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How NRHA, USDA are helping rural hospitals

When Meagan Weber took over as CEO of Scotland County Hospital in Memphis, Mo., the facility’s future was uncertain. Both the previous CEO and CFO had been unexpectedly terminated, and Weber found herself at the helm of an organization that faced stiff financial headwinds, along with chronic workforce shortages, a sizable USDA loan, and revenue cycle challenges. As the hospital’s therapy services director for more than 13 years, Weber had a strong clinical background but lacked...

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Getting to know NRHA President Kevin Bennett

Kevin Bennett has a long history with NRHA. Wanting to get more involved with rural health advocacy efforts, he first joined the association as a student more than 20 years ago. This proved to be a smart move: Since then, he has distinguished himself as a rural health researcher and educator and held multiple NRHA leadership roles. He recently told us more about why he loves rural communities, how he chose a rural career, and what excites him most about serving as NRHA president this year.

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Reintroducing NRHA’s National Rural Health Foundation

NRHA’s National Rural Health Foundation (NRHF) is stepping into 2024 in style. The nonprofit organization has a new name, a revamped logo, an improved donation form, and a renewed commitment to supporting rural health education and leadership training for many years to come. NRHF also has a new dedicated fundraising manager in Brandon Brook, who joined NRHA staff last June and brought with him a wealth of experience in campaign fundraising for local, state, and national political...

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A reason to care: How students choose rural health

For three rural medical and public health students who recently spoke with NRHA about their career choice, finding their “reason to care” was a huge deciding factor in pursuing smalltown practice – but they also believe exposure can help more students become interested in rural medicine, and rural living has a lot to offer the younger generation.

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Focus on Fellows: Checking in with three rural leaders

Over the years, NRHA has developed a network of diverse rural leaders who have stepped forward to serve in key positions in affiliated advocacy groups, as well as local and state legislative bodies with health equity as a main focus. We recently sat down with NRHA Rural Health Fellows graduates Vicki Brooks, Joni Nelson, and Thad Shunkwiler to discuss how the program benefited them and why others should consider applying.

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A prescription for better rural nutrition

When Arkansas Rural Health Partnership members started screening more for social determinants of health as part of their chronic disease management program, food insecurity emerged as a top concern. In recent years, rural barriers to healthy food access have come into sharper focus. In 2022, a Purdue University study indicated up to 23 percent of rural households were food insecure, and recent data show 1 in 5 residents in the ARHP service area live in poverty. To help rural seniors...

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Faces of Rural: Redefining who we are

Across the country, health care providers are helping shift the rural narrative, eagerly noting that their communities are diverse, innovative, welcoming, and resilient – often different than what urban and suburban dwellers expect. NRHA will continue to highlight these empowering voices in our ongoing Faces of Rural Campaign.

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New NRHA initiative focuses on age-friendly care

No matter where a person lives, getting older requires support – but rural adults face unique concerns not shared by their urban peers. In addition to economic factors, cultural and social differences, policies that don’t adequately acknowledge or serve rural, and geographic distance, older small-town residents must also grapple with traveling farther for care, fewer community spaces and activities, social isolation, hospital closures, and health care provider shortages. These...

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Making an impact: Bridging the gap in rural pediatric dentistry

According to an American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry technical brief, two-thirds of the nation’s federally designated dental health professional shortage areas are in rural America. As a result, children in rural areas are more likely to have poor oral health compared to their urban peers. To address the need for pediatric dental care in rural communities, stakeholders are working together to overcome barriers and find sustainable solutions.

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Hard to reach? Karriem Watson dispels rural health research myths

During his 20-year career in public health education and research, Karriem Watson, DHSc, has seen firsthand the power of community engagement. As chief engagement officer at the National Institute of Health’s All of Us Research Program, Watson has drawn on his personal and professional experiences to inform his approach to encourage underrepresented populations to participate in health research. All of Us is a national initiative aimed at engaging more than one million people from...

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