@acrrm.bsky.social #ruralhealth
#FuelCrisis #ExtremeWeather

Distance has become one of the biggest barriers to care in rural communities.

Patients often drive long distances for basic services, which can delay treatment and worsen health outcomes.

#RuralHealth #CaliforniaHealth #HealthAccess #HealthcareEquity #CSRHA

Missouri's rural hospitals have been closing for years. DOGE's cuts to Medicaid and rural health programs are pushing more toward collapse.

When the nearest ER is 90 minutes away, healthcare cuts aren't abstract. They're fatal. #NoKings #Missouri #RuralHealth

Missouri's rural hospitals have been closing for years. DOGE's cuts to Medicaid and rural health programs are pushing more toward collapse.

When the nearest ER is 90 minutes away, healthcare cuts aren't abstract. They're fatal. #NoKings #Missouri #RuralHealth

Australian governments urged to prioritise needs of rural and remote communities in fuel crisis responses Ahead of a National Cabinet meeting on Monday to address the fuel crisis caused by war in the Middle East,

Australian governments urged to prioritise needs of rural and remote communities in fuel crisis responses – Croakey Health Media www.croakey.org/australian-g...

By Jason Staines

#AusPol
#RuralHealth

Thank you for being part of #CSRHA2026.

To everyone who joined us in Folsom, thank you for showing up for rural California. Your work, your ideas, and your commitment to collaboration are what move rural health forward. 💙

#RuralHealth #California #CommunityHealth #HealthEquity

Participatory Approach to Program Sustainment: Example From a Multisite National Geriatrics Telemedicine Program Background: Sustainment of evidence-based programs within dynamic health care environments requires ongoing adaptation to internal and external changes. Yet, strategies to support the sustainment of large-scale programs in heterogeneous settings are understudied. We developed and implemented a 3-phase participatory approach to support the sustainment of GRECC Connect, a 19-site Veterans Health Administration program that uses a hub-and-spoke model to expand rural access to geriatric specialty care. Objective: Our goal is to describe a novel participatory approach for identifying sustainment strategies for large-scale health care programs in complex environments, using our experience with GRECC Connect as an example to illustrate the application of this approach. Methods: We implemented the following 3-phase participatory approach with GRECC Connect team members from 19 hub sites. Phase 1: hub site clinicians and staff completed the Program Sustainment Assessment Tool, a publicly available online self-assessment of sustainability capacity. Phase 2: all sites then participated in a virtual retreat to exchange information, knowledge, and experiences related to sustainment strategies. Phase 3: each site submitted a locally-developed sustainment plan created with input from hub site team members. The sustainment plan worksheet included 3 questions asking respondents to reflect on the value of the participatory approach to sustainment. The process and experience of implementing this approach were also documented in structured meeting notes. Responses to Likert scale questions were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: Overall, there was a high level of participation across all 19 hub sites. In phase 1, a total of 25 individuals from 14 sites responded to the Program Sustainment Assessment Tool survey; in phase 2, a total of 58 individuals from 19 sites attended the retreat; and in phase 3, a total of 17 site sustainment plans were completed. Three primary sustainment paths were proposed and discussed during the retreat. Sites varied in their confidence to sustain program activities, but were able to articulate several barriers and facilitators specific to their site. The level of specificity in the sustainment plans varied considerably across sites. Most sites reported that this participatory approach was “very useful” (ie, ≥7 on a 10-point Likert scale) for planning their program sustainment. Conclusions: This approach offered a framework for sites to learn from one another, anticipate local barriers and facilitators, and move from reflection to identifying next steps for maintaining core program activities. Here, we describe the process used to guide 19 site teams through sustainment activities. We found the process is well-received, with sites reporting that their participation was useful for planning their sustainment journey. In elucidating our process, we provide a blueprint for other programs seeking to support sustainment across heterogeneous health care networks. Trial Registration:

JMIR Formative Res: Participatory Approach to Program Sustainment: Example From a Multisite National Geriatrics Telemedicine Program #Telemedicine #HealthcareInnovation #Geriatrics #PatientCare #RuralHealth

The American Heart Association’s Certified Professional by the American Heart Association program is designed to help rural health providers overcome barriers through continuing education courses and exams. Learn more: heart.org/cpaha #ruralhealth #cardiachealth

Stay up-to-date on all things rural health in Oregon!

Subscribe to our ORH mailing list to stay informed about events, programs, and services that support rural health in Oregon.
zurl.co/AJ1kT

#opportunityknocksoregon #ruralhealth #orh #orhevents

Tumbler Ridge Shows We Can’t Take Rural Medicine for Granted | The Tyee This year’s mass shooting could have been much worse.

thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026... “But there is another concern that has yet to be discussed: the new normalization of closures of rural emergency departments and how that could have made Tumbler Ridge even more tragic than it was.”

#ruralhealth

Burns Lake welcoming new physicians: Recruitment momentum brings hope | Stories Burns Lake has faced a challenge of physician staffing over the past year, resulting in last minute emergency department (ED) service interruptions affecting residents and families across the Lakes

stories.northernhealth.ca/stories/burn... “in Burns Lake have gained significant momentum. As of December 2025, five full time physicians have been hired, with all five signing letters of offer.”

#ruralhealth

AB 2457 proposes a unified credentialing system that could reduce delays and help providers start seeing patients sooner. Faster credentialing could be especially important for rural clinics that face ongoing provider shortages.

#RuralHealth #MediCal #HealthPolicy #Healthcare

This week in NRHA Today: Fragile economies depend on rural hospitals; rural families deliver in urban with worse outcomes; NRHA webinar on age-friendly CHW collaboration; med students gain firsthand experience; and much more: nrha_weblink_test.informz.net/informzdatas... #ruralhealth

A $50 billion fund to help rural hospitals could actually lead to closures and cuts States are rolling out plans for their share of a $50 billion fund established by Congress to improve rural health care. In some states, the money may provoke rural hospitals to cut services.

It would be more helpful if the federal government actually addressed the underlying issues that plague rural healthcare. For most rural hospitals, they need sustainable funding for operation.
#ruralhealth #mtpol #montana
www.npr.org/2026/03/26/n...

NRHA is pleased to announce the 20 highest-ranked PPS hospitals in the country based on an evaluation by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. Check out the full list of winners: www.ruralhealth.us/blogs/2026/0... #ruralhealth

Register now for the 2026 Conference!

The 43rd Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference will be held Oct. 7 - 9 at the Riverhouse Lodge in Bend.

Learn more and register now:zurl.co/4rqtc

#orh #orhconference #orhevents #ruralhealth

Check out Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) This Week!

RHIhub This Week keeps you informed of the latest rural news, funding opportunities, publications and events.

Check it out here:zurl.co/Ml7iN
#ruralhealth #rhihub

Sustaining a Promising Clinical Practice in High-Turnover Rural Environments Through the Geriatric Referral Navigator Role: Qualitative Case Study Background: Sustaining evidence-based health care programs is challenging, especially in clinical settings with high staff turnover. GRECC Connect is an evidence-based telemedicine service that provides geriatric specialty care to rural patients through a hub-and-spoke model between US Department of Veterans Affairs medical center “hubs” and community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) “spokes.” Four geographically diverse GRECC Connect hub sites (of 19 total) volunteered to implement a “geriatric referral navigator” role to address the challenge of sustaining use of this program in rural CBOCs. Objective: This study aimed to understand how a health care program such as GRECC Connect can design and implement a navigator role to sustain use of its services. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study using a case study approach. Participants were GRECC Connect hub site staff, including program directors, coordinators, and analysts from a range of disciplines, including clinical pharmacists, geriatricians, and social workers. Over one year, we conducted 31 qualitative interviews (5 to 9 “periodic reflection” meetings and 2 semistructured interviews at each of the 4 sites) focused on key tasks, skills, and characteristics of the geriatric referral navigator role along with perceptions about the role’s value. Each of the group interviews involved 2 to 4 staff members (N=10). We conducted directed content analysis using a rapid analytic approach and then shared deidentified preliminary findings at a national GRECC Connect online meeting where staff from all 19 hub sites (n=40) reflected on the role. We summarized and compared the perspectives shared during that meeting with the data we collected and analyzed from the 4 participating hub sites. Results: Key navigator tasks included building relationships, providing education, monitoring and troubleshooting logistical and technological issues within and across CBOCs, and evaluating the appropriateness of referrals. While professional backgrounds varied, navigator traits deemed essential for success included being flexible, creative, and a problem solver with deep institutional knowledge. The time needed to conduct navigator tasks—between 15% and 70% of the time required of a full-time employee—was substantial. The navigator role resembles several roles described in the literature that are meant to support program implementation and service use, including internal champions, external facilitators, and clinical navigators. Navigator tasks reflected a combination of known “semivisible” implementation strategies that hub site staff considered necessary not only for initially implementing the program but also for sustaining use of GRECC Connect in rural clinical environments with high staff turnover. Conclusions: The geriatric referral navigator role encompasses a broad array of recognized implementation strategies. It is critical to invest in supporting the types of tasks and strategies implemented by the geriatric referral navigator to maintain promising practices over time, where appropriate, to avoid the costs and burdens of implementing new, similar programs in the future.

JMIR Formative Res: Sustaining a Promising Clinical Practice in High-Turnover Rural Environments Through the Geriatric Referral Navigator Role: Qualitative Case Study #Telemedicine #GeriatricCare #RuralHealth #HealthcareInnovation #VeteransHealth

Wyoming’s plan to fund rural hospitals after $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts By Arielle Zionts for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Collaboration Wyoming officials say they have a

Wyoming officials say they have a plan to make a 5‑year federal rural health grant last “forever.” The idea: invest the funding in a perpetuity fund that could generate $28.5M a year—if federal regulators approve it.
#Wyoming #RuralHealth #HealthCareFunding #PublicPolicy @kffhealthnews.org

2️⃣ days until #CSRHA2026 Annual Conference.

We are getting ready to welcome rural health leaders from across California for a day of collaboration and learning.

Will we see you there?

#RuralHealth #CaliforniaHealth #HealthEquity #CommunityHealth

The Journal of Rural Health: Vol 42, No 1 Click on the title to browse this issue

The latest issue of NRHA’s Journal of Rural Health is now available online. Check it out: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17480361... #ruralhealth

RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz have a plan to save rural health care. Here’s the catch. Top health officials point to AI as the solution for dying hospitals, but experts from rural areas of the country say the solution isn’t that simple.

AI can be a useful tool in healthcare, but it's not a substitute for doctors and nurses. In addition to being unable to perform procedures, it also lacks the human component that is essential to caring for sick patients.
#ruralhealth

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Maternal health care in rural TX nearing crisis levels The Rural Texas Maternal Health Assembly says the state is teetering on a crisis in maternal health, as 47% of Texas counties are considered maternity-care deserts. Only 70 rural hospitals

Nearly half of Texas counties are considered maternity‑care deserts. Rural health leaders say long travel times, hospital losses, and limited services are putting maternal health at risk — though telehealth may help bridge gaps.
#MaternalHealth #RuralHealth #Texas #HealthcareAccess

Community college stepping up to help fill ID nursing shortage Treasure Valley Community College near the Idaho-Oregon border is upgrading its nursing training center to help address the rural health care crisis.The Evelyn S. Dame Nursing and Allied Health…

A rural community college near the Idaho‑Oregon border is upgrading its nursing training center to help address the region’s health care workforce shortage.
The new facility launches this fall.
#RuralHealth #Nursing #WorkforceDevelopment #Idaho

3️⃣ days until #CSRHA2026 Annual Conference.

We are excited to gather and learn from leaders across California who are making progress with what they have and advocating for what is needed next.

#RuralHealth #CaliforniaHealth #HealthEquity #CommunityHealth

Saint Alphonsus Medical Group (SAMG) is seeking a physician interested in practicing rural family medicine at their Baker City location, joining a 650+ provider multi-specialty group practice.

Learn more and apply:zurl.co/FQq6w

#opportunityknocksoregon #orh #ruralhealth #3rnet #ruralhealthjobs

2026 Call for Presentations - Last Week - Submit by March 30!

ORH seeks proposals for presentations at the 43rd Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference.

Learn more and submit a proposal:zurl.co/wA7k2

#orh #orhconference #orhevents #ruralhealth

NRHA and EMSC are hosting a webinar at noon CDT April 2 on the upcoming 2026 EMSC National Pediatric Readiness Project Assessment, a nationwide opportunity for every ED to evaluate their pediatric readiness. Learn more & register: dellmed-utexas.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #ruralhealth

The Moment for Mobile: A Q&A with Mobile Healthcare Association’s Don Blanchon on Rural Health Transformation The Moment for Mobile: A Q&A with Mobile Healthcare Association’s Don Blanchon on Rural Health Transformation

The moment for mobile healthcare is now.
Don Blanchon on what it takes to turn this into impact.
www.drivinghealthforward.org/post/the-mom...

#DrivingHealthForward #MobileHealthcare #RuralHealth

#MemberMonday 💚 Crivitz Pharmacy
PSW CEO Sarah Sorum visited Crivitz and toured with Erin Przybylski. Shoutout to PSW members Brian Plucker and Meghan B. Berken, participating in coaching to expand WPQC services and medical billing in a rural community. Thanks owner Ezra Gruszynski. #RuralHealth