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The Rural Monitor

Increasing Knowledge of Palliative Care in South Dakota

November 16, 2022
Palliative care, designed to treat the symptoms of a serious illness at any stage of diagnosis, is associated with better outcomes like higher patient satisfaction. Despite these benefits, many people in rural communities cannot access these services or don't know what palliative care is. The South Dakota Palliative Care Network is working to increase knowledge of palliative care among rural healthcare professionals, nursing students, and community members.

Rural Health Clinic Program at 45 Years: Created for Access and Still Delivering Care

October 26, 2022
After a 1965 public law created the Medicare and Medicaid programs, many rural residents insured by these government health programs were unable to access care. This challenge was remedied by another public law: the Rural Health Clinic Services Act of 1977. Using a historical framework, rural health policy experts, researchers, and clinicians reviewed the Act's impact on outpatient healthcare delivery in rural America.

A Career of Influencing Rural Healthcare Delivery: Bill Finerfrock and the NARHC Origin Story

October 26, 2022
Over 5,200 rural organizations participate in the Rural Health Clinics program, a reimbursement model dedicated to rural low-volume healthcare delivery and now in its 45th year. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics — in its 30th year — is a membership organization that emerged as the program increased its participants. Bill Finerfrock, association cofounder and its recently retired executive director, shared the group's origin story as well as touchpoints from his own career.

Philanthropy, Cross-Collaboration, and the Ecosystem That Is Rural Healthcare Delivery: Q&A with Dr. Shao-Chee Sim

September 21, 2022
As vice president for research, innovation, and evaluation at Texas-based Episcopal Health Foundation, Shao-Chee Sim, PhD, discusses how philanthropic organizations can make small rural research investments — and, in particular, leverage cross-funder collaboration — that impact not only funders themselves, but also healthcare delivery systems and the rural Americans they serve.

Training Rural to Serve Rural: Baccalaureate-MD Programs and Their Rural Results

August 3, 2022
Rural healthcare delivery experts continue to emphasize the critical need for rural workforce. Using uniquely designed combined baccalaureate/medical degree programs, two university-based medical education teams shared not only the successes in training and placing physicians in rural areas — but the unique impact their service-oriented students and programs have on their academic environment.