Rural Health Models and Innovations Funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
A collection of rural health projects that received support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy:
Other Project Examples
Community Care Partnership of Maine Accountable Care Organization
Updated/reviewed April 2024
- Need: To increase access and quality of care for patients in rural Maine.
- Intervention: Community hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers in Maine formed the Community Care Partnership of Maine Accountable Care Organization (CCPM ACO).
- Results: CCPM serves about 120,000 patients in Maine. In addition, it has implemented shared savings arrangements/contracts with different Medicare Advantage and other private health payers.
Vermont Food Access in Health Care (FAHC) Consortium
Added March 2024
- Need: To integrate healthcare with access to nutritious food in rural Vermont.
- Intervention: The Bi-State Primary Care Association and three FQHCs created food programs: Medically Tailored Meals, Produce Prescriptions, and Social Grocery Store.
- Results: These programs screen people for food insecurity, distribute food, offer health education sessions, and help people complete applications for other food programs.
ROAMS (Rural OB Access & Maternal Service)
Added February 2024
- Need: To improve maternal health in northeastern New Mexico.
- Intervention: The Rural OB Access & Maternal Service program provides obstetric and maternal fetal medicine telehealth, home telehealth kits, and free access to lactation consultants and family navigators.
- Results: ROAMS has worked with 1,500 unique individuals since July 2021.
University of Virginia Diabetes Tele-Education Program
Updated/reviewed January 2024
- Need: To educate people in rural Virginia who either have diabetes or are considered at high risk for developing it.
- Intervention: Teleconferencing technology is used to offer diabetes education programs to people with diabetes or those at high risk for developing it. Health professionals are also indirectly trained in diabetes care and management.
- Results: Participants reported better prevention practices and/or self-management of diabetes after being thoroughly educated about this condition.
Arukah Institute's Living Room Program
Added December 2023
- Need: To address high rates of substance use in Princeton, Illinois and the surrounding area.
- Intervention: The Arukah Institute, a local nonprofit organization providing mental health services, adapted a statewide model to provide support and a safe space for people in need of substance use resources.
- Results: The Living Room program had 1,485 visits in its first year, with 100% of clients served by recovery support specialists.
Cold Water Safety Children and Youth Educator Program
Updated/reviewed December 2023
- Need: Drowning was a leading cause of death for children in Alaska.
- Intervention: Cold Water Safety and Survival for Educators workshops were developed in 1998, with help from a 4-year federal grant, to train educators to provide education and hands-on skills for school children and members of the public.
- Results: The safety program was integrated into about 50% of Alaskan school curriculum and schools in other states, helping to train hundreds of educators and thousands of children on the importance of cold water safety.
HCC of Lafayette County's Heath Information Technology Workgroup
Updated/reviewed December 2023
- Need: To ensure the quality and sustainability of rural West Central Missouri's health services through the use of technology.
- Intervention: The Health Care Coalition of Lafayette County convened a Health Information Technology (HIT) workgroup to establish electronic medical and prescription records, telemedicine capabilities, and training for Lafayette County and surrounding areas.
- Results: The workgroup fully equipped a local emergency department with HIT, launched electronic prescriptions for nearly a dozen Lafayette County providers, and identified acute needs hindering the adoption of electronic health records.
EMS Live@Nite
Updated/reviewed September 2023
- Need: Distance, time, and cost make it difficult for EMS volunteers to attend continuing education and maintain certification.
- Intervention: Providence Health Training delivers free online training to rural EMS providers via video teleconferencing.
- Results: The EMS Live@Nite program provides free, monthly training to rural EMS providers in the northwestern part of the United States. The program is available through live video conferencing from certified locations in rural communities.
University of Missouri School of Medicine Rural Track Elective Program Opportunities
Updated/reviewed September 2023
- Need: Increase number of medical providers in rural Missouri.
- Intervention: Grant-supported expansion of the Rural Track Training sites with additional medical student and resident rural curriculum offerings.
- Results: Since the 2016-2017 academic year, 50 medical students have rotated at the training sites supported by this grant and more than 350 medical students and residents have attended the focused lecture series.
Rural Experiences for Health Professions Students (REHPS)
Updated/reviewed July 2023
- Need: An ongoing shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas of South Dakota
- Intervention: A 4-week summer program placing health professions students in rural communities.
- Results: Of graduating participants, 71% practice in South Dakota with 30% of those graduates practicing in rural communities with populations fewer than 10,000, or veteran facilities.