Fighting for Rural Together: 2017 NRHA Policy Institute
Fighting for Rural Together
What Works? Strategies to Improve Rural Health
The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program helps communities identify and implement solutions that make it easier for people to be healthy in their neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. Ranking the health of nearly every county in the nation, the County Health Rankings illustrate what we know when it comes to what is keeping people healthy or making people sick. The Roadmaps show what we can do to create healthier places to live, learn, work, and play. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation collaborates with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to bring this program to communities across the nation. Each year, the County Health Rankings bring actionable data to counties across the country, serving as a call to action to improve local health. The 2016 Rankings includ...
2015-2016 NYSARH Annual Report & Financial Statement
NYSARH board members have participated in national events including the Rural Health Policy Institute in Washington, DC, in February, the annual Rural Health Conference in May in Minneapolis and the Rural Quality & Clinical Conference in July, in Oakland. NYSARH members also gathered in Albany in March to advocate on behalf of rural health with members of the NYS legislature. Two themes emerged as priorities this year, telehealth and health disparities. NYSARH is pleased to partner with the TeleHealth Learning Collaborative, the New York State TeleHealth Partnership and our members who are successfully using TeleHealth applications to improve both patient access to care and the quality of care provided by rural practitioners. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a re...
Spotlight: Wayne County Rural Health Network (WCRHN)
Wayne County Rural Health Network (WCRHN) is a collaborative partnership of health and human service providers working together to increase everyone’s access to needed medical and social services — striving for the highest level of health and wellness for the people of Wayne County. Serving all of Wayne County since 1997 With offices at 6600 Middle Road, Sodus, NY What we have done: · Saved Wayne County residents more than $1.5 million on the costs of their prescription drugs. · Provided more than $120,000 in scholarships to students who attended FLCC to obtain their RN license. · With Wayne County Public Health, created the Dental Clinic at Wayne County Public Health. · Provided cancer screening and treatment to men and women in Wayne County who are unins...
Spotlight: Remote dentistry equips the underserved with better care
from WRVO Six-year-old Jason Green is spending his afternoon at the dentist’s office, but his focus is on the many stickers he is earning by behaving during the appointment. “Well, I have been really good,” Jason beams, holding a stack of adhesive monster truck drawings. For his mom, Melissa Green, the exciting part of this appointment is that she’s able to have her son seen by a dentist without having to travel too far from her rural upstate New York community. Otherwise she would need a friend to drive herself, her son and infant daughter an hour west to Rochester where the nearest dental hospital is located. Read more.
A Public Health Message
On this celebration of National Public Health week it is important to understand the critical role that public health plays in our everyday lives. I urge you to take a few moments, watch the video below, and reflect on what you see and hear, then share it with friends and colleagues.
Innovative Blood Pressure Initiative Expands to the Finger Lakes
By Dawn Bush To control high blood pressure, patients have been encouraged to “know your numbers.” Now medical practices in the Finger Lakes are heeding that advice. Finger Lakes healthcare practices received their first high blood pressure “numbers”—a report showing the percentage of patients in each practice who are keeping their high blood pressure under control. High blood pressure contributes to one-half of heart disease deaths and is a leading cause of stroke and liver failure. If blood pressure is not controlled through diet and exercise, it can generally be controlled with medication. “This is one condition we know how to fix. With the right medications, high blood pressure is relatively easy and inexpensive to keep in check,” explains Al Bradley, the agency’s senior program mana...
Rural Data for Action
The New England Rural Health RoundTable is a forum for promoting healthy rural communities and solutions to the unique health challenges facing rural New England. In this month’s Spotlight New England Rural Health RoundTable is pleased to present their recently released Rural Data for Action Report. We are confident that this publication will serve as a valuable tool for community leaders, legislators, health care providers, administrators and others who work to address the complex issues related to improving and enhancing the region’s health care system. The Executive Summary and Full Report are both available for download.
Governor Signs Telehealth Bill into Law
Governor Cuomo signed into law last week, (A.9129-A (Russell)-S.7852 (Young), which requires insurers, including the State’s Medicaid program, to provide coverage for telehealth and telemedicine services. The Governor noted in his approval letter that these services are “increasingly useful for rural patients who might live far away from their doctors.” It is expected that the Legislature will amend the bill during the upcoming Legislative Session to address Gov. Cuomo’s concerns related to the coverage effective date of Jan. 1, 2015 and services not currently covered by insurance plans that are included in the new law. We will keep members updated as new information unfolds. Learn more.
Adopting Complete Streets in Herkimer County & Other Rural Communities
by Alison J. Swartz During a recent drive into work, I noticed a woman running on the side of the road dressed in a fluorescent yellow vest with reflectors on her back and arms, dressed with all the proper running gear. This particular road is seven miles long and is a very narrow town roadway with no shoulders. Its width allows two cars to meet and pass one another with the outer tires barely scuffing the edge where the pavement meets the gravel. I was especially alarmed when two cars ahead of me (traveling in opposite directions) met each other by this runner and forced her to run into the ditch, because neither car was willing to stop and wait a few seconds to allow one or the other to pass through. Three years ago, if I mentioned the words Complete Streets to mayors, town supervisors, ...