Rural Project Examples Addressing Healthcare facilities

Franklin Cardiovascular Health Program (FCHP)
Updated/reviewed February 2023

Need: To develop sustainable, community-wide prevention methods for cardiovascular diseases in order to change behaviors and healthcare outcomes in rural Maine.
Intervention: Local community groups and Franklin Memorial Hospital staff studied mortality and hospitalization rates for 40 years in this rural, low-income area of Farmington to seek intervention methods that could address cardiovascular diseases.
Results: A decline in cardiovascular-related mortality rates and improved prevention methods for hypertension, high cholesterol, and smoking.

Community-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
Updated/reviewed February 2021

Need: More evidenced-based chronic lower respiratory disease management options for rural Appalachia patients, where lung disease rates are among the highest in the country.
Intervention: Implementation of outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programs in 2 Federally Qualified Health Centers and a Critical Access Hospital in West Virginia.
Results: Improved health outcomes for patients with chronic lower respiratory disease, including those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ARcare Aging Well Outreach Network
Updated/reviewed March 2021

Need: To reduce falls and improve chronic care management for adults 50 or older in rural Cross County, Arkansas.
Intervention: The ARcare Aging Well Outreach Network, run by an FQHC, provided services like falls prevention assessments, transportation to appointments, medication management, and senior-specific exercise opportunities.
Results: From May 2015 to April 2018, the network served 639 patients through 1,580 medical encounters.

School-Based Health Center Dental Outreach
Updated/reviewed July 2020

Need: To improve the oral health status of children ages 3 to 17 living in underserved rural areas of Louisiana.
Intervention: School-based nurse practitioners perform oral health assessments, apply fluoride varnishes when indicated, and make dental referrals, with completion rates of the latter tracked by dental case managers.
Results: Significant numbers of school children are receiving oral health examinations, fluoride varnish applications, and receiving care coordination to improve numbers of completed dental appointments.

Addiction Recovery Mobile Outreach Team (ARMOT)
Updated/reviewed January 2023

Need: To reduce the number of overdoses and overdose-related deaths from opioids in rural Pennsylvania.
Intervention: ARMOT provides 1) case management and recovery support services to individuals with substance use disorders and 2) education and support to rural hospital staff, patients, and their loved ones.
Results: Since 2015, ARMOT has received over 2,956 referrals.

FORWARD NM Pathways to Health Careers
Updated/reviewed November 2022

Need: New Mexico's southwestern counties of Hidalgo, Catron, Luna, and Grant have experienced chronic shortages of primary care providers. New Mexico has the oldest physician population in the country.
Intervention: A comprehensive workforce pipeline program, including programming for middle and high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, primary care program students, and medical and dental residents.
Results: The program reaches over 1,000 school-aged students throughout the service areas and provides support for students and medical residents in a variety of healthcare-related programs for rural rotation experiences. FORWARD NM received its designation as an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in 2012.

Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center Insurance Help Team
Updated/reviewed October 2022

Need: To help inform western Wisconsin residents about their health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act.
Intervention: Certified application counselors provide assistance in outreach locations around the region.
Results: In the past year, more than 1,000 people received guidance on health insurance through this program, with 253 individuals enrolling in health insurance.

Healthy Southern Illinois Delta Network
Added September 2022

Need: To improve people's health in a rural 16-county region in Illinois.
Intervention: A coalition of local health departments and healthcare facilities coordinates regional efforts, which are implemented locally by health community coalitions.
Results: HSIDN has created toolkits, developed resource guides, and provided wellness trainings, among other initiatives.

The Hospital Cooperative Charge Comparative
Updated/reviewed September 2022

Need: To help hospitals in rural Idaho and Wyoming see how their prices compare to others in the region.
Intervention: The Hospital Cooperative (THC) completes an annual charge comparative, which lists the highest, lowest, average, and median price for a specific charge.
Results: THC has offered these reports since 2010.

The Hospital Cooperative Mobile MRI
Updated/reviewed September 2022

Need: Critical Access Hospitals in Idaho were not able to afford a fixed MRI system.
Intervention: The hospitals partnered to purchase a mobile MRI unit to travel among facilities.
Results: The MRI unit went into service in 2012, providing hundreds of scans per month and traveling among six member hospitals in rural Idaho.

Rural Project Examples: Healthcare facilities