November 13 – November 16, 2017
What is National Rural Health Day?
In 2010, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) 
created National Rural Health Day (NRHD) as a way to applaud the ongoing efforts, contributions, and collaborations occurring in rural communities to address the unique challenges in accessing and delivering health care services. In the past six years, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) has planned, hosted, and participated in this annual event.
Last year's NRHD events highlighted the Power of Rural and the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSAs) Bureaus and Offices1 and HHS agencies collaborations to improve rural health.
HRSA's Bureaus and Offices, spearheaded by FORHP, moderated a series of Twitter chats, one topic a day on Monday (the 13th), Tuesday (the 14th), and Wednesday (the 15th). The topics were workforce development, the social determinants of health, and behavioral health, respectively.
Agenda
Monday, November 13 | Tuesday, November 14 | Wednesday, November 15 | Thursday, November 16 | Friday, November 17 (All times EST)
Monday, November 13, 2017
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Workforce Twitter Chat via @hrsa.gov
Co-moderated by Bureau of Health Workforce and FORHP
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Conference call: CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum
Conference Leaders: Carol Blackford, John Hammarlund and Jill Darling
The Rural Health Open Door Forum (ODF) addressed Rural Health Clinic (RHC), Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) issues, as well as other questions and concerns that occur in clinical practice pertaining to CMS payment systems. Topics discussed included Update in Care Management in RHCs and FQHC; Patients over Paperwork Initiative; and, Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Overview. Other topics that frequently arise on this forum were: payment & billing for services, cost report clarifications, and the many special provisions being implemented for improving rural health in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. The forum closed with a question and answer period.
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Social Determinants of Health Twitter Chat via @hrsa.gov
Co-moderated by Office of Women's Health and FORHP
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Rural Health Workforce Webinar
BHW's Workforce Grand Rounds Webinar Series, in collaboration with FORHP, presented Strengthening the Rural Health Workforce: Tools, Resources, and Outcomes. The webinar described the health workforce needs in rural communities as well as innovative, best practices for the recruitment and retention of health professionals among rural areas.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Rural Health Series Webinar
As part of its ongoing efforts to address rural-specific issues, CDC presented Injury Prevention and Control in Rural America – Insights from the CDC MMWR Rural Health Series. This webinar discussed key findings from the last three issues from its MMWR Rural Health Series. These reports focused on injury prevention, specifically motor-vehicle safety, suicide, and drug overdose. In addition, the webinar provided resources to listeners on how to address these rural health disparities.
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Behavioral Health Twitter Chat via @hrsa.gov
Co-moderated by Office of Regional Operations (Region 8) and FORHP
Thursday, November 16, 2017 [National Rural Health Day]
National Rural Health Day: Webcast
9:30 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks
Tom Morris, MPA, Associate Administrator for Rural Health Policy
9:35 a.m.
Opening Remarks
George Sigounas, MS, Ph.D., Administrator (HRSA)
9:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Project ECHO
- Overview
Nancy DeLew, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ASPE)
Nancy DeLew will introduce the Project ECHO model and its utilization across HHS agencies and offices. - Panel Discussion of HRSA Models with Q&A
HRSA staff presented on the opportunities and benefits gained from implementing the ECHO model with respect to improving service delivery and access to care across a variety of programs. These panel participants featured:
- William England, Ph.D., JD, Director, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (FORHP)
- CAPT Sheila K. Pradia Williams, RPh, MBA, Acting Deputy Associate Administrator, (BHW)
- CDR Nadra Tyus, DrPH, MPH, Team Lead, Office of Quality Improvement (BPHC)
- CDR Madia Ricks, MPH, BSN, RN, Office of HIV/AIDS Training and Capacity Development (HAB)
- Marie Mann, MD, MPH, Division for Children with Special Healthcare Needs (MCHB)
- Demonstrations with Q&A
HRSA grantees provided a demonstration of how Project ECHO is utilized to improve health care.
- Community Health Center, Inc.'s Weitzman Institute (FORHP's Telehealth Network Grant Program grantee and a Federally Qualified Health Center)
- Ági Erickson, MS, Director of Project ECHO, Weitzman Institute
- Daren Anderson, MD, Director of Weitzman Institute & VP/Chief Quality Officer, Community Health Center, Inc.
- University of Nevada, Reno's School of Medicine (BHW's Area Health Education Center and FORHP's Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program grantees)
- Evan Klass, MD, FACP, Executive Director of Project ECHO Nevada
- Community Health Center, Inc.'s Weitzman Institute (FORHP's Telehealth Network Grant Program grantee and a Federally Qualified Health Center)
BREAK FOR LUNCH
National Rural Health Day: Webcast Continued...
1:15 p.m.
NOSORH Remarks on NRHD
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Panel — Federal Efforts towards Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
HHS partners discussed ongoing efforts to reduce the impact of opioid abuse as it relates to rural communities. Panel participants included:
- Richard Ricciardi, Ph.D., NP, FAANP, FAAN, Director, Division of Practice Improvement (AHRQ)
- CAPT Kevin Brooks, RPh, MHA, Principal Pharmacy Consultant, Office of Clinical and Preventive Service (IHS)
- Onaje Salim, Ph.D., Director, Division of State and Community Assistance (SAMSHA)
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Antibiotic Stewardship Webinar
Presented by FORHP & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC, in partnership with FORHP, presented Be Antibiotic Aware: Antibiotic Stewardship for Critical Access Hospitals. This webinar revealed new materials and resources for providers and patients as well as walk the listener through a new comprehensive toolkit featuring activities and resources to promote the U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week.
Learn more about Antibiotic Stewardship Core Elements at Small and Critical Access Hospitals.
Friday, November 17, 2017
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Webinar: Rural America at a Glance, 2017 Edition
Speaker: John Cromartie
In this webinar, ERS geographer John Cromartie highlighted the most recent indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas, focusing on population change, employment, income and poverty, as well as trends in access to broadband service. The USDA's Economic Research Service releases the Rural America at a Glance report annually, which summarizes the status of conditions and trends in rural areas.
Streaming audio will be available through your computer.
1 Participating HRSA Bureaus and Offices in this year's NRHD activities include the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW), the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB), the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), the Office of Regional Operations (ORO), and the Office of Women's Health (OWH). Other participating HHS agencies include the Agency for Health Research and Quality (ARHQ), the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
