NOSORH is excited to announce that the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Institute is now available in an on-demand format! Designed to enhance your skills in providing technical assistance to RHCs, this comprehensive program features sessions led by rural health experts. The curriculum covers a broad range of essential topics and best practices, offering invaluable insights for anyone supporting RHCs. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to expand your expertise and improve your technical assistance capabilities. Learn more and purchase access.

Join NOSORH, the 50 State Offices of Rural Health, and rural health champions nationwide on November 21st to celebrate the #PowerOfRural! This day spotlights the incredible achievements in rural health care and honors those committed to keeping our rural communities healthy and thriving.

Not sure where to start? Check out the 2024 Promotional Toolkit! This resource includes a PowerPoint template, social media graphics, activity sheets, and more. With pre-populated social posts, sharing on your channels is a breeze!

Don’t forget to visit the NEW Power of Rural Shop, where you can show your support with fun apparel and accessories.

As November nears, please let us know if you have any events planned. We’d love to give you a shout-out on social media!

Learn more at powerofrural.org or reach out to info@powerofrural.org.

Appropriations Update: On July 10, the House Appropriations Committee advanced the Labor-HHS subcommittee FY 2025 spending bill by a party-line vote of 31-25. The House bill was a win for rural health programs administered under HRSA. The rural health programs were funded well above the FY 2024 House and FY 2024 enacted levels.

The next step in the process happens this week. The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take up their FY 25 Labor-HHS package this week, prior to the August recess. After this week, the House and Senate won’t return to DC until September 9. Expect Congress to pass a 6–8-week Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government funded beyond September 30 at FY 2024 levels. Congress will most likely pass the FY 2025 bill into law sometime in December. Read More

The Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project (RHPTP) is accepting applications for its next cohort from eligible small rural hospitals and rural health clinics. RHPTP is designed to help strengthen your organization’s foundation in the key elements of value-based care, including but not limited to efficiency, quality, patient experience, and safety of care. The goal is to guide, prepare, and position rural hospitals and clinics to effectively participate in a health system focused on value. RHPTP is supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy with technical assistance provided by the National Rural Health Resource Center. Applications will close on August 15, 2024, and the next cohort will be selected by the end of September. 

There is renewed attention to the ways healthcare is delivered — and how those processes might be improved to help patients. While rural healthcare transformation is a complex topic, not all solutions are out of reach. Some can be implemented rather easily, often at little cost, particularly if providers start from the perspective of adopting a patient-first lens. In this article from our partners at Wipfli, discover how to improve healthcare in rural areas with a patient-centered approach, including strategies for innovating care delivery and improving communication. Read Full Article

Throughout 2024, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) offers TeamSTEPPS for Diagnosis Improvement. This comprehensive training explores how improved communication among team members can help lead to safer, more accurate, and more timely diagnoses in all healthcare settings. This virtual training is an excellent opportunity for clinical teams to take advantage of expert guidance and gain practical skills that can be implemented immediately to enhance patient care and safety. The free training is open to healthcare and support staff teams of three or more across every specialty (AHRQ is particularly committed to reaching rural health professional teams). There is also an option to earn 8 CEU credits for a fee. View the course calendar and registration.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a New Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for expanding existing approved residency programs and establishing new approved residency programs. The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program trains physicians and dentists in community-based outpatient settings, focusing on rural and underserved areas.

The program has two components: one to support residency slots starting in the Academic Year 2024-2025 (Application deadline: September 5, 2024) and another to support residency slots starting in the Academic Year 2025-2026 (Application deadline: September 20, 2024). Applicants must apply to the announcement number corresponding to the specific academic year and NOFO number.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is now accepting applications for the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model. TMaH is the newest CMS model focusing exclusively on improving maternal health care for people enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The model will support participating state Medicaid agencies (SMAs) in developing a whole-person approach to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care that addresses the physical, mental health, and social needs experienced during pregnancy. The model aims to reduce disparities in access and treatment and improve outcomes and experiences for mothers and their newborns while also reducing overall program expenditures. Learn more here. Applications are due September 20, 2024.