, primary, acute, and chronic care to underserved populations in rural and urban settings. The initiative’s Health Clinic Opportunity Fund is a national grant program developed in response to the rapid increase in the number of people losing their jobs and health insurance as a result of the economic crisis. Grants ranging from $75,000 to $150,000 per year for a maximum of two years will be provided to build the operational capacity of charitable health clinics, public-health clinics, and those designated as federally qualified health center look-alikes. (Federally qualified health centers are not eligible to apply.) The upcoming deadline for letters of inquiry is March 1, 2010.

Amy’s Courage Fund
Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Provides emergency financial assistance to victims of domestic violence and their children to meet their immediate needs after escaping an abusive home.

Share What Works: NACCHO's Model Practices Awards Program and Database
Application deadline: Feb 12, 2010
NACCHO is soliciting model and promising practices used by local public health agencies (LPHAs) to facilitate effective and innovative public health practice.

2010-2011 Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship
Application deadline: Feb 15, 2010
A yearlong intensive learning experience dedicated to preparing the next generation of health care leaders.

Advanced Education Nursing Grants (AENP)
Application deadline: Feb 16, 2010
Grants are awarded to eligible institutions for projects that support the enhancement of advanced nursing education and practice.

Regional AIDS Education and Training Centers Program
Application deadline: Feb 19, 2010
Funding to provide education, training, clinical consultation and other forms of decision support to HIV/AIDS clinical care providers.