VRHA News
>>Policy Institute

Virginia Rural Health News
>>Kaine Announces Award of Health Technology Grants
>>Expanding Health Coverage in Virginia
>>Smoke Free Air Campaign
>>Legislative Update

National Rural Health News
>>Call for Proposals
>>Rural Hospitals Say ‘Town Calls' Can Hurt
>>Farmers, Ranchers Pay More for Health Insurance

VRHA will again participating in the annual Policy Institute. Six delegates from Virginia will be visiting Capitol Hill to bring our message to Virginia's Senator's and Representatives. Meetings have been arranged with the offices of Senators Webb & Warner; as well as the offices of Representatives Boucher, Goode, Wolf, Wittman, Drake, Scott, and Goodlatte.

To read the materials VRHA will be bringing to the visit, please see our Legislation web page.

Kaine Announces Award of Health Technology Grants

The Virginia Poverty Law Center is spearheading the work of a coalition supporting the Governor’s Health Access initiatives. The proposed budget contains funding for several provisions:

• Support Expanded Prenatal Care - Raising the FAMIS Moms eligibility limit to 200% FPL
• Support Virginia’s Health Safety Net Providers - $5 million each year is included to support free clinics, community health centers, and local health departments
• Support the"VirginiaShare" Pilot - This innovative proposal will allow small businesses and their low income, uninsured employees to purchase private health insurance that will cover basic health care up to certain annual limits.  The cost will be shared between the employee, the employer and the state. 
• Support Free Screenings for Breast and Cervical Cancer - Program funding will increase by $300,000 in FY 2010 to provide screenings and tests to over 1,000 uninsured women ages 18 through 44.
• Support the Virginia Dental Association’s Missions of Mercy (MOMS) Projects - $50,000 each year for dental equipment and supplies for the MOMs projects.

Click here to read the VPLC fact sheet. For more information or to join the coalition, contact Jill Hanken: 804-782-9430  ext. 13.

Virginians for a Healthy Future are inviting all organizations in Virginia to join their Smoke Free Air Campaign. Virginians for a Healthy Future (VFHF) works to improve the health, education and welfare of children, families and communities by reducing the use of tobacco products in Virginia. The coalition is comprised of invested community organizations and individuals. Chief organizers of the Coalition are the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association.

Click here to read VFHF's Smoke Free Resolution.

Click here to read more about VFHF.

The Virginia General Assembly has introduced a bills which may have an impact on health in rural areas. To read more about the bill, click the bill number.

HJ 79 Physicians, etc.; barring from prescribing an alternative brand of medicine for financial incentive.

Click here and here to read more about the issue of Insurers offering financial incentives to entice doctors to prescribe cheaper medicines.

The PREPP Institute and the National Rural Health Association and their partners are planning a National Conference for June 5-6, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The planning committee is requesting proposals from individuals or groups for conference presentations. The conference, 2008 National Conference on Medication Access, Use and Safety in Rural America, will focus on innovative approaches to maintaining access to medication and improving medication use and safety in rural communities

Proposals should address workforce, technology, health systems, policy, economics or educational models as related to the medication access, use and safety in rural communities, the conference theme. Proposals are due by February 15, 2008.

Click here for the proposal application. For additional information, contact: Amy Olson, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota at (612) 624-4671 or olson017@umn.edu.

By Vince Devlin of the Missoulian

Not many doctors make house calls anymore, but you can find plenty of specialists who make "town calls."

From oncology to orthopedics, these specialists periodically leave their practices in places such as Missoula and Kalispell and head out into rural western Montana to see patients. It seems ideal - say you live in Hot Springs, and have had a hip replaced. It's certainly much easier to make it the 15 miles to Plains for follow-up visits with your physician than it is to make a 120-mile round trip to Missoula every time.

Farmers and ranchers spend more money on health insurance than most Americans, a new report has found. Farm and ranch families spent an average of $7,247 on health insurance in 2006, according to The Access Project, a research organization at Brandeis University in Boston, which conducted the survey.

The report, found that one in four producers have financial problems because of the cost of health insurance."It is generally considered that spending 10 percent of one's income on health costs is an indicator of excessive health burden," said lead researcher Jeffrey Prottas, a professor at Brandeis University. "For many in our sample, this was certainly the case."

The researchers' sample included more than 2,000 farmers and ranchers in North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota. The report said families who farm and ranch in those states are at a disadvantage because they often have to purchase health insurance in the individual market, instead of getting it as part of a group plan provided by an employer.

The study found that 36 percent of families surveyed are paying an average of $4,359 more than their counterparts who get insurance through an employer.

Read the full article.

Mark your calendar

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

February 7: The Fundamentals - Caroline County
March 24-28: 24th Annual HPR III Training Institute - Roanoke
March 28-30: Women's Health 2008: The 16th Annual Congress - Williamsburg
April 27-29: 12th Annual Virginia Faith Community Health Ministry Retreat - Toano
May 7-10: NHRA's Annual Conference - New Orleans, LA

Job Announcements

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

Job Title: Executive Director

The Community Health Center of the Greater Prince William Area, a not-for-profit organization, has an immediate opening for an Executive Director. This position reports directly to the Board of Directors. The person will serve as the organization's primary administrative and operations officer. Experience in grant writing and fundraising preferred.  Requirements include a Masters degree in Health Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, Hospital Administration or related field.  The candidate must demonstrate minimum of five years of successful management experience in community/not-for-profit organizations. Experience with the operations of a Federally Qualified Community Health Center is preferred. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Please send resumes to  sherry.dunphy@verizon.net

Job Title: NP

Licensure as a Nurse Practitioner in the state of Virginia in one of the following categories:  Adult, Family, or Geriatric.  Former work experience as a nurse in a clinical setting desirable.  Demonstrated exceptional interpersonal skills and problem solving; clinical experience with adult and specifically geriatric populations with a minimum of one year’s experience working with the frail or elderly population.  

Responsibilities include assessment and management of chronically ill geriatric participants in a day health center or participant home.  Evaluates and treats episodic illness, emphasizing promotion of health, prevention, and early detection.  Works closely with the interdisciplinary team doing assessments/re-assessments, developing and coordinating the plan of care.  Acts as a liaison with community based physicians and other healthcare professionals within the program.   Requires home visits in Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, and Tazewell counties.  Full-time with benefits.
Submit an agency application, current resume, and three professional references to:
Rose Hurley, Program Director                                                                               
Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, Inc.                                                             
P.O.B. 765                                                                                                                     
Cedar Bluff, VA 24609                                                                                                  
(276) 964-7152                                                                                                

Job Title: NP

The Free Clinic of the New River Valley seeks nurse practitioner 15-20 hrs/wk to conduct patient assessments, perform exams and diagnose and treat patients according to professional standards and practice. Individual will be patient-focused with excellent customer service skills and will work in the new Pearisburg Satellite Clinic near Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital.  Flexible hours and competitive pay. Send cover letter and resume to: Nurse Practitioner Search, Free Clinic of the New River Valley, 215 Roanoke Street, Christiansburg, VA  24073.  www.nrvfreeclinic.org

Job Title: General Dentist

Job Description: Work in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, and accessible to Washington, D.C. amenities. Recent grads may also qualify for student loan repayment. A great opportunity for a new grad or semi-retired dentist who wants to avoid the expense and hassle of running a business and still earn a competitive salary. Dentist will treat children and adults.

Please email your resume to Pam Murphy at scfc@shentel.net or call (540) 459-3790 for more information.

Funding Opportunities