NARHC Newsletter | Spring 2023

MEMBERSHIP FORUM EVENTS NARHC ACADEMY COVID-19

In This Issue

NARHC DC Office Updates NARHC Selects 2023 Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellow CMS Releases Intermediate Policy on RHC Rurality Determinations Use Your Voice - Advocate on Behalf of RHC Burden Reduction Act RHC COVID-19 Program Reminders and Updates Public Health Emergency Ends May 11 - Implications for RHCs Member Spotlight Rural Health Clinic Provides Mobile Healthcare for Underserved

Noteworthy News Save the Date: NARHC 2023 Fall Institute - Orlando Call for Speakers: Fall 2023 Institute Intro to RHCs - FREE for NARHC Members Now Accepting Nominations for Ron Nelson Award NARHC BOD Consultant's Corner Convenience vs Compliance: How Much Is It Costing You? Annual Wellness Visits and Advance Care Planning for Rural Health Clinics 8 Benefits Achieved by Providing Mental Health Care in Rural Communities Microsampling 

NARHC DC OFFICE UPDATES

NARHC Selects 2023 Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellow NARHC is thrilled to announce Michael Tackitt from Brownfield Regional Medical Center in Brownfield, Texas as the 2023 Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellow. The Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellowship Program was created in 2022 to celebrate the remarkable legacy of Mr. Bill Finerfrock.   READ MORE.

CMS Releases Intermediate Policy on RHC Rurality Determinations In late March, CMS officially released the interim process that will be used in determining RHC rural location determinations following the Census Bureau’s definition changes. READ MORE

Use Your Voice - Advocate on Behalf of RHC Burden Reduction Act We need your help in generating support for the Rural Health Clinic Burden Reduction Act (S.198)! This important piece of legislation modernizes 5 pieces of the RHC statute written in 1977 to better reflect the changing world of health care delivery. READ MORE

RHC COVID-19 Program Reminders and Updates The RHC COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation (RHCCTM) program final reporting requirements are open for RHCs or their parent TIN organizations to complete on RHCcovidreporting.com. As a reminder, this program allocated $100,000 per eligible RHC in 2021 for COVID-19 testing-related and mitigation-related expenses and could be spent between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022. CLICK HERE.

Public Health Emergency Ends May 11th Implications for RHCs The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) initially declared on January 27th, 2020, will conclude on May 11, 2023. Please note: this is a separate emergency declaration from the COVID-19 National Emergency declared by the President that can be ended via a joint resolution from Congress. READ MORE

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

In 2011, the National Association of Rural Health Clinics created the Ron Nelson award in memory of our co-founder. Every October NARHC recognizes and honors an outstanding leader and promoter of Rural Health Clinics with the Ron Nelson Award. Nominate an individual who has dedicated their time and talent to advancing the health and well being of others through the RHC program. Nominations will be accepted from members through June 30th. Recipients do not have to be NARHC members. This sign of our appreciation and national distinction will be awarded at the NARHC Annual Meeting in October. READ MORE & NOMINATE TODAY!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Rural Health Clinic Provides Mobile Healthcare for Underserved

Meeting the healthcare needs of Richmond, Kentucky, residents where they are became a clear service goal for Baptist Health Richmond as a result of their 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment. Whether an individual is uninsured or needs transportation, has behavioral health needs, or a lack of access due to social determinants of health, the assessment supported opening a rural health mobile clinic to offer centralized primary care services, with no appointment needed. READ MORE

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

CONSULTANT'S CORNER

Convenience vs Compliance: How Much Is It Costing You? Federal law requires that rural health clinics (RHCs) are HIPPA compliant. An RHC could face stiff fines and penalties if they are not compliant or if there is a breach. In today’s age of electronics, many RHCs are already using the various EHR/EMR programs that are available to them.  READ MORE

Annual Wellness Visits and Advance Care Planning for Rural Health Clinics A study published by Preventive Medicine found that patients significantly reduced their total healthcare costs when they completed an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). “Practices adopting AWVs have noted increased revenue, more stable patient populations, and stronger provider-patient relationships,” according to the study’s authors, Arpit Misra and Jennifer Lloyd. READ MORE

8 Benefits Achieved by Providing Mental Health Care in Rural Communities People are suffering and the need to offer mental health care in every medical setting is needed. Humanity is impacted by an increase in suicide rates, substance abuse, acts of violence & depression, and rural communities are especially affected. Unfortunately, rural communities, separated by geography, are highly vulnerable.  READ MORE

Microsampling Microsampling is the procedure of collecting and processing minute samples of blood, as small as 10 or 20 μL (microliters), for analysis. This approach has been around for about 60 years in pharmaceutical, clinical and life sciences, but some outside of the field may wonder why they haven’t been offered to give a single pin drop of blood via microsampling instead multiple tubes when visiting a phlebotomist. READ MORE

NARHC Members may contribute articles to the quarterly newsletter. Email newsletters@narhc.org