We would like to express our appreciation for the hardworking community of friends, neighbors, and colleagues across the state, who work tirelessly to make Oregon a healthy place to work, play, and live.

This December, we celebrate the good work that has been done all year for rural Oregon, and we look forward to an exciting 2020!

For Some Good News...

In case you missed it, one of our most popular social media stories this year was a flashback post featuring Jane McLaughlin, the 2010 Oregon Rural Health Hero of the Year. You can watch her story here, or watch all Hero of the Year videos here!

The Oregon Office of Rural Health Activates Nurse Residencies! Read more from the Oregon Center for Nursing about this nurse mentoring/residency program to assist new nurses to begin practice in a structured, supported way.

Read inspiring stories from the National Organization for State Offices of Rural Health’s (NOSORH) book, 2019 Community Stars, which highlights nationwide examples of health care providers who go above and beyond in their dedication to their communities, including Oregon’s own Clair Arnold!

Share the joy: Nominate an individual or organization to be honored nationally for their contributions to rural health. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is accepting nominations online through February 24.

Rural Health Clinic Manager Professional Development Scholarship Awardee Announced

We are happy to announce Mary Kay Gorny as the recipient of the Professional Development Scholarship award. Mary Kay is the Primary Clinics Operations Manager at Lincoln City Medical Center and Samaritan Coastal Clinic. As part of the award, Mary Kay will be a new member of the Oregon Medical Group Management Association (OMGMA). Her professional development focuses on communication, motivational interviewing techniques, and RHC rules and regulations. She is excited for this exceptional learning opportunity and also looks forward to attending the OMGMA annual conference in Bend. 

CAH-Owned Rural Health Clinic Innovation Project Awardee Announced

Congratulations to Northwest Medical Foundation of Tillamook DBA Adventist Health Tillamook Clinic, which received the Oregon Office of Rural Health’s recent RHC Innovation Project grant award. Their project will focus on “Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine,” educating patients on lifestyle and behavior changes to improve one’s health. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has identified six pillars that significantly impact an individual’s health including:  nutrition, physical activity, stress management, quality sleep, healthy relationships and support systems, and avoiding tobacco and other harmful substances. 

Group sessions will be offered to patients incorporating each of the six pillars. The clinic will collaborate and coordinate with healthcare professionals and community partners to offer these sessions. It is well documented programs such as this that help patients reduce risk factors for multiple chronic diseases by reducing cholesterol levels, blood pressure, weight, tobacco use, and also improving diabetes management. The project will be completed in August 2020.

CMS Ambulance Cost Data Survey Grants

Shawn Baird, President-Elect of the American Ambulance Association, shares that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced requirements for cost data reporting by ambulance services for the 2020 calendar year. While there will be much more information soon, 22 services in Oregon were selected as required to submit data at the end of 2020. The American Ambulance Association is developing a robust toolkit to assist small and volunteer services in compliance and will make grants available for the toolkit. Stay tuned to ambulancereports.org for the latest information. ALL of our future reimbursements will depend on the survey being accurately completed, so let’s help!

EMS-Critical Access Hospital Partner Project Grant Deadline Extended

The deadline to submit an application to receive funding for a CAH and EMS Partnered Innovation Project has been extended to January 17, 2020.

Interested CAH-EMS partners should propose work that seeks to strengthen the coordination between pre-hospital and hospital providers, policies and/or programs. Applicants may propose to expand existing programming or implement new projects. Proposals may target outcomes for care that is transferred from pre-hospital EMS to hospital providers, or from hospital providers to an EMS-based program, such as a community paramedic. Submitted project budgets should not exceed $4,000. More details and the application can be found here. You can also contact Rebecca Dobert at dobert@ohsu.edu.

Did You Know?

The Office of Rural Health helps administer a variety of incentive programs for rural health care providers, including tax credits, an insurance subsidy program, loan repayment, and loan forgiveness. Learn more about the programs available, including requirements and how to apply here.

Lunch and Learn!

Rural Health Clinic Compliance Webinars in January:

January 8, 2020 from Noon to 1:00, Kate Hill, RN, VP of Clinical Services from the Compliance Team, will discuss the basics of RHC compliance.

January 15, 2020 from Noon to 1:00, Kate Hill will go into more detail about RHC compliance.

Be operationally sound and ready for your next survey, with these two valuable hours of training!

Login details coming soon!

4th Annual Forum on Aging in Rural Oregon

May 27-29, 2020 | The Riverhouse on the Deschutes | Bend

The Oregon Office of Rural Health believes that rural Oregon communities have the potential to be ideal places to age. This event provides a forum where people can talk about their experiences, learn from one another, and bring forth new ideas.

37th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference

October 7-9, 2020 | The Riverhouse on the Deschutes | Bend

The annual Oregon Rural Health Conference is the largest gathering in Oregon dedicated to sharing information and showcasing innovative approaches to health and the delivery of health care in rural Oregon. The conference brings together providers, administrators, consumers, policy makers and others to exchange ideas and share expertise.